Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ALGIERS1324
2008-12-22 11:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Algiers
Cable title:
ALGERIA: FAROUK HOSNI UNESCO CANDIDACY THE TIP OF
how-toVZCZCXRO2269 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHAS #1324 3571135 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 221135Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY ALGIERS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6769 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 2971 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 9137 RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 2626 RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 7485 RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA PRIORITY 3610 RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA AU PRIORITY 0081 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0531 RUEHFR/UNESCO PARIS FR PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 001324
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR IO/UNESCO KSIEKMANK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2018
TAGS: UNESCO SCUL PREL AG
SUBJECT: ALGERIA: FAROUK HOSNI UNESCO CANDIDACY THE TIP OF
THE ICEBERG
REF: STATE 130916
Classified By: Ambassador David D. Pearce; reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 001324
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR IO/UNESCO KSIEKMANK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2018
TAGS: UNESCO SCUL PREL AG
SUBJECT: ALGERIA: FAROUK HOSNI UNESCO CANDIDACY THE TIP OF
THE ICEBERG
REF: STATE 130916
Classified By: Ambassador David D. Pearce; reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) In response to reftel demarche, Algeria will likely
adhere to the position adopted in an October 25 Algiers meeting of
pan-African culture ministers endorsing the candidacy of Egyptian
Farouk Hosni for UNESCO Secretary General. Ambassador told MFA
Director General for Arab Affairs Abdelhamid Bouzaher on December 21
that Hosni himself was the problem, as his recent statements
revealed him to be divisive and incapable of forming consensus
as leader of the organization. Bouzaher did not offer any defense of
Hosni's candidacy, but Counselor for Arab League Affairs Ahmed Mourad
Merhoum told us separately that whether or not Hosni's candidacy
succeeded was unlikely to alter the underlying debate among Arab
nations about UNESCO's role in Jerusalem. Merhoum said that press
reports had been accurate in indicating that Cairo negotiated
with Rabat to have Morocco withdraw its candidate for the fall 2009
election in order to put forward a candidate that could win the
support of the entire continent. Algeria's Minister of Culture,
Khalida Toumi, stated publicly at the end of October that Hosni's
election would mark the beginning of a "cultural revolution" for the
continent.
2. (C) However, Merhoum explained that the Algerian and Arab League
positions were more complicated. According to Merhoum, the candidacy
of Hosni was not relevant to the true problem; namely, that UNESCO was
"in turmoil" over what to do about the holy sites of Jerusalem.
Merhoum agreed with our assertions that UNESCO should not be a
politicized body, but said that Hosni's public statements against
Israel merely reflected the debate that was raging within UNESCO
itself. Removing Hosni from the equation, he said, would not change
this debate, and he urged the U.S. and other nations to focus on a
solution that would ensure that "all sites in the Holy Land will be
protected, for all three religions." Merhoum said the Arab League
favored UNESCO's involvement in protecting sites in Jerusalem,
particularly after "its long absence." Merhoum went on to say
that the Arab League member states within UNESCO were having trouble
defining the mechanism and terms for UNESCO protection of Jerusalem's
sites, given Israel's status as "occupying power" and the still
unresolved final status of Jerusalem itself.
PEARCE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR IO/UNESCO KSIEKMANK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2018
TAGS: UNESCO SCUL PREL AG
SUBJECT: ALGERIA: FAROUK HOSNI UNESCO CANDIDACY THE TIP OF
THE ICEBERG
REF: STATE 130916
Classified By: Ambassador David D. Pearce; reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) In response to reftel demarche, Algeria will likely
adhere to the position adopted in an October 25 Algiers meeting of
pan-African culture ministers endorsing the candidacy of Egyptian
Farouk Hosni for UNESCO Secretary General. Ambassador told MFA
Director General for Arab Affairs Abdelhamid Bouzaher on December 21
that Hosni himself was the problem, as his recent statements
revealed him to be divisive and incapable of forming consensus
as leader of the organization. Bouzaher did not offer any defense of
Hosni's candidacy, but Counselor for Arab League Affairs Ahmed Mourad
Merhoum told us separately that whether or not Hosni's candidacy
succeeded was unlikely to alter the underlying debate among Arab
nations about UNESCO's role in Jerusalem. Merhoum said that press
reports had been accurate in indicating that Cairo negotiated
with Rabat to have Morocco withdraw its candidate for the fall 2009
election in order to put forward a candidate that could win the
support of the entire continent. Algeria's Minister of Culture,
Khalida Toumi, stated publicly at the end of October that Hosni's
election would mark the beginning of a "cultural revolution" for the
continent.
2. (C) However, Merhoum explained that the Algerian and Arab League
positions were more complicated. According to Merhoum, the candidacy
of Hosni was not relevant to the true problem; namely, that UNESCO was
"in turmoil" over what to do about the holy sites of Jerusalem.
Merhoum agreed with our assertions that UNESCO should not be a
politicized body, but said that Hosni's public statements against
Israel merely reflected the debate that was raging within UNESCO
itself. Removing Hosni from the equation, he said, would not change
this debate, and he urged the U.S. and other nations to focus on a
solution that would ensure that "all sites in the Holy Land will be
protected, for all three religions." Merhoum said the Arab League
favored UNESCO's involvement in protecting sites in Jerusalem,
particularly after "its long absence." Merhoum went on to say
that the Arab League member states within UNESCO were having trouble
defining the mechanism and terms for UNESCO protection of Jerusalem's
sites, given Israel's status as "occupying power" and the still
unresolved final status of Jerusalem itself.
PEARCE