Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS6118
2006-09-12 16:48:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
(U)UNESCO: LEBANON RESOLUTION UPDATE IV
how-tonull Lucia A Keegan 09/13/2006 09:47:33 AM From DB/Inbox: Lucia A Keegan Cable Text: C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 06118 SIPDIS cxparis: ACTION: UNESCO INFO: POL ECON DCM SCI AMBU AMB AMBO DISSEMINATION: UNESCOX CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: AMB:LOLIVER DRAFTED: POL:DOSTROFF CLEARED: DCM:AKOSS VZCZCFRI582 OO RUEHC RUEHGV RUCNDT RUEHTV RUEHEE DE RUEHFR #6118 2551648 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 121648Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1252 INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2485 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0890 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0553 RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 006118
SIPDIS
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2016
TAGS: UNESCO SCUL AL IS
SUBJECT: (U)UNESCO: LEBANON RESOLUTION UPDATE IV
REF: A. PARIS 5463 (notal),B. PARIS 5653 (notal),C. PARIS
5768, D. Paris 5853
Classified by DCM Andrew Koss, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 006118
SIPDIS
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2016
TAGS: UNESCO SCUL AL IS
SUBJECT: (U)UNESCO: LEBANON RESOLUTION UPDATE IV
REF: A. PARIS 5463 (notal),B. PARIS 5653 (notal),C. PARIS
5768, D. Paris 5853
Classified by DCM Andrew Koss, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: The Israeli ambassador met again with
Ambassador Oliver on September 12 to exchange information about
resolutions for the upcoming Executive Board on Lebanon,
Jerusalem and the Occupied Territories. The Israeli indicated
that any anti-Israeli language in the Lebanon resolution could
result in the end of his country's cooperation with UNESCO. He
also reiterated Israeli opposition to any substantive change in
the Jerusalem and Occupied Territories resolutions. End
Summary.
2. (C) Israeli ambassador David Kornbluth met again with
Ambassador Oliver on September 12 to discuss Israeli issues at
the upcoming Executive Board (EB). Kornbluth reported that he
had met earlier in the week with the Palestinian observer to
UNESCO and the Jordanian ambassador to UNESCO to discuss the EB
documents on safeguarding the Old City of Jerusalem (175 EX/15)
and the resolution on education initiatives in the Occupied
territories (175 EX/44). According to Kornbluth, the
Palestinian indicated that he would like to add the word
"social" to the Jerusalem resolution. They tried this last year
before withdrawing the word due to Israeli opposition; Israel
will continue to oppose the insertion of that word. (Comment:
It is a good sign that the Israeli ambassador has developed
direct lines of communication with the PA observer and the
Jordanian.)
3. (C) The upcoming EB resolution on Lebanon was also
discussed. Kornbluth made it clear that any language critical
of Israel in the text would lead to Jerusalem "pulling the plug
on Israeli cooperation with UNESCO." An ominous sign came last
week when the Lebanese delegation issued a strong statement
using harsh language to condemn Israel. (Comment: Strongly
worded political statements at UNESCO are usually vehicles of
communication for countries like Cuba, Venezuela or China. We
checked with the US Mission in Geneva to see if this was a
statement making the rounds of UN organizations and they
reported they had not previously seen the Lebanese document.)
4. (C) Arab group members of UNESCO told the DCM on September
12 that there was a meeting last week to discuss the Lebanon
issue but so far there is no text. The Arab group will meet
again on September 21. Kornbluth mentioned that the Jordanian
ambassador had told him that the text will probably be drafted
in Beirut. Ambassador Oliver said it might be useful if the
Lebanese present a strong text not written in Paris, as none of
the Arab ambassadors at UNESCO would feel compelled to protect
"their" text. She added that if the Lebanese present
politicized language similar to their statement that is not
germane to UNESCO's mandate, it might be easier to quash.
5. (C) The Lebanese delegation has also announced that the
Lebanese culture minister will attend the opening of the
Executive Board plenary on October 2. (Comment: Each
delegation gets eight minutes to speak early in the plenary. If
the statement in para 3 is any guide, we expect that he will use
Lebanon's eight minutes to deliver a strongly-worded message.)
Still, our Arab group contacts, including Morocco (which is
often hard-line in these matters) tell us they wish to avoid
politicizing UNESCO's involvement in Lebanon and keep discussion
on a technical level.
6. (C) The Israeli added that he was not sure if the Israeli
embassy in Washington has yet reached out to the Department,
requesting US intervention with the Lebanese government but
expressed a hope that would happen, since it appears that Beirut
may play a central role in this matter.
7. (C) On another subject, after reviewing the UNESCO
Director-General's last press release on Lebanon issued last
Friday, the Israeli felt that the wording of the text appeared
to pose no problems (he would have to check with Jerusalem to be
sure) and that the DG's office was clearly making a real effort
to be even-handed and to satisfy US and Israeli concerns.
8. (C) Kornbluth will be meeting on September 13 with the
Finnish president of the EU. Ambassador Oliver also will be
meeting with EU and various Arab group ambassadors in coming
days. They promised to keep each other apprised of details.
Oliver
SIPDIS
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2016
TAGS: UNESCO SCUL AL IS
SUBJECT: (U)UNESCO: LEBANON RESOLUTION UPDATE IV
REF: A. PARIS 5463 (notal),B. PARIS 5653 (notal),C. PARIS
5768, D. Paris 5853
Classified by DCM Andrew Koss, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: The Israeli ambassador met again with
Ambassador Oliver on September 12 to exchange information about
resolutions for the upcoming Executive Board on Lebanon,
Jerusalem and the Occupied Territories. The Israeli indicated
that any anti-Israeli language in the Lebanon resolution could
result in the end of his country's cooperation with UNESCO. He
also reiterated Israeli opposition to any substantive change in
the Jerusalem and Occupied Territories resolutions. End
Summary.
2. (C) Israeli ambassador David Kornbluth met again with
Ambassador Oliver on September 12 to discuss Israeli issues at
the upcoming Executive Board (EB). Kornbluth reported that he
had met earlier in the week with the Palestinian observer to
UNESCO and the Jordanian ambassador to UNESCO to discuss the EB
documents on safeguarding the Old City of Jerusalem (175 EX/15)
and the resolution on education initiatives in the Occupied
territories (175 EX/44). According to Kornbluth, the
Palestinian indicated that he would like to add the word
"social" to the Jerusalem resolution. They tried this last year
before withdrawing the word due to Israeli opposition; Israel
will continue to oppose the insertion of that word. (Comment:
It is a good sign that the Israeli ambassador has developed
direct lines of communication with the PA observer and the
Jordanian.)
3. (C) The upcoming EB resolution on Lebanon was also
discussed. Kornbluth made it clear that any language critical
of Israel in the text would lead to Jerusalem "pulling the plug
on Israeli cooperation with UNESCO." An ominous sign came last
week when the Lebanese delegation issued a strong statement
using harsh language to condemn Israel. (Comment: Strongly
worded political statements at UNESCO are usually vehicles of
communication for countries like Cuba, Venezuela or China. We
checked with the US Mission in Geneva to see if this was a
statement making the rounds of UN organizations and they
reported they had not previously seen the Lebanese document.)
4. (C) Arab group members of UNESCO told the DCM on September
12 that there was a meeting last week to discuss the Lebanon
issue but so far there is no text. The Arab group will meet
again on September 21. Kornbluth mentioned that the Jordanian
ambassador had told him that the text will probably be drafted
in Beirut. Ambassador Oliver said it might be useful if the
Lebanese present a strong text not written in Paris, as none of
the Arab ambassadors at UNESCO would feel compelled to protect
"their" text. She added that if the Lebanese present
politicized language similar to their statement that is not
germane to UNESCO's mandate, it might be easier to quash.
5. (C) The Lebanese delegation has also announced that the
Lebanese culture minister will attend the opening of the
Executive Board plenary on October 2. (Comment: Each
delegation gets eight minutes to speak early in the plenary. If
the statement in para 3 is any guide, we expect that he will use
Lebanon's eight minutes to deliver a strongly-worded message.)
Still, our Arab group contacts, including Morocco (which is
often hard-line in these matters) tell us they wish to avoid
politicizing UNESCO's involvement in Lebanon and keep discussion
on a technical level.
6. (C) The Israeli added that he was not sure if the Israeli
embassy in Washington has yet reached out to the Department,
requesting US intervention with the Lebanese government but
expressed a hope that would happen, since it appears that Beirut
may play a central role in this matter.
7. (C) On another subject, after reviewing the UNESCO
Director-General's last press release on Lebanon issued last
Friday, the Israeli felt that the wording of the text appeared
to pose no problems (he would have to check with Jerusalem to be
sure) and that the DG's office was clearly making a real effort
to be even-handed and to satisfy US and Israeli concerns.
8. (C) Kornbluth will be meeting on September 13 with the
Finnish president of the EU. Ambassador Oliver also will be
meeting with EU and various Arab group ambassadors in coming
days. They promised to keep each other apprised of details.
Oliver