Cuba Reelected Member of UNESCO Executive Board

November 2, 2011.- The Cuban ambassador to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Maria de los Angeles Florez, announced Wednesday the reelection of Cuba as member of the Executive Board of the international entity.

The decision, made during the 36th UNESCO General Conference underway in Paris, is an international acknowledgment to the island, the diplomat told PL.

She added that the reelection is rewarding and at the same time commits the island to keep on working, especially at a moment in which the U.S. government decided to withhold his payments to UNESCO following the acceptance of Palestine as a full member of the organization.

In relation to Washington’s move, Fidel Castro wrote in his most recent reflections published today by the national and international media, that the White House’s decision did not take anyone by surprise. He said the action shows the U.S. government’s total lack of ethical values.

UNESCO’s Executive Board, made up of 58 nations, is elected every four years. Its main functions include the execution of the program adopted by the General Conference, whose current sessions began October 25 and will wrap up November 10.

In addition to Cuba, the other countries elected from Latin America and the Caribbean were Brazil, Ecuador and Mexico.(Cubaminrex/ACN)

Source: MINREX

A GREAT VICTORY FOR PALESTINE!

News media throughout the Internet are bringing us great tidings of joy.

"The general assembly decides to admit Palestine as a member of UNESCO," said the resolution adopted by 107 countries, with 14 voting against and 52 abstaining.

"This vote will help erase a tiny part of the injustice done to the Palestinian people," Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki told the assembly as the vote took place.

Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas submitted the request for membership of the UN General Assembly in September, and the Security Council is to meet on November 11 to decide whether to hold a formal vote on the application.

As a permanent UN Security Council member the US has a veto that it says it will exercise at the Council, but no one, [including the Yankee imperialists], has a veto at UNESCO [or the General Assembly].

Arab states braved intense US and French diplomatic pressure to bring the motion before the UNESCO executive committee in October, which passed it by 40 votes in favor to four against, with 14 abstentions.

The Palestinians previously had observer status at UNESCO.

LONG LIVE PALESTINE!