US regret over diversity convention

[cal04]

THE US said a diversity convention UNESCO adopted today could jeopardise the free flow of goods and ideas under the guise of protecting world cultures. "The US is very disappointed by the decision of the general conference to adopt the convention," the US State Department said in a statement. "The US is a multicultural society that fully supports the diversity of cultural expressions at home and abroad. We are committed to free trade and we regret that the convention reflects the efforts of some countries to advance an agenda of trade protectionism under the disguise of protecting cultural diversity.

"We also support the free flow of information and we regret that the wording of the convention could be misread to allow some governments to justify restricting this flow of information," the statement said. The United States found itself isolated in the international culture forum UNESCO, which approved the convention that supporters hope could help slow Hollywood globalisation.

The "Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions" was approved by an overwhelming majority of the 191 member states at UNESCO's biennial General Conference, with only Israel joining the United States in opposition. Australia was one of four countries that abstained.
Even Britain - normally Washington's reliable ally but currently constrained by its six-month presidency of the European Union - joined the majority, with ambassador Timothy Craddock describing the text as "clear and carefully balanced".

Just two years after the United States returned to the Paris-based body following a 19-year boycott, the vote was likely to be seen by conservative supporters of President George W. Bush as new evidence of anti-American bias in the United Nations. The US ambassador to UNESCO, Louise Oliver, criticised the treaty, saying it might be used to impede rather than facilitate the circulation of cultural property, and that it could be used to justify human rights violations.
Vigorously championed by France and Canada, the diversity convention is held up by supporters as a vital tool for combating English-speaking cultural standardisation.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16988671%255E1702,00.html

[VegasWolf]

1. Good to see that the good ole USA has so much clot int the world after

Bush!!

:sarcasm:

[mirandapriestly]

2. This story lost In the Fitzmas shuffle

My husband told me about it and I looked it up and hardly could find anything about it from the media (surprise surprise), then I did a search and of course a DU'er knew about it. This is just so sickening, and predictable. Free trade, yeah sure...

[HuffleClaw]

3. soooo predictable too imho

i can see the us being opposed just on general bushista principles, but israel?