US embassy cable - 05PARIS6021

UNCLAS PARIS 006021 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FROM USMISSION UNESCO 
STATE PASS USTR BALASSA 
IO/UNESCO FOR JANE COWLEY 
EUR/ERA FOR PETER CHASE 
L/EUR FOR PETER OLSON 
 
E.O. 12958:     N/A 
TAGS: SCUL, ETRD, EU, CJAN, UNESCO 
SUBJECT:  USUNESCO: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES CULTURAL DIVERSITY 
CONVENTION WITH DIRECTOR GENERAL AND SEVERAL AMBASSADORS 
 
REF:  A) Paris 5990 and previous 
 
1.  Summary.  The draft cultural diversity convention was a 
primary topic of discussion during Ambassador Oliver's 
meetings with UNESCO Director General (DG) Matsuura and 
several ambassadors, including the outgoing chairman of the 
general conference.  All agreed that the convention must be 
adopted by consensus.  End summary. 
 
2.  (SBU) During a September 2 luncheon meeting the DG told 
the ambassador that while he cannot be seen as leaning 
toward one side or another he has insisted and will continue 
to insist that the final convention must be a consensus 
document.  The DG also told the ambassador that when he 
publicly made this statement during a culture ministers' 
meeting at UNESCO in June, the French culture minister 
reacted angrily to his suggestion. 
 
3.  (SBU) Later on September 2, Ambassador Oliver met with 
Nigerian Ambassador Michael Omolewa, the outgoing chairman 
of the General Conference.  (Note:  by UNESCO tradition the 
chair holds the title between General Conference sessions 
and receives special deference.)  Omolewa admitted that he 
had not attended the final negotiating session in June and 
had no idea how badly it had gone.  He said that he assumed 
that a consensus document had emerged.  When he heard that 
there had been no consensus, he expressed a strong desire to 
make sure the current draft is treated as a preliminary text 
and that consensus is reached.  He also expressed surprise 
that the EU is unwilling to reopen the document to find 
consensus.  (Comment:  the draft convention is increasingly 
being seen at UNESCO as a struggle between the US and the 
EU.)  Omolewa expressed concern when Ambassador Oliver 
explained potential domestic ramifications posed by the 
draft and how those could influence US reengagement with 
UNESCO. 
 
4.  (SBU) During a courtesy call on September 2, the new 
Saudi Arabian Ambassador to UNESCO, Mohammed Aldebian, also 
expressed concerns about the convention and its effects on 
us engagement with UNESCO.  He had attended the June 
negotiations as a member of the Saudi delegation and was 
aware of the poisonous atmosphere surrounding the meeting. 
Aldebian encouraged Ambassador Oliver to have conversations 
on the topic with other states.  He also  suggested that the 
US Delegation write a letter to other delegations setting 
out our concerns with the convention. 
 
5.  (SBU) A similar tone was struck in a conversation with 
Afghan ambassador Aziz on September 1.  Aziz stated that 
"everyone agreed that there should be a convention on 
cultural diversity," but in order for the convention to be 
effective it must be accepted by all members states.  He 
said that there is still time to negotiate and try to get 
the convention postponed for two years.  He also said that 
strong diplomatic work is needed for the US to get enough 
support from member states so that none feel like they are 
caught out on a limb.  (Comment: he has told us before that 
he feels caught between the US and the EU.)  He also 
suggested that delegations needed to be instructed by their 
capitals to support the US position. 
 
6.  Comment:  We now have had the DG and several UNESCO 
ambassadors express their concern about the potential harm 
of the draft cultural diversity convention.  The question is 
whether we can pick off enough delegations in time to stop 
the EU/Canadian/Brazilian juggernaut. 
 
Oliver