UNESCO CULTURAL DIVERSITY CONVENTION NOT ON

UNCLAS ANKARA 000704 SIPDIS IO/UNESCO M. CRISTINA NOVO IO/PPC RICHARD WILBUR EB/TPP/MTA LINDSAY CHASON SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD SCUL TU UNESCO SUBJECT: UNESCO CULTURAL DIVERSITY CONVENTION NOT ON TURKEY'S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA Ref: STATE 19851 ¶1. (SBU) The UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions is not currently on the Turkish legislative agenda. Our contacts at the Turkish Parliamentary Offices to whom we mentioned it had not heard of the Convention and did not anticipate its being placed on the legislative agenda in the near future. ¶2. (SBU) Comment: Because of Turkey's current EU accession discussions, post does not believe that a public diplomacy campaign opposing the Convention would be beneficial. It could in fact raise the public's awareness of the subject and bring it to the attention of Turkish Parliamentarians and government officials. End comment. WILSON