ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85M00364R000400510015-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 17, 2010
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: July 29, 1983
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2010/06/17: CIA-RDP85M00364R000400510015-9 IULI I ICl1a
ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION
There are a number of cooperative environmental mechanisms
already in place, but the nature and pace of environmental
problems suggest the need for new approaches. The USG and US
border states are especially concerned about immediate
sanitation problems along the border (see separate background
paper, "Unresolved Border Sanitation Problems").
There are also significant and unresolved border air
pollution problems, such as those at Ciudad Juarez/E1 Paso and
Tijuana/San Diego, and EPA has been pressing unsuccessfully for
joint monitoring. Our Embassy is concerned about serious air
pollution problems in Mexico City. A potentially serious
environmental problem involves shipments of hazardous wastes.
Following the conclusion of a 1980 maritime spills
agreement, EPA and its Mexican counterpart agency suggested
negotiation of a similar response mechanism for accidental
spills of hydrocarbons and hazardous substances along the
inland boundary. Exploratory talks on a US draft inland spills
agreement led to a Mexican counterproposal for a much broader
arrangement, a treaty on border environmental cooperation.
The USG has agreed in principle with the idea of a new
environmental executive agreement (not a treaty) as an umbrella
covering existing and future bilateral environmental
mechanisms. Such an agreement might reinforce our joint
efforts to address border sanitation and other environmental
problems, particularly if it results in more GOM attention and
public funding toward their resolution. It could also assist
US technical agencies carry out activities in certain natural
resource management areas of special interest (e.g., national
parks, arid lands, plant germplasm and wildlife).
Several weeks ago we made detailed comments on the
original Mexican concept, including proposals that any new
agreement also cover cooperation on resource management and not
be limited to the border zone. In the absence of substantive
Mexican reaction to our comments, we provided the GOM a draft
text of such an agreement on July 25.
On July 27 the Foreign Ministry provided our Embassy with
a new Mexican draft text which evidently crossed ours of July
25 and is far apart from it: GOM wants (1) a treaty, not an
executive agreement, (2) to limit to'border region, (3) to only
deal with pollution, with possible separate agreement on
resource management, (4) the U.S. to accept provisions on
pollution from military bases and/or nuclear contamination
which are unacceptable.
While the Mexicans have now suggested negotiations in
early August, chances are not good for conclusion of an
acceptable agreement before the meeting of the two presidents.
July 29, 1983
CONFIDENTIAL
DECL OADR
Approved For Release 2010/06/17: CIA-RDP85M00364R000400510015-9