This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/09/kosovo-fails-in-unesco-membership-bid

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Kosovo fails in Unesco membership bid Kosovo fails in Unesco membership bid
(35 minutes later)
Kosovo has failed in its bid to join Unesco, falling three votes short of the two-thirds majority among member states required. Kosovo has failed in its bid to join Unesco, falling three votes short of the required two-thirds majority among member states.
Ninety-two member states voted in favour, 50 against and dozens abstained. Kosovo needed 95 votes to gain membership of the UN cultural body, which would have represented another step in its bid for full international recognition. Ninety-two states voted in favour, 50 against and dozens abstained. Kosovo needed 95 votes to gain membership of the UN cultural body, which would have represented another step in its bid for full international recognition.
Unesco’s executive board recommended accepting Kosovo as a member last month, despite it not being a UN member state. Unesco’s executive board recommended accepting Kosovo as a member last month, despite it not being a UN member state. Serbia, which considers Kosovo the cradle of its identity and religion, was strongly opposed and tried on Monday to delay the vote at Unesco’s headquarters in Paris.
Serbia, which considers Kosovo the cradle of its identity and religion, was strongly opposed and tried earlier on Monday to delay the vote at Unesco’s headquarters in Paris.
Kosovo’s deputy foreign minister, Petrit Selimi, said: “It’s a small setback in a very long journey. We already won a big battle when we achieved peace … The majority of the world wants to see Kosovo inside Unesco. We were only three votes short.”Kosovo’s deputy foreign minister, Petrit Selimi, said: “It’s a small setback in a very long journey. We already won a big battle when we achieved peace … The majority of the world wants to see Kosovo inside Unesco. We were only three votes short.”
Serbia’s president, Tomislav Nikolić, said he welcomed the decision. Serbia’s president, Tomislav Nikolić, said he welcomed the decision. “This is a just and moral victory gained in almost impossible conditions, when what is right cannot count on the support of the majority,” he said.
“This is a just and moral victory gained in almost impossible conditions, when what is right cannot count on the support of the majority,” he said. Unesco membership would have unlocked millions in funds for culture and education in Kosovo. Kosovo’s prime minister, Isa Mustafa, had pledged to protect Serbian Orthodox Christian sites in an attempt to allay the fears of countries opposed to its membership bid.
Unesco membership would have unlocked millions in funds for culture and education in Kosovo. Its prime minister, Isa Mustafa, had pledged to protect Serbian Orthodox Christian sites in a bid to allay the fears of countries opposed to its membership bid. Serbia had warned that Orthodox monuments would be at risk if Kosovo took over their management, citing instances of attacks and looting since the 1998-99 war between the two sides.
Serbia had warned that Orthodox monuments would be at risk if Kosovo took over their management, citing instances of attacks and looting since the 1998 to 1999 war between the two sides.