US marks return to UNESCO with Paris flag raising

The United States marked its return to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today, nearly two decades after it withdrew, with a flag raising ceremony at the agency's headquarters in Paris attended by First Lady Laura Bush.

The ceremony, at the start of UNESCO's 32nd General Conference, brings the number of Member States to 190, leaving only Singapore among the countries that left the Organization yet to rejoin. The rejoining, announced by President George W. Bush a year ago, takes effect on Wednesday. The US withdrew from UNESCO in 1984.

Opening the three-week assembly, which is being attended by more than 3,000 participants, including five Heads of State and more than 300 ministers, UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura said the conflicts in the two years since the 11 September 2001 terrorist attack on the United States have plunged the UN system into an unprecedented crisis.

Items high on the agenda include a proposal to develop an international convention against doping in sport, and the possibility of drawing up an international instrument on bioethics. Other issues include safeguarding of the world's cultural heritage, especially in view of looting and destruction in Iraq and Afghanistan, cultural diversity and multilingualism on the Internet.

A Draft International Declaration on Human Genetic Data will be presented for adoption during the session. Data collected in biological samples including blood, tissue, saliva and sperm allow for more testing, and promise breakthroughs in treating disease.

But the collection of genetic data also pose problems, such as the risk that they will open the door to discrimination and practices contrary to human rights and fundamental liberties. The text before the General Conference sets out the ethical principles that should govern the collection, processing, storage and use of such data, UNESCO said.