VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHFR #0570/01 0861452
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261452Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2394
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 0364
RUEHPF/AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 0239

UNCLAS PARIS 000570 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT PASS TO NPS - STEPHEN MORRIS AND RICHARD SUSSMAN 
EMBASSY BANGKOK FOR MARY-GARDNER COPPOLA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNESCO SCUL
SUBJECT: UNESCO - PREAH VIHEAR TECHNICAL MEETING PARIS 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Without the Thai or American experts present, 
UNESCO's Culture Sector organized a two-day technical meeting on 
Preah Vihear in Paris March 25-26. It was clear that there are many 
serious issues that have not been thought through by the Cambodians. 
 These will require agreement with the Thais if they are to be 
successfully resolved.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The US Mission to UNESCO sent its political specialist to 
sit in on the afternoon session of the first day of discussions of 
the technical meeting on Preah Vihear.  The US Mission 
representative did not take the floor in the discussions, but simply 
introduced himself and said he was there to listen. 
 
¶3. (SBU) According to Giovanni Boccardi, Unit Chief for East Asia 
and the Pacific in UNESCO's World Heritage Center, UNESCO's Phnom 
Penh field office had been informed by the Thai government last 
Friday by letter that they would not be attending the meeting.  The 
US Mission informed Francoise Riviere's office, UNESCO's ADG for 
Culture, on Friday by e-mail that the US expert, Richard Sussman, 
would not be attending. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Despite this, the agenda for the meeting was not revised, 
and time had been set aside for presentations by both the Thai 
experts and Richard Sussman.  Although Mr. Sussman was not 
physically present, his name was invoked continually during the 
presentations and discussions. 
 
¶5. (SBU) While Mr. Boccardi represented ADG Riviere, who launched 
the meeting with a brief welcome, Professor Azedine Beschaouch, 
Special Advisor for Cambodia to the ADG Culture, was clearly running 
the meeting.  Beschaouch did his best to push the two Cambodian 
representatives present, Mr. Ty Yao, President, Cambodian National 
Authority for Preah Vihear, and Mrs. Tan Theany, General Secretary 
of the Cambodian National Commission for UNESCO, to accept a number 
of changes to Cambodia's proposal for the World Heritage Committee. 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) The other experts present were Professor Koenraad Van 
Balen, Director of the Centre Raymond Lemaire at the University of 
Leuven, Belgium, Mr. Antoine Bruguerolle, Heritage architect, 
France, Mr. Michel Verrot, Advisor to the Royal Government of 
Cambodia, and Dr. Divay Gupta, Heritage Specialist, India.  Mr. Feng 
Jing, Program Specialist from the World Heritage Center's East Asia 
and Pacific Unit was attended the meeting.  Finally, Messrs. Blaise 
Kilian and Philippe Delanghe from the UNESCO field office in Phnom 
Penh were also present. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Dr. Gupta spoke on the 35 action projects that he had 
identified requiring work at the Preah Vihear site.  Mentioning the 
demining of the area surrounding the site, Dr. Gupta said that he 
believes some 80 percent has now been demined, adding that the 
specialists doing the work had previously demined the Angkor Wat 
temple, and have experience in working in archeological sites.  He 
also mentioned that the Chinese had begun work on the new road to 
the Preah Vihear site, while claiming that no decision had been 
taken about the final end point of the road. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Mr. Bruguerolle spoke about the need to define a 10 square 
kilometer protected area around the site in order to ensure the 
preservation of the zone.  When asked about the number of people now 
living in the area, Mr. Yao was unable to provide any clear answers. 
 Beschaouche pushed him hard to find out if the Cambodians have any 
legal authority to restrict people from settling in the zone today. 
Yao said that a royal decree would be needed, and that such a decree 
would take at least a month or two to arrange. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Beschaouche was quite aggressive with the Cambodians on 
several issues where they have not yet taken decisions needed to 
present the site inscription in the best possible light. 
Beschaouche repeatedly asked that various photos and maps be 
changed, and that references to an "aerodrome" be dropped to ensure 
a positive response from the World Heritage Committee. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Several times during the discussion, Beschaouche told the 
Cambodians that they would need to negotiate specific issues with 
the Thai, particularly in connection with access to the welcome 
center from both countries, and the general issue of capacity, in 
terms of cars, shuttles, and tourists.  Mr. Yao and Mrs. Theany 
listened carefully, but very clearly were not prepared to give 
substantive answers to any of Beschaouche's questions. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Comment: UNESCO's decision to hold this meeting, despite 
the absence of both the Thais and the American expert, gave the 
impression of real desperation in the Culture Sector's front office. 
 The Cambodians would appear to be deluded if they believe that the 
current dossier will be accepted without major revisions that will 
require lengthy negotiations with the Thai government.  The heavy 
French representation was noteworthy (the proceedings were conducted 
in French, for example), but demonstrates the importance of the 
Preah Vihear project both here in Paris and at UNESCO.  End comment. 
 OLIVER