TURKEY'S VIEW ON UNESCO CULTURAL DIVERSITY VOTE

UNCLAS ANKARA 006324

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPDC PREL SCUL TU BHUM ETRC UNESCO
SUBJECT: TURKEY'S VIEW ON UNESCO CULTURAL DIVERSITY VOTE

REF: A. STATE 170909

B. ANKARA 5531

C. STATE 184292

D. ANKARA 6311

E. STATE 192656


1. PolCouns delivered ref E demarche on UNESCO Cultural
Diversity Vote to Ambassador Sule Soysal, Director General
for Overseas Promotion and Cultural Affairs on October 19.
PolCouns explained U.S. concerns regarding the restriction of
trade and the free flow of ideas that may occur.


2. Soysal pledged to pass on our request to the Turkish
delegates in Paris. She personally did not believe that this
convention was likely to prevent the free flow of ideas, and
wondered out loud why the U.S. had voted against a relatively
mild amendment proposed by the Japanese to ensure compliance
with the UNESCO framework.


3. Soysal asserted that Article 20, paragraph 2, which
ensures that the convention will not interfere with members'
pre-existing international treaty obligations, likely
responds to U.S. concerns.


4. The EU, said Soysal, expects a candidate country to vote
along the same lines as it does. Should another EU member
country issue a statement expressing understanding that the
convention will not be used to restrict trade or the free
flow of information, Soysal asserted that Turkey might be
able to follow suit.
MCELDOWNEY