US embassy cable - 05PARIS3348

UNCLAS PARIS 003348 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SCUL, ETRD, WTRO, UNESCO 
SUBJECT: USUNESCO:  EU members prepare for next round of 
cultural diversity talks 
 
1. (SBU) The EU member states of UNESCO held a policy 
coordination meeting May 12-13 to prepare for the next round 
of negotiations on the cultural diversity convention. 
According to Christine Atkinson, deputy in the UK Mission, 
(protect), most EU Member states accept the chairman's new 
revised text.  The Finns were the only state to have shown 
some reticence, as they seem to favor the work accomplished 
by the (Finnish) drafting group chair.  Most EU states 
agreed to place an emphasis on the development and poverty 
reduction aspects of the draft convention. 
 
2. (SBU) ACCORDING TO ATKINSON, THE FRENCH DELEGATION WAS 
UNCHARACTERISTICALLY EASY GOING.  THEY PARTICIPATED IN THE 
MEETING WITHOUT THE QUAI OFFICIAL WHO HANDLES THIS ACCOUNT 
AND WHO USUALLY TAKES STRONG POSITIONS.  THE FRENCH 
DELEGATION EVEN CEDED SOME POINTS TO THE BRITISH INCLUDING 
FLEXIBILITY ON THE USE OF "MAY" OR "SHOULD" IN THE JOINT EU 
STATEMENT.  ATKINSON INDICATED THAT SHE FELT THE FRENCH WERE 
BEING MORE FLEXIBLE BECAUSE THEY NEED TO PUSH THIS 
CONVENTION THROUGH AT ALL COSTS AND DO NOT WANT TO POLARIZE 
THE DEBATE IN THE EU.  SHE ALSO INDICATED THAT THE EC AND 
THE EU PRESIDENCY (LUXEMBOURG) WOULD SPEAK AT THE CD 
NEGOTIATIONS--NOT ALL 25 MEMBERS PLUS THE EC. 
 
3. (SBU) ATKINSON ALSO CITED HER AMBASSADOR'S INTERVENTION 
AT THE MEETING ON THE UK'S DESIRE NOT TO CREATE TRADE 
BARRIERS:  "THIS IS NOT SIMPLY A POSITION OF OURS BUT THE 
LESSONS OF THE PAST 300 YEARS OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE."  THIS 
POSITION WAS APPARENTLY ALSO SUPPORTED BY DENMARK. 
 
4. (SBU) Finally Atkinson indicated that the UK delegation 
would include their Geneva WTO trade expert David Cairns. 
She expressed a desire to have trade experts attending the 
negotiations meet the day prior to the beginning of the CD 
meetings.  She also indicated that the Commonwealth 
countries have a meeting on Monday 23rd and the Francophonie 
countries on Tuesday the 24th. 
 
OLIVER