Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS3258
2006-05-17 09:43:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

CULTURAL DIVERSITY CONVENTION MOVES DOWN THE TRACKS

Tags:  ETRD SCUL UNESCO 
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170943Z May 06
UNCLAS PARIS 003258 

SIPDIS

FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD SCUL UNESCO
SUBJECT: CULTURAL DIVERSITY CONVENTION MOVES DOWN THE TRACKS


UNCLAS PARIS 003258

SIPDIS

FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD SCUL UNESCO
SUBJECT: CULTURAL DIVERSITY CONVENTION MOVES DOWN THE TRACKS



1. (U) Summary. The UNESCO secretariat says it intends to promote
the Convention on the Promotion and Protection of the Diversity of
Cultural Expressions (aka the cultural diversity convention) as part
of a package of conventions dealing with cultural diversity broadly
defined. End summary.


2. (SBU) Senior Legal Advisor Peay and DCM met May 15 with Katerina
Stenou, Director of Division of Cultural policies at UNESCO.
Stenou's section was responsible for the drafting of the cultural
expressions convention and will now be responsible for the
Convention's implementation. Stenou said that she was responsible
for the formulation used by the Director-General (DG) at the last
Executive Board that linked the Cultural Expressions Convention
within the 2003 Intangible Cultural Convention and the 1972 World
Heritage Convention. (Note: the Intangible cultural convention has
just gone into effect, 30 months after its passage, a record for
adoption of a UNESCO convention. Cultural expressions partisans
have expressed the hope they can move even faster. The U.S. was the
first signatory of the 1972 World Heritage Convention.)


3. (SBU) The DG effectively used this linkage during the recent
Executive Board to bat away an incessant stream of questions from
the French and Canadians asking what the Secretariat plans to do to
implement the cultural expressions convention. Stenou noted that the
Canadians were dissatisfied with her answer and that she shas since
received a long letter from the Canadian Ambassador.


4. (SBU) Stenou also said that her division is currently formulating
a set of questions and answers about the Convention. She would not
share the draft but indicated that the document will make it clear
that the Convention is is not to be used to contravene existing
trade agreements. (Note: Stenou reinforced this message in a
public meeting about cultural diversity at UNESCO headquarters on
May 16.) This will be part of a package that will also include the
texts of all three cultural conventions.


5. (SBU) Stenou expressed some concern that her direct channel to
the DG on implementing the Convention will be lost when the new
French head of the cultural sector is officially appointed in the
coming days. That will not stop Stenou from representing UNESCO at
an upcoming Francophonie Ministers meeting in Rabat. (Comment: The
irony of the Francophonie Organization--an organization united by a
language imposed by colonialism--pushing for "Cultural Diversity",
seems to be lost on the organizations' membership.) Stenou did
indicate that she has heard grumbling from African Ambassadors who
are unhappy with the results of the Convention. Stenou also pointed
out that the final declaration of the EU-Latin America summit in
Vienna last weekend included a point calling for cooperation between
the two groups to get the cultural expressions convention passed as
soon as possible.
Oliver