VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHNR #0226 0341431
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031430Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0658
INFO RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
UNCLAS NAIROBI 000226
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/EGC DREW NELSON AND KATE LARSEN AND OES/ENV RACHEL KASTENBERG
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV KGHG ENRG KE
SUBJECT: KENYA: COPENHAGEN ACCORD DEMARCHE DELIVERED
REF: STATE 3080
1. In a January 28 meeting, Undersecretary for Democracy and
Global Affairs Otero and Ambassador Ranneberger delivered reftel
talking points to Minister of Environment and Natural Resources
John Michuki urging the Government of Kenya (GOK) to associate with
the Copenhagen Accord. U/S Otero pressed Michuki to sign the
accord as a matter of urgency. Michuki said the GOK is not
prepared to associate with the Accord at this time. Instead, the
GOK plans to raise the issue of association at the current AU
Summit in Addis Ababa. Minister Michuki argued Kenya could not
sign the accord because there was not a final consensus reached on
the document. He reminded everyone that at Copenhagen there was a
call for the Ministers to convene to resolve differences, but that
meeting did not happen. He added that a few countries who objected
to the Accord were able to block the issuance of a universally
agreed upon document and, until there is a consensus document,
Kenya is unable to sign.
2. Embassy officers have continued to reach out to GOK contacts to
urge Kenya to associate with the Accord. The Permanent Secretary
of Environment Lenayapa would not comment on the Copenhagen Accord
when asked. Other GOK contacts, including one of the negotiators
at the 15th Conference of Parties (COP), have confirmed the
position that the GOK is not prepared to associate at this time.
3. Comment: It seems the GOK does not have major issues with the
substance of the Copenhagen Accord. Rather, the reluctance to
associate at this time appears to be, in part, a result of the
GOK's disappointment with the process of negotiations at
Copenhagen. We will continue to press. End comment.
RANNEBERGER