UNESCO'S 35TH GENERAL CONFERENCE: PROGRAM AND EXTERNAL

UNCLAS PARIS FR 001455 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR IO/MPR LISA SPRATT E.O. 12598: N/A TAGS: AORC PREL UNESCO SUBJECT: UNESCO'S 35TH GENERAL CONFERENCE: PROGRAM AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS COMMISSION (PRX) SESSIONS ¶1. Summary: Program and External Relations Committee (PRX) meetings October 9-13 held the line on the budget and rejected constitutional changes suggested by outgoing General Conference President George Anastassopoulos. Two minor draft resolutions were approved. End Summary. ¶2. The Program and External Relations Committee (PRX)of UNESCO's 35th General Conference met October 9-13. Its work was structured around eight separate debates on program support, external relations and a variety of general questions. Mr. Mohammad Zahir Aziz (Afghanistan's Permanent Representative to UNESCO) was appointed Chairperson of the PRX. ¶3. Items of note included: a report on the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS); a proposed procedure for consideration by the General Conference regarding the Draft Medium Term Strategies; implementation of 33 C/Resolution 92 (Relations between the three organs of UNESCO); a report by the President of the 34th General Conference which contained proposals for reforming the organization of work of the General Conference and the Executive Board; UNESCO's Participation Program and Fellowships Program; and proposals for the celebration of anniversaries in 2010-2011 with which UNESCO could be associated. ¶4. Largely due to the positive tenor and atmosphere set by the Afghan Chair, debate in the PRX was cordial. The PRX examined four draft resolutions (DRs) for amendment of the Draft Program and Budget for 2010-2011 (35 C/5). The Chair drew attention to the Director-General's position on each. The Director-General's recommendations regarding the adoption of each were followed. In the end, three of the four budgetary DR's were withdrawn (originally proposed by Burkina Faso, Argentina, and Nigeria),and the DR from Azerbaijan was adopted with one amendment that followed the DG's observations. The Azerbaijani DR (35 C/DR.64) encourages National Commissions and NGOs with official relations with UNESCO to increase their involvement with the Organization. ¶5. The PRX also adopted a DR put forward by Venezuela and supported by eight Latin American countries and Spain (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Spain) entitled "Celebration of the bicentenary of the independence processes of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean." Discussion surrounding this item supported its intent to invite the Director-General to consult with Member States in the region with a view to having UNESCO celebrate the bicentenary in 2010. The U.S. Delegation intervened and received assurances from the Assistant Director-General for External Relations that this item did not have any budgetary implications. ¶6. Item 1.6, Organization of the Work of the Session and Report by the President of the 34th Session of the General Conference, provided some of the more lively debate in the PRX. George Anastassopoulos, President of the 34th General Conference and Greek Permanent Representative to UNESCO, presented his observations and recommendations for a new division of labor between the Executive Board and the General Conference. While the report contained some recommendations with which the U.S. delegation could agree, the U.S. could not agree with the broad substance of the report. U.S. views were shared by most other delegations and in the end, the PRX simply took note of the report. ¶7. Comment. Debate and discussion in the PRX was largely anodyne. The Swedish Delegation proved to be the most outspoken with regard to effective use of resources and spoke out strongly against the Fellowship and Participation program. Ambassador Anastassopoulos, who acted as if he were continuing in his former capacity as President of the General Conference, took great offense with those delegations that did not wholeheartedly embrace his report. The Anastassopoulos report will not likely surface again. End Comment. KILLION