FY 2009 PEDOPHILIA CERTIFICATION FOR THE WORLD

UNCLAS MADRID 001345 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR IO/RHS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC PHUM SOCI SP SUBJECT: FY 2009 PEDOPHILIA CERTIFICATION FOR THE WORLD TOURSIM ORGANIZATION REF: STATE 131870 ¶1. (U) As per reftel, Econoff conducted an extensive review into the membership and affiliates of the UN's World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to ensure that none of the WTO's associates or members condone pedophilia. Based on the review, Post determined that the UNWTO does not grant any official status, accreditation, or recognition to any organization which promotes and condones or seeks the legalization of pedophilia or has subsidiaries or member organizations that do. The UNWTO is based in Madrid, Spain. ¶2. (U) In conducting its review, Post examined the roughly 300 affiliate members of the UNWTO comprised of business groups, destination councils, and educational institutions. Post has a copy of this list and will send it on to IO/RHS per reftel. Alternately, the list can be accessed at www.untwo.org/afiliados/directory/en/director y/php. ¶3. (U) The UNWTO has an extensive program under its "Task Force to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation in Tourism" which was established in 1997. The task force had its twenty-third meeting on November 10, 2008 in London where it formally launched a new awareness campaign to raise the profile of sexual exploitation of children in tourism. ¶4. (U) Total staff time dedicated to this project was approximately 2-3 hours. ¶5. (U) The Embassy contact for this issue is Economic Officer Lourdes Lamela, LamelaLM@state.gov, 34 91 587-2399. AGUIRRE