Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09PARISFR766
2009-06-09 13:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Mission UNESCO
Cable title:  

MUGHRABI GATE: FROM UNESCO'S EXECUTIVE BOARD TO THE SEVILLE

Tags:  PREL UNESCO KWBG JO IS 
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CO N F I D E N T I A L UNESCOPARI 06090766 
VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHFR #0766/01 1601306
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 091306Z JUN 09
FM UNESCO PARIS FR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS FR 000766 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/08/2019
TAGS: PREL UNESCO KWBG JO IS
SUBJECT: MUGHRABI GATE: FROM UNESCO'S EXECUTIVE BOARD TO THE SEVILLE
WORLD HERITAGE MEETING

REF: (A) PARIS FR 000319
(B) AMMAN 000669

CLASSIFIED BY CDA STEPHEN ENGELKEN. FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS FR 000766

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/08/2019
TAGS: PREL UNESCO KWBG JO IS
SUBJECT: MUGHRABI GATE: FROM UNESCO'S EXECUTIVE BOARD TO THE SEVILLE
WORLD HERITAGE MEETING

REF: (A) PARIS FR 000319
(B) AMMAN 000669

CLASSIFIED BY CDA STEPHEN ENGELKEN. FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: ARAB STATES ARE LIKELY TO RAISE ONCE AGAIN AT THE
JUNE 22-30 WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE MEETING IN SEVILLE ISRAEL'S PLAN
TO RECONSTRUCT THE ASCENT TO THE MUGHRABI GATE ON JERUSLAEM'S TEMPLE
MOUNT. THE DECISION ADOPTED AT UNESCO'S APRIL 2009 EXECUTIVE BOARD
REQUESTS THAT THE DESIGN OF THE RAMP "BE INCLUSIVE OF ALL PARTIES
CONCERNED," "AFFIRMS THE NECESSITY OF COOPERATION IN ORDER TO ARRANGE
ACCESS TO THE MUGHRABI ASCENT SITE," AND "REAFFIRMS THAT THE PROCESS
FOR THE DESIGN OF THE MUGHRABI ASCENT, WHICH ALLOWS FOR THE TAKING
INTO CONSIDERATION OF THE DESIGNS SUBMITTED . . . IS STILL UNDER
WAY." END SUMMARY.


2. (C) UNESCO'S APRIL 14-30 (181ST) EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING WAS
DOMINATED ONCE AGAIN BY CONTENTION BETWEEN ISRAEL ON ONE HAND AND
JORDAN AND THE PALESTINIAN OBSERVER DELEGATION ON THE OTHER OVER
ISRAEL'S PLAN TO RECONSTRUCT THE RAMP LEADING TO THE MUGHRABI ASCENT
ON JERUSALEM'S TEMPLE MOUNT, A WORLD HERITAGE SITE. THINGS BEGAN ON
A DIFFICULT NOTE. UNESCO DIRECTOR-GENERAL MATSUURA (JAPAN) ASKED
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL MARCIO BARBOSA, UNESCO'S MEDIATOR ON THIS
ISSUE IN PAST BOARD MEETINGS, TO STEP ASIDE. MATSUURA FELT BARBOSA'S
WELL-KNOWN AMBITION TO ENTER THE RACE TO SUCCEED MATSUURA AS
DIRECTOR-GENERAL WHEN THE LATTER'S TERM EXPIRES NEXT AUTUMN WOULD
CAUSE MANY TO INTEPRET HIS ACTIONS AS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED AND COULD
BRING HIM INTO CONFLICT WITH EGYPT, WHICH WAS CAMPAIGNING HARD TO
HAVE ITS CULTURE MINISTER, FAROUQ HOSNI, ELECTED TO UNESCO'S TOP JOB.
MATSUURA'S DECISION, HOWEVER, LEFT A BIG HOLE THAT WAS DIFFICULT TO
FILL. THE FIRST TEN DAYS OF THE BOARD SESSION WAS SPENT IN AN EFFORT
TO FIND A MEDIATOR ACCEPTABLE TO BOTH SIDES. AFTER REJECTING
PROPOSALS THAT THE JAPANESE AND SWISS AMBASSADORS UNDERTAKE THE ROLE,
ISRAEL FINALLY AGREED TO ACCEPT CANADIAN AMBASSADOR GILBERT LAURIN.
JORDAN AND PALESTINE POSED NO OBJECTION, AND EVENTUALLY AFTER SEVERAL
DAYS OF HESITATION THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT AGREED TO PERMIT LAURIN TO
DO THE JOB.


3. (C) LAURIN DID HIS JOB WITH EXEMPLARY PROFESSIONALISM. IT WAS

NOT EASY. JORDAN ARGUED THAT THE ISRAEL-JORDAN PEACE TREATY GAVE IT
RIGHTS ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT AND THAT DECISIONS BY THE WORLD HERITAGE
COMMITTEE AT ITS 2007 MEETING IN CHRISTCHURCH AND ITS 2008 MEETING IN
QUEBEC GAVE IT THE RIGHT TO VISIT THE SITE, TAKE DETAILED
MEASUREMENTS, AND PRESENT A RIVAL PLAN TO THE PLAN ISRAEL IS
DEVELOPING. JORDAN ENVISIONED REFERRING BOTH ISRAELI AND JORDANIAN
PLANS TO THE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE WHICH WOULD SELECT THE BEST.
WHICHEVER ONE WAS CHOSEN, JORDAN WOULD PAY FOR ITS CONSTRUCTION.
JORDAN DRAFTED A PROPOSED DECISION WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED FOR IT TO
DO THESE THINGS.


4. (C) ISRAEL STRONGLY OBJECTED TO JORDAN'S INTERPRETATION OF ITS
RIGHTS UNDER THE ISRAEL-JORDAN PEACE TREATY AND OF PAST WORLD
HERITAGE DECISIONS. ISRAELI AMBASSADOR KORNBLUTH TOLD CDA ENGELKEN
THAT THERE COULD BE NO QUESTION OF ISRAEL ACCEPTING LANGUAGE THAT
WOULD CALL INTO QUESTION ISRAEL'S SOVEREIGNTY AND CONTROL OVER ALL OF
JERUSALEM. ISRAEL COULD, THEREFORE, NOT AGREE TO TWO PLANS, AND IT
COULD NOT AGREE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES THAT JORDAN WOULD PAY FOR
CONSTUCTION OF WHATEVER RAMP IS EVENTUALLY BUILT. KORNBLUTH ADDED
THAT ISRAEL FELT THE JORDANIAN DEMAND TO TAKE MEASUREMENTS OF THE
SITE WAS A RED HERRING. JORDAN, HE CLAIMED, ALREADY HAS DETAILED
MEASUREMENTS THAT ISRAEL HAS PASSED TO IT IN EARLIER PROFESSIONAL
ENCOUNTERS. KORNBLUTH AND VISITING ISRAELI MFA IO DAS-EQUIVALENT
TIBOR SCHLOSSER STRESSED TO CHARGE THAT JORDAN COULD BE ALLOWED TO
HAVE INPUT INTO THE ISRAELI DESIGN. SCHLOSSER SAID JORDANIAN
COMMENTS ON THE ISRAELI DESIGN HAVE ALEADY RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT
MODIFICATIONS. ISRAEL NOW PLANS TO BUILD THE RAMP LARGELY ALONG THE
PATH OF THE ORIGINAL RAMP WHICH COLLAPSED IN 2004. IT WILL BE MUCH
LOWER TO THE GROUND AND WILL MAKE USE OF LOCAL STONE RATHER THAN THE
RELY ON ALL-METAL CONSTRUCTION AS PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED. THERE WILL BE
REGULAR SPOTS AT WHICH VISITORS WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE UNDERLYING
OTTOMAN-ERA ARCHAEOLOGICAL REMAINS. FINALLY AND MOST IMPORTANT, THE
RAMP WILL HAVE STEPS AT PLACES AND WILL THUS NOT/NOT BE PASSABLE FOR
MOTOR VEHICLES, A KEY JORDANIAN DEMAND.


5. (C) GIVEN THE DISTANCE AND EMOTION SEPARATING THE PARTIES, IT IS
NOT SURPRISING THAT LAURIN'S EFFORTS GOT OFF TO A ROCKY START.
RATHER THAN AGREE TO NEGOTIATE ON THE BASIS OF JORDAN'S TEXT, LAURIN
WORKED WITH THE SECRETARIAT TO DEVELOP A DRAFT DECISION TEXT BASED ON
THE TEXT OF THE DECISION DRAFTED AT THE PREVIOUS EXECUTIVE BOARD IN
OCTOBER 2008. MAKING FULL USE OF THE FACT THAT HE HAD BEEN IN QUEBEC
AND HAD PARTICIPATED IN THE NEGOTIATION OF THE JULY 2008 WORLD
HERITAGE DECISION ON MUGHRABI GATE, LAURIN FIRMLY ASSERTED THE 2008
WORLD HERITAGE DECISION DID NOT/NOT ENVISION THE WORLD HERITAGE
COMMITTEE DECIDING BETWEEN TWO COMPETING DESIGNS. (COMMENT: THE
WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE INCLUDES A MIX OF DIPLOMATS AND GENUINE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/08/2019
TAGS: PREL UNESCO KWBG JO IS
SUBJECT: MUGHRABI GATE: FROM UNESCO'S EXECUTIVE BOARD TO THE SEVILLE
WORLD HERITAGE MEETING

EXPERTS ON HISTORICAL PRESERVATION, BUT IT DOES NOT FUNCTION LIKE AN
ARCHITECTURAL JURY. ITS MANDATE IN THIS INSTANCE WOULD BE TO
DETERMINE WHETHER A PROPOSED DESIGN DOES OR DOES NOT PRESERVE THE
OUTSTANDING, UNIVERSAL VALUE OF THE SITE. IT WOULD HAVE NO MANDATE
TO CHOOSE BETWEEN DESIGNS IF BOTH PROPOSED DESIGNS MEET THE MINIMUM
STANDARD OF PRESERVING THE SITE'S VALUE. END COMMENT.) CDA, WITH
THE PERMISSION OF THE ISRAELI DELEGATION, BRIEFED THE JORDANIAN
AMBASSADOR ON THE MODIFICATIONS ISRAEL HAD MADE TO ITS PLAN TO
SATISFY JORDAN'S CONCERNS.


6. (C) FOR SEVERAL DAYS THESE EFFORTS PRODUCED LITTLE. JORDAN
INSISTED ON MEASURING THE SITE AND DEVELOPING TWO PLANS. FINALLY, AS
THE END OF THE MEETING LOOMED, AMB LAURIN APPEALED FOR ANY HELP THE
U.S. COULD PROVIDE, AND CHARGE TELEPHONED AMBASSADOR BEECROFT IN
AMMAN. THE AMBASSADOR'S DISCUSIONS WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTER HAD AN
IMMEDIATE IMPACT. THE JORDANIAN DELEGATION CAME THE FOLLOWING
MORNING WITH INSTURCTIONS TO SEEK AGREEMENT ON A CONSENSUS TEXT
RATHER THAN FORCE AN OPEN DEBATE AND AN UNPREDICTABLE VOTE AT THE
BOARD'S CLOSING PLENARY. THERE WAS STILL DIFFICULT BARGAINING (E.G.,
ON THE MANNER IN WHICH THE DECISION WOULD REEFER TO THE 1954 HAGUE
CONVENTION ON THE PROTECTION OF CULTURAL PROPERTY IN THE EVENT OF
ARMED CONFLICT.) IN THE END, HOWEVER, ALL SIDES FINALLY AGREED ON A
TEXT (SEE PARA 12 BELOW).


7. (C) FOLLOWING THE EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING, CHARGE MET IN EARLY
MAY WITH CANADIAN AMBASSADOR LAURIN AND ISRAELI AMBASSADOR KORNBLUTH
FOR A POST-MORTEM AND DISCUSSION OF HOW TO MANAGE THE MUGHRABI GATE
ISSUE AT THE UPCOMING WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE MEETING IN SEVILLE
JUNE 22-30. (N.B. AS THE COMMITTEE HAS FOR MANY YEARS MAINTAINED THE
TEMPLE MOUNT ON THE LIST OF WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN DANGER.) AMB.
KORNBLUTH BEGAN THE DISCUSSION BY SAYING THAT ISRAEL PLANNED TO
INFORM THE COMMITTEE JUST PRIOR TO THE SEVILLE MEETING THAT IT HAD
COMPLETED THE APPROVAL PROCESS FOR THE NEW RAMP AND INTENDED TO
PROCEED. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS WOULD GUARANTEE A CONTRE-TEMPS IN
SEVILLE, BUT INITIALLY TOOK THE VIEW THAT ISRAEL WAS READY TO LET THE
CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY. AMB. LAURIN CAUTIONED AGAINST THAT AND
URGED ISRAEL TO LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE EXECUTIVE BOARD'S DECISION,
ESPECIALLY PARAGRAPH 9 AND 12, TO SEE WHETHER IT COULD TAKE STEPS TO
IMPLEMENT THEM. THE DECISION CROSSED NONE OF ISRAEL'S RED LINES.
THERE WAS NO CALL IN IT FOR TWO PLANS OR FOR JORDAN TO CONSTRUCT THE
RAMP AT ITS OWN EXPENSE. ISRAEL COULD PUT ITS CRITICS ON THE WRONG
FOOT IF IT COULD COME TO SEVILLE AND SAY IT WAS TRYING IN GOOD FAITH
TO DO WHAT THE BOARD ASKED IT TO DO. KORNBLUTH WAS CLEARLY INTRIGUED
BY THE LOGIC AND SAID HE WOULD NEED TO DISCUSS IT AT HOME. THE
ISRAELI AMBASSADOR SPENT MUCH OF THE LATTER PART OF MAY IN ISRAEL FOR
VACATION AND CONSULTATIONS.


8. (C) THE ISRAELIS APPEAR TO BE FOLLOWING LAURIN'S ADVICE.
KORNBLUTH CALLED ON CHARGE ON JUNE 3 TO SAY THAT ON MAY 31 ISRAEL HAD
DELIVERED A DIPLOMATIC NOTE TO THE JORDANIAN EMBASSY IN TEL AVIV,
INVITING JORDAN TO A MEETING ". . . TO REACH AGREEMENT THAT MAY ALLOW
THE (UNESCO) DIRECTOR-GENERAL TO ORGANIZE A FOLLOW-UP MEETING OF
EXPERTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE." KORNBLUTH HAD NO INFORMATION ON
WHETHER THE JORDANIANS HAVE REPLIED TO THIS NOTE.


9. (C) AMBASSADOR KORNBLUTH REPORTED THAT HE HAD SPOKEN TO UNESCO
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL BARBOSA EARLIER ON JUNE 3 AND HAD FOUND HIM
OPTIMISTIC THAT SERIOUS DISAGREEMENTS ON THE MUGHRABI GATE ISSUE
COULD BE AVOIDED AT THE UPCOMING WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE MEETING.
KORBLUTH REPORTED THAT BARBOSA APPEARS TO BE STILL REELING FROM
BRAZIL'S REFUSAL TO NOMINATE HIM TO REPLACE DIRECTOR-GENERAL
MATSUURA, BUT THAT BARBOSA APPEARED READY TO RESUME - AT LEAST
PARTIALLY -- THE ACTIVE ROLE HE HAD PLAYED ON MIDDLE EAST ISSUES
PRIOR TO THE LAST EXECUTIVE BOARD NOW THAT HE CANNOT BE A CANDIDATE
FOR THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL'S JOB. BARBOSA, FOR EXAMPLE, SAID THE
SECRETARIAT WILL DRAFT AND CIRCULATE A PROPOSED TEXT FOR A MUGHRABI
GATE RESOLUTION DURING THE WEEK OF JUNE 8. ACCORDING TO KORNBLUTH,
BARBOSA, HOWEVER, TOOK THE POSITION THAT THAT HE WOULD NOT ATTEND THE
WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE MEETING UNLESS HIS PRESENCE WERE REALLY
NECESSARY. THIS LAST POSTION LEFT KORNBLUTH VERY UNEASY. THE
ISRAELI AMBASSADOR MAINTAINED THAT THERE REALLY IS NO ALTERNATIVE TO
BARBOSA'S PERSONAL MEDIATION. CANADIAN AMBASSADOR LAURIN DEPARTS
POST FOR RETIREMENT ON JUNE 24, AND THERE WAS SIMPLY NO ONE ELSE WHOM
KORNBLUTH TRUSTED.


10. (C) COMMENT: KORNBLUTH IS RIGHT TO BE CONCERNED. CHARGE RAN
INTO JORDAN'S AMBASSADOR KAWAR AT A RECEPTION ON JUNE 2 AND FOUND HER
UNWILLING TO GIVE ISRAEL AN EASY PASS AT THE UPCOMING MEETING. SHE
DID NOT, NOTABLY, TAKE AS HARD A LINE AS SHE DID BEFORE THE APRIL
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING. SHE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT UNESCO IS NOT GOING
TO SETTLE THE ISSUE OF SOVERIEGNTY IN JERUSALEM, BUT SHE ARGUED
JORDAN'S TACTICS TO DATE HAVE SERVED ITS INTERESTS WELL. "WE HAVE
MADE SOME NOISE AND DELAYED A 'HORRIBLE' PROJECT BY SEVERAL YEARS,"
SHE CLAIMED. SHE RECOUNTED THAT DDG BARBOSA HAD ASKED HER TO WRITE A
LETTER SAYING THAT ISRAEL HAD INVITED JORDAN TO MEET AS REQUIRED BY

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/08/2019
TAGS: PREL UNESCO KWBG JO IS
SUBJECT: MUGHRABI GATE: FROM UNESCO'S EXECUTIVE BOARD TO THE SEVILLE
WORLD HERITAGE MEETING

THE APRIL EXECUTIVE BOARD DECISION AND THAT THIS SATISFIED JORDAN'S
CONCERNS. SHE STRESSED, HOWEVER, THAT JORDAN ABSOLUTELY WOULD NOT DO
SO. THERE ARE UN RESOLUTIONS THAT SAY THE JERUSALEM IS OCCUPIED AND
WE INTEND TO UPHOLD THEM, SHE DECLARED.


11. (C) COMMENT CONTINUED: CHARGE WILL SEE BARBOSA LATER THIS WEEK
AND URGE HIM TO ATTEND SEVILLE. WE CAN SEE NO REASON WHY JORDAN
WOULD NOT WANT TO "MAKE SOME NOISE," AS AMBASADOR KAWAR PUT IT.


12. FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE MUGHRABI GATE DECISION ADOPTED AT
THE 181ST EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING IN APRIL:

BEGIN TEXT.

IMPLEMENTATION OF 34 C/RESOLUTION 47 AND 180 EX/DECISION 5 (11)
RELATED TO THE ASCENT TO THE MUGHRABI GATE IN THE OLD CITY OF
JERUSALEM

THE EXECUTIVE BOARD,


1. HAVING EXAMINED 180 EX/5 (II) AND DOCUMENTS 181 EX/5, AND ADD. 4,


2. RECALLING 176 EX/SPECIAL PLENARY MEETING/DECISION, 177 EX/DECISION
20, AND 179 EX/DECISIONS 9 AND 52,


3. FURTHER RECALLING DECISIONS 31 COM 7A.18 AND 32 COM 7A.18 ADOPTED
BY THE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE RESPECTIVELY AT ITS 31ST SESSION
(CHRISTCHURCH, 2007) AND 32ND SESSION (QUEBEC CITY, 2008),


4. ALSO RECALLING THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS ON THE PROTECTION OF
CULTURAL HERITAGE INCLUDING, AS APPROPRIATE, THE FOUR GENEVA
CONVENTIONS (1949),THE HAGUE CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF
CULTURAL PROPERTY IN THE EVENT OF ARMED CONFLICT OF 1954, THE
CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE WORLD CULTURAL AND NATURAL
HERITAGE OF 1972, THE INSCRIPTION OF THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM AND
ITS WALLS AT THE REQUEST OF JORDAN ON THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST (1981)
AND ON THE LIST OF WORLD HERITAGE IN DANGER (1982),AND THE
RECOMMENDATIONS, RESOLUTIONS AND DECISIONS OF UNESCO,


5. REAFFIRMING THE PURPOSE AND SPIRIT OF THE PROFESSIONAL ENCOUNTER
AT THE TECHNICAL LEVEL OF 13 JANUARY 2008, AS WELL AS THE FOLLOW-UP
MEETING OF 24 FEBRUARY 2008,


6. NOTING THE SIXTH REINFORCED MONITORING REPORT (FEBRUARY 2009)
PREPARED BY THE WORLD HERITAGE CENTRE,


7. REGRETTING THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE FOLLOW-UP MEETING OF EXPERTS
WHICH WAS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 12TH 2008, AS CALLED FOR IN DECISION
32COM 7A.18 ADOPTED BY THE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE IN QUEBEC CITY
AND REITERATED IN 180 EX/5 (II),OWING TO CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH IMPEDED
JORDANIAN EXPERTS FROM HAVING ACCESS TO THE MUGHRABI ASCENT SITE,


8. RECOGNIZING THE EXISTENCE OF DEEP CONCERNS REGARDING THE DECISION
TAKEN BY THE JERUSALEM DISTRICT PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION
ON THE TOWN PLANNING SCHEME FOR THE MUGHRABI ASCENT,


9. REQUESTS THAT, DESPITE THE DECISION MENTIONED IN PARAGRAPH 8, THE
PROCESS FOR THE DESIGN OF THE MUGHRABI ASCENT BE INCLUSIVE OF ALL
PARTIES CONCERNED, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPIRIT AND CONTENT OF
PREVIOUS WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE DECISIONS;


10. REAFFIRMS IN THIS REGARD THAT NO MEASURES, UNILATERAL OR
OTHERWISE, SHOULD BE TAKEN WHICH WILL AFFECT THE AUTHENTICITY AND
INTEGRITY OF THE SITE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONVENTION FOR THE
PROTECTION OF THE WORLD CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE OF 1972 AND, AS
NECESSARY, THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS ON THE PROTECTION OF CULTURAL
HERITAGE OF THE HAGUE CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF CULTURAL
PROPERTY IN THE EVENT OF ARMED CONFLICT OF 1954;


11. REITERATES THE REQUEST MADE BY THE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE AT
ITS 32ND SESSION IN DECISION 32 COM 7A.18 THAT THE ISRAELI
AUTHORITIES CONTINUE THE COOPERATION COMMENCED WITH ALL CONCERNED
PARTIES, IN PARTICULAR WITH JORDANIAN AND WAQF EXPERTS;


12. AFFIRMS THE NEED FOR COOPERATION IN ORDER TO ENSURE ACCESS TO THE
MUGHRABI ASCENT SITE, AND CALLS ON THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL TO ORGANIZE A
FOLLOW-UP MEETING OF EXPERTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, ONCE THE PARTIES
CONCERNED HAVE REACHED AN AGREEMENT;


13. REAFFIRMS THAT THE PROCESS FOR THE DESIGN OF THE MUGHRABI ASCENT,
WHICH ALLOWS FOR THE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION OF THE DESIGNS
SUBMITTED DURING THE AFOREMENTIONED PROFESSIONAL ENCOUNTER, IS STILL
UNDER WAY, AND THAT THE WORLD HERITAGE CENTRE IS FOLLOWING CLOSELY
THE DEVELOPMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROCESS THROUGH ITS REINFORCED
MONITORING MECHANISM;

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/08/2019
TAGS: PREL UNESCO KWBG JO IS
SUBJECT: MUGHRABI GATE: FROM UNESCO'S EXECUTIVE BOARD TO THE SEVILLE
WORLD HERITAGE MEETING



14. EXPRESSES ITS THANKS TO THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL FOR THE ACTION HE IS
TAKING TO FACILITATE THE DIALOGUE AND PROFESSIONAL EXCHANGES BETWEEN
ALL THE PARTIES CONCERNED;


15. INVITES THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL TO SUBMIT TO IT A PROGRESS REPORT
THEREON AT ITS 182ND SESSION.
END TEXT.

ENGELKEN