VZCZCXRO8244
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHKV #0129 0261546
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261546Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY KYIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9212
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS KYIV 000129
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; OES/EGC DNELSON AND KLARSEN; OES/ENV RKASTENBERG
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV PGOV KGHG ENRG UP
SUBJECT: UKRAINE: DEMARCHE ON COPENHAGEN ACCORD DELIVERED
REF: STATE 3079
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
1. (U) The Government of Ukraine (GOU) has no principle objections
to associating with the Copenhagen Accord. However, given upcoming
Presidential elections, it is uncertain that Ukraine will complete
its association by the January 31 deadline. Post delivered reftel
talking points to Igor Lupaltsov, head of the National Environmental
Investment Agency (NEIA) and head of Ukraine's Copenhagen
delegation, and to Dmytro Matushenko, Economic Cooperation
Department Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), urging
the GOU to associate with the Copenhagen Accord and present its
emission reduction target by January 31. Representatives at the
NEIA and the MFA told us that that their respective agencies had no
objections to Ukraine's association but the final decision would be
made by the Cabinet of Ministers (CabMin). On January 24, the
Acting Deputy Chief of Mission discussed the issue and passed reftel
points to the Deputy Prime Minister's chief advisor, Igor Zhovkva.
Zhovkva said that Ukraine was likely to associate itself, and that
the CabMin would base its decision on Lupaltsov's recommendations.
2. (SBU) COMMENT: We believe that Ukraine will eventually associate
with the Accord and will provide an emission reduction target.
Ukraine is interested in achieving a climate change agreement to
supplant the Kyoto Protocol. Ukraine has large amounts of unused
carbon credits, and its antiquated industry gives it great potential
to generate and sell additional carbon credits by improving
efficiency and reducing emissions. Nonetheless, given that Ukraine
holds the second round of presidential elections on February 7,
there is no certainty that Ukraine will complete the association
process by January 31. We will continue engaging our interlocutors
in the government and will report any substantive developments. End
Comment.
TEFFT