(U) UNESCO: LEBANON RESOLUTION UPDATE II

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 005768

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FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2016
TAGS: UNESCO SCUL UNSC AL
SUBJECT: (U) UNESCO: LEBANON RESOLUTION UPDATE II

REF: (A) PARIS 5463 (notal),(B) PARIS 5653 (notal)


1. (U) Classified by Andrew Koss, Deputy Chief of Mission,
reason 1.4. (D)


2. (C) Summary. Though the resolution tabled by Lebanon and
Morocco on Lebanese reconstruction to be discussed at the next
UNESCO Executive Board (EB) (Sept. 26 - Oct. 12) remains just a
place-holder and has yet to be drafted, the Israeli government
remains fiercely opposed to any resolution. Though the Israelis
have few options, they have no interest in compromise. Also,
unknown is what effect the situation in Lebanon or the arrest of
the Palestinian education minister will have on EB resolutions
on educational and cultural institutions in Jerusalem and the
Occupied Territories that are routinely negotiated
behind-the-scenes and adopted by the Board without debate.
Another source also reported that the Lebanon resolution will
not be drafted until mid-September and that the Qatari chairman
of the Arab group has no desire to have the situation
politicized. End summary.


2. (C) Israeli ambassador to UNESCO David Kornbluth called on
Ambassador Oliver on August 28. Kornbluth remains under
instructions from Jerusalem to prevent the UNESCO Executive
Board from considering any resolution on the situation in
Lebanon. So far, the resolution remains just a place-holder and
has yet to be drafted. Kornbluth said he had been exploring
other options such as having Israel introduce a resolution of
its own. In previous conversations with the DCM, Kornbluth had
said that Israel would have to ask a friendly country like the
U.S. to introduce a resolution (ref. A). He has now found that
Israel can introduce its own counter-resolution, though it would
have to be accepted by the Board's Bureau. (Comment: While the
U.S. is a member of the Bureau, so is Moroccan ambassador Aziza
Benani, who tends to be obdurate in these matters and would
likely use procedural questions to prevent the resolution from
being considered.)


3. (C) Kornbluth also discussed the possibility that Francoise
Riviere, the Assistant Director General for Culture, and the
Secretariat would draft the resolution, much as is now done for

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the EB's regular resolutions on educational and cultural
institutions in Jerusalem and the Occupied Territories. Though
Riviere assumed this role in the past and did an acceptable job,
Kornbluth was not particularly pleased with this possibility
either.


4. (C) While Kornbluth insisted his ministry has given him no
room for negotiation, he did discuss other options with
Ambassador Oliver. One would be for Israel to piggy-back on the
Lebanese resolution, though any Israeli changes would likely be
voted down by the Board before the original resolution was
considered, but it would highlight the political nature of the
discussion. Another would be to expand the language to discuss
two victims, both Israel and Lebanon, and to ask UNESCO to
"explore" help to both sides. (Comment: Kornbluth made it clear
that UNESCO's involvement in his country was the last thing his
government would ask for.)


5. (C) Ambassador Oliver pointed out that if the discussion of
the Danish cartoon issue at the last Board meeting was any
indication, ultimately the Arab group would seek consensus.
They showed last time that they do not want to politicize UNESCO
and they likely will want to avoid that again.


6. (C) Ambassador Oliver also discussed the usual Palestinian
resolutions with Kornbluth. Both agreed that there was no
telling how the Lebanon situation or the recent arrest of the
Palestinian education minister might affect those resolutions.
Kornbluth was adamant that his government would only accept
factual, mission-specific updates to the document. He also said
that he had decent relations with the Palestinian observer to
UNESCO and would meet quietly with him in coming days. He
expressed relief that the observer is not from Hamas. He also
plans to see the Jordanian ambassador. Ambassadors Oliver and
Kornbluth will meet again on Sept. 5.


7. (C) In a later conversation, the Kuwaiti deputy permanent
delegate told the DCM that he had spoken with the Qatari
ambassador who heads the Arab group at UNESCO and urged the
Qatari ambassador to keep the tone of the resolution
non-political. He said New York was the place for political
statements, not UNESCO. The Kuwaiti also warned the Qatari to
watch out for the Syrian and Moroccan ambassadors who would
likely push for a more hard-line resolution. He said that the
Qatari agreed with his points. Drafting probably will not begin
until o/a Sept. 15 when Arab ambassadors are all back in Paris.
Oliver