Palestine à l’UNESCO : lobbying américain et inertie des Européens

Ci-dessous un message d’alerte de la députée européenne Nicole Kiil-Nielsen à propos des pressions que les USA sont en train d’exercer sur les Européens pour qu’ils s’alignent sur Israël.

Palestine à l’UNESCO : lobbying américain et inertie des Européens

A l’occasion du sommet de l’UNESCO qui s’ouvre aujourd’hui à Paris, les Etats-Unis viennent de monter d’un cran dans le lobbying qu’ils exercent sur les européens.

Un mail de l’ambassadeur des Etats-Unis auprès de l’Union Européenne vient de m’être adressé, comme sans doute à d’autres eurodéputé-es, menaçant directement les Etats membres du retrait de la contribution américaine à l’UNESCO (22% du budget total) en cas de vote favorable à l’adhésion de la Palestine à l’UNESCO.

Nous sommes à un moment charnière dans l’histoire du conflit au Moyen-Orient, et beaucoup de pressions s’exercent en Europe sur les élus et décideurs.

L’e-mail que nous avons reçu montre que les Etats-Unis vont jusqu’à envoyer un message de chantage aux élus européens par la voix de son ambassadeur auprès de l’UE. Le ton de l’e-mail est très clair : les élus doivent user de toute leur influence pour retarder le vote, sans quoi les Etats-Unis cesseront de financer les programmes de l’UNESCO.

Nous pouvons en tirer deux conclusions : d’abord, que ces tentatives de pression révèlent la crainte des Etats-Unis devant le soutien de plus en plus massif des citoyens, associations et gouvernements à la reconnaissance de l’Etat Palestinien. Ensuite, que la position américaine n’évoluera pas : la balle est donc dans le camp des Européens."

Nicole Kiil-Nielsen

Dear Ms. Kiil-Nielsen,

As you may know, the UNESCO Executive Board recommended on October 5 by a vote of 40 to 4, with 14 abstentions, that Palestine be admitted as a full member state of UNESCO during the organization’s October 25 to November 10 General Conference.  As a Member of the European Parliament, you have a critical role in shaping European opinion, which is why I would like to take this opportunity to explain why the United States opposes full Palestinian membership in UNESCO or any UN specialized agency. 

Due to U.S. legislation adopted in the early 1990s, recent Palestinian moves for full membership in the UN or UN specialized agencies place U.S. financial support for these agencies at risk. Two pieces of U.S. legislation would, if triggered, prohibit the U.S. from making assessed or voluntary contributions to UNESCO or any other UN specialized agency where the Palestinians gain full membership as a state (or the same standing as a member state) before they have the attributes of statehood gained through the peace process.  These restrictions have been in force under U.S. law for nearly two decades.

Because the U.S. is the largest contributor to UNESCO – providing 22 percent of UNESCO's regular budget – cutting off U.S. funds would likely degrade UNESCO's ability to do the important work we value highly. Prematurely admitting Palestine as a full member to UNESCO or any other UN specialized agency does not get us any closer to the goal shared by the U.S. and EU:  a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the Middle East, including two states for two peoples.  Precisely because we believe so strongly in the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, the United States has invested tremendous time and effort in supporting the Palestinian Authority's important state-building efforts and promoting the direct negotiations between the parties that are the only way to achieve true statehood.  

We understand that there are proposals to avert the crisis, including postponement of the vote, and appreciate the leadership that countries are demonstrating to address the situation, given their growing realization that the current course of action would seriously damage UNESCO.  I urge you to consider this important issue when speaking with your colleagues in the European Parliament, in other EU institutions, and in your home country. Your voice as a Member of the European Parliament is crucial in shaping European opinion, and I hope you’ll use it to help avert an outcome whereby the UNESCO General Conference admits Palestine as a full member during its upcoming session.

Sincerely,

Ambassador William E. Kennard

U.S. Mission to the European Union

Comments

[myriam]

60 milions de dollars de subvention des usa, ne seront pas donnés, voilà la sanction je propose de lancer une campagne de soutien à l'unesco. 1 euro par habitant 1 euro pour l'unesco.