EU urges against 'precipitate action' on UNESCO

(BRUSSELS) - EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Monday urged nations to maintain support for UNESCO after the Palestinians won entry, as the US said it would stop funding as a result of the vote.

"The EU calls on all to continue their support for UNESCO's mission," a spokesman for Ashton said. "This is about peace, identity, culture, heritage and freedom of expression."

"The EU therefore urges all parties to pause for reflection before taking precipitate actions," he added.

"We should do everything we can to prevent damage to the very UN organisation which places these themes at the heart of its work."

Palestinians were admitted as a member of Paris-based UNESCO after 107 nations voted in favour, with 14 voting against and 52 abstaining.

Among those opposed were the United States and Israel, which have said they will withdraw funding from the UN cultural body.

Hours after the vote, Washington said it was stopping financial contributions to the UN cultural body.

Washington in the 1990s banned the financing of any United Nations organisation that accepts Palestine as a full member, meaning the body would lose $70 million (50 million euros), or 22 percent of its annual budget.