PARAGUAY SUPPORTS USG CANDIDACY FOR SEAT ON WORLD

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000947

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SCUL PA UNESCO
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY SUPPORTS USG CANDIDACY FOR SEAT ON WORLD
HERITAGE COMMITTEE

REF: A. ASUNCION 889

B. STATE 122739

(SBU) On July 19, Foreign Minister Leila Rachid contacted the
Ambassador to advise him that Paraguay would be pleased to
support the USG in its candidacy for a seat on the World
Heritage Committee (WHC),but the Ministry of Education must
pay Paraguay's arrears to UNESCO to regain its voting
privileges. Paraguay owes USD 300,000 in arrears. Rachid
added that Paraguay would like the USG to support their
candidacy for a position on the Economic and Social Committee
(ECOSOC). She did not explicitly condition Paraguay,s
support for our WHC candidacy, but her mentioning both in the
same breath implied it and is certainly within character for
Paraguay and Rachid. (NOTE: MFA International Organizations
Director Julio Peralta told EconOff that Paraguay considers
their ECOSOC candidacy a high priority.
KEANE