Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ALGIERS1326
2008-12-22 16:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Algiers
Cable title:
ALGERIA: FAROUK HOSNI UNESCO CANDIDACY THE TIP OF
VZCZCXRO2588 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHAS #1326 3571609 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 221609Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY ALGIERS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6770 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 2972 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 9138 RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 2627 RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 7486 RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA PRIORITY 3611 RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA AU PRIORITY 0082 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0532 RUEHFR/UNESCO PARIS FR PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ALGIERS 001326
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 001326
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