UNESCO: OCTOBER 2005 WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE

UNCLAS PARIS 004722 SIPDIS FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS SENSITIVE STATE PLS PASS NPS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SCUL SENV PGOV CJAN CA UNESCO SUBJECT: UNESCO: OCTOBER 2005 WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE ELECTIONS: CANADA DECIDES TO RUN ¶1. (SBU) The Canadian Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Ambassador Yvon Charbonneau, informed Ambassador Oliver 6 July that Canada intends to run in the October 2005 elections for a four-year term to the World Heritage Committee (WHC),which sets policy for the World Heritage Convention, UNESCO's flagship Convention. ¶2. (SBU) This will complicate the USG bid, as there is reportedly a tradition of limiting North American membership on the twenty-one-nation WHC to either Canada or the USA. (Note. The World Heritage Convention has been ratified by 179 nations. Although the Convention itself does not set out a formula for geographic representation on the WHC, a tradition for certain amount of geographic representation has arisen - End note). ¶3. (SBU) Canada's decision hinges on its wish that Quebec City host the 2008 World Heritage Committee meeting, which coincides with the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City. As Charbonneau explained, the decision was taken to mollify Quebec nationalists and build Liberal Party support in the province. According to a longstanding interpretation of World Heritage Committee rules, only Committee members may host the meetings of the World Heritage Center. Because of timing mechanics, only nations that are elected to the WHC in October 2005 may, under the current tradition and rules, offer to host the WHC meeting in 2008. ¶4. (SBU) Comment. With increasing technical and security requirements, hosting a WHC meeting is something only a relatively few nations have the capability to do. Certainly, many WHC members, especially developing countries, do not have the wherewithal to host a WHC meeting. It seems time to introduce the idea that the WHC traditions and rules be changed so that the WHC meeting could be hosted by a city that is not within one of the WHC members. End Comment. OLIVER