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