US embassy cable - 03ANKARA6775

UNCLAS ANKARA 006775 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NAIROBI PLEASE PASS PERMREP KAREN LEVINE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: IO, SENV, EU, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY'S FOREIGN MINISTRY NOT EAGER TO SUPPORT 
FRENCH PROPOSAL FOR UNEO 
 
REF: STATE 295120 
 
 
1.  Regional Environment Officer discussed U.S. position on 
French-proposed UNEO (reftel) with MFA Environment Office 
Head Asli Oral.  Oral said that the government had been 
approached by the French Embassy and appreciated hearing the 
U.S. position.  She said the Foreign Ministry was not eager 
to support the French proposal, but they were awaiting 
responses from the Legal Department and from the Ministry of 
Environment and Forestry before taking a formal position. 
Oral thought that Turkey would have a reply in about 3 weeks. 
 She asked for any information about a coordinated G-77 or EU 
response. 
 
 
2.  Oral said that she was especially concerned about a 
parallel French NGO proposal, which enjoyed considerable 
support from French President Chirac, to create a World 
Environment Organization.  She was very critical of this 
proposal, especially provisions to give the UN authority to 
impose sanctions and the establishment of a "World 
Environment Court."  She feared that environmental sanctions 
would allow French interests to impose trade restrictions 
against the goods of less developed countries. 
EDELMAN