Voice of America reports:
The United States says it is cutting off financial contributions to the United Nations cultural agency following its vote Monday to grant Palestinians full membership.
The State Department said Washington will not make a $60-million November payment to UNESCO because of a longstanding U.S. law that prohibits American support for any U.N.-affiliated body that accepts Palestinian membership.
Washington currently is UNESCO's biggest funding source, supplying 22 percent of the agency's budget.
Earlier Monday, the Paris-based UNESCO voted to approve the Palestinian membership bid by a vote of 107 to 14, with 52 abstentions.
Fox News:
"We are not going to be able to continue contributing to the budget," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. "Palestinian membership as a state in UNESCO triggers longstanding legislative restrictions which will compel the United States to refrain from making contributions to UNESCO."
More:
The U.S. funds about 22 percent of UNESCO's budget, or roughly $80 million annually. Nuland said the $60 million was scheduled to be sent in November.
"We obviously have to comply with U.S. law, to comply with U.S. restrictions. That said, we will have a conversation with Congress on moving forward," she said.
Nuland said that if the U.S. ends up in arrears it could challenge U.S. membership status.
The US should boot the whole UN headquarters out of New York and not give them a penny for anything, ever again.
Giving any agency within the UN or corrupt and scandal ridden UN itself, money is like burning it. A big waste.
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