VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHFR #1458/01 3021538
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291538Z OCT 09
FM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS FR
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0000

UNCLAS UNESCO PARIS FR 001458 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR IO; PASS TO DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, NATIONAL PARK 
SERVICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SCUL PREL UNESCO
SUBJECT: WORLD HERITAGE ELECTION RESULTS 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  Elections were held October 26 during the 17th 
meeting of the World Heritage General Assembly at UNESCO to replace 
12 of the 21 Member States on the World Heritage Committee.  Changes 
in the Rules of Procedure were adopted including a voluntary 
reduction in term length to four years (down from six years) for 
World Heritage Committee members, and a minimum gap of four years 
between terms on the Committee.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) The following countries were elected to the World Heritage 
Committee: 
 
Cambodia 
Estonia 
Ethiopia 
France 
Iraq 
Mali 
Mexico 
Russia (special ballot - non-represented group) 
South Africa 
Switzerland 
Thailand 
United Arab Emirates (special ballot, state without a site) 
 
¶3.  (U) Several changes in the General Assembly's Rules of Procedure 
were adopted, after a heated and often chaotic day-long debate, in 
an effort to bring greater geographic representation into the 
composition of the WH Committee and to simplify the electoral 
process.  Notably, a four-year moratorium before seeking re-election 
to the Committee, merely a gentleman's agreement until now, was 
formally incorporated into the Rules of Procedure.  Also, voluntary 
WH Committee term limits were adopted, inserted as a footnote into 
the Rules of Procedure. Other changes were made to ensure that 
non-represented geographic groups and states without any property on 
the World Heritage List are assured a seat through separate ballots. 
 For this reason, voting for the twelve vacant seats took place in 
three separate rounds: 
 
- The first round was a special election for one seat which was 
reserved for a country having no sites on the World Heritage List. 
The only candidate was the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  The UAE was 
elected by acclamation without any balloting taking place. 
 
- Although the World Heritage Convention does not formally recognize 
the traditional UN and UNESCO regional groups, the second round was 
devoted to the election of one seat reserved for any geographic 
group currently unrepresented on the World Heritage Committee.  In 
this case, Group II - Eastern Europe, had been unrepresented on the 
WH Committee.  Six countries were candidates for the seat. The first 
round of voting was inconclusive, as no state won an absolute 
majority (half of all votes, plus one).  A second round was held 
where the candidate receiving the highest number of votes was 
declared the winner.  The Russian Federation won the election, with 
54 votes. 
 
- The third round of voting was a general round for the remaining 
ten seats.  Five seats were filled in the first ballot by those 
states receiving an absolute majority of votes:  France, 
Switzerland, Thailand, Cambodia, and South Africa.  The winners in 
the second ballot in this round (highest number of votes received) 
were: Estonia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Mexico, and Mali. 
 
¶4. (U) With the election completed, the full 21-member World 
Heritage Committee now has the following composition: 
 
- Group I (North America/Europe): 
Sweden 
France (new) 
Switzerland (new) 
 
 
- Group II (Eastern Europe): 
Estonia (new) 
Russia (new) 
 
- Group III (GRULAC - Latin America and Caribbean): 
Mexico (new) 
Barbados 
Brazil 
 
- Group IV (ASPAC - Asia - Pacific): 
Cambodia (new) 
Thailand (new) 
Australia 
China 
 
- Group V(a) (Sub-Saharan Africa): 
Ethiopia (new) 
Mali (new) 
 
South Africa (new) 
Nigeria 
 
- Group V(b) (Arab states): 
Iraq (new) 
United Arab Emirates (new) 
Egypt 
Jordan 
Bahrain 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Comment:  Overall, from a U.S. perspective, the results of 
the elections are positive and should result in a WH Committee that 
is more geographically balanced and that could remain politically 
moderate.  Iran was not elected, having received 44 votes, just 
three votes short of capturing a seat.  Both Cambodia and Thailand 
were elected to the WH Committee, keeping some balance, but also 
guaranteeing future debates on the Preah Vihear temple site, over 
which the two countries have had recent military skirmishes. 
Russia's election will not help U.S. concerns regarding the 
treatment of sites in Kosovo, originally nominated by Serbia. 
However, the election of four states that recognize Kosovo (UAE, 
Switzerland, France, and Estonia) will hopefully bring some balance 
to those discussions.  The UAE and Iraq have increased the strong 
Arab presence now on the WH Committee, which could create 
difficulties for Israel, given the past disputes between Jordan and 
Israel concerning the reconstruction of the ascent to the Mughrabi 
Gate at Jerusalem's Temple Mount site. The next meeting of the World 
Heritage Committee is scheduled to take place in Brasilia beginning 
July 25, 2010.  The United States, though no longer a Committee 
member, will send an observer delegation, as voting will take place 
on the two U.S. sites nominated for inscription, Mount Vernon and 
Hawaii's Papahanaumokuakea marine reserve. 
 
KILLION