DEMARCHE DELIVERED: USG CANDIDACY FOR SEAT ON

UNCLAS PARIS 004802 SIPDIS IO/T-COWLEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SCUL FR UNESCO SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: USG CANDIDACY FOR SEAT ON WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE REF: STATE 122739 ¶1. Post delivered a Diplomatic Note to the MFA July 6 per reftel instructions. Poloff provided a copy July 7 to MFA IO cultural heritage action officer Claude Gerard. ¶2. Gerard told us July 8 that France had no objection to the U.S. candidacy, and would adhere to the usual principle of mutual support among P-5 countries. However, he said, the GoF would be interested in further information on the USG concept of its role on the Committee, and how we saw the Committee functioning. In short, what does the USG plan to accomplish, particularly within the context of the 1972 administrative convention? Gerard said that there was an "inequality" on the Committee, with some members having 25 or more natural and cultural treasures, while others had none. The U.S., he offered, was "somewhere in the middle." ¶3. Gerard said that, in addition to being host country, France was on the Executive Council. While there was no rule, written or unwritten regarding membership on both the Council and the Committee, France felt it would be difficult, as a member of the Council, to seek membership of the Committee, and had no plans to do so. Gerard noted that the UK was a member of both the Executive Council and the Committee, and that the GoF decision not to seek membership of the Committee would not preclude French support for the USG candidacy. STAPLETON