DEMARCHE DELIVERED: UNESCO: ANNOUNCEMENT OF U.S.

UNCLAS ANKARA 001625 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC FR TU SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: UNESCO: ANNOUNCEMENT OF U.S. RE-ENTRY AND CANDIDACY FOR EXECUTIVE BOARD REF: A) SECSTATE 54900 B) ANKARA 7265 ¶1. Poloffs delivered ref (A) demarche March 13 to MFA Head of Department for Multilateral Cultural Affairs, Gulseren Celik. Celik expressed appreciation for USG's impending re-entry to UNESCO. She stated GOT will give due consideration to Turkish support of USG candidacy to UNESCO Executive Board. GOT will notify us at a later date regarding its preferences for the October 10, 2003, election of the executive board. ¶2. Celik also highlighted upcoming Turkish candidacies and requested USG support. Per ref (B),GOT is competing for membership to the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage at the elections to be held during the October 2003 fourteenth session of the General Assembly on Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Turkey will also run for the executive boards of the following committees for UNESCO: International Bioethics Committee (IBC),International Hydrological Program (IHP),and Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or its Restitution in case of Illicit Appropriation. GOT plans to provide information concerning GOT UNESCO candidacies in upcoming months. PEARSON