Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
06VIENNA442 | 2006-02-14 10:14:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Vienna |
1. (SBU) Summary: The UNESCO Convention on Cultural Expressions (Convention) enjoys unanimous political support in Austria, but the ratification process has not yet started. In its capacity as EU President, the GoA hopes to achieve an EU Council decision on ratification no later than the Council of Culture Ministers on May 18-19. End Summary. 2. (SBU) According to a GoA report on its EU Presidency work program, the Commission submitted a proposal to the EU Council in December 2005 on ratification of the Convention. After Council approval, the European Parliament will hold hearings, but the Council is not bound by an EP resolution. (Note: The EP rapporteur is the Austrian Social Democrat Christa Prets, a hardore supporter of the Convention. End Note.) . (SBU) Austrian State Secretary for Cultural andMedia Affairs, Franz Morak, announced January 24 to the EP's Cultural Committee that the GoA aims o have a Counci decision on ratification no latr than the Council of Culture Ministers on May 1-19. It is likely that, following the Council dcision, the ratification process by member stateswill accelerate. 4. (SBU) The GoA has nt yet submitted the Convention to Parliament for ratification. Prior to adoption of the Convention on October 20, 2005, the Austrian Parliament unanimously adopted a very supportive resolution to the Convention. The resolution requested that the government "call upon the EU to take into account and safeguard the peculiarity of culture in negotiations within the framework of WTO and GATS, and to influence the EU to abstain from further liberalization commitments within the WTO and GATS that restrict cultural diversity and media pluralism." 5. (SBU) Despite the strong political support for the Convention, the issue is very low key in Austria, with discussions taking place only within a few anti- globalization NGOs and cultural organizations. While the media reported on the October 2005 meeting quite extensively, we found only one media report since November on this issue. 6. (SBU) Categorization according to reftel key: I. Legislative Agenda: b) not currently on the agenda, but likely to be introduced in 2006, and likely to pass. II. Media attention: b) 1-2 published opinions on the ratification (not clearly for or against). III. Public debate: b) 1-2 NGO or other civil society discussions since October. MCCAW# |