US regrets losing vote at UNESCO

The US voiced regret Friday over losing is vote in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) General Conference as a result of legislative restrictions that have precluded payment of US dues to the organization. The restrictions were triggered when UNESCO member states voted to grant the Palestinians membership as a state in 2011. State Department Spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki said in a statement "we regret that today the United States lost its vote," saying "we note a loss of vote in the General Conference is not a loss of US membership." She affirmed that the US "intends to continue its engagement with UNESCO in every possible way, we can attend meetings and participate in debate, and we will maintain our seat and vote as an elected member of the Executive Board until 2015." "UNESCO and US leadership at UNESCO matter," she stressed. She noted that US President Barack Obama "has requested legislative authority to allow the United States to continue to pay its dues to UN agencies that admit the Palestinians as a member state when doing so is in the US national interest." "Although that proposal has not yet been enacted by Congress, the President remains committed to that goal," she added