Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PRAGUE1371
2005-09-23 14:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Prague
Cable title:  

CZECH REPUBLIC SUPPORTS ADOPTING UNESCO CONVENTION

Tags:  ETRD EZ PREL SCUL UNESCO 
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UNCLAS PRAGUE 001371 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EUR/NCE, IO/UNESCO JANE COWLEY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EZ PREL SCUL UNESCO
SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC SUPPORTS ADOPTING UNESCO CONVENTION
AS IS

REF: STATE 170909

UNCLAS PRAGUE 001371

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EUR/NCE, IO/UNESCO JANE COWLEY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EZ PREL SCUL UNESCO
SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC SUPPORTS ADOPTING UNESCO CONVENTION
AS IS

REF: STATE 170909


1. (U) SUMMARY. The GOCR plans to fall in line with the EU
in support of adopting the UNESCO Convention on Cultural
Expressions in October 2005 without further negotiation. The
Czechs candidly advised Emboffs that a high level call from
the State Department will not change the Czech position.
They urged the USG to focus its efforts instead on the
implementation of the Convention. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) Econoff and Poloff met on September 21 with Mr.
Karel Komarek and Ms. Ivana Grollova of the MFA,s UNESCO
Commission and UN Department respectively, and provided
reftel non-paper and talking points. Komarek said that the
GOCR understood the US position well, and noted that the GOCR
has not been active on this issue. The GOCR will not stand
in the way of the draft Convention because it has been
negotiated extensively, and the majority of member countries
support this draft. Indeed, the Czechs, along with the rest
of the EU member states, are sponsors of the Canadian
Resolution, which states that the draft Convention should be
adopted in October.


3. (U) Komarek agreed that the language in the Convention
could be improved, but further changes to the text would be
pointless because countries so inclined will violate human
rights or existing treaties regardless of the Convention. A
high level call from the State Department, while not harmful,
would not influence the Czech,s position. Instead, he urged
the US to focus its efforts on the terms of the
implementation of the Convention.


4. (SBU) COMMENT: Post believes Komarek's comments are
valid; the Czechs are not going to engage on this issue.
They are taking a pragmatic approach because they believe
this Convention will be adopted. Komarek informally
commented that he knows the language is not ideal, but given
the complexities and the amount of time already devoted to
negotiating this text, the member countries are highly
unlikely to re-work the text.
DODMAN