Cablegate: Namibia Wary of Copenhagen

VZCZCXRO7146
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHWD #0080 0251557
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251556Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0139
INFO SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS WINDHOEK 000080

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
OES FOR DREW NELSON, OES FOR RACHEL KASTENBERG, OES FOR KATE LARSEN, AF/S FOR PHAEDRA GWYN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG KGHG SENV WA
SUBJECT: Namibia Wary of Copenhagen

1. (SBU) On January 25, Ambassador delivered reftel demarche
to Prime Minister Nahas Angula, urging the Government of Namibia to
associate with the Copenhagen Accord without delay. Angula
indicated his government was disappointed with the outcome of the
15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change. Namibia wanted a binding agreement that specified
emissions levels. He added that his government was unclear on the
relationship between the Kyoto Protocol and the agreement fashioned
in Copenhagen, but believed there was a significant disconnect
between the two. "For us, Kyoto was important, and we don't want
to start from scratch," Angula noted. In addition, he said that
Namibia is unclear on the legal status of the new agreement and on
details regarding enforcement mechanisms. Angula explained that
the cabinet would take up discussion on whether Namibia should
associate with the Copenhagen Accord, but noted this topic was not
on the agenda of the forthcoming cabinet meeting.

2. (SBU) Ambassador replied that the USG was also
disappointed that the accord was not binding, but emphasized the
agreement's strengths in detail. She clarified that Copenhagen
would not undermine the Kyoto Protocol, and she presented Angula
with the instructions included in reftel on how Namibia could
associate with the agreement.
MATHIEU

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