UNSYG Stresses Importance of EU Leadership Role in Climate Change
Date 2008
Classification TOP SECRET//COMINT-GAMMA//ORCON/NOFORN
WikiLeaks Synopsis:
Intercepted communication between UN Segretary-General Ban Ki-moon and German Chancellor Angela Merkel reveal Ki-moon's confidence in EU as a necessary leader in the climate change negotiations.Original NSA text:
UNSYG Stresses Importance of EU Leadership Role in Climate Change (TS//SI-G//OC/NF)
(TS//SI-G//OC/NF) UNSYG Ban Ki-moon, in an exchange on 10 December with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, pointed out that the world would be watching the EU with "keen interest" for reassurances that it will maintain its leadership role in combating climate change. He believes that the mid-December EU Summit in Brussels will impact on the UN Conference on Climate Change in Poznan as well as the 2009 Copenhagen Talks, stressing that without positive signals and continued leadership from the EU, it would be difficult for the UN to make a commitment in Poznan. Ban also maintained that since the new U.S. administration will have a very engaging and proactive attitude on the issue, the time is right for the EU and the whole world to create conditions necessary for reaching a meaningful deal at the 2009 UN Climate Talks. In that regard, Ban considered the Poznan Conference to be very important as a "bridge" toward Copenhagen. Ban also praised Merkel for her personal efforts regarding the issue of combating climate change and for encouraging other EU leaders to agree on the issue. For her part, Merkel was optimistic that the EU Summit would come to an agreement, although she acknowledged that the tough issue would involve carbon dioxide trading. Both Ban and Merkel favored holding a mini-summit in early 2009 to involve the new U.S. administration, believing that it is important to get a clear idea of U.S. intentions. Merkel believed that the climate-change issue should be discussed at the heads-of-state level, otherwise it would not work.
Unidentified
UN diplomatic, German leadership
Z-G/OO/503904-08, 112153Z
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