UNESCO - AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH THE DIRECTOR GENERAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 003123 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL 5/10/16 TAGS: UNESCO SUBJECT: UNESCO - AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH THE DIRECTOR GENERAL REF: STATE 71557 Classified by Ambassador Louise Oliver, reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Ambassador Oliver met with Director General Matsuura on May 10. The DG informed the Ambassador that he has already chosen and informed Francoise Riviere that she will be the next Assistant Director General for Culture. He also said that the Chef de Cabinet position will be chosen internally and that there are ten candidates. We know of three of the top candiates, all of whom we could work well with: Liz Longworth (Australia) of the Communications and Information Sector; Genc Seiti (Albania) currently Riviere's deputy; and Brigitte Mohler (Germany) who works for Jim Kulikowski in the External Relations section. ¶2. (C) The DG also told the Ambassador that the deputy assistant director general for culture will be chosen from among the section heads in the sector. The leading candidate is Francesco Banderin, the director of the World Heritage Center. (Comment: Mission already works closely with Banderin and finds him to be a good interlocutor. He's interested in maintaining good relations with the U.S., particularly in light of the large amount of extra budgetary contributions given by the United Nation's Foundation to the Center each year.) ¶3. (C) The DG wants to have an American in a key position in the Communications and Information Sector and offered to try to place an American in a newly-vacant P4 position dealing with press freedom in the Communications and Information Sector. He was unaware of the new WSIS position. Mission will provide him with more specifics and continue to press to have that position also filled by an amcit. ¶4. (C) The DG is not filling any positions in the Science or Social and Human Science positions pending the completion of the ongoing review. This includes the division of human rights director position in SHS. He remains aware of our keen interest in having an amcit fill that position. ¶5. (C) On another topic, the DG indicated that he is having second thoughts about placing the World Heritage Center under the ADG for Culture and is considering putting that decision on hold. Oliver