US embassy cable - 05PARIS4722

UNCLAS PARIS 004722 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS 
SENSITIVE 
STATE PLS PASS NPS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SCUL, SENV, PGOV, CJAN, CA, UNESCO 
SUBJECT: UNESCO: OCTOBER 2005 WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE 
ELECTIONS:  CANADA DECIDES TO RUN 
 
1.  (SBU) The Canadian Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, 
Ambassador Yvon Charbonneau, informed Ambassador Oliver 6 
July that Canada intends to run in the October 2005 
elections for a four-year term to the World Heritage 
Committee (WHC), which sets policy for the World Heritage 
Convention, UNESCO's flagship Convention. 
 
2.  (SBU) This will complicate the USG bid, as there is 
reportedly a tradition of limiting North American membership 
on the twenty-one-nation WHC to either Canada or the USA. 
(Note.  The World Heritage Convention has been ratified by 
179 nations.  Although the Convention itself does not set 
out a formula for geographic representation on the WHC, a 
tradition for certain amount of geographic representation 
has arisen - End note). 
 
3.  (SBU) Canada's decision hinges on its wish that Quebec 
City host the 2008 World Heritage Committee meeting, which 
coincides with the 400th anniversary of the founding of 
Quebec City.  As Charbonneau explained, the decision was 
taken to mollify Quebec nationalists and build Liberal Party 
support in the province.  According to a longstanding 
interpretation of World Heritage Committee rules, only 
Committee members may host the meetings of the World 
Heritage Center.  Because of timing mechanics, only nations 
that are elected to the WHC in October 2005 may, under the 
current tradition and rules, offer to host the WHC meeting 
in 2008. 
 
4.  (SBU) Comment.  With increasing technical and security 
requirements, hosting a WHC meeting is something only a 
relatively few nations have the capability to do. 
Certainly, many WHC members, especially developing 
countries, do not have the wherewithal to host a WHC 
meeting.   It seems time to introduce the idea that the WHC 
traditions and rules be changed so that the WHC meeting 
could be hosted by a city that is not within one of the WHC 
members.  End Comment. 
 
OLIVER