This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

061451Z Jan 06

UNCLAS PARIS 000098 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SCUL FR UNESCO
SUBJECT:  USUNESCO - DG'S SURPRISE CHRISTMAS SHAKE-UP 
IN THE EDUCATION AND SOCIAL AND HUMAN SCIENCE SECTORS 
 
 
¶1.  Just before UNESCO closed for the Christmas 
holidays, Director General Matsuura, on December 23, 
issued an internal memorandum shaking up parts of both 
the education and social science sectors.  In a 
surprise move, the DG reassigned Wataru Iwamoto 
(Japan), the head of the Education Sector's Secondary, 
Technical and Vocational section to be the head of the 
Social and Human Science (SHS) sector's Management of 
Social Transformations (MOST) program.  This change 
will likely have positive implications for the 
Education Sector while potentially limiting the reach 
of SHS. 
 
¶2.  Iwamoto will now assume a D1 post, replacing Pierre 
Sane (ADG/SHS) as acting director of the MOST program. 
Part of Iwamoto's new portfolio will be the monitoring 
of the anti-doping convention (which was previously in 
the education sector) and other sports-related 
activities such as CIGEPS and MINEPS.  Iwamoto assumes 
his job just before the major MOST meeting in Argentina 
and Uruguay next month. 
 
¶3.  ADG for Education Peter Smith's deputy, Qian Tang, 
who formerly handled the Secondary, Technical and 
Vocational section will temporarily handle the section 
again when he returns from his holidays.  The section 
will probably be in disarray for some time as it will 
not only be changing leadership, it will also be moving 
imminently into new offices as part of the UNESCO 
headquarters renovation. 
 
¶4.  Comment.  This shake-up has mostly positive 
implications for U.S. interests.   The DG will now be 
able to exert more direct control over the MOST 
program, and Pierre Sane's hold over his prized program 
will be weakened.  Though the core budget for 
implementing the anti-doping convention will be moved 
from the Education Sector, any future costs will have 
to be borne from the already limited SHS budget.  While 
most of this bodes well for the U.S., one area of 
concern is Iwamoto's perceived weakness as a leader. 
Though he will have the DG's backing it remains to be 
seen whether he will be as effective a bureaucratic in- 
fighter as Sane. 
 
¶5.  Comment continued:  The shake-up also shows the 
DG's deep distrust of Sane.  While Peter Smith is being 
given free rein to restructure the Education Sector, we 
are told the DG told a senior staff meeting several 
months ago that he intends to be directly involved in 
the restructuring of SHS.  Sane loses the opportunity 
to place an ally in an important D1 position while a D1 
position in the Education Sector is vacated just before 
Smith's reforms are implemented. 
 
KOSS