US embassy cable - 04ANKARA6689

UNCLAS ANKARA 006689 
 
SIPDIS 
 
OES FOR PDAS ROCK, PCI; EUR/EX 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: APER, SENV, TU 
SUBJECT: IS THERE A FUTURE FOR THE ANKARA HUB 
 
1.  Embassy Ankara and REO Ankara recommend that EUR and OES 
consider closing the Hub in Ankara upon the departure of the 
incumbent REO.  This proposal has been discussed with Hub 
embassies.  Most agreed that without program funding the Hub 
cannot be effective.  Kiev, however, saw value in having 
someone cover regional issues, even if there are no programs. 
 
 
2.  The Ankara Hub was established in 1999 to cover the Black 
Sea/Caucasus region (Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, 
Ukraine, Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria).  The region suffers 
from a number of transboundary EST&H problems that the Hubs 
were established to address.  These include industrial 
pollution, inadequate wastewater treatment, excessive 
nutrient runoff into the Black Sea and widespread 
deforestation.  Cooperation among the Black Sea/Caucasus 
countries is poor and is complicated by historical 
animosities and suspicions.  Regional organizations, such as 
the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), are largely 
ineffective in addressing regional problems.  In addition, 
USAID programs in the region -- particularly environmental 
programs -- have been sharply reduced. 
 
3.  The challenges and opportunities for the Hub are 
apparent.  However, a lack of program funding has limited the 
efforts of the Ankara Hub to fulfill its role.  The Ankara 
Hub has never been allotted funds from the annual OESI 
program for regional activities.  REO and his predecessor 
have visited client posts and consulted with regional 
organizations and NGOs to develop an expertise on the EST&H 
challenges facing the region, support efforts to build 
regional cooperation and raise awareness of these issues. 
However, identification of issues needing Hub intervention 
has not resulted in funding to support Hub initiatives.  The 
absence of program funding and the relatively higher priority 
accorded other issues in a region where embassies have a 
challenging agenda mean that the Ankara Hub can point to few 
examples where Hub efforts have contributed to new 
initiatives or enhanced regional cooperation.  As the 2002 
draft report on Environmental Hubs pointed out:  The ability 
of the Hubs "to stimulate the sort of regional environmental 
science and health activities, such as regional environmental 
workshops, that are central to their mandate is dependent on 
their access to some funding of this kind" (program funding). 
 "Promoting regional dialogue takes money." 
 
4.  Without program funds, EUR, OES and Ankara resources 
maintaining a Hub are not well utilized.  Space and support 
resources in Ankara are at a premium; we do not encourage 
regional activities here.  While we have been happy to 
provide support for important science and environmental 
activities, the Hub experience here has been marginal. 
Embassy Ankara and REO recommend that the Department consider 
closing the Hub upon departure of the incumbent. 
EDELMAN