US embassy cable - 03OTTAWA595

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000595 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/OA (RWSMITH), EB/ESC (MCMANUS AND ERVITI), 
WHA/CAN (MASON AND RUNNING) 
 
DOE FOR I/A (A/S BAILEY AND KATHLEEN DEUTSCH) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHSA, PBTS, PREL, ENRG, SENV, CA 
SUBJECT: GOC DIPNOTE ON BEAUFORT SEA DEMARCHE 
 
REFTEL: A) STATE 43993; B) OTTAWA 0487 
 
ON MARCH 3, EMBASSY RECEIVED DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN 
AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE DIPNOTE NUMBER JLO0041 OF 
FEBRUARY 27, 2003, RESPONDING TO OUR DEMARCHE AND DIPNOTE 
(REFTELS) NUMBER 169 OF FEBRUARY 18, 2003, PERTAINING TO 
FEDERAL REGISTER NOTIFICATION OF LEASE SALES IN THE 
BEAUFORT SEA.  WE WILL MAIL A COPY OF THE CANADIAN 
DIPNOTE TO ROBERT SMITH IN STATE OES/OA.  THE TEXT OF THE 
CANADIAN DIPNOTE IS AS FOLLOWS: 
 
"NOTE NO. JLO0041 
 
THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE 
PRESENTS ITS COMPLIMENTS TO THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED 
STATES OF AMERICA AND HAS THE HONOUR TO REFER: 
 
(A) TO THE EMBASSY'S DIPLOMATIC NOTE NO. 169 OF 18 
FEBRUARY 2003; AND 
 
(B) TO THE PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER VOL. 68, 
NO. 34 OF 20 FEBRUARY 2003 BY THE MINERALS MANAGEMENT 
SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 
OF A NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY CONCERNING THE PROPOSED 
NOTICE OF SALE FOR PROPOSED OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF OIL 
AND GAS LEASE SALE 186 IN THE BEAUFORT SEA WHICH IS 
TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED TO BE UNDERTAKEN ON 24 SEPTEMBER 
2003. 
 
THE EMBASSY HAS THE FURTHER HONOUR TO INFORM THE EMBASSY 
THAT: 
 
(A) CANADA NOTES WITH CONCERN THAT THE AREAS COVERED BY 
THE PROPOSED LEASE SALE IN THE BEAUFORT SEA EXTEND 
EASTWARD OF THE 141ST MERIDIAN ON LONGITUDE AND, 
THEREFORE, INTO AN AREA OF THE TERRITORIAL SEA, EXCLUSIVE 
ECONOMIC ZONE AND CONTINENTAL SHELF OF CANADA OVER WHICH 
CANADA EXERCISES EXCLUSIVE SOVEREIGN RIGHTS IN RESPECT OF 
THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE SEABED AND SUBSOPIL; 
 
(B) CANADA ALSO NOTES WITH CONCERN THAT THE MAP PUBLISHED 
BY THE MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ON 8 JANUARY 2003 DEPICTS 
PROPOSED OIL AND GAS LEASE AREAS WHICH EXTEND EASTWARD OF 
THE 141ST MERIDIAN OF LONGITUDE AND/OR SHOW THE MARITIME 
BOUNDARY BETWEEN CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
AS LYING EASTWARD OF THE 141ST MERIDIAN OF LONGITUDE; 
AND, 
 
 
(C) CANADA REJECTS ANY PURPORTED EXERCISE OF JURISDICTION 
BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR THE 
STATE OF ALASKA OVER THAT PART OF THE SEABED, WATER 
COLUMN OR NATURAL RESOURCES THEREOF, IN THE BEAUFORT SEA 
REGION EAST OF THE 141ST MERIDIAN OF LONGITUDE AND DOES 
NOT ACQUIESCE IN ANY MEASURE TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT OF 
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR BY THE STATE OF ALASKA 
WHICH WOULD INFRINGE UPON CANADIAN SOVEREIGNTY OR 
SOVEREIGN RIGHTS IN THIS AREA. 
 
THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE 
AVAILS ITSELF OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RENEW TO THE EMBASSY 
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THE ASSURANCES OF ITS 
HIGHEST CONSIDERATION. 
 
OTTAWA, 27 FEBRUARY 2003."  CELLUCCI