345. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union1
111960. Subject: Commerce Decision to Decertify Soviet Union.
1. On April 8 Commerce Secretary William Verity and Soviet Ambassador Yuriy V. Dubinin exchanged letters (text in para 4 below) which are the basis of the decision by the Secretary of Commerce to withdraw the certification of the U.S.S.R. At the request of the Soviets these letters will not be made public. The decision by the Secretary of Commerce to terminate the certification [of] the Soviet Union will not be made public until after Verity announces this decision in a press statement concerning fisheries and whales (para 2 below) at the JCC meetings in Moscow. We expect him to make his announcement in a press briefing scheduled for April 14.2 A Federal Register notice required [Page 986] by law which explains the reasons for his decision will be sent for publication on April 14 (provided in para 4 below). Neither Verity’s statement or the Federal Register notice make reference to the exchange of letters. The Secretary of Commerce has withdrawn the certification because the reasons for the April, 1985 certification no longer prevail. The Soviet Union has confirmed that it has ceased commercial whaling and intends to work through the IWC for whale research and conservation.
2. (C) Classified until after delivered. Begin text of Verity statement on whaling and fisheries matters to be made during JCC meetings in Moscow. In concluding my remarks, I want to announce that I have received assurances from the Soviet Ambassador to the United States confirming that the Soviet Union has ceased commercial whaling and intends to work through the International Whaling Commission (the “IWC”) for whale research and conservation. The cessation of commercial whaling by whaling nations has been a major objective of global environmental groups and the IWC, supported by the United States.
I welcome the Soviet decision and hope that it sets a pattern for similar decisions on the part of other whaling nations to work within the IWC for the purposes of research and conservation. We look forward to cooperating more closely with our Soviet colleagues in the IWC, our fisheries relations, and our broader bilateral agenda. End text of Verity statement for Moscow JCC Meeting.
3. (C) Classified until released after Verity announcement in Moscow. Begin text of Federal Register notice:
Action: Notice of information.
Summary: Notice is published that the Secretary of Commerce finds the reasons for the certification of the Soviet Union, under the Pelly and Packwood-Magnuson Amendments for activities that diminish the effectiveness of an International Fishery Conservation Program, no longer prevail and that the certification has been terminated.
Supplementary Information: Under the Pelly Amendment to the Fishermen’s Protective Act and the Packwood-Magnuson Amendment to the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Secretary of Commerce is responsible for determining if nationals of a foreign country, directly or indirectly, are conducting fishing operations in a manner or under circumstances which diminish the effectiveness of an International Fishery Conservation Program. If the Secretary of Commerce so determines, such certification is reported to the President. On April 1, 1985, Secretary Malcolm Baldrige certified to President Reagan that the Soviet take of southern hemisphere minke whales had diminished the effectiveness of the International Whaling Commission [Page 987] (IWC) Conservation Program.3 The Secretary based his determination on: (1) The Soviet harvest of southern hemisphere minke whales was greater than the level the United States considered the U.S.S.R.’s traditional share; (2) the 1984–85 IWC quota for southern hemisphere minke whales was exceeded due to Soviet harvest; and (3) there had been no indication that the Soviets intended to comply with IWC standards.
The Soviet Union has ended its commercial harvest for southern hemisphere minke whales and has indicated its intention to cooperate in the conservation of whales within the framework of the IWC. Given that the reasons for the certification of the Soviet Union no longer prevail, the Secretary of Commerce has terminated the certification under both the Pelly and Packwood-Magnuson Amendments.
End text of Federal Register notice.
4. (C) Begin text of Dubinin letter to Verity: The Honorable, William Verity, Secretary of Commerce, Washington, D.C. 20230. Dear Mr. Secretary, I was pleased by our recent discussions concerning the so-called whaling problem which has for a long time prevented the development of our cooperation in fisheries.
It is an evidence of increasing mutual understanding between our countries.
Let me once again reaffirm, that the USSR ceased commercial whaling in the spring of 1987 and at present is not planning to resume it.
Regarding the issue of sea mammals the Soviet Union is a principled supporter of international cooperation in research, conservation and rational use of these resources in strict accordance with norms of international law, proceeding from reliable scientific data, based on expert assessments of scientists from different countries. The Soviet Union also comes out for active cooperation at appropriate international organizations.
As a participant of the International Conference of 1946 on Whaling the USSR has been cooperating within the framework of IWC for 40 years.
In connection with the recent changes the Soviet Union put forward at the 37th Session of IWC a proposal on improving the activities of the Commission on a number of issues in order to give IWC conservation and research functions.
It confirms once again our readiness to cooperate in future with other countries concerned for the research and conservation of whaling resources. Sincerely, Yuri V. Dubinin. End of Dubinin letter to Verity.
[Page 988](C) Begin text of Verity letter to Dubinin: His Excellency Yuriy V. Dubinin, Ambassador of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Washington, D.C. 20036. Dear Mr. Ambassador: I was pleased by our recent discussions concerning the Soviet Union’s policy regarding commercial whaling.
As a result of further consultations between our representatives, I understand it to be Soviet policy that the Soviet Union will not resume commercial whaling until the world’s scientists agree that such whaling can be conducted without jeopardizing the well-being of whale populations. I also understand that the Soviet Union will continue to work through the International Whaling Commission for Research and Whale Conservation.
I trust that this understanding is correct and, based upon it, I will proceed to terminate the certification of the Soviet Union. I look forward to continued cooperation and discussion on the matters before us. Sincerely, Secretary of Commerce William Verity. End of Verity letter to Dubinin.
Moscow minimize considered.
- Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D880303–0252. Confidential; Immediate. Drafted by Kendrew; cleared by Connuck and Rootes; and approved by Scully.↩
- See The Toledo Blade, “Soviet Whaling,” April 15, 1988, p. 2↩
- See Document 312.↩