DEMARCHE ON TRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OF UNESCO DRAFT

UNCLAS AMMAN 009146 SIPDIS SENSITIVE PARIS PLEASE PASS TO USMISSION UNESCO PARIS STATE FOR EB/TPP/MTA/MST - A. WHITTEN STATE ALSO FOR IO/T - J. COWLEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD ECON JO WTO UNESCO SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON TRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OF UNESCO DRAFT CULTURAL DIVERSITY CONVENTION: JORDAN REF: STATE 238056 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Emboffs November 10 delivered reftel demarche to key contacts in the Ministry of Industry and Trade and to the International Organizations Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. To the extent that Jordan engages in the UNESCO process, we can expect a sympathetic response from the Government of Jordan. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) At the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) the deputy of the trade policy department and the WTO legal advisor reviewed the three main points of reftel demarche, noting their ready understanding that the specified draft articles and phrases in the UNESCO convention could be in conflict with or cloud obligations made by Jordan under the WTO and the U.S.-Jordan FTA. ¶3. (SBU) The trade policy deputy stated that Jordan fully understands the U.S. concerns and would study the demarche further the same day so as to formulate a final position. He indicated that the Ministry of Trade would seek quickly to have the government's position communicated to Jordan's embassy in Paris. (NOTE: Jordan will celebrate the end of Ramadan this weekend through November 16. Any action from the capital to submit comments to UNESCO by November 15 would have to come by Thursday, the last workday of the week before the long holiday. END NOTE.) Embassy also forwarded the demarche to the MFA International Organizations Department, and encouraged consultation among the MFA, MOIT, and the Ministry of Culture. HALE