US embassy cable - 04QUITO2268

UNCLAS QUITO 002268 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/AND 
DEPT PASS USAID 
 
E.O. 12985: N/A 
TAGS: SENV, EFIS, EC, Environment 
SUBJECT: FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER DISCUSSES GALAPAGOS 
WITH PRESIDENT GUTIERREZ 
 
1.  Summary:  At dinner on August 5, former President Jimmy 
Carter discussed with President Lucio Gutierrez the 
importance of protection of the Galapagos Islands. 
Gutierrez also expressed concern for the issue.  Carter 
suggested that the Carter Center may host a conference on 
the protection of the Galapagos, and Gutierrez promised to 
send a high-level delegation to such a conference ready to 
discuss in detail the options.  End Summary. 
 
2.  At the end of his family vacation in the Galapagos, 
Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter accepted the invitation of 
President Gutierrez to meet for dinner.  Ambassador also 
attended, as did a variety of GOE officials and Gutierrez 
friends and family.  Ambassador had briefed Carter before 
the dinner on U.S. priorities and efforts in the Galapagos. 
Carter used his vacation as an introduction to the Galapagos 
issue.  He said his visit to the islands had worried him. 
Uncontrolled population growth and questions about the 
implementation of fishing regulations, together with 
complaints about park management and cuts in the budget of 
the national park operations raised doubts whether this 
important ecological resource was being adequately 
protected. 
 
3.  Gutierrez admitted that he also was worried.  The GOE 
was taking action, though.  A ban on shark fin exports would 
soon be in place and would help defend marine resources near 
the islands.  The GOE would like to retrain fishermen in the 
Galapagos and help them find other kinds of work, but funds 
were scarce. 
 
4.  Carter noted that the Galapagos, of course belonged to 
Ecuador.  Still, we wanted to help.  He expressed concern 
that, despite the best of intentions on the part of the GOE, 
this incredible ecosystem could disappear in five years.  He 
suggested that maybe the Carter Center could host a 
conference to discuss the alternatives and how to implement 
programs that would guarantee the future of the Galapagos. 
If the Center did sponsor such a conference, would the GOE 
participate? he asked.  Gutierrez promised that the GOE 
would participate in force.  He would send the Minister of 
Environment, and high-level officials from the Ministry of 
Tourism.  He was certain that representatives of the fishing 
industry would also want to be concluded. 
 
5.  Comment:  Jimmy Carter's concern for the protection of 
the Galapagos clearly had an impact on Gutierrez' thinking. 
We believe such a conference on Galapagos would be 
particularly timely now, given the pressure on the islands. 
 
KENNEY