US embassy cable - 03ROME1234

UNCLAS ROME 001234 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME 
 
DEPT FOR OES/OMC 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: SENV, EFIS, TBIO, KSCA, EUN 
SUBJECT: BRAZILIAN SEABIRD BYCATCH NPOA 
 
REF: A) BRASILIA 479   B) KOTOK/BERTON 2/22 E-MAIL 
 
1. AS A FOLLOW UP TO AND UPDATE OF REF B) E-MAIL, U.S. 
    MISSION PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING FORMAL RESPONSE TO REF A) 
INQUIRY REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A BRASILIAN 
NATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION (NPOA) FOR SEABIRD BYCATCH. 
 
2. INITIALLY, ALT PERM REP SPOKE WITH JEREMY TURNER, 
CHIEF OF THE FISHING TECHNOLOGIES SERVICES, PART OF THE 
FISHERIES INDUSTRIES DIVISION OF THE UN FOOD & 
AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATION (FAO).  WHAT TURNER SAID WAS 
SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE CONTENTS OF REF A), 
WHICH SUGGESTED THAT FAO HAD BEEN SLOW TO RESPOND TO 
APPEALS FOR HELP FROM CEMAVE, PART OF THE GOB'S 
ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSERVATION OF 
WILD BIRDS.  INSTEAD, TURNER STATED THAT THE FAO HAD BEEN 
"PUSHING, PUSHING, PUSHING" FOR THE GOB TO ACCEPT FAO 
FUNDS (USD 10,000) TO GET STARTED.  ACCORDING TO TURNER, 
THE PROBLEM IS THE GOB'S LACK OF A PROCEDURAL WAY OF 
ACCEPTING OUTSIDE FUNDING FROM AN ORGANIZATION LIKE THE 
FAO.  HE CITED A 12/16/02 E-MAIL IN WHICH THE LOCAL FAO 
REP IN BRASILIA REPEATED THE SAME MESSAGE. 
 
3. TURNER ADMITTED THE FAO HAD BEEN SLOW TO MOVE IN THE 
FIRST HALF OF 2002, BUT SAID THEY HAD BEEN PUSHING THE 
ISSUE SINCE MID-YEAR.  FAO WAS CONSIDERING THE DISBURSAL 
OF FUNDS DIRECTLY TO WHOMEVER THE GOB CHOOSES IN ORDER TO 
SOLVE THE FUNDING PROBLEM, BUT EVEN FAO'S OWN ACCOUNTANTS 
ARE UNSURE IF THAT IS POSSIBLE.  SO THE FAO CONTINUES TO 
SEARCH FOR A WAY OF GETTING THE MONEY TO THE RIGHT PLACE. 
 
4. ALT PERM REP CALLED ON SENIOR FISHERIES OFFICER 
WILFRIED THIELE (WORKS DIRECTLY FOR TURNER, WHO IS AWAY 
FOR TWO WEEKS) ON 3/19 FOR AN UPDATE.  THIELE COMMENTED 
    THAT THE SEARCH GOES ON FOR A PROPER FUNDING MECHANISM, 
AND THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT UNIQUE TO BRAZIL.  HE OPINED 
THAT ULTIMATELY, THE RESOLUTION WILL INVOLVE TRANSFERRING 
FUNDS TO THE BRAZILIAN FAO REP, WHO MAY BE ABLE TO PAY 
FROM ACTUAL INVOICES SUBMITTED.  MEANWHILE, THE FUNDS 
CONTINUE TO SIT IN ROME. 
 
5. IT IS IRONIC THAT AT THE SAME TIME THAT FAO AND 
BRAZILIAN AUTHORITIES ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND A MECHANISM 
FOR UTILIZING THE $40,000 FROM FAO, FAO DIRECTOR GENERAL 
JACQUES DIOUF TRAVELED TO BRAZIL TO ANNOUNCE A $1 MILLION 
CONTRIBUTION FROM FAO'S REGULAR PROGRAM FOR TECHNICAL 
COOPERATION FOR ASSISTANCE TO BRAZIL'S "ZERO HUNGER" 
PROGRAM.  ACCORDING TO THE FEBRUARY 14, 2003 FAO PRESS 
RELEASE, THESE FUNDS WILL BE USED, INTER ALIA TO DESIGN 
AND OFFER CAPACITY-BUILDING COURSES TO COUNTER THE 
EFFECTS OF DROUGHT AND BOLSTER THE PROFITABILITY AND 
PRODUCTIVITY OF THE RURAL POPULATIONS OF NORTH-EASTERN 
BRAZIL. 
 
HALL 
 
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 2003ROME01234 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED