ARMENIA'S SUPPORT FOR UNESCO CONVENTION ON

UNCLAS YEREVAN 001892 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR IO/UNESCO JANE COWLEY, EUR/CACEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM SCUL AM ETD UNESCO SUBJECT: ARMENIA'S SUPPORT FOR UNESCO CONVENTION ON CULTURAL DIVERSITY REF: A) STATE 192656 B) YEREVAN 1881 C) YEREVAN 1844 D) YEREVAN 1818 E) YEREVAN 1703 (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. (SBU) On October 25, Armenian MFA UNESCO Commission Secretary-General Karina Danielyan, who cast Armenia's votes SIPDIS against each of the 28 US-sponsored amendments to the UNESCO draft convention on cultural diversity, repeated to us reftel explanations of the GOAM's support for the convention. According to Danielyan, the French delegation approached Armenia more than six months ago to solicit support. "We committed," Danielyan said, "because this convention is very significant -- it's about Armenian cultural diversity in all the countries our Diaspora live." EVANS