HONDURAS: LANGUAGE ADOPTED

UNCLAS PARIS FR 001407 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT FOR IO AND WHA E.O. 12598: N/A TAGS: SCUL PREL UNESCO SUBJECT: HONDURAS: LANGUAGE ADOPTED ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The working group dealing with the Honduras draft resolution agreed to language acceptable to both sides October 15, after lengthy negotiating sessions led by Ambassador Killion. The resolution was adopted under an agenda heading entitled, "Impacts on the Education system and freedom of expression as a consequence of the situation in Honduras," but the resolution itself has no title, and Honduras is not mentioned in it by name. End summary. ¶2. (U) Following General Conference President Davidson Hepburn's (Bahamas),decision to hand the problems of the Honduras draft resolution to a working group within the Education Commission, the U.S. and Brazil were asked to submit the names of three countries who would make up the group. After much negotiation, Brazil was joined by Argentina and India on one side, representing those states that wished to have a resolution specific to Honduras; and the U.S. was joined by Canada and Colombia on the other side, who were opposed to a country-specific draft resolution. Mr. Ghaleeb Jeppie of South Africa, served as the Working Group's neutral chair. ¶3. (U) After heated debate, the group gave the drafting pen to India which produced a text that eventually gained consensus, but does not refer specifically to Honduras. The text has no title, and has only the Agenda Item document number on it. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: We consider this to be a major victory, because the text does not refer to Honduras, or the events that have taken place in Honduras, nor does it create any mandate for the Director-General to take specific action with regard to the situation in Honduras. End comment. ¶5. (U) Begin text: TITLE: (none) The General Conference, Taking into account the Constitution of UNESCO, and in particular its Article 1; Reiterating that democracy and civil liberties remain the best guarantee for the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the context of UNESCO's core mandates; Underlining, the possible negative impacts on the functions of an education system resulting from a breakdown of a democratic system; Stressing its desire for UNESCO to continue to provide its support to Member States whose education systems may have been disrupted; ¶1. Requests the Director-General to follow developments within the fields of competence of UNESCO in the interests of the right to education and freedom of expression. End text. ¶6. (SBU) Brazil attempted to include an EOV (explanation of vote), but agreed that EOV's will be given when the Education Commission's report is adopted in Plenary next week. We will eventually need the Department's input on what the delegation should say when this issue is raised. KILLION