12. ENVIRONMENT: +1

"It is important to ensure adherence to environmental agreements. International crime in areas such as illegal trade in CFCs, endangered species and hazardous waste is of particular concern. We will assess compliance with international environmental

Facts & Analysis:
1. Any implementation of environmental agreements requires money. The budget requests by the executive for FY1998 specifies "confronting the challenges of environment degradation" as a fundamental goal of international affairs, allocating $3.8 billion fo

2. On Earth Day 1997 (April 22), the Department of State released its first annual report on environment and foreign policy called "Environmental Diplomacy", effectively placing its emphasis on environmental protection. The paper includes reports on:

• cooperation with Canada & Mexico under NAFTA's Commission on Environmental Cooperation to phase-out specific persistent organic pollutants in North America
  
• reaffirming support for the International Coral Reef Initiative, Ramsar Convention (preserve wetlands)
  
• promise of opening six regional environmental hubs this year in US embassies in Costa Rica, Uzbekistan, Ethiopia, Nepal, Jordan & Thailand, and six more next year
  
• continuation in promoting through APEC summits problems of urbanization & industrial expansion

1. Undersecretary Wirth hosted a 4-day visit by President Wasmosy of Paraguay, who was there to learn from US water projects in April. The intention was to help the Paraguay President in his efforts in Central South America to develop major river project

2. Assistant Secretary Eileen Claussen pointed out the need to raise environmental issues with state capitals in her speech in the Earth Day opening ceremony.

3. Secretary Albright in her speech in the Earth Day opening ceremony suggests future working with countries such as Russia, Ukraine, the PRC, South Africa to identify environmental problems & to coordinate strategies to deal with them: "steadily increase