Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05VIENNA1704
2005-05-23 14:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:  

UNESCO CONVENTION ON CULTURAL DIVERSITY: AUSTRIAN

Tags:  ETRD SCUL AU UNESCO 
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UNCLAS VIENNA 001704 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR IO/T JCOWLEY AND EUR/AGS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD SCUL AU UNESCO
SUBJECT: UNESCO CONVENTION ON CULTURAL DIVERSITY: AUSTRIAN
RESPONSE

REF: STATE 089776

Ministry of Economy Supports USG Position, but...
--------------------------------------------- -----
UNCLAS VIENNA 001704

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR IO/T JCOWLEY AND EUR/AGS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD SCUL AU UNESCO
SUBJECT: UNESCO CONVENTION ON CULTURAL DIVERSITY: AUSTRIAN
RESPONSE

REF: STATE 089776

Ministry of Economy Supports USG Position, but...
-------------- --------------

1. (SBU) On May 20 Econ Unit Chief delivered reftel talking
points to Helge Plank, Head of the Ministry of Economy's
Multilateral Trade Affairs Services Unit. Plank acknowledged
that the GoA shared USG concerns with language on "cultural
goods and services" in the current convention draft. He
added that the current language in Articles 5 and 20 were
unacceptable to Austria. Concerning Article 20, Plank opined
that it was premature to discuss which obligations would be
derived from the various instruments. Plank agreed that
negotiators should not push forward an unsatisfactory
document to present to the UNESCO General Conference this
fall. Nevertheless, Plank cautioned that the Austrian
cultural community was an influential lobbying group in
Austria, whose views the GoA would also consider. Plank said
that the MoE has forwarded a position paper to the MFA, which
had competency on this issue, arguing for replacing
references to "cultural protection" with "cultural
preservation."


...Ministry of Foreign Affairs Can Live With Current Text
-------------- --------------
2, (SBU) PolOff met separately on May 20 with Ilona Hoyos,
head of the MFA's UNESCO Affairs Section, and Guenter
Stickler of the MFA's Multilateral Trade Affairs Division to
deliver reftel points. Stickler and Hoyos said the GoA could
support both articles, as written, although they hoped an
improved draft would emerge from the Paris session. They
acknowledged the convention should be consistent with, and
not supercede any existing international agreements.
However, Stickler stated that the proposed USG draft of
Article 20 was "too extreme." In addition, he observed that
the term "States Parties" in the USG version does not meet
WTO conditions, as it refers to states and not customs
territories.


3. (SBU) Stickler and Hoyos also said that the GoA supported
the use of "protect" in the convention instead of "preserve."
Hoyos expressed hope that the working group would be able to
report progress at the third session. Hoyos, who will
represent the GoA at the May 25 session, opined that if
negotiators cannot reach agreement at this session, UNESCO
will ultimately convoke a fourth session.
Brown