The delegations of the United States and Chile met on October 1st- 3rd, 2003, in Washington, DC, headed by Mr. Anthony F. Rock, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Oceans, International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Department of State of the United States, and Ambassador José Manuel Ovalle, Director of the Environment Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile, respectively.

Representatives from Chile and the United States met to discuss the implementation of the eight cooperative projects agreed under the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Representatives from the Chilean National Commission on the Environment (CONAMA) and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) will serve as coordinators for the projects. U.S. technical experts associated with each project made short presentations sharing their ideas to further refine the projects agreed under the FTA. The Chilean delegation then had the opportunity to share its ideas and to ask questions about specific U.S. programs and capabilities.

The project coordinators agreed to develop and exchange a list of points of contact from the United States and Chile for each of the eight cooperative projects. These points of contact will work in concert with the project coordinators to define the projects and identify human and financial support for their implementation. Both parties recognized the potential for ongoing cooperation on the issues identified in the FTA and look forward to future cooperation in this and other areas under the U.S.-Chile Environmental Cooperation Agreement.

The delegations agreed to meet as soon as possible after the U.S.-Chile Agreement on Environmental Cooperation enters into force to work toward establishing the Joint Commission for Environmental Cooperation under the Agreement, and to proceed with preparation of the first work program. With this purpose, they agreed to identify areas of mutual interest that may lead to specific cooperative project proposals, and to maintain close communication on the ongoing processes for the entering into force of the Environmental Cooperation Agreement.

The delegations informed each other of the domestic actions that are being implemented as a follow up of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and exchanged opinions regarding the results of the XI Session of the Commission for Sustainable Development and its multi-year work plan. The delegations expressed their support for continued efforts to strengthen the CSD as a focal point for consideration of partnerships and the CSD’s emphasis on capacity building and other activities to promote implementation of Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation. The delegations further agreed to maintain permanent communication on efforts to carry out the Plan of Implementation at national, regional and global levels.

Noting that both countries are Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, the delegations examined the possibility of bilateral cooperation related to global climate change. The delegation of Chile indicated preferred cooperation areas, among others, the implementation of joint studies, the exchange of experts, assistance for the improvement of climate observation networks, etc. The delegations agreed to include the climate change cooperation within the first working program of the Agreement on Environmental Cooperation.

The delegations also considered topics of mutual interest regarding the Biosafety Protocol and examined different approaches to work with countries that are implementing this Protocol.

The delegations convened to hold a new meeting of the Environmental Dialogue in 2004, in Santiago, Chile.