USUNESCO: TEXT OF LETTER-UNESCO EXECUTIVE BOARD

UNCLAS PARIS 008458 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNESCO FR SUBJECT: USUNESCO: TEXT OF LETTER-UNESCO EXECUTIVE BOARD ROTATION ¶1. The following letter on Executive Board rotation was received December 14 from the Finnish delegation, the current chairs of electoral Group I. Please advise. QTE To Members of Electoral Group I Re: Meeting between the President of the General Conference and chairs of the various electoral groups on "Methods of rotation of membership of the Executive Board" to be discussed by all regional groups Dear Sir/Madam, The final report by the ad hoc working group on the relations between the three organs of Unesco (33 C/17) contains two recommendations on the membership of the Executive Board: ¶1. R. 20 The working group observed that the large size (58 members) of the Executive Board is in part affecting its capacity to fully debate the large number of items on its agenda. Although the group did not reach a unanimous agreement, it is recommended that the issue of the reduction in the size of the Executive Board be addressed by the General Conference under a separate item. ¶2. R. 21 The working group recommends that the General Conference consider the adoption of procedures that will ensure significant rotation of membership of the Executive Board, and afford all Member States the opportunity to participate in the organ. As the original proposals did aim at measures to eventually reduce the size of the Executive Board, the debate in the G.C. Commission I reflected such opposition to the idea of reducing the size of the Executive Board that it was decided to concentrate, for the time being, on measures aiming at ensuring effective rotation in the membership of the Executive Board. Thus the text of recommendation 21 (as incorporated in resolution 33 C/Res. 92 /to be edited) reads as follows: "Invites the President of the General Conference to consult the different regional groups regarding methods of rotation of membership of the Executive Board, and to report to the 34th Session of the General Conference the results thereon". To this end a meeting was held last week between the chairs of various regional groups called upon by the President of the General Conference. Considering that there will be, at the end of the year 2005, a change of the chairmanship in all regional groups, it was agreed that all present chairs inform the future presidencies of their respective groups of the forthcoming rotation issue. To this end the current Presidency of Group I has consulted France, the future Presidency of the Group I, and it has been mutually agreed to request Members of Group I to start to deliberate different rotation models in Group I that will initially be discussed in a meeting to be organised by the next Presidency of Group I early next year. The idea is to have an open-minded innovative approach to the rotation and different rotation models/modifications could be brought to the Group's discussions. In this context I would also like to refer to the introductory discussions on this issue already held during the US Presidency of Group I. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for the good co-operation during the past year and welcome France, the Group's new Presidency for the year 2006. Seasons Greetings & Best Wishes for the Year 2006 Sincerely, Pia Hillo Deputy Permanent Delegate Presidency of Electoral Group I UNQTE OLIVER