US embassy cable - 02ROME1851

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 001851 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM EST COUNSELOR MULENEX FOR OES 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENVSENV 
SUBJECT: HUBS AND ENVIRONMENTAL DIPLOMACY 
 
REF: STATE 64043 
 
1. SUMMARY. MY STINT AS EST HUB OFFICER IN COPENHAGEN 
FOLLOWED MY ASSIGNMENT AS SCIENCE OFFICER IN TEL AVIV,AND 
PRECEDED MY CURRENT ASSIGNMENT AS SCIENCE OFFICER IN ROME. 
OF THE THREE, ONLY THE ROME ASSIGNMENT IS STRICTLY BILATERAL. 
REGIONAL WORK, WHETHER ORGANIZED INFORMALLY, AS IN TEL AVIV, 
OR FORMALLY, AS IN COPENHAGEN, PROVIDES MORE SCOPE FOR 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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INFLUENCE THAN A BILATERAL ASSIGNMENT CAN, IF THE REGIONAL 
WORK IS SUPPORTED BY DEPT. AND WASHINGTON AGENCIES AND BY THE 
COUNTRY TEAMS OF ALL THE U.S. MISSIONS IN THE ASSIGNED 
REGION. ADEQUATE PERMAMENT STAFF, MONIES SUFFICIENT TO 
SUPPORT AT LEAST BI-MONTHLY TRAVEL TO ASSIGNED POSTS, AND 
ENOUGH MONEY FOR REGIONAL SEED PROGRAMS ARE FUNDAMENTAL FOR 
SUCCESS.  AN EFFECTIVE OFFICER WITHOUT THE CONFIDENCE AND 
TRUST OF COLLEAGUES, OR WITHOUT THE RESOURCES TO GET A SEAT 
AT THE MULTILATERAL OR REGIONAL PROJECT TABLE, WILL ENJOY 
VERY LIMITED SUCCESS. IN EVERY CASE, THE SMALLNESS OF HUB 
OPERATIONS REQUIRES CAREFUL SELECTION OF JUST A FEW ISSUES, 
WHICH ARE HIGH INTEREST AND HIGH VALUE FOR THE REGION, AND ON 
WHICH THE HUB CAN MAKE MEASURABLE PROGRESS. END SUMMARY. 
 
INSIDE, OUTSIDE, OR ON THE EDGE? 
 
2. THERE ARE THREE CONTEXTS IN WHICH A SUCCESSFUL HUB HAS TO 
BE AN INSIDE PLAYER: (1) WITHIN THE COUNTRY TEAMS OF THE 
EMBASSIES IN THE DESIGNATED REGION;(2)WITHIN THE RELEVANT 
PARTS OF HOST GOVERNMENTS AND INTERNATIONAL/REGIONAL 
ORGANIZATIONS, AND (3) WITHIN THE POLICY FORMATION AND 
RESOURCE ALLOCATION PROCESS IN THE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER USG 
AGENCIES.  A WELL-STAFFED AND FUNDED HUB WILL BE ABLE TO 
SUCCEED BY DELIVERING POLICY POSITIONS AND PROGRAMMING OF 
HIGH VALUE TO SERVICED EMBASSIES, BY REPRESENTING U.S. POLICY 
AUTHORITATIVELY IN REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS, AND BY BECOMING THE 
KEY COORDINATOR FOR USG AGENCIES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 
U.S. EST POLICIES.  THE INTELLECTUAL INTERCHANGE BETWEEN THE 
HUB AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS TO BE REAL--NOT OFF THE SHELF AND 
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GENERIC --AND THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO ACCEPT THE SPECIAL 
OBLIGATION TO CONSULT WITH THE HUB ON ITS CORE ISSUES.  THIS 
IS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT FOR OES, WHERE MULTIPLE, OFTEN 
MULTILATERAL TASKS TOO FREQUENTLY BECOME WASHINGTON-CENTRIC, 
AND THE PRESS TO COORDINATE THE WASHINGTON INTERAGENCY 
PROCESS, RESULTS IN A LACK OF TIMELY AND PROPERLY TARGETED 
INFORMATION TO THE FIELD.  CATCHING THE HUB UNAWARE WITH A 
CHANGE OF POSITION CAN BE A REAL PROBLEM. 
 
WHAT'S THE RIGHT SIZE FOR HUBS? 
 
3. A HUB BY ITS NATURE IS NOT A BILATERAL CREATURE, BUT 
ADDRESSES CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES. ITS RESOURCE PACKAGE MAY VARY 
BETWEEN REGIONS, AND RESOURCES MAY BE APPLIED UNEVENLY TO 
INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES IN THE REGION, OR PROGRAM ACTIVITIES, 
E.G. CONCENTRATING ON WATERSHED MANAGEMENT RATHER THAN 
COASTAL ZONES AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS.  A FIRST GENERAL RULE 
MIGHT BE:  DON'T COMPETE WITH INDIVIDUAL MISSION RESOURCES. 
WHILE IN COPENHAGEN, I FOUND THAT EMBASSY STOCKHOLM ASSIGNED 
AN ECONOMIC OFFICER ALMOST FULLTIME TO EST WORK, PROVIDING 
MORE BREADTH AND DEPTH THAN I COULD HOPE TO WITH EVEN MONTHLY 
VISITS.  A SECOND RULE IS TO RECOGNIZE IMPORTANT BILATERAL 
EST ISSUES AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE BILATERAL MISSION IS BEST 
PLACED TO FOLLOW THOSE ISSUES. IN NORWAY, WHALING WAS SUCH AN 
ISSUE WHILE I WAS IN COPENHAGEN; SO WAS THE TRILATERAL WORK 
ON NUCLEAR WASTE.  IN GENERAL, I BELIEVE ABOUT ONE-HALF FTE 
IS NEEDED AT THE HUB FOR EACH POST TO BE SERVED.  LESS THAN 
THIS MEANS THE HUB IS JUST ANOTHER TDY CIRCUIT-RIDER; MORE 
THAN THIS RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER ADDITIONAL 
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POSITIONS, WHETHER FSN OR AMERICAN, SHOULDN'T BE DEVELOPED 
FOR SERVICED POSTS.  WHATEVER THE LEVEL OF HUB STAFFING, AN 
EXTENDED TEAM CONCEPT IS NEEDED THAT ALLOWS RAPID EXCHANGE OF 
INFORMATION AMONG POSTS IN THE HUB REGION ON CROSS-CUTTING 
ISSUES IDENTIFIED BY THE HUB. 
 
LEADING BY TRAVELING,COMMUNICATING, AND NETWORKING LOCALLY 
 
4. WHAT MAKES A HUB VISIT DIFFERENT THAN A VISIT FROM A 
WASHINGTON TECHNICAL EXPERT OR A POLICY OFFICIAL? IT'S NOT 
USUALLY SCIENTIFIC EDUCATION OR FIELD WORK, AND EVEN LESS 
OFTEN THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE POLICY DECISIONS.  IT HAS TO BE 
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE OF PROBLEMS, OF INSTITUTIONS (INCLUDING 
SPECIAL INTERESTS AND RIVALRIES), AND OF PEOPLE. IN PRACTICAL 
TERMS, THIS MEANS A VISIT TO EACH HUB POST EVERY 6-8 WEEKS, 
WHICH TELLS YOU ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY YOU NEED FOR TRAVEL AND 
HOW MANY POSITIONS YOU NEED AT THE HUB. IN COPENHAGEN, I 
LEARNED THAT THE REAL DECISIONS FOR BALTIC-NORDIC COOPERATION 
WERE TAKEN IN A VARIETY OF EU AND OTHER REGIONAL FORA, AND 
GAINING ACCESS TO THOSE MEETINGS AS A QUALIFIED OBSERVER WAS 
THE KEY TO INTRODUCING U.S. IDEAS INTO PROGRAMS WE HAD FEW 
FUNDS TO SUPPORT.  WE COULD HELP WITH EXPERTS IN MANY CASES, 
AND BUILD JOINT WORKSHOPS AND TECHNICAL EXCHANGES.  TO MANAGE 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ3232 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  01851  02 OF 02  121559Z 
ACTION OES-01 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  CIP-00   COME-00 
      DINT-00  DODE-00  DOEE-00  ITCE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00    EUR-00 
      E-00     UTED-00  VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00 
      ITC-01   L-00     NASA-01  AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  NSF-01 
      OIC-02   PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   SP-00    IRM-00   SSO-00 
      SS-00    STR-00   TEST-00  T-00     USIE-00  EPAE-00  ECA-00 
      PMB-00   G-00     SAS-00     /008W 
                  ------------------856E21  121559Z /38 
P 121506Z APR 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3261 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 001851 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM EST COUNSELOR MULENEX FOR OES 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV 
SUBJECT: HUBS AND ENVIRONMENTAL DIPLOMACY 
 
AN EFFECTIVE HUB REQUIRES NEAR STATE OF THE ART INFORMATION 
TECHNOLOGIES AND AN OPEN NET SYSTEM, SUPPORTED BY SCANNERS, 
FAXES, LAPTOPS FOR TRAVELLING, AND CELL PHONES.  THE HUB HAS 
TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH ITS USG CONSTITUENCY AND ITS BROADER 
NETWORK OF COOPERATING INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONS. 
 
POLICIES AND PROGRAMS 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01851  02 OF 02  121559Z 
 
5. HUBS UNFORTUNATELY DO NOT RELIEVE SHORTSTAFFED MISSIONS OR 
SEP POSTS OF THE BURDEN FOR PREPARING, DELIVERING AND 
REPORTING ON DEMARCHES, ALTHOUGH THE HUB SHOULD BE A LOCAL 
RESOURCE HELPFUL IN PROVIDING THE BACKGROUND TO AN ISSUE, OR 
IN CLARIFYING THE SOMETIMES LENGTHY TECHNICAL INFORMATION 
PROVIDED ON ISSUES LIKE CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT.  ON A FEW 
OCCASIONS I WAS ASKED TO JOIN A SERVICED POST TEAM IN MAKING 
A PARTICULAR DEMARCHE, BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT 
COUNTRY WAS EXPECTED TO PLAY IN MULTILATERAL DISCUSSIONS. HUB 
OFFICER SHOULD BE MORE CONVERSANT WITH EST ISSUES THAN MOST 
OF THE OFFICERS ON THEIR REGIONAL TEAM.  FOR THIS REASON, IT 
IS PROBABLY UNWISE TO NAME AN OFFICER TO A HUB WHO HAS 
NEITHER DEPT., OTHER AGENCY, OR PREVIOUS OVERSEAS EST 
EXPERIENCE. 
 
6. PROGRAMMATICALLY,THE SAME RULE APPLIES. AN EXPERIENCED 
OFFICER IS MORE LIKELY TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE IN DISCUSSIONS 
WITH HOST GOVERNMENTS, NGOS,AND REGIONAL BODIES THAN A 
NOVICE. EXPERIENCED OFFICERS ARE ALSO LIKELY TO HAVE A 
NETWORK OF CONTACTS INTO OTHER AGENCIES WHICH ARE, FRANKLY 
SPEAKING, MORE LIKELY TO HAVE SUPPORTING EXPERTISE AND 
FINANCIAL RESOURCES. PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT WITH MULTIPLE 
PARTNERS IS A COMPLEX UNDERTAKING, AND EXPERIENCE IS A REAL 
ASSET IN SORTING OUT WHO DOES WHAT, WHEN, AND HOW.  I LEARNED 
A GREAT DEAL ABOUT PROGRAM MANAGEMENT FROM MY WORK AS A GRANT 
OFFICER FOR USAID PROGRAMS IN TEL AVIV, AND WITHOUT THE 
EXPERIENCE OF RUNNING SCIENCE COOPERATIVE GRANTS IN TWENTY 
COUNTRIES, I COULD NOT HAVE MANAGED THE COPENHAGEN START-UP. 
 
GLOBAL WARRIORS FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY? 
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PAGE 03        ROME  01851  02 OF 02  121559Z 
 
7. SOME WILL RECALL THESE WORDS OF TIM WIRTH; THOSE WHO DO 
RECALL THAT THE WORDS WERE JUST THAT.  THE HUBS REPRESENT A 
HALFWAY HOUSE IN THE MOVE FROM OUR LONG-STANDING ADDICTION TO 
BILATERAL ACTION IN A MULTILATERAL EST WORLD.  WHILE THERE 
WILL REMAIN SOME NEED FOR BILATERAL APPROACHES AND  COUNTRY 
SPECIFIC S&T RELATIONSHIPS, THE NEED FOR THE MOST EXPERIENCED 
EST OFFICERS TO FILL EXCLUSIVELY BILATERAL JOBS MAY BE 
CHANGING  IF THE PROGRAM ANALYSIS PERFORMED BY THE DEPT. 
CONFIRMS MY EXPERIENCE, HUBS REPRESENT A VALID APPROACH TO 
THE PERSONAL NETWORK BUILDING NEEDED FOR MORE EFFECTIVE 
ACTION ON A REGIONAL LEVEL. PROBABLY MORE SUPPORT IN TERMS OF 
POSITIONS, BUDGET, AND EQUIPMENT IS NEEDED, CONSISTENT WITH 
WHAT I'VE ALREADY SAID. 
 
8. IT'S THEREFORE IMPORTANT TO PUT SOLID EXPERIENCED OFFICERS 
IN THE HUBS. FROM MY BILATERAL POSITION IN ROME, I RUB UP 
EVERY DAY AGAINST ISSUES WHICH I COULD WORK MORE EFFECTIVELY 
ACROSS THE REGION. YET THE ROME BILATERAL POSITION IS MORE 
SENIOR, RANK-WISE, THAN THE HUB POSITIONS WHICH OFFER MORE 
SCOPE TO WORK OUR MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES. THIS IS AN ARTIFACT 
OF A PRE-INTERNET, COLD WAR APPROACH TO EST "IN CAPITALS", AS 
THE CABLES SAY. THE DEPT. MAY WANT TO USE THE HUB STUDY AS A 
FOIL FOR A CAREFUL RECONSIDERATION OF OVERALL EST POSITIONS 
ABROAD. 
 
9. A FINAL NOTE: THE HUBS ESTABLISHED TO DATE HAVE 
GEOGRAPHIC, NOT INTELLECTUAL,PROPERTY. WHILE ENVIRONMENTAL 
PROBLEMS ARE LOCAL, THEY OFTEN HAVE REGIONAL OR GLOBAL CAUSES 
AND INFLUENCES.  I HAVE LONG ADVOCATED THE NEED TO INTEGRATE 
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PAGE 04        ROME  01851  02 OF 02  121559Z 
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY,AND PUBLIC HEALTH IN OUR HUB WORK, AND 
THAT WAS MY PRACTICE BOTH IN TEL AVIV AND COPENHAGEN. PERHAPS 
IT'S TIME TO CONSIDER THE MERITS OF A HUB THAT TAKES AS ITS 
CORE WORK A MAJOR THEME, LIKE SUSTAINABILITY IN ALL ITS 
MULTIPLE AND CONFLICTING MEANING, AND ITS CHALLENGES TO 
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT, TRADE AND 
INVESTMENT, INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND GOOD GOVERNANCE. 
THIS IS TAILOR MADE FOR THE U.S-EU AGENDA, AND FOR ITALY IN 
PARTICULAR AS IT LOOKS TO THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN AND TO 
AFRICA. IT'S MY MODEST SUGGESTION FOR A HUB WE COULD CREATE 
AND STAFF TO SUPPORT THE POST-JOHANNNESBURG AGENDA. 
 
9. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IDEAS IN SUCH A 
PERSONAL WAY. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 2002ROME01851 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED