Home>>World
Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, September 13, 2002

US to Rejoin UNESCO 18 Years After Withdrawal

US President George W. Bush announced Thursday that the United States will rejoin the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) "to advance human rights, tolerance, and learning."


PRINT DISCUSSION CHINESE SEND TO FRIEND


US President George W. Bush announced Thursday that the United States will rejoin the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) "to advance human rights, tolerance, and learning."

The president made the announcement as he was addressing the general debate of the 57th General Assembly session, which opened Thursday morning.

Washington withdrew from the Paris-based organization 18 years ago to protest its alleged mismanagement and overly political policies.

"As a symbol of our commitment to human dignity, the United States will return to UNESCO," Bush said. "This organization has been reformed and America will participate fully in its mission toadvance human rights, tolerance, and learning."

The UN agency was created in 1946 to fight intolerance and racism, but in the mid-1980s it was accused of being corrupt, politicized and mismanaged.

The United States pulled out of the organization in 1984 duringRonald Reagan's presidency with then Secretary of State George Shultz charging that the UN agency had strayed far from its professed purposes. At the time, the United States provided a quarter of the agency's budget.

Britain also left in the mid-1980s but returned in 1998. At that time, the then US President Bill Clinton said budget constraints prevented the United States from rejoining.


Questions?Comments? Click here
    Advanced








 


Japanese Court Dismisses Germ Warfare Victims' Damages Claim ( 94 Messages)

China Plans to Stop the Overeas Flight of Corrupt Officials ( 69 Messages)

China Blocks the Way of Corrupt Officials Fleeing Overseas ( 5 Messages)

Survey Discloses Bad Service of Domestic Banks ( 4 Messages)

Quantitative Study Uncovers US Media Blackout: China Youth Daily ( 25 Messages)



Copyright by People's Daily Online, all rights reserved