Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS1295
2006-03-01 17:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

UNESCO: CARTOON ISSUE THREATENS TO HIJACK UPCOMING

Tags:  SCUL AORC KISL UNESCO 
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011756Z Mar 06
UNCLAS PARIS 001295 

SIPDIS

FROM USMISSION UNESCO

SENSITIVE

NSC FOR BISA WILLIAMS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SCUL AORC KISL UNESCO
SUBJECT: UNESCO: CARTOON ISSUE THREATENS TO HIJACK UPCOMING
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING


UNCLAS PARIS 001295

SIPDIS

FROM USMISSION UNESCO

SENSITIVE

NSC FOR BISA WILLIAMS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SCUL AORC KISL UNESCO
SUBJECT: UNESCO: CARTOON ISSUE THREATENS TO HIJACK UPCOMING
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING



1. (SBU) SUMMARY: This is a guidance request, see para 7.
On February 15 the UNESCO Ambassadors of the Member States
of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) released
a statement in response to the Danish cartoons. Among other
things, the statement calls for the creation of a normative
instrument by UNESCO against the defamation of religious
symbols and "Islamaphobia." In subsequent conversations
with members of the OIC, it has become clear that most OIC
members, with the exception of Libya and Saudi Arabia, are
backing away from a normative instrument and would rather
introduce a draft resolution at the next Executive Board
(EB) calling for discussion of this topic in order to
achieve broad-based support. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) In recent days, the OIC statement has been the
prime topic of discussion at UNESCO. Judging from reports
of how often this issue has been raised in other
multilateral fora, it may be that the OIC is looking for a
favorable venue within the UN system to push this agenda and
is probing UNESCO. We are told that a senior OIC official
from Geneva traveled to UNESCO to meet with the OIC
ambassadors there.


3. (SBU) Ambassador Oliver was told by the Omani ambassador
(also president of the General Conference) that he was
trying to calm down the more radical members and prevent
them from going too fast. His views were echoed by the
Qatari, Yemeni and Lebanese ambassadors who all indicated
that the original statement went too far but felt the item
should be on the EB agenda for discussion.


4. (SBU) The Turkish ambassador (the vice chair of the OIC
at UNESCO) also indicated that he disagreed with the tone
and would work to slow things down. The Afghan ambassador
expressed concern that the issue be dealt with before
extremists take over the agenda. He felt that is important
for UNESCO to get out in front of this issue.


5. (SBU) During the week of February 20, OIC members engaged
in lengthy negotiations with the EU troika plus the UK to
arrive at a title for the proposed draft resolution,
"Respect for freedom of expression and respect for beliefs,
sacred values and religious and cultural symbols." As of
this point the contents of the resolution have not been
forthcoming, despite numerous promises to share them with
the U.S. delegation.


6. (SBU) According to EU contacts, the Austrian president,
who previously served in Riyadh, is over-enthusiastic about
working with the OIC and is "an apologist for the Saudis."
He has at time been ahead of the agreed EU position at
UNESCO, to support no legal instruments in this area-whether
hard or soft law. The Canadians tell us they are awaiting
instructions but are likely to shy away from any instruments
either.


7. (SBU) Comment and guidance request: The OIC members seem
to have realized too late that they have opened a can of
worms that may be hard to close. We have made it clear in
all our conversations that the U.S. would not support any
kind of normative instrument. In this we are joined by the
EU. We are also concerned about another idea being
floated-the organization by UNESCO of a conference on this
topic. We feel that a conference organized by the
secretariat would not necessarily produce the desired

SIPDIS
results. What we think may be the best outcome would be a
consensus resolution along the lines of what is already done
at each Executive Board session when discussing Middle East
issues and Palestine. (This possibility has come up in
several conversations.) That resolution is negotiated
privately and brought to a vote without further discussion.
Such a resolution would be most effective if it focused on
existing UNESCO programs for tolerance education and inter-
cultural dialogue. Please advise stance Mission should adopt
as this discussion continues.
Oliver