UNESCO: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH OUTGOING

UNCLAS PARIS 000388 SIPDIS FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS STATE FOR IO/UNESCO CRISTINA NOVO, DOUGLAS ROHN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC SCUL MEPP UNESCO SUBJECT: UNESCO: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH OUTGOING CULTURE SECTOR ADG ON STRENGTHENING WORLD HERITAGE, ENSURING COOPERATION ON JERUSALEM Culture ADG on U.S. Goals, Including Strengthening World Heritage Advisory Bodies. ¶1. The Ambassador met on January 16 with outgoing Culture Assistant Director General Mounir Bouchenaki. Bouchenaki and the Ambassador discussed the fact that the two key organizations for the World Heritage Program ICCROM (International Organization for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage) and ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) are generally acknowledged to be weak. They need to produce better guidance and more rigorous research and reports; these bodies are critical because implementation of World Heritage Committee decisions depend on them, Bouchenkai observed. Bouchenaki, who will assume the leadership of ICCROM when he leaves his current position, said that he would work to strengthen the organization. Bouchenaki also noted that in the July 2006 meeting of the WHC, it would be best to avoid timing conflicts caused by scheduling meetings on administrative and inscription issues at the same time. .Maintaining Consensus on Israeli-Arab Issues. ¶2. Ambassador Oliver stressed that UNESCO should press ahead on consensus resolutions at the Executive Board relating to Israeli-Arab cooperation: we must maintain momentum. The resolutions on Jerusalem and on education in the occupied territories at the next Executive Board (March 28-April 13) must be presented by the secretariat, and must not subject to amendment. The language of the new resolutions should be as identical as possible to the language adopted at the September 2005 Executive Board, with the exception of necessary updates on missions undertaken. Bouchenaki told the Ambassador that the new Palestinian representative is said to be a scholar and fairly open- minded. Bouchenaki reported that UNESCO DG Matsuura had asked him to continue to serve as a consultant on Middle East issues and on Iraq and Afghanistan after stepping down as Culture ADG. .Finding the Right Focus for the Arts Conference. ¶3. On the March 6-9 World Conference on Arts Education Conference in Lisbon, Bouchenaki assured the Ambassador that the U.S. participants proposed by the U.S. National Commission would be invited. He signaled his lack of enthusiasm regarding the list of high-profile names proposed by Sir Paul Judge, Chairman of the Royal Society of Arts, and organizer of the first roundtable. Ambassador Oliver advised that the conference should maintain its focus on the issue of how to incorporate art into education, rather than become another large high-profile event with no real purpose. .and Finding the Right ADG for Culture ¶4. Ambassador Oliver stressed to Bouchenaki that the choice of a new ADG for Culture will be very symbolic. The U.S. would not understand the choice of a candidate from a country that actively promoted the Cultural Diversity Convention; this would pose a big problem. Bouchenaki told the Ambassador that the names of ten finalists will be passed on to the DG. Candidates currently working at UNESCO include: Cultural Policies Division Director Stenou, Assistant Director General for the DG's Office Riviere and World Heritage Center Director Bandarin. Candidates from outside the organization include a Moroccan, a Kenyan, and a Slovakian; Bouchenaki said the external candidates were all well and favorably known to him. He would not rate the chances of the internal candidates. Oliver.