WASHINGTON, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Thursday informed the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that it would formally withdraw from the organization on Dec. 31, 2018.
The decision reflected "U.S. concerns with mounting arrears at UNESCO, the need for fundamental reform in the organization, and continuing anti-Israel bias at UNESCO," U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement.
The United States would seek to "remain engaged with UNESCO as a non-member observer state," the statement added.
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UNESCO chief "deeply regrets" U.S. withdrawal
PARIS, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova declared on Thursday that she "deeply regrets" the decision of the Unites States to withdraw from the UNESCO.
"It's a loss to the UNESCO, it's a loss to the family of the United Nations and it's a loss to multilateralism," Bokova says in a statement.
