UNCLAS PARIS 000329

SIPDIS

FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS
STATE FOR IO/UNESCO DOUGLAS ROHN, IO/S GEORGE ABRAHAM,
L/UNA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ABUD UNESCO KSI
SUBJECT: UNESCO: GUIDANCE REQUEST ON FUNDING
STIPULATIONS REGARDING PARIAH STATES

REFS: A. 2005 SECSTATE 228873, B. 2005 PARIS 8192


1. AS INSTRUCTED REF A, POST INFORMED BOTH UNESCO
SECRETARIAT AND ICSU DEPUTY DIRECTOR THAT UNESCO FUNDS

SIPDIS
PROVIDED TO THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE
(ICSU) CAN NOT/NOT BE EXONERATED FROM RESTRICTIONS
REGARDING THE USE OF USG FUNDS IN SUPPORT OF ACTIVITIES
IN LIBYA, IRAN, CUBA, BURMA, THE DPRK, SYRIA, AND THE
PLO. BOTH UNESCO AND ICSU SECRETARIAT SAID THAT THEY
UNDERSTOOD THE REGULATIONS AND WOULD ABIDE BY THEM.


2. REF A ALSO INSTRUCTED POST TO ASK THAT FY 04 ICSECA
FUNDS ALLOCATED TO ICSU VIA UNESCO BE RETURNED BECAUSE
THEY HAD NOT YET BEEN SPENT. HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO THE
ICSU SECRETARIAT, A LEGALLY BINDING ICSU-UNESCO LETTER
OF AGREEMENT REGARDING THE USE OF THE FUNDS WAS
ESTABLISHED IN APRIL 2005. BEGINNING IN JUNE 2005,
335,000 USD WAS TRANSFERRED TO ICSU. AS PER CURRENT
PRACTICE, 45,000 USD OF THE TOTAL OF 380,000 USD HAS
BEEN WITHHELD PENDING SUBMISSION OF A FINAL REPORT.
ICSU HAS DISTRIBUTED THE MONEY ACCORDING TO ITS 2005
WORK PLAN.


3. THE GRANTS FINANCED BY THE FY 2004 ICSECA FUNDS
DOVETAIL WELL WITH USG GOALS FOR UNESCO'S NATURAL
SCIENCES AND COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
SECTORS. THESE INCLUDE INTERDISCIPINARY PROJECTS IN
THE FIELDS OF CAPACITY BUILDING, EDUCATION,
DISSEMINATION OF SCIENTIFIC DATA, SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION. EXAMPLES OF THESE PORJECTS
INCLUDE:
93,000 USD - TO BUILD NETWORKS OF TEACHERS AND YOUNG
SCIENTISTS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO TACKLE SCIENCE
PROJECTS AIMED AT THREE CONTEMPORARY SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT ISSUES: BIODIVERSITY, FORESTRY AND WATER
RESOURCES.
50,000 USD - TO CREATE A DATA BASE/WEBSITE OF KNOWLEDGE
CONCERNING RECEPTORS AND SITES FOR DRUG ACTION; THE
WEBSITE WILL BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO SCIENTISTS FROM
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
50,000 USD -- TO BUILD CAPACITY IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD
IN E-SCIENCE AND THE INFORMATION SOCIETY VIA AN
INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP.


4. IN ADDITION TO ITS OWN GRANTS PROGRAM, ICSU HAS, AS
REQUESTED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT, MADE GRANTS OF
85,000 USD TO THE INTERNATIONAL GEOSCIENCE PROGRAM
(IGCP) AND 25,000 USD TO INASP TO PROMOTE THE
AVAILABILITY OF SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS VIA AN UPDATED
WEBSITE.


5. In VIEW OF THE FACT THAT FY 04 ICSECA FUNDS HAVE
BEEN DISBURSED BY BOTH UNESCO AND ICSU, POST
RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS THAT DEPARTMENT RECONSIDER ITS
REQUEST (CONVEYED REF A) FOR RETURN OF FY 04 ICSECA
FUNDS GRANTED TO ICSU VIA UNESCO.
OLIVER.