Canada is "not happy" with the vote to grant UNESCO membership to the Palestinians and will reconsider its participation in the UN cultural body, Foreign Minister John Baird said Monday.
The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on Monday adopted a resolution to admit Palestine, with 107 countries voting in favor, 14 including the United States and Canada voting against, and 52 abstaining.
The United States, a staunch ally of Israel, quickly said it would cut all funding to the Paris-based UN body, in accordance with a 1990s law banning the financing of any UN organization that accepts Palestine as a full member.
"We are not happy with UNESCO's decision. We are working to determine what our response will be," Baird told reporters.
"We are in the process of evaluating our future participation" in UNESCO, he added, highlighting the body's "important work," notably in preserving world heritage sites.
Canada contributes about $10 million a year to UNESCO.
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