

Currently released so far... 12478 / 251,287
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
2011/03/23
2011/03/24
2011/03/25
2011/03/26
2011/03/27
2011/03/28
2011/03/29
2011/03/30
2011/03/31
2011/04/01
2011/04/02
2011/04/03
2011/04/04
2011/04/05
2011/04/06
2011/04/07
2011/04/08
2011/04/09
2011/04/10
2011/04/11
2011/04/12
2011/04/13
2011/04/14
2011/04/15
2011/04/16
2011/04/17
2011/04/18
2011/04/19
2011/04/20
2011/04/21
2011/04/22
2011/04/23
2011/04/24
2011/04/25
2011/04/26
2011/04/27
2011/04/28
2011/04/29
2011/04/30
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Apia
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Auckland
Consulate Amsterdam
Consulate Adana
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belmopan
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dili
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Helsinki
Embassy Harare
Embassy Hanoi
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Consulate Hermosillo
Consulate Hamilton
Consulate Hamburg
Consulate Halifax
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kingston
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lahore
Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE
Mission USNATO
Mission UNESCO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manila
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia
Embassy Niamey
Embassy New Delhi
Embassy Ndjamena
Embassy Nassau
Embassy Nairobi
Consulate Naples
Consulate Naha
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Of Spain
Embassy Port Louis
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Suva
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate St Petersburg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sapporo
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Toronto
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Office Almaty
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius
Embassy Vienna
Embassy Vatican
Embassy Valletta
Consulate Vladivostok
Consulate Vancouver
Browse by tag
AU
ASEC
AE
AF
AORC
AEMR
AMGT
ABUD
AFFAIRS
APER
AS
AMED
AY
AG
AR
AJ
AL
AID
AM
AODE
ABLD
AMG
AFIN
ATRN
AGAO
AFU
AN
AA
ALOW
APECO
ADM
ARF
ASEAN
APEC
AMBASSADOR
AO
ASUP
AZ
AADP
ACOA
ANET
AMCHAMS
ACABQ
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
APCS
AGMT
AINF
AIT
AORL
ACS
AFSI
AFSN
ACBAQ
AFGHANISTAN
ADANA
ADPM
AX
ADCO
AECL
AMEX
ACAO
ASCH
AORG
AGR
AROC
ASIG
AND
ARM
AQ
ATFN
AC
AUC
ASEX
AER
AVERY
AGRICULTURE
BL
BR
BO
BA
BD
BM
BK
BG
BU
BB
BH
BTIO
BY
BEXP
BP
BE
BRUSSELS
BF
BIDEN
BT
BX
BC
BILAT
BN
BBSR
BTIU
BWC
BMGT
CA
CASC
CVIS
CM
CH
CO
CU
CD
CWC
CI
CS
CY
CMGT
CF
CG
CR
CB
CV
CW
CE
CBW
CT
CPAS
COUNTERTERRORISM
CJAN
CODEL
CIDA
CDG
CDC
CIA
CTR
CNARC
CSW
CN
CONS
CLINTON
COE
CROS
CARICOM
CONDOLEEZZA
COUNTER
CL
COM
CICTE
CIS
CFED
COUNTRY
CJUS
CBSA
CEUDA
CLMT
CAC
COPUOS
CIC
CBE
CHR
CTM
CVR
CITEL
CLEARANCE
CACS
CAN
CITT
CARSON
CACM
CDB
CAPC
CKGR
CBC
EC
EG
EPET
ECON
ETRD
EFIN
EIND
EMIN
ENRG
EAID
EAGR
EUN
ETTC
EAIR
ENIV
ES
EU
EINV
ELAB
ECIN
EFIS
ELTN
EWWT
ECPS
ECONOMIC
ENGR
EN
EINT
EPA
ELN
ESA
EZ
ER
ET
EFTA
EINVECONSENVCSJA
EUMEM
ETRA
EXTERNAL
EI
EUR
EK
ERNG
ENGY
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ENERG
EINVEFIN
ENVR
ECA
ELECTIONS
ETC
EUREM
ENNP
EFINECONCS
EURN
ECINECONCS
EEPET
EXIM
ERD
ENVI
ETRC
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ETRO
EDU
ETRN
EAIG
ECONCS
ECONOMICS
EAP
ECONOMY
EINN
EIAR
EXBS
ECUN
EINDETRD
EREL
EUC
ESENV
ECONEFIN
ECIP
EFIM
EAIDS
ETRDECONWTOCS
EUNCH
EINVETC
IZ
IT
IR
IS
IN
IC
IAEA
IO
ICAO
IWC
ID
IV
ISRAEL
IAHRC
IQ
ICTR
IMF
IRS
IDP
IGAD
ICRC
ICTY
IMO
IL
INRA
INRO
ICJ
ITU
IBRD
INMARSAT
IIP
ITALY
IEFIN
IACI
ILO
INTELSAT
ILC
ITRA
IDA
INRB
IRC
INTERPOL
IA
IPR
IRAQI
ISRAELI
INTERNAL
ISLAMISTS
INDO
ITPHUM
ITPGOV
ITALIAN
IBET
INR
IEA
IZPREL
IRAJ
ITF
IF
KDEM
KU
KPAL
KNNP
KCRM
KZ
KN
KS
KJUS
KTFN
KSCA
KV
KISL
KPAO
KPKO
KIRF
KTIA
KIPR
KFLO
KFRD
KTIP
KAWC
KSUM
KCOM
KAID
KE
KTDB
KMDR
KOMC
KWBG
KDRG
KVPR
KTEX
KGIC
KWMN
KSCI
KCOR
KACT
KDDG
KHLS
KSAF
KFLU
KSEO
KMRS
KSPR
KOLY
KSEP
KVIR
KGHG
KIRC
KUNR
KIFR
KCIP
KMCA
KMPI
KBCT
KHSA
KICC
KIDE
KCRS
KMFO
KRVC
KRGY
KR
KAWK
KG
KFIN
KHIV
KBIO
KOCI
KBTR
KNEI
KPOA
KCFE
KPLS
KSTC
KHDP
KPRP
KCRCM
KLIG
KCFC
KTER
KREC
KTBT
KPRV
KSTH
KRIM
KRAD
KWAC
KWMM
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KOMS
KX
KMIG
KRCM
KVRP
KBTS
KPAONZ
KNUC
KNAR
KPWR
KNPP
KDEMAF
KNUP
KNNPMNUC
KERG
KGIT
KPAI
KTLA
KFSC
KCSY
KSAC
KTRD
KID
KOM
KMOC
KJUST
KGCC
KREL
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KFTFN
KO
KNSD
KHUM
KSEC
KCMR
KCHG
KICA
KPIN
KESS
KDEV
KCGC
KWWMN
KPAK
KWNM
KWMNCS
KRFD
MOPS
MCAP
MPOS
MARR
MO
MNUC
MX
MASS
MG
MY
MU
ML
MR
MILITARY
MTCRE
MT
MEPP
MA
MDC
MP
MAR
MASSMNUC
MARAD
MAPP
MZ
MD
MI
MEETINGS
MK
MCC
MEPN
MRCRE
MAS
MIL
MASC
MC
MV
MTCR
MIK
MUCN
MEDIA
MERCOSUR
MW
MOPPS
MTS
MLS
MILI
MTRE
MEPI
MQADHAFI
MAPS
NO
NATO
NL
NP
NZ
NSF
NI
NH
NG
NAFTA
NU
NASA
NR
NATOPREL
NSSP
NSG
NA
NT
NW
NK
NPT
NPA
NATIONAL
NPG
NSFO
NS
NSC
NE
NGO
NDP
NIPP
NRR
NEW
NZUS
NC
NAR
NV
NORAD
OTRA
OPCW
OVIP
OAS
OREP
OPIC
OIIP
OPRC
ODIP
OEXC
OPDC
OSCE
OIC
OSCI
OECD
OFDP
OFDA
OMIG
OPAD
OFFICIALS
OVP
OIE
OHUM
OCS
OBSP
OTR
OSAC
ON
OCII
OES
PGOV
PREL
PHUM
PTER
PINS
PINR
PREF
PK
PROP
PA
PARM
PBTS
PMAR
PM
PGIV
PE
PRAM
PHUH
PHSA
PL
PNAT
PO
PLN
PAO
PSA
PHUMPGOV
PF
PEL
PBIO
POLITICS
PHUMBA
PAS
POL
PREO
PAHO
PMIL
POGOV
POV
PAK
PNR
PRL
PG
PREFA
PSI
PINL
PU
PARMS
PRGOV
PALESTINIAN
PAIGH
POLITICAL
PARTIES
POSTS
PROG
PORG
PTBS
PUNE
POLICY
PDOV
PCI
PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA
PBT
PP
PS
PY
PTERE
PGOF
PKFK
PSOE
PEPR
PPA
PINT
PRELP
PSEPC
PGOVE
PINF
PNG
PGOC
PFOR
PCUL
POLINT
PGGV
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PGOVLO
PHUS
PDEM
PECON
PROV
PHUMPREL
RS
RU
RELATIONS
RW
RO
RM
RP
ROOD
RICE
RUPREL
RSO
RCMP
REACTION
REPORT
REGION
RIGHTS
RF
RFE
RSP
RIGHTSPOLMIL
ROBERT
SU
SCUL
SNAR
SOCI
SF
SA
SHUM
SENV
SP
SR
SY
SANC
SC
SMIG
SZ
SARS
SW
SEVN
SO
SEN
SL
SNARCS
SNARN
SI
SG
SN
SH
SYR
SAARC
SPCE
SHI
SCRS
SENVKGHG
SYRIA
SWE
STEINBERG
SIPRS
ST
SNARIZ
SSA
SK
SPCVIS
SOFA
SIPDIS
SAN
TC
TI
TBIO
TH
TSPL
TRGY
TSPA
TPHY
TU
TW
TS
TAGS
TK
TX
TNGD
TZ
TF
TL
TV
TN
TD
TIP
TR
TP
TO
TT
TFIN
THPY
TERRORISM
TINT
TRSY
TURKEY
TBID
US
UK
UNGA
UP
UZ
UNMIK
USTR
UNO
UNSC
UN
UNESCO
UNAUS
UNHRC
UY
UG
UNHCR
UNCND
USOAS
USEU
UNICEF
UNEP
UV
UNPUOS
UNCSD
USUN
UNCHR
UNDC
USNC
UE
UNDP
UNC
USPS
USAID
UNVIE
UAE
UNFICYP
UNODC
UNCHS
UNIDROIT
UNDESCO
UNCHC
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 09QUITO657, CONFUSING SIGNALS ABOUT ECUADOR'S YASUNI ITT CONSERVATION
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09QUITO657.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
09QUITO657 | 2009-07-30 12:24 | 2011-04-20 18:30 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Quito |
Appears in these articles: http://www.eluniverso.com/2011/04/19/1/1355/cable-218811.html |
VZCZCXYZ0013
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHQT #0657/01 2111224
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 301224Z JUL 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY QUITO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0694
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 8290
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3659
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AUG LIMA 3341
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 4233
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0126
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 1848
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 4523
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHC/USDA FAS WASHDC 0644
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000657
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2019
TAGS: EPET PREL SENV ECON EC
SUBJECT: CONFUSING SIGNALS ABOUT ECUADOR'S YASUNI ITT CONSERVATION
PROJECT
Ref. A) Quito 204
¶1. (C) SUMMARY. On June 24, the ...
id: 218811
date: 7/30/2009 12:24
refid: 09QUITO657
origin: Embassy Quito
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination: 09QUITO204
header:
VZCZCXYZ0013
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHQT #0657/01 2111224
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 301224Z JUL 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY QUITO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0694
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 8290
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3659
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AUG LIMA 3341
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 4233
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0126
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 1848
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 4523
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHC/USDA FAS WASHDC 0644
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
----------------- header ends ----------------
C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000657
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2019
TAGS: EPET PREL SENV ECON EC
SUBJECT: CONFUSING SIGNALS ABOUT ECUADOR'S YASUNI ITT CONSERVATION
PROJECT
Ref. A) Quito 204
¶1. (C) SUMMARY. On June 24, the Ambassador met with former Foreign
Minister Francisco Carrion, who is now a principal spokesman for the
GOE's Yasuni ITT conservation project. This initiative seeks to
protect the Ecuadorian Yasuni National Park in exchange for
international financial compensation. Carrion told the Ambassador
that the German Government had committed nearly $1 billion to the
project over the next 13 years. On July 7, EconOff met with Roque
Sevilla, another spokesman for the project, who confirmed this
information and provided additional updates on the status of the
project. On July 13, EconOff met with Germany's Ambassador to
Ecuador, Christian Berger, who told EconOff that, in fact, no
commitment had yet been made. Ambassador Berger reaffirmed his
desire to help preserve the Yasuni park, but expressed frustration
about poor communication by the GOE and a lack of clarity about the
project's details. End Summary.
AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES YASUNI WITH FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER
--------------------------- ----------------------------
¶2. (C) The Ambassador met with former Foreign Minister Francisco
Carrion on June 24. As part of a wide-ranging conversation, Carrion
mentioned that he is closely involved in the Yasuni
Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini (ITT) initiative. The initiative seeks
to have the international community provide financial support to
Ecuador in exchange for its promise not to allow oil production in
the sensitive Yasuni national park, an area of exceptional
biodiversity in Ecuador's eastern rainforest. Carrion told the
Ambassador that the German government had recently agreed to support the initiative with donations of 30-50 million euros per year for 13 years, which could end up totaling nearly $1 billion. Carrion said
this was evidence that the initiative was gaining international
credibility. He said the initiative would get further backing from
the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which he said was setting
up an "international trust fund," to allow donations to support
poverty reduction, environmental protection, or indigenous programs.
Carrion told the Ambassador that there would be an outdoor concert in
Madrid on September 19, 2009 to promote the Yasuni initiative. He
said this concert would be broadcast around the world and would be
part of a global publicity campaign with billboards in major cities.
Carrion said the GOE would also promote the initiative at the
upcoming conference on climate-change in Copenhagen in December.
SPOKESMAN FOR THE PROJECT BRIEFS ECONOFF ON NEW DEVELOPMENTS
--------------------------- ---------------- ----------------
¶3. (C) On July 7, EconOff followed up on the Ambassador's
conversation with Carrion by meeting with Roque Sevilla, a former
mayor of Quito, who is another of the principal spokespersons for the
Yasuni initiative. Sevilla gave a more extensive briefing on the
status of the project, and said the basic structure was unchanged
since he briefed diplomats from several western nations in March 2009
(ref A). Sevilla had recently returned from a trip to Europe to
promote the initiative with the German and British governments, and
he said the trip had been very successful. He confirmed that the
German government had agreed to contribute nearly $1 billion to the
initiative, and said the mark of credibility this conferred on the
concept had provided a major boost to the initiative.
¶4. (SBU) Sevilla said that the plan still revolved around selling
"Certificates of Guarantee--Yasuni" (CGYs) against the value of the
carbon of the Yasuni ITT oil reserves. The GOE previously stated
that not exploiting the estimated 950 million barrels of oil in the
reserve would prevent an estimated 410 million tons of carbon dioxide
(CO2) from being released into the atmosphere. Based upon current
European Trading System market rates for CO2 of roughly $19 per ton,
the value of the oil reserves' carbon would be approximately $7.8
million. Sevilla said the value of the CGYs would be tied to market
prices of carbon, which prevented him from giving an exact figure for
the total compensation Ecuador is seeking.
¶5. (SBU) Sevilla said that Ecuador planned to seek donations from
the signatories of the Kyoto Accord plus the United States. He said
the amounts solicited from each country would be determined by the
size of its economy in comparison with the combined GDPs of all the
countries. For example, if a country's GDP was 11% of the group's
total economic output, Ecuador would ask it to contribute 11% of the
costs of the Yasuni initiative.
¶6. (SBU) In his March 2009 presentation, Sevilla said Ecuador
originally planned to have the CGYs classified as carbon bonds
("certified carbon credits") by the signatory countries of Annex 1 of
the Kyoto Protocol. Companies and investors would then have been
able to purchase CGYs like other carbon credits through the European
Trading System and would have registered these purchases with their
governments. Sevilla told EconOff that the German government had
objected to this plan, however, saying it was too complicated.
Sevilla said the GOE will therefore instead solicit contributions
directly from European governments, which will be able to pass along
the carbon credits to companies and individuals in the manner of
their choosing.
¶7. (SBU) Despite the shift in strategy for Europe, Sevilla said the
GOE believes the carbon-credit approach is best for the U.S., since
it removes the political liability of spending taxpayer dollars on
the project. He pointed to pending legislation in the U.S. Congress
that would create a U.S. market for carbon credits, and suggested
that CGYs could be traded there. Sevilla said the GOE would soon
brief many other countries on the proposal as well, and would provide
the same kind of flexibility in order to make the plan workable in
different settings.
¶8. (SBU) The plan calls for funds raised for the initiative to be
placed in an international trust. Sevilla said the GOE was in
negotiations with both the UN and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to manage the trust. Press reports have stated that the Andean Development Corporation is also being considered. Sevilla said proceeds from the fund would then be invested through Ecuador's
National Development Plan in projects for conservation,
reforestation, renewable energy, and social development. The last of
these would include education and training programs in areas like
ecotourism and agro-forestry.
SEVILLA SEEKS TO ASSUAGE POTENTIAL CONCERNS
-------------------------------------------
¶9. (SBU) EconOff told Sevilla that the USG was still trying to
understand the Yasuni proposal, and questioned him about potential
difficulties. EconOff asked if the initiative would not simply drive
consumers to other sources of oil, resulting in little overall
reduction in the emission of carbon. Sevilla agreed that "leakage"
of this sort could occur, but he argued that Ecuador's Yasuni
initiative is simply the first step in a new approach to managing oil
reserves. Sevilla said that if parallel efforts could be launched in
countries like Colombia, Bolivia, Papua New Guinea, and the
Philippines--countries that have similar combinations of oil reserves
and biodiversity--it would be much harder for consumers to find
alternative oil supplies and would eliminate the leakage problem.
Sevilla said the effect of this would be to "change the paradigm" of
conservation, and he argued that the Yasuni initiative could play a
"revolutionary" role by showing that it was a viable approach.
Sevilla agreed that the cost of the project was high, but he argued
that since the money raised would be used for conservation and
reforestation efforts, the plan would actually have an "amplification
effect." Climate change would be reduced both by not burning the oil
in the reserves and by the conservation projects that the money
funded.
¶10. (SBU) Sevilla admitted that it is difficult for the GOE to offer
long-term guarantees for a project like this, but he suggested that
it would be very costly for the GOE to renege on its promises. He
noted that any exploitation of the oil by the GOE would be met with
scathing criticism from the international community, and would result
in the fund being dissolved and assets returned to the
certificate-holders. Sevilla pointed out that developing oil
reserves takes a minimum of five years, during which Ecuador would
receive neither the benefits of the fund nor income from the
reserves. He suggested that this financial blow would provide a
strong disincentive to abandon the plan. Sevilla also argued that,
with the rising global importance placed on biodiversity and a broad
public-awareness campaign to support the project, Ecuador's
reputation--like that of Costa Rica--would increasingly be dependent
upon good environmental stewardship. He said this reputation would
be irreparably damaged by any move to abandon the initiative.
¶11. (SBU) Sevilla said the Yasuni public awareness campaign would be launched on September 19, with outdoor concerts in Madrid and Quito called "Cibeles Ambiental." Sevilla said the concerts will include
several prominent musical groups and will be broadcast live on
outdoor video screens in European capitals and major U.S cities.
GERMAN AMBASSADOR CORRECTS MISPERCEPTIONS
-----------------------------------------
¶12. (C) EconOff's meeting with Ambassador Berger of Germany was
markedly different in tone from the meetings with Carrion and
Sevilla. The Ambassador stressed his strong desire to preserve the
Yasuni reserve, noting its remarkable biodiversity and laughing that
"Germans are emotional about forests." He flatly denied, however,
that the German Government had made any financial commitment to the initiative beyond funding a $300,000 study of its feasibility. He
said he had first seen reports of the nearly $1 billion German
donation in the German press in June, but had confirmed with
Ministries in Berlin that no such commitment had been made or was
pending.
¶13. (C) Ambassador Berger expressed frustration with the way the GOE has managed the project. He said the German Government had been pressing the GOE for months to provide greater detail about the
proposal, and was disappointed that it was still not finalized. He
expressed skepticism about the viability of the GOE's carbon-credit
idea, saying he thought it was too complicated and would prefer a
plan that was simply "donations to protect the forest." Ambassador
Berger said he had concerns about long-term guarantees and the price
tag for the project but did not think it was worth commenting on them
without having been able to review a final proposal. He noted,
however, that the current level of German aid to Ecuador is $10
million a year, which it manages through its GTZ development agency.
The Ambassador expressed skepticism that any future commitment would be as large as the reported amount. Ambassador Berger said that Germany is now waiting for the GOE to produce a final plan. He said he had cautioned GOE officials, however, that they had "played the German card," and it was time for the GOE to line up additional
support elsewhere.
COMMENT
-------
¶14. (C) Carrion and Sevilla's enthusiasm for this project is
infectious, and it is difficult not to wish them success in
protecting this ecologically-important rainforest. The conflicting
information and lack of specificity makes it difficult to evaluate
the project, however. On July 9, just two days after EconOff's
meeting with Sevilla, Bloomberg News reported that GOE Foreign
Minister Fander Falconi had announced that the GOE would seek a
reduced amount of $3 billion for the project, rather than the $7
billion it initially sought. Neither Carrion nor Sevilla gave any
indication that this was being considered in their meetings with the
Ambassador and EconOff. The Yasuni initiative website still does not
have a final version of the proposal, and Falconi's announcement
suggests that major elements of the plan are still being worked out.
EconOff also attempted to find out more information about the planned
September 19th concerts in Madrid and Quito, but was unable to locate
anything beyond a few scattered references on the Internet. This
apparent lack of preparation makes it unclear how major concerts
supporting the project will be organized and broadcast globally in
less than two months.
¶15. (C) The Embassy believes that Ecuador will continue to promote
this project aggressively in the lead-up to the December conference
in Copenhagen. We will provide additional updates as new information
about the plan emerges.
HODGES
=======================CABLE ENDS============================