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