Quebec should have a kind of right of veto on the Canadian position with UNESCO when it is in disagreement with Ottawa on the questions related to its fields of compétence.

< > It is what the head of the Block québécois affirmed yesterday, Gilles Duceppe, at the time of a press conference during which it explained what of Quebec within the large organizations internationales.

< > "Ottawa should be the place cannot claim to represent Quebec when comes time to negotiate or in a field of competence of Quebec, unless Quebec specifically authorized it. It is about a premise impossible to circumvent to the definition of the place of Quebec in the international forums. Canada must recognize the international prolongation of competences of Quebec by an unambiguous declaration and to conform thereafter clearly to this declaration ", declared Mr. Duceppe who was accompanied by appointed Francine Lalonde, spokesman of the Block as regards businesses étrangères.

< > Mr. Duceppe pointed out the promise made by the Prime Minister Stephen Harper, at the time of the last election campaign, to give a seat to Quebec within the Canadian representation with UNESCO on the model of the francophonie. Whereas the Harper government at the present time negotiates with the Charest government the nature of this presence, Mr. Duceppe pointed out that the Prime Minister had had to reconsider his electoral promise somewhat when it realized that the payments of UNESCO did not allow the addition of a siège.

< > "So that Quebec has such a role, declared Mr. Duceppe, it will be necessary initially that it becomes a sovereign country. Now, Quebec will not be satisfied to be relegated to a role of figurant."

< > But, to circumvent the difficulty, the Block québécois request with the federal government, when it takes part in international discussions being held within a framework where there can be only one Canadian delegation, which Quebec has the right to express its point of view as soon as its competences or its responsibilities are concernées.

< > "The federal government cannot defend a position that if he were elected in this direction by Quebec, explained Francine Lalonde. Failing this, it will abstain from at the time the vote like does it Belgium into similar circonstance."

< > the Harper Prime Minister did not answer yesterday the new request of Bloc.< >