US Says Complicated To Support UNESCO Programs After Palestine Vote

The US is strongly hinting it could cut financial support for UNESCO programs, following the decision earlier Monday to admit Palestine as a full member of the Paris-based agency.

US Ambassador to UNESCO David Killion said, “this action today will complicate our (US) ability to support UNESCO’s programs.”

In the opinion of Killion, “There are other ways of promoting the cause of the Palestinian people that would not have involved seeking premature membership at UNESCO. We sincerely regret that the strenous and well-intentioned efforts of many delegations to avoid this result fell short.”

Killion added that, “The United States has been very clear about the need for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But the only path to the Palestinian state that we all seek is through direct negotiations. There are no short cuts and we believe efforts such as the one we have witnessed today are counter-productive.”

UNESCO’s decision to grant Palestine membership followed a vote of 107 in favor to 14 against, with 52 abstentions. There are now 195 UNESCO Member States.

 

 

 

U.S. Ambassador to UNESCO David Killion (Oct. 31): “The United States of America: no … However, we recognize that this action today will complicate our ability to support UNESCO’s programs. There are other ways of promoting the cause of the Palestinian people that would not have involved seeking premature membership at UNESCO. We sincerely regret that the strenous and well-intentioned efforts of many delegations to avoid this result fell short. The United States has been very clear about the need for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But the only path to the Palestinian state that we all seek is through direct negotiations. There are no short cuts and we believe efforts such as the one we have witnessed today are counter-productive.”