UNESCO GENERAL CONFERENCE: U.S. WINS POSITIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 007446

SIPDIS

FROM USMISSION UNESCO

STATE FOR IO/UNESCO KEVIN PILZ, HENRY HATCH, OES/STAS ANDREW

W. REYNOLDS, OES/OA Liz TIRPAK, OES BARRIE RIPIN
STATE FOR USAID NORMAN RIFKIN
STATE FOR NSC GENE WHITNEY, REBECCA GARDINER
STATE FOR NOAA ARTHUR PATTERSON
STATE FOR EPA
STATE FOR NSF ROSE GOMBAY
STATE FOR HHS Bill Steiger, LIZ YUAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC TSPL EAID TBIO SENV SOCI UNESCO ETRA KSCI
SUBJECT: UNESCO GENERAL CONFERENCE: U.S. WINS POSITIVE
RESULTS ON NORMATIVE ETHICS INSTRUMENTS; OPPORTUNITIES FOR
U.S. LEADERSHIP HIGHLIGHTED IN NATURAL SCIENCES

Reftels: A. Paris 4799 B. Paris 6028 C. Paris 5862


1. Summary: In Commission III (social and natural
sciences) at UNESCO's 33rd General Conference (GC),the U.S.
Delegation registered several important successes relating
to social and natural sciences issues, despite a challenging
political environment. The adoption by the GC of the
Bioethics Declaration without change met U.S. goals for the
GC; the document as adopted reflects major successes in
defeating provisions harmful to U.S. interests and beliefs.
The U.S. Delegation also successfully defeated a proposal to
launch a feasibility study on a declaration on a code of
conduct for science. (paras 3-6) The General Conference
adopted the strategy for establishing a global tsunami
warning system approved at the June 2005 Assembly of the
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. Senior U.S.
participation in the Ministerial Round Table on the Basic
Sciences successfully conveyed U.S. concern about issues
facing developing countries. (paras 7-10)


2. The General Conference adopted a draft resolution
outlining the format of the new medium-term strategy (2008-
2013) and a drafting process that includes a more active
role for member states. Also with an eye to the new medium-
term strategy, a resolution was adopted mandating an overall
review of the Natural Sciences and Social Sciences sectors.
The new medium-term strategy (to be adopted at the 2007
General Conference) is an opportunity to shape UNESCO into
the next decade, to turn its focus away from normative
instruments and towards programs with lasting impact. (paras
11-12). End Summary.

Social Sciences: Bioethics Declaration Adopted, New Science
Ethics Instrument Averted


3. The General Conference adopted the Universal Declaration
on Bioethics and Human Rights. No change was made in the
document that had been negotiated in June, and this met U.S.
goals. The final Declaration is far from perfect, but
overall represents a major success. We successfully dodged
the bullet on this. At the outset of this process, there
was a concerted effort to include the following as
bioethical principles (and human rights): "reproductive
health care"; respect for all forms of life (with respect
for human life downgraded or omitted); protection of the
environment; access to health care, clean water, etc.;
elimination of poverty; access to new technology, etc. We
were able to include in the final document a provision
concerning respect for human life (and no reference to
reproductive health care) and to turn the other, good things
into goals, not rights or ethical principles.


4. At the adoption in Commission III, the U.S. presented a
statement of explanation of position which is included in
the Annex to the Commission III report as one of the
"statements of interpretation of particular provisions." The
Record of the Plenary session will include the same
statement. The U.S. also was successful in changing the
reference in Paragraph 5(b) of the resolution concerning
adoption of the Declaration to delete the concept of
"implementing" the Declaration; as approved by the Plenary,
it reads that the DG will enable the International Bioethics
Committee and the Intergovernmental Bioethics Committee to
assist UNESCO in "promoting and disseminating the
principles" of the Declaration.


5. The most contentious issue in the Social Sciences field
was the proposal advanced by the Social and Human Sciences
(SHS) secretariat that the Director General prepare a study
on the feasibility of a declaration on a code of conduct
for science. A US-backed proposal to replace the
feasibility study with assistance to countries in building
infrastructure and codes of ethics was ultimately narrowly
defeated. At the Plenary session a compromise was crafted,
directing the DG to "reflect" on the issue of ethics and
science and to report to the Executive Board in a year.


6. Regarding the Program and Budget for the Social and
Human Sciences Sector, the United States was successful in
amending Paragraph 03110 (a)(ii) to delete a reference
saying that the Social and Human Sciences sector would
"develop" principles to guide scientific and technological
development and social transformation; it now reads that it
will "implement" universal principles. In addition, the
U.S. successfully amended several DRs, including changing a
reference to policy based rule of law to rule of law more
broadly (DR 24); deleting a reference that would ask the
Director General to devise policies concerning migration (it
now reads he will elaborate a framework for policy
development) (DR 25); changing a reference to international
organizations introducing a rule of law to restrict it to
matters within their competencies, and amending a suggestion
that member countries introduce a rule of law against any
from of discrimination in all judiciary systems to simply
calling for a rule of law ( DR 71)


7. Comment: The Director General's call for a pause in the
development of normative instruments, his undertaking a
review of the natural and social sciences, and his
reluctance even to do a feasibility study on a declaration
relating to a declaration of ethics in science are
indications of the DG's concern about SHS' activities in
this area. End Comment.

Natural Sciences: Opportunities to Enhance Positive U.S.
Profile at UNESCO, and Beyond


8. On the agenda of Commission III (Natural and Social
Sciences),the Natural Sciences issue of most importance to
the U.S. was the strategy for establishing a global tsunami
warning system approved at the June 2005 IOC Assembly (REF
A). In addition, Commission III approved six new category
II centers, as well as proposals for an International Year
of Planet Earth and an International Astronomy Year.
Regarding the latter, U.S. delegation sought and received
assurances that the Year would be financed by extrabudgetary
funds, and planned in consultation with the UN Outer Space
Agency (UNOOSA).


9. Presidential Science Advisor Marburger chaired the first
session of the UNESCO Roundtable on the Basic
Sciences, setting the tone for the debate. NSF Director
Bement also participated. The debate was an opportunity to
explore best practices and formulate recommendations on the
role of the basic sciences in sustainable development. The
resulting communique underlined specific means of
enhancing science education and capacity building; our
expectation is that these can be taken into account in the
drafting of the new medium-term strategy (see paras below).


10. Comment: The Natural Sciences Sector of UNESCO offers
many opportunities. The work of the IOC in disaster
mitigation and earth observation systems is central to U.S.
interests. Many of the category II centers discussed and
approved by the General Conference -- particularly the
Dundee Center on water law and policy and the Kobe center on
water hazards mitigation are also pertinent and will help
ensure that UNESCO programs have impact in developing
countries. The participation of Drs. Marburger and Bement
in the Ministerial Roundtable on Basic Sciences conveyed
U.S. concern about issues facing developing countries.


11. However, even the Natural Sciences sector is given to
launching an abundance of centers and of international
years, which if not implemented strategically, represent a
dispersal of UNESCO's resources in areas that may have
little impact. But the medium-term strategy, and in
particular the review of the Science Programs (below) offers
the opportunity to shape the future course of this key
sector in a positive way. This will help the organization
as a whole resist the temptation to invest its efforts in
normative instruments and in unproductive programs. End
Comment.


Medium-Term Strategy: An Chance to Sharpen UNESCO's Focus


12. At the General Conference, there was consensus in favor
of a resolution co-drafted and co-sponsored by the U.S. that
set the format and procedure to be followed in drafting the
next medium-term strategy (REFS B). The aim of the
resolution is to ensure that member states take a pro-active
role in the process; for the U.S., this presents an
opportunity to enhance UNESCO's focus on programs, rather
than on normative instruments. That resolution was
discussed and approved by all of the GC program commissions
as well as in plenary.


13. Also in connection with the Medium-Term Strategy,
Commission III approved a resolution to "launch an overall
review of (the Natural Sciences and Social and Human
Sciences sectors) against the background of UNESCO's
mandate, country and regional priorities and today's global
needs, which would form an integral part of and contribute
to program planning." (REF C) Though many member states,
including the U.S., were in favor, the Secretariat resisted,
citing budgetary restrictions. In the end, 120,000 dollars
was found to fund the study, with a plea for extra-budgetary
funds. In response to the resolution, the DG announced in
plenary his plan "to set up a working group headed by DDG
Barbosa and consisting of senior Secretariat officials and
external experts, to prepare a report for the Executive
Board." At an informal October 18 meeting organized by the
resolution's sponsors, they said that they would meet with
Barbosa to seek clarification on how the DG's panel would
operate and to urge him to include appropriate outside
experts in the review panel. At this point, there is no
definitive word on the composition of the panel. With
regard to the Social and Human Sciences Division, the
exercise is likely to consider the nature of the activities
conducted by SHS and the leadership of the sector. Oliver