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Lucia A Keegan  10/27/2006 10:15:54 AM  From  DB/Inbox:  Lucia A Keegan

Cable 
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UNCLAS        PARIS 07054

SIPDIS
cxparis:
    ACTION: UNESCO
    INFO:   ECON AMBU AMB AMBO DCM SCI POL

DISSEMINATION: UNESCOX
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: AMB:LVOLIVER
DRAFTED: POL:DROSTROFF
CLEARED: DCM:AKOSS

VZCZCFRI884
RR RUEHC
DE RUEHFR #7054 2991648
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261648Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2580

UNCLAS PARIS 007054 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR L - RICHARD LAHNE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNESCO SCUL
SUBJECT:  HAGUE CONVENTION COMMITTEE MEETING MISFIRES 
 
 
¶1.  The first meeting of the Committee for the Protection of 
Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict at UNESCO ended 
practically before it got started today, after member states 
complained that the key document to be considered had not been 
distributed in sufficient time for consultations with their 
capitals.  The meeting was suspended and will be rescheduled for 
spring 2007. 
 
¶2.  Dr. Guido Carducci, Chief of UNESCO's International Standards 
Section in the Division of Cultural Heritage, attempted to plow 
forward with the agenda despite the fact that his office had only 
distributed the 33-page legal document to member states at the start 
of the meeting.  Carducci apologized, explaining that his office is 
extremely short-staffed, and overworked. 
 
¶3.  After talking with various representatives of the 12 member 
states on the committee, Ambassador Oliver sparked the reaction 
which prompted Finland, followed by other states, to call for the 
meeting to be suspended until the document could be reviewed by 
experts in their capitals.  (The draft guidelines document, which 
was to be considered for approval today, and the document suspending 
the meeting will be forwarded to Washington by e-mail.) 
 
¶4.  As the US is not a signatory of the Convention, Ambassador 
Oliver spoke only briefly. She noted that UNESCO must be held to its 
own rules, which require a six-week period for review of such 
documents.  The Ambassador also told those present that using 
UNESCO's limited resources to pay for organizing such an meeting at 
this level without giving member states ample time to prepare is a 
terrible example at a time when we are urging the organization to 
use its funding more effectively. (COMMENT:  The US was pleased to 
see that instead of just complaining, as is often done by member 
states, today, Committee members actually made a decision that they 
would not participate in another one of the Secretariat's poorly 
organized meetings.  This should send an important message to 
everyone at UNESCO that member states run the show and must have the 
needed documents and consultation time before important meetings 
take place in the future.  End comment.) 
OLIVER