Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS388
2006-01-20 14:32:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Paris
Cable title:  

UNESCO: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH OUTGOING

Tags:  AORC SCUL MEPP UNESCO 
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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.

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.