Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PARIS6231
2005-09-14 10:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

UNESCO: AMBASSADOR'S 9/2 MEETING WITH DG

Tags:  PREL PHUM ETRD SCUL KPAO UNESCO EUN 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 006231 

SIPDIS

FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS
DEPT FOR IO/UNESCO (COWLEY),IO/PPD (WILBUR)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/15
TAGS: PREL PHUM ETRD SCUL KPAO UNESCO EUN
SUBJECT: UNESCO: AMBASSADOR'S 9/2 MEETING WITH DG
MATSUURA


Classified by Ambassador Louise Oliver, reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 006231

SIPDIS

FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS
DEPT FOR IO/UNESCO (COWLEY),IO/PPD (WILBUR)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/15
TAGS: PREL PHUM ETRD SCUL KPAO UNESCO EUN
SUBJECT: UNESCO: AMBASSADOR'S 9/2 MEETING WITH DG
MATSUURA


Classified by Ambassador Louise Oliver, reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).


1. (C) Summary. On September 2, Ambassador Oliver met
with UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura to
discuss the Convention on Cultural Diversity, a call
for no new instruments at the upcoming General
Conference in October, management issues at a UNESCO
field office in Brazil, oil for food, and the need for
the new ASG for External Relations to have a
supervisory role on extra-budgetary funds. Matsuura
was receptive to these points. End Summary.

--------------
CULTURAL DIVERSITY
--------------


2. (C) The Ambassador conveyed to Matsuura Washington's
great concern about the current draft text of the
Convention on Cultural Diversity and stated that she
could not overemphasize how strongly Washington felt
about it. Disappointment, she predicted, would soon
stretch beyond the Administration to Capitol Hill, the
U.S. press and NATCOM. She noted that Washington had
heard that several countries had suggested that
Matsuura was quietly promoting the adoption of the
current draft text of the Convention on Cultural
Diversity despite public statements to the contrary.
She urged him to return to the original instructions of
the 2003 General Conference asking for a preliminary
text.


3. (C) Matsuura stated that he had been promoting the
current draft text of the Cultural Diversity convention
in terms of asking for a consensus-based document.
Certain countries, he suggested, may have suggested
that he was promoting the current draft text in order
to give their policies cover. Matsuura added that his
insistence that the convention be a consensus document
drew the ire of the French at a meeting with Culture
Ministers in June. Although he said that he personally
had doubts about the convention, he noted that he could
not recommend the U.S. solution because he must
represent all 191 UNESCO member states. He added that
he was very concerned about the U.S. response and urged
the U.S. to find other UNESCO members states to support
its position.

--------------
NO NEW INSTRUMENTS AT GENERAL CONFERENCE
--------------


4. (C) The Ambassador told Matsuura that the U.S. would
be encouraging other countries to join it in calling
for no new instruments to be introduced at the General
Conference in October in order to focus exclusively on
UNESCO's programs for the next two years. Matsuura
responded that he had recently intercepted a proposal
to put educational guidelines on track for an
instrument, but that he could not stop the
consideration of another instrument under discussion
regarding the International Charter on Traditional
Games and Sports because he must report on this at the
Executive Board in September. The Ambassador countered
that his report should discourage the idea of more
instruments in the next biennium. She urged Matsuura
to focus on improving the quality of UNESCO programs,
especially ones like the Literacy Program that need a
great deal of work, and added that U.S. comments and
recommendations be incorporated into UNESCO's literary
initiative.

--------------
MANAGMENT ISSUES AT UNESCO OFFICE IN BRAZIL
--------------


5. (C) The Ambassador and Matsuura discussed possible
mismanagement at a UNESCO field office in Brazil. The
Ambassador stated that UNESCO must not be part of any
cover-up. It was critical, she noted, that UNESCO
field offices be beyond suspicion and fully accountable
in order for decentralization to succeed at UNESCO.
Matsuura agreed with the Ambassador, and added that he
is sending staff to investigate the possible
mismanagement of social security at the office. He has
also cancelled the head of the office's contract.

--------------
OIL FOR FOOD
--------------


6. (C) The Ambassador asked Matsuura about the Volker
report's finding that UNESCO was one of the 9
organizations possessing leftover oil-for-food funds.
Matsuura responded that UNESCO had already paid back
the funds, which totaled two million USD. He added
that UNESCO was the first organization to repay.

--------------
NEW ASG FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS
--------------

7. (C) The Ambassador and Matsuura discussed the new
ASG for External Relations, Amcit Jim Kulikowski, and
his responsibilities. The Ambassador urged Matsuura to
clarify Kulikowski's responsibilities in the area of
extra budgetary funds. Adding this to Kulikowski's
portfolio, she added, would make it easier to raise
public and private extra budgetary funds. Matsuura
stated that he would make sure that Kulikowski would
take on these responsibilities.

Oliver