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BBC: US defeated in film row.
The United Nations cultural body voted in favour of a cultural diversity convention, backed by France, Canada and the UK.The US had said the "deeply flawed" convention could be used to block the export of Hollywood films and other cultural exports. The vote follows French moves to protect its film and music industries. Strict quotas France already awards large subsidies to its own film, music, theatre and opera industries to support its cultural heritage. It also imposes strict quotas on the level on non-French material broadcast on radio and television. The new convention on cultural diversity aims to recognise the distinctive nature of cultural goods and services. It enables countries to take measures to protect what it describes as "cultural expressions" that may be under threat. The majority of Unesco's 191 member states voted for the convention. Britain's representative to Unesco, Timothy Craddock, said the wording was "clear, carefully balanced, consistent with the principles of international law and fundamental human rights". But it was opposed by the US, which said the convention was unclear and open to wilful misinterpretation. Posted by: 3dc 2005-10-21 |
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