US embassy cable - 05PRETORIA660

UNCLAS PRETORIA 000660 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR OES/ENV/JOHN THOMPSON AND AF/S 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: SENV, AORC, ETRD, PREL, SF 
SUBJECT: MERCURY ISSUE AT UNEP GOVERNING COUNCIL: SOUTH 
AFRICA AGREES 
 
REF: State 18970 
 
1.  Mr. Zaheer Fakir, the Head of International Liaison and 
Coordination in the Department of Environmental Affairs and 
Tourism (DEAT), confirmed to ES&T Assistant that the South 
African Government (SAG) agreed with the United States' 
proposed approach to address mercury pollution, which will 
be presented at the 23RD United Nations Environmental 
Program (UNEP) Governing Council (GC) meeting in Nairobi Feb 
21-25.  The SAG delegation has also agreed to meet with 
their U.S. counterparts in Nairobi. 
 
2.  Fakir also said that DEAT's technical team observed that 
the issue of developing mercury inventory capabilities was 
not noted in the U.S. GC proposal.  He said they would 
appreciate it if the matter is looked into because SAG 
regards mercury inventories development capacity as 
important since most developing nations still do not have 
the capacity to do so.  The team also observed a gap in the 
Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), which deal 
with the legality of mercury pollution. SAG would propose 
for an appropriate legal instrument to be looked for within 
the existing MEAs. 
 
3.  According to Fakir, Environment Affairs Minister 
Marthinus Van Schalkwyk will lead the delegation to Nairobi. 
Although other delegates may be added to the list at a later 
stage, Mr. Fakir confirmed that the following would attend: 
 
Ms. Bridgette Mabudafhasi, Deputy Minister of DEAT; 
Mr. Alf Wills, Deputy Director General, International 
Cooperation; and 
Mr. Zaheer Fakir, Head of International Liaison and 
Cooperation. 
FRAZER