Kosova: UNESCO Rejects Bid for Full Membership
Kosova's aspirations for greater recognition in the international community suffered a setback. During the 38th Session of the UNESCO General Conference in Paris, Pristina’s bid to obtain full membership in the organization was unsuccessful after failing to obtain the approval of two-thirds of the voters. In October 2015, drawing on the support of 27 members, UNESCO’s Executive Committee recommended considering integrating Kosovo in the organization. Pristina is now ineligible to bid for full membership for the next two years.
Below is an article published by RFE:
Kosovo has narrowly failed to obtain membership in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) after a vote by member countries at the organization's general conference in Paris.
RFE/RL's Balkan Service reports that the vote on November 9 in Paris was 92 countries in favor of Kosovo's membership, while 50 countries voted against allowing Kosovo to join UNESCO.
Kosovo needed support from three more countries that participated in order to achieve membership.
Serbia's President Tomislav Nikolic called the vote "a just and moral victory" for Belgrade, which together with Russia, had campaigned against Kosovo's membership.
A majority of UNESCO's 58-member executive board voted on October 21 to recommend Kosovo as a full member state.
Kosovo's sovereignty has been recognized by more than 110 countries, including the United States and a majority of EU member states.
But Belgrade continues to oppose Kosovo's independence and is backed by Russia, which also has blocked Kosovo from becoming a UN member state.
