Cablegate: Portugal On Cites Cop15 U.S. Species Proposals
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHLI #0045 0291157
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291157Z JAN 10 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8089
UNCLAS LISBON 000045
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR OES/ENRC:LGAMBLE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KSCA SENV AORC ECON PO
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL ON CITES COP15 U.S. SPECIES PROPOSALS
REF: STATE 6668
1. Poleconoff and Economic Assistant delivered reftel
talking points to Ana Zuquete, Joao Loureiro, and Paulo Carmo
of the Portuguese Institute for Conservation of Nature and
Biodiversity, who will be the Portuguese delegation to CoP15
and share issue responsibilities. Loureiro will lead the
delegation !n!BQQQTQ
0V1>eiroj@icnb.pt, telephone
351 21-350-7900.
2. Loureiro prefaced his remaC'czmZQY/xz=x
;hnl be
part of the EU consensus position to be finalized over the
next several weeks, but probable positions are known for the
proposals.
3. Carmo said Portugal is sympathetic to the polar bear
proposal but is not convinced the decrease in numbers or
level of trade meets CITES criteria for transfer to Appendix
I. The group projected that decreasing size and quality of
polar bear habitat due to climate change would aO>Eq:iHQQQ
perhaps emerging data would change their position.
4. Carmo said Portugal and the EU do not support deletion of
the bobcat from Appendix II because of continuing look-alike
concerns with the Iberian lynx, the most endangered feline
species, with a population of only about 300. Carmo said
Portuguese wildlife experts reviewed the online fur
identification guide and still had great difficulty
distinguishing bobcat fur from Iberian lynx fur, and are
concerned that enforcement officers with less scientific
expertise would be unable to distinguish between them.
5. Carmo said Portugal and the EU support the shark, coral,
and snake trade workshop proposals.
For more reporting from Embassy Lisbon and information about Portugal,
please see our Intelink site:
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/portal:port ugal
BALLARD