Palestine’s Unesco membership may cause financial implications: UN chief
November 1st, 2011 - 6:01 am ICT by IANSUnited Nations, Nov 1 (IANS) The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said the admission of Palestine to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) may create funding problems for the organisation.
“As you are already aware by this time, this step could have potential implications for funding provided by some member states,” Xinhua quoted Ban as saying Monday during a press conference held to mark the day when the world population reached 7 billion-mark.
“This is a decision by the member states. But as the secretary-general of the United Nations, I have to draw out to the members of the United Nations system this fact,” he added.
The Unesco Monday voted to admit Palestine, even as the discussion continues in the UN Security Council about admitting Palestine as a member state of the UN as a whole.
With this, the Unesco turned the first UN agency to have admitted Palestine as a member.
Palestine won admission with 107 countries voting in its favour, 14 in against and 52 abstained.
The US and Israel have voiced opposition to the Unesco’s move.
On Monday, the US announced its decision to stop its financial contributions to Unesco in response to their decision to admit Palestine before completion of bilateral negotiations between Israel and Palestine.
“It is (up to) member states to ensure that the United Nations system as a whole (has) a consistent political and financial support,” said Ban. “As such, we will need to work on practical solutions to preserve Unesco’s financial resources.”
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- Palestine becomes Unesco member; US upset - Nov 01, 2011
- United Arab Emirates congratulates Palestine on UNESCO vote - Nov 02, 2011
- Palestine becomes a member of UNESCO - Oct 31, 2011
- UNESCO raises Palestinian flag at Paris headquarters - Dec 14, 2011
- Israel freezes Unesco funding - Nov 03, 2011
- US halts $60 mn contribution to Unesco over Palestine - Nov 01, 2011
- UAE welcomes Palestine's Unesco membership - Nov 01, 2011
- Palestinian membership bid report sent to UNSC - Nov 12, 2011
- UNESCO creates fund to overcome US-induced shortfall - Nov 11, 2011
- Palestine's Unesco membership welcomed in Russia - Nov 01, 2011
- UNESCO executive council votes for Palestinian membership - Oct 06, 2011
- Israel declines to accept Palestine's Unesco membership - Nov 01, 2011
- Palestine's Unesco membership reflects global support: Iran - Nov 02, 2011
- Palestine applies for UN membership - Sep 24, 2011
Tags: ban ki moon, bilateral negotiations, favour, financial contributions, financial implications, financial resources, member state, member states, members of the united nations, nov 1, palestine, practical solutions, secretary general of the united nations, un agency, un secretary general, un security council, unesco, united nations system, world population, xinhua