USUNESCO: EU members prepare for next round of

UNCLAS PARIS 003348 SIPDIS FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SCUL ETRD WTRO UNESCO SUBJECT: USUNESCO: EU members prepare for next round of cultural diversity talks ¶1. (SBU) The EU member states of UNESCO held a policy coordination meeting May 12-13 to prepare for the next round of negotiations on the cultural diversity convention. According to Christine Atkinson, deputy in the UK Mission, (protect),most EU Member states accept the chairman's new revised text. The Finns were the only state to have shown some reticence, as they seem to favor the work accomplished by the (Finnish) drafting group chair. Most EU states agreed to place an emphasis on the development and poverty reduction aspects of the draft convention. ¶2. (SBU) ACCORDING TO ATKINSON, THE FRENCH DELEGATION WAS UNCHARACTERISTICALLY EASY GOING. THEY PARTICIPATED IN THE MEETING WITHOUT THE QUAI OFFICIAL WHO HANDLES THIS ACCOUNT AND WHO USUALLY TAKES STRONG POSITIONS. THE FRENCH DELEGATION EVEN CEDED SOME POINTS TO THE BRITISH INCLUDING FLEXIBILITY ON THE USE OF "MAY" OR "SHOULD" IN THE JOINT EU STATEMENT. ATKINSON INDICATED THAT SHE FELT THE FRENCH WERE BEING MORE FLEXIBLE BECAUSE THEY NEED TO PUSH THIS CONVENTION THROUGH AT ALL COSTS AND DO NOT WANT TO POLARIZE THE DEBATE IN THE EU. SHE ALSO INDICATED THAT THE EC AND THE EU PRESIDENCY (LUXEMBOURG) WOULD SPEAK AT THE CD NEGOTIATIONS--NOT ALL 25 MEMBERS PLUS THE EC. ¶3. (SBU) ATKINSON ALSO CITED HER AMBASSADOR'S INTERVENTION AT THE MEETING ON THE UK'S DESIRE NOT TO CREATE TRADE BARRIERS: "THIS IS NOT SIMPLY A POSITION OF OURS BUT THE LESSONS OF THE PAST 300 YEARS OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE." THIS POSITION WAS APPARENTLY ALSO SUPPORTED BY DENMARK. ¶4. (SBU) Finally Atkinson indicated that the UK delegation would include their Geneva WTO trade expert David Cairns. She expressed a desire to have trade experts attending the negotiations meet the day prior to the beginning of the CD meetings. She also indicated that the Commonwealth countries have a meeting on Monday 23rd and the Francophonie countries on Tuesday the 24th. OLIVER