Cablegate: Argentina Still Undecided On Unesco

VZCZCXRO2982
OO RUEHRN
DE RUEHBU #0938 2262006
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 142006Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4226
INFO RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 1521
RUEHFR/UNESCO PARIS FR IMMEDIATE
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME IMMEDIATE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 0772
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA IMMEDIATE 0239
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0309

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000938

SIPDIS

IO/UNESCO FOR KELLY SIEKMAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNESCO PREL AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA STILL UNDECIDED ON UNESCO
DIRECTOR-GENERAL ELECTION

REF: A. SECSTATE 82701
B. BUENOS AIRES 817

1. (SBU) Acting PolCouns raised reftel points with Argentine
MFA International Organizations Directorate Christian Hotton
and asked if Argentina had decided which candidate it would
support in the September elections for UNESCO
Director-General. Hotton indicated that Argentina had not
yet decided for whom it would vote, especially given that so
many countries announced candidates at the last minute. He
said their decision was further complicated by the fact that
Argentina had nominated ex-Minister of Education Daniel
Filmus to serve as President of UNESCO's 35th Conference. On
that election, Hotton noted that GRULAC was having a hard
time reaching a consensus on whom to support, since both
Argentina and the Bahamas have nominated candidates for the
UNESCO Presidency. Hotton said the GOA is still working on
reaching a consensus candidate but predicted that the UNESCO
Executive Board would likely have to make the decision.
KELLY

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