UNDECIDED INDIA MAY FOLLOW NAM CONSENSUS ON UNESCO

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 001886 SIPDIS FOR IO/UNESCO: KELLY SIEKMAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2019 TAGS: AU EC EG PREL UNESCO IN SUBJECT: UNDECIDED INDIA MAY FOLLOW NAM CONSENSUS ON UNESCO DIRECTOR-GENERAL VOTE REF: SECSTATE 82701 Classified By: Acting POLCOUNS Lesslie Viguerie for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (C) MEA's Joint Secretary for UN Economic and Social Division Taranjit Sandhu told PolCouns on September 4 that India had not yet made a commitment to any of the nine candidates running for UNESCO's Director-General post. According to Sandhu, the GOI is waiting for Non-Aligned Movement member states to endorse a candidate. "We are in the process of making up our mind," Sandhu stated. ¶2. (C) While discussing candidates with PolCouns, Sandhu mentioned that Egypt was lobbying strongly on behalf of Farouk Hosni, and Sandhu noted that Hosni was not on the U.S. list of preferred candidates. PolCouns acknowledged Sandhu's observation and explained that the USG believes other candidates have demonstrated a greater ability to promote a positive agenda consistent with UNESCO's core values. Sandhu pointed out that Austria's candidate was a distinguished person and mentioned that Ecuador had approached India to secure Delhi's support but repeated that the GOI had not yet decided which candidate to support. ROEMER