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Viewing cable 07ROME2518, MIDDLE EAST MULTILATERAL WORKING GROUP ON WATER

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07ROME2518 2007-12-28 17:03 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Rome
VZCZCXRO1302
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHRO #2518/01 3621703
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 281703Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1450
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 1365
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0400
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0344
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9607
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 4589
INFO RUEHMIL/AMCONSUL MILAN 9176
RUEHFL/AMCONSUL FLORENCE 2836
RUEHNP/AMCONSUL NAPLES 2981
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 002518 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL SENV TPHY XF IS JO KWBG UK EU NL SW
NO, IT 
SUBJECT: MIDDLE EAST MULTILATERAL WORKING GROUP ON WATER 
RESOURCES: MEETING OF THE REGIONAL WATER DATA BANKS PROJECT 
STEERING COMMITTEE (EXACT) IN ROME, DECEMBER 10-11, 2007 
 
ROME 00002518  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
This cable is SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  Please handle 
accordingly.  Not for internet distribution. 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: The USG organized a Steering Committee 
meeting of the Regional Water Data Banks project (known as 
EXACT) December 10-11 in Rome.  EXACT is a project initiated 
under the Multilateral Peace Process Working Group on Water 
Resources.  The EXACT meeting brought Palestinian, Israeli 
and Jordanian water officials together for the 25th time 
since the project started in 1995; officials and experts from 
the U.S., the UK, the EU, and the Netherlands, whose 
governments all contribute expertise and resources to project 
activities, also participated.  At the invitation of the U.S. 
chair, Italy, Sweden, and Norway also attended the meeting as 
observers.  In their executive session, the Israeli, 
Palestinian, and Jordanian teams agreed on the importance of 
continuing to work together on the project and pursuing 
additional possible donors to support their various project 
activities.  The three core parties also agreed to meet again 
in executive session in Jerusalem in late January to follow 
up on a number of action items.  The U.S. continues to play a 
leading role in working with the three core parties to help 
them develop their Regional Water Training Initiative.  In a 
separate session at the Italian MFA on December 12, core 
party EXACT members provided a detailed briefing for Italian 
MFA officials.  Italy expressed great interest in joining 
EXACT.  During the December 11 EXACT plenary, Sweden and 
Norway also expressed serious interest in joining EXACT.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
EXACT Activities Making Significant Progress 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
2.  (SBU) The Regional Water Data Banks Project (also known 
by the acronym of its steering committee EXACT - EXecutive 
ACtion Committee) consists of a portfolio of technical 
activities undertaken by the three core parties - experts 
from Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority - with 
technical and financial support of the donor members.  All 
the activities are designed to build capacity and improve the 
parties' technical capabilities to address a wide range of 
water issues.  Despite the difficult conditions under which 
all EXACT activities have been carried out in recent years, 
project activities have continued to make substantial 
progress.  EXACT members expressed the hope that with the 
improved political environment post-Annapolis, more progress 
could be made on EXACT activities in the coming months. 
 
3. (SBU) The EU reported that it continued to work with the 
core parties on developing a Decision Support System (a 
computer program designed to help better manage water 
resources), carried out training activities, and provided 
laboratory equipment to the core parties.  The EU delegation 
noted that its current activities will end in August 2008 and 
that it looked forward to working with the core parties to 
develop a proposal for follow-on project activities.  The 
Dutch reported that they have continued to work with the core 
parties to develop the water treatment and artificial 
recharge sites in Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian 
territories.  The UK reported that it has continued to work 
with the parties to define the pollution problems present at 
the project sites and design appropriate mitigation 
approaches.  The UK also noted that it had just finished a 
very successful regional experts workshop in the region. 
 
4.  (SBU) U.S. Chair NEA Senior Advisor for S&T Charles 
Lawson reported that the U.S. has continued to work with the 
core parties on their Regional Water Training Initiative. 
The U.S. hosted an experts workshop at Lake Tiberias November 
5-8 at which the core parties developed a draft work plan for 
the initiative.  The U.S. reiterated its commitment to help 
support implementation of the initiative by offering to 
support specific training courses once the core parties 
finalize the work plan. 
 
5.  (SBU) As they have done at all previous meetings for the 
past seven years or so, the core parties met by themselves in 
executive session prior to the EXACT plenary.  The core 
parties reported to the donors at the plenary that they plan 
to meet in Jerusalem in late January to follow up on the 
 
ROME 00002518  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
activities discussed at the plenary.  They committed to 
working closely with the EU to develop a proposal for a 
follow-on activity supported by the EU.  They thanked Italy, 
Sweden, Norway for attending the meeting as observers and 
expressed their great hope that the three would join EXACT. 
 
Engaging Potential Donors 
------------------------- 
 
6.  (SBU) In the several months prior to the EXACT meeting, 
Italian, Swedish, and Norwegian officials expressed interest 
to U.S. Chair Lawson in exploring the possibility of joining 
the EXACT team.  Based on that interest, Lawson invited 
Italy, Sweden, and Norway to attend the December 10-11 EXACT 
meeting as observers.  All three sent observers,  In 
addition, at Italy's request, the EXACT team provided a 
separate briefing on EXACT to Italian MFA officials on 
December 12.  As a result of EXACT's engagement with them, 
Italy, Sweden, and Norway all expressed great interest in 
joining EXACT.  Lawson urged the three to each begin 
discussions with experts from the three core parties to 
develop proposals that the three governments could consider 
supporting. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
7.  (SBU) The warm and collegial atmosphere that has 
exemplified the working relationship among EXACT members over 
the years was in clear evidence at the December meeting.  The 
Israeli, Jordanian, and Palestinian EXACT members, as they 
have done since the project started, demonstrated their 
continuing commitment to working together on EXACT.  The 
EXACT mechanism, and its focus on technical issues, has 
provided a forum over the past 12 years for continuous 
Arab-Israeli cooperation even during times of regional 
political instability. 
 
8.  (U) This message was drafted by U.S. Chair Lawson and 
sent in coordination with Embassy Rome. 
BORG