US embassy cable - 03OTTAWA702

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CANADA TO PURSUE UNESCO EXECUTIVE BOARD SEAT

Identifier: 03OTTAWA702
Wikileaks: View 03OTTAWA702 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Ottawa
Created: 2003-03-13 22:10:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: AORC CA UNESCO
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000702 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS FOR UNESCO OBSERVER; MARSEILLES FOR MONACO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2013 
TAGS: AORC, CA, UNESCO 
SUBJECT: CANADA TO PURSUE UNESCO EXECUTIVE BOARD SEAT 
 
REF: A. STATE 61697 
 
     B. STATE 54900 
 
Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Mary Witt for reasons 1.5(b) 
and (d). 
 
1. (C)  Embassy presented the talking points contained reftel 
A concerning the U.S. candidacy for election to the UNESCO 
executive board to Jean-Luc Chouinard, Special Advisor for 
UNESCO in the UN Specialized Agencies Section of DFAIT's 
International Organizations Bureau, on March 11.  Poloff had 
a follow-up discussion with Chouinard on March 13.  Chouinard 
said that Canada welcomes the U.S.'s return to UNESCO. 
2.  (C)  Chouinard indicated Canada will be a candidate for a 
seat on the UNESCO executive board.  He said Canada would 
like our support for its candidacy, and will seriously 
consider giving its support to our candidacy. Chouinard said 
there are a possible 10 candidates for the 5 open Group 1 
seats on the executive board. He identified those candidates 
as France, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Portugal, 
Switzerland, Denmark, the U.S., and Canada. When asked about 
the possibility of Canada supporting a consensus slate of 
candidates, Chouinard responded that experience has shown 
them that such slates aren't successful in UNESCO executive 
board elections. Chouinard said the culture of UNESCO isn't 
conducive to slates of candidates; in that sense, he noted, 
UNESCO differs from other UN organizations. 
3.  (C)   Chouinard shares our concern that a better balance 
needs to be established in Group 1 board representation 
between EU and non-E.U. states. He feels this will be hard to 
do in the near term, but in the longer term we should work on 
getting the Group 1 states to agree on a different, more 
balanced approach to filling seats. Chouinard is hopeful 
there will be a place for both the U.S. and Canada on the 
executive board, as he thinks we could do a lot of useful 
things if we are serving together. Comment: It is our 
impression from the discussion with Chouinard that Canada 
might agree to join a consensus slate, or to back a consensus 
slate, after other possible members of the slate have been 
identified. End comment. 
CELLUCCI 

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