WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE/NETHERLANDS: DUTCH

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001919

SIPDIS

PARIS FOR UNESCO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SCUL NL UNESCO
SUBJECT: WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE/NETHERLANDS: DUTCH
FAVORABLY DISPOSED TO USG CANDIDACY

REF: STATE 112739


1. Poloff met Hein van der Hoeven (MFA desk officer in the
Department for UN and IFI Affairs) on July 6, 2005 to deliver
reftel diplomatic note and request Dutch support for the
United States at the elections to the World Heritage
Committee of UNESCO.


2. Van der Hoeven appreciated the timely announcement of the
U.S. candidacy. He said the "GoNL would look favorably on
it," despite the U.S. practice of not trading votes or
revealing its own voting preferences; this meant the USG
would "likely have nothing to offer in exchange" for Dutch
support, he observed. Checking an electronic draft candidacy
list he could not share, he counted 21 countries in the
running. Spain and Israel were the other WEOG members, he
said, noting that the elections were not decided by UN
regional group.
BLAKEMAN