Cablegate: German Questions Concerning the Coalition Against

VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRL #3023 2901428
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171428Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5682

UNCLAS BERLIN 003023

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SENV GM
SUBJECT: GERMAN QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE COALITION AGAINST
WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING

REF: STATE 171694

1. (SBU) Global Affairs Counselor presented Reftel demarche
October 17 to Ambassador Hermann Sausen, MFA Commissioner for
Environmental and Biopolitical Issues. Drawing on Reftel
points, GA Counselor reiterated our interest in Germany
becoming a full partner in the Coalition Against Wildlife
Trafficking (CAWT). GA Counselor also clarified our position
that the CAWT is not a formal, legal entity, that there are
no dues or fees associated with membership, that the CAWT has
no link to the Global War on Terrorism and that the
anti-trafficking measures envisioned in the context of CAWT
would not affect existing legal trade in wildlife products.

2. (SBU) Sausen expressed his gratitude for the
clarification, noting that there had been uncertainty within
the German Government concerning the structure of CAWT. He
was also interested in our assurance that legal trade in
wildlife products would not be affected by the CAWT's
antitrafficking efforts. Sausen indicated he had not been
aware of any misunderstanding about the relationship between
CAWT and USG counterterrorism measures. It was clear to the
German Government, he said, that this inititive was not
connected to ongoing counterterrorism programs.

3. (SBU) Sausen reiterated Germany's interest in becoming a
CAWT partner. He noted that the issue of Germany's
participation in CAWT is currently being considered in the
German interagency community, with representatives of the
MFA, the Finance Ministry and the Environment Ministry
participating. Sausen undertook to pass on our
clarifications to relevant representatives of other
interested ministries and to keep us apprised of developments
in the German policy-making process.
KOENIG

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