US embassy cable - 04AMMAN10151

UNCLAS AMMAN 010151 
 
SIPDIS 
 
INTERIOR FOR USGS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, SENV, XF, JO 
SUBJECT:  The "Little" Peace Process Engine That Could - The 
EXACT Regional Water Data Banks Project 
 
1.  Summary:  Ten years after its inception, the "little" 
Middle East Peace Process Regional Water Data Banks Project 
called "EXACT" is still chugging along, enjoying the strong 
support of both donors and the "core parties" Israel, the 
Palestinian Authority and Jordan.  This is due to dogged 
U.S. support from the State Department and the U.S. 
Geological Survey and relatively modest financial inputs 
from the United States, the EU, Holland, France and other 
donors.  At the twentieth meeting of EXACT, held in Prague 
November 30 - December 2, 2004, the core parties stressed 
the importance of the project, praised the efforts of 
current donors and welcomed three new donors to the project. 
As noted by two core party representatives, EXACT is a 
"remarkable" and "amazing" long-term success story in the 
Middle East.  End summary. 
 
Water Placed Outside Politics 
----------------------------- 
2.  In the early days of the multilateral peace process, 
U.S. support catalyzed and facilitated EXACT.  EXACT and the 
other multilateral water projects are based on agreement 
among the core parties that water issues belong outside the 
political realm.  While the science of the EXACT projects 
matters, the practical necessity of continued cooperation 
among the parties is the glue that has kept EXACT together 
through the ups and downs of its ten-year life.  One 
delegate said that interactions on water under EXACT have 
supported engagement on broader issues, a clear example of 
leadership from below. 
 
Core Parties Now Cooperate to Interact with Donors as a Team 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
3.  The health of EXACT can be seen in several ways, for 
example the methods of interaction.  During the initial 
years of EXACT, the core parties would meet only with the 
United States or another third party present.  The core 
parties realized, though, that they could be more effective 
working as a team, in effect taking charge and appealing as 
a group to the donors.  So the EXACT "Parliament" was born. 
Representatives from Israel, the Palestinian Authority and 
Jordan now routinely meet in the region without other 
parties present to plan their approach to the EXACT donors. 
The commitment to the projects and to EXACT is so strong 
that the core party representatives have resisted outside 
pressure against their activities by continuing to 
participate in projects and meetings.  Core parties now 
reach out to each other directly and explicitly with 
requests for cooperation and assistance. 
 
Substantive Areas Have Expanded 
------------------------------- 
4.  EXACT has also broadened its substantive role. 
Originally developed with a specific list of recommendations 
related to water data issues, EXACT has grown over the years 
to include projects on rainfall, water quality labs, toxic 
substances in water, surface and groundwater monitoring 
systems and studies on aquifer recharge.  See the EXACT 
website at www.exact-me.org for more information.  A recent 
project on rainfall broadened the user group within the core 
parties by bringing in the meteorological services to 
cooperate with the water ministries, the traditional 
interest group in EXACT. 
 
New Donors 
---------- 
5.  EXACT is attracting new donors.  At the most recent 
EXACT meeting in Prague on November 30 - December 2, the 
United Kingdom and Switzerland joined EXACT, and Australia 
rejoined after a multi-year hiatus.  Other potential new 
donors are in the offing.  This new blood is the fruit of a 
decision last year by the core parties to reach out to new 
donors. 
 
6.  Comment: U.S. contributions to EXACT have been 
relatively modest over the years, averaging no more than $1 
million per year.  But these contributions along with U.S. 
leadership of the EXACT process and financial contributions 
of other participating donors have facilitated efforts by 
the core parties to develop robust, collegial working 
relationships on one of the most sensitive issues in one of 
the most contentious areas in the world. 
 
7.  This cable has been cleared by USGS and by NEA/REA. 
 
HALE