VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #9783 2712205
ZNY CCCCC ZZH ZDS
P 242122Z SEP 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHRK/AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK PRIORITY 9759-9760
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 5874-5875

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 099783 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 099783 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
2ND C O R R E C T E D   C O P Y   (ADDED SIPDIS, PORTION MARKINGS- 
                                     PARA'S 1, 5 & 6 AND TEXT) 
COMMERCE PASS TO NOAA (MEDINA) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2019 
TAGS: EFIS IC KSCA PGOV SENV IWC
SUBJECT: US PARTICIPATION IN JOINT DEMARCHE TO ICELAND ON 
ITS WHALING ACTIVITIES 
 
Classified By: OES/OPA, Evan Bloom for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: This is an action request.  Post is requested 
TO participate in a joint demarche to the Government of Iceland 
concerning their recent decisions regarding whaling 
activities.  The text of the demarche is contained in 
paragraph 5.  The United Kingdom has agreed to lead the 
demarche, and is joined by the governments of Argentina, 
Australia, Austria, Chile, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, 
Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Luxembourg, 
Mexico, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, 
Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United States and Uruguay. The 
demarche is meant to encourage the GOI to review its policies 
towards whaling and whale conservation, and take into account 
the significant economic and social benefits that come from 
the whale watching industry, as well as welcome the GOI's 
participation in discussions on the Future of the 
International Whaling Commission (IWC). 
 
BACKGROUND: 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  The GOI government issued a whaling quota of 150 
fin and 200 minke whales for the 2009/2010 whaling season 
this spring. This quota is based on the scientific advice 
provided by the Icelandic Marine Research Institute.  As of 
September 15, 2009, Iceland has taken 117 fin whales and 70 
minke whales. All expectations are that by the end of the 
whaling season, the fin whale quota will be met.  This 
represents a very signficicant increase in whaling activity 
by Iceland.  Since resuming commercial whaling activities in 
2006, Iceland had harvested 45 minke whales and 7 fin whales 
total prior to this season.  It is important to note that fin 
whale is not largely consumed in Iceland.  Therefore it is 
speculated that this large fin whale harvest will be exported 
to Japan (note: there are several non-governmental 
organizations who believe that the Japanese market is 
currently saturated by Japan's own whaling activities). 
 
¶3.  (C)  It is widely thought within the IWC community that, 
as a condition to joining the European Union, Iceland will 
need to end commercial whaling activities.  Many speculate 
that the dramatic increase in whaling operations this season 
is one last effort to whale before this decision is made. 
Alternative views are that the whaling industry is 
demonstrating its capability to discourage EU membership. The 
GOI has commissioned a study to review all economic benefits 
that surround whale conservation and the whaling industry, 
including whale watching. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  The United States is a leader within the 
International Whaling Commission, and is committed to 
resolving the discord that has paralyzed the organization for 
decades.  We remain committed to the Future of the IWC 
process, and are looking forward to the Support Group to be 
held in Santiago, October 5-16, 2009.  We are approaching 
this Support Group meeting with flexibility in mind, and 
encouraging all participants of the Support Group, including 
Iceland, to do the same. 
 
DEMARCHE TEXT: 
 
¶5.  (SBU) the Governments of Argentina, Australia, Austria, 
Chile, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, 
Ireland, Israel, Luxembourg, Mexico, Monaco, The Netherlands, 
New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the 
United Kingdom, the United States and Uruguay, wish to 
express our support for the Government of Iceland's decision 
to review and reassess its position on the hunting of whales. 
 
We are deeply disappointed with the former Icelandic 
Government's decision to authorize the hunting of fin and 
minke whales over the next five years on 27 January 2009. 
The authorization was put in place without presentation to 
the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and without regard 
for the long-term interests of cetacean conservation. We 
further note that the Icelandic marine Research Institute 
recommended in June an increased quota of up to 200 fin and 
200 minke whales for the 2009/2010 season and that almost 200 
whales have been killed so far. 
 
We encourage the Government of Iceland to adhere to the 
internationally agreed moratorium on commercial whaling and 
to re-examine the decision to increase its fin and minke 
whale quota. 
 
Both species are listed  under the Convention on 
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and 
Flora (CITES) Appendix I and we remain extremely concerned 
with Iceland's reservation, entered in 2000, for these and 
other cetacean species.  We urge Iceland to withdraw this 
reservation and safeguard these species from international 
trade. 
We recognize the conservation efforts made by Iceland in 
other international agreements and hope the Icelandic 
Government will be able to extend this stance to fully 
support global efforts for cetacean conservation. 
Furthermore, we would like to draw attention to the 
considerable economic, social and educational benefits of 
Iceland's growing whale watching industry and share our 
strong endorsement of the Icelandic Governments plans to 
designate specific ocean areas for whale watching.  We hope 
this action will reinforce Iceland's commitment, as a member 
of the Support Group, to the future of the IWC discussions on 
the management and conservation of all whale species. 
 
In summary, we support the Icelandic Government's decision to 
reassess its position on commercial whaling and once again 
call upon Iceland to respect the IWC's global moratorium and 
end its commercial whaling. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The Department greatly appreciate's post assistance 
IN this matter. OES/OPA point of contact on this matter is 
Elizabeth Phelps, reachable on unclass email at 
phelpse@state.gov, class email at phelpse@state.sgov.gov, or 
phone at 202-647-0241. 
CLINTON