Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09PARISFR1373
2009-10-09 13:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Mission UNESCO
Cable title:  

HONDURAS: REQUEST FOR INSTRUCTIONS

Tags:  SCUL PREL UNESCO 
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UNCLASSIFIED   PARIS   1373 
R 091313Z OCT 09
FM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS FR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
RUCNSCO/UNESCO COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS FR 001373 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR IO AND WHA

E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: SCUL PREL UNESCO
SUBJECT: HONDURAS: REQUEST FOR INSTRUCTIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS FR 001373

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR IO AND WHA

E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: SCUL PREL UNESCO
SUBJECT: HONDURAS: REQUEST FOR INSTRUCTIONS


1. (SBU) Summary: The General Committee (Bureau) of UNESCO's 35th
General Conference was unable to reach consensus as to whether the
draft resolution on Honduras (see text paragraph 8) should be added
to the agenda for the General Conference. The President, therefore,
opted to forward the issue to the General Conference Plenary for
decision. A two-thirds majority vote will be required for the
resolution to be added to the agenda. A vote is expected on Monday,
October 12. Action needed: The U.S. Delegation requests the
Department provide instructions for voting (see paragraph 9). End
Summary.


2. (U) With no clear consensus emerging after debating for two
meetings, General Conference President Davidson Hepburn (Bahamas),
announced he would forward the issue to the full Plenary of UNESCO's
35th General Conference for a vote, under Rule 15, Paragraph 2, of
the Rule of Procedure of the General Conference, which states that:

"new items of an important and urgent character may be added to the
agenda by approval of a two-thirds majority of the Members present
and voting; but such new items shall be referred to the General
Committee of the Conference for its report, in accordance with Rule
42, paragraph 1 (c),before the vote is taken. The discussion of
any new item so added to the agenda shall, at the request of any
Member State or Associate Member, be deferred for a period not
exceeding seven days after its inclusion in the agenda."


3. (U) Hepburn's move came after Venezuela, representing the
co-sponsors of the Honduras-related draft resolution (Argentina,
Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Guatemala, Jamaica),spoke emotionally
during the General Committee meeting, saying that UNESCO's General
Conference could not remain silent on the situation in Honduras.
The Dominican Republic also expressed strong support for the
resolution.


4. (U) Delegates from the U.S., Canada, France, Australia, and
Madagascar spoke during the Bureau meeting, stating that while the
situation in Honduras is certainly worthy of concern, it is already
being dealt with by other competent bodies within the United Nations
and, specifically, at the OAS. Others expressed concern that such
draft resolutions potentially open the door to a huge number of such
proposals, and divert attention from the core concerns of UNESCO's

mandate during the General Conference.


5. (SBU) While many European Member States privately expressed
their agreement with the U.S. on keeping country-specific
resolutions off of UNESCO's agenda, several were instructed to take
no public stance on the subject.


6. (SBU) As noted in Para 2, under the UNESCO Rules of Procedure, a
two-thirds majority of states present and voting is needed to add a
new item to the General Conference agenda. It is not clear whether
the co-sponsors will be able to muster the 129 votes (2/3 of the 193
Member States),or a lesser threshold if several member states are
not present or abstain. As noted by France, it is possible that
several EU States may vote for the resolution or abstain so as to
not been seen as opposing the substance of the resolution.


7. (SBU) Even if they succeed in having the draft resolution added
to the agenda, the proposed text could be modified by amendment
offered by any Member State. While the current text has been cut
back and toned down from the original proposal, the precedent of
proposing such country-specific draft resolutions that are being
handled elsewhere in the UN system remains, we believe, a direction
that UNESCO must avoid.


8. (U) Begin text of proposed draft resolution:

TITLE: Impacts on the education system and freedom of expression as
a consequence of the situation in Honduras

The General Conference,

Taking into account the Constitution of UNESCO,

Welcoming the declarations of the Director-General of UNESCO
expressed in his press releases about the situation in Honduras,

Expressing concern with the negative impacts on the functioning of
the education system of Honduras,


1. Requests the Director-General to keep following the developments
in Honduras strictly in the fields of competence of UNESCO according
to its Constitution.

End text.


9. (U) ACTION REQUESTED: Ambassador has been convoked by General
Conference President Hepburn for a meeting late this afternoon Paris
time. We anticipate he will try to walk back his decision of this
morning and ask our help in avoiding a vote on inclusion of the
Honduras item in the Plenary on Monday. (He has already made this
appeal to the French and Canadian delegations). Mission requests
Department's guidance as to whether we should continue to press
Hepburn for a Plenary vote on inclusion of the present Honduras
draft resolution or work with him to amend the text in a way that
limits the damage and allows us to support its inclusion. If
Washington believes that we should continue to oppose inclusion of
the Honduras item, Mission requests Department officials engage our
European colleagues directly to urge they vote against inclusion of
the item on the agenda. Mission would also appreciate any
information Department can provide on the educational situation in
Honduras. KILLION