IRELAND: UNESCO CONVENTION NOT ON LEGISLATIVE

UNCLAS DUBLIN 000162 SIPDIS SIPDIS IO/UNESCO M. CRISTINA NOVO IO/PPC RICHARD WILBUR, EB/TPP/MTA LINDSAY CHASON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD SCUL UNESCO EI SUBJECT: IRELAND: UNESCO CONVENTION NOT ON LEGISLATIVE AGENDA REF: A. SECSTATE 19851 ¶B. 05 DUBLIN 618 ¶C. 05 DUBLIN 1158 ¶D. 05 DUBLIN 1259 ¶E. 05 DUBLIN 1367 ¶1. Ref A requested an assessment of the level of activity in Ireland regarding the ratification of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. According to Department of Foreign Affairs UN/Terrorism and Illicit Drugs Section First Secretary Brian Cahalane, ratification of the Convention is SIPDIS not on the Irish legislative agenda at this time. During previous demarches on this issue, Cahalane told emboff that Ireland sympathized with the USG position, but would not break the EU consensus on adopting the Convention. Therefore, Post predicts that Ireland is likely to ratify the Convention eventually, but that Irish ratification will not likely precede that of the majority of EU Member States. ¶2. Per para eight, Post categorizes the legislative prospects and level of dissent according to the following categories: ¶I. Legislative b) Not currently on the agenda, but likely to be introduced in 2006 and likely to pass at a later date II. Media Attention a) No published/broadcast opinion for or against ratification since October III. a) No NGO, university, or other civil society discussions since October * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit Dublin's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/dublin/index. cfm BENTON