US embassy cable - 05PARIS8245

UNCLAS PARIS 008245 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS 
 
E.O. 12958:     N/A 
TAGS: SCUL, ETRD, CJAN, UNESCO 
SUBJECT:  USUNESCO: UK REP REPORTS PLANS THAT EC ADOPT 
CULTURAL DIVERSITY CONVENTION IN MAY 2006 
 
 
1.  (U) UK UNESCO DCM Christine Atkinson informed DCM Koss 
30 November about plans whereby the European Council would 
adopt the Cultural Diversity Convention in May 2006, with 
EU Member State ratifications to follow.  She gave the 
specifics: 
 
--November - December 2005: European Commission internal 
consultations on a proposal for a Council Decision on the 
Cultural Diversity Convention. 
--Mid December 2005: European Commission adopts the proposal 
for a Council decision, with the text to be circulated to EU 
Member States. 
--19 January 2006: Proposal is discussed by the Cultural 
Affairs Committee (CAC) of the Council. 
--May 2006: Anticipated adoption of the Decision by the 
Council. 
 
Polish Amb. Maria Wodzynska-Walicka confirmed these plans in 
a later 30 November conversation with poloff. 
 
2.  (SBU) Atkinson noted that the EC's adoption would likely 
be cited by the Convention's proponents as a reason for 
national legislatures to ratify the Convention.  She 
estimated that national legislators would find this a 
persuasive argument.  She also added that in the UK, once 
the government tables the Convention there is likely to be 
little debate. 
 
OLIVER