US Cuts Funds to UNESCO After Palestinian Vote

 　　The United States on Monday cut off funding to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, after the body voted to accept a bid for full membership by the Palestinians.

　　State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland called the vote "regrettable" and "premature," saying it undermines the "shared goal of a comprehensive, just and lasting¹ peace in the Middle East."

　　Nuland told reporters that although the United States remains² committed to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and to multilateral engagement across the U.N. system, the vote would have immediate³ consequences.

　　"Palestinian membership as a state in UNESCO triggers long-standing legislative⁴ restrictions⁵, which will compel the United States to refrain from making contributions to UNESCO," said Nuland.

　　Nuland said the United States will not make a $60 million payment to UNESCO in November as planned.  Still, she said, the United States would maintain its membership in the organization.

　　U.S. lawmakers have placed restrictions on financial support for any U.N.-affiliated body that accepts Palestinian membership before an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord is reached.  The United States promotes the goal of a two-state solution reached through direct negotiations⁶.

　　One-hundred-seven UNESCO delegates voted in favor of the Palestinian bid.  The State Department's Victoria Nuland said the United States has made its disapproval⁷ clear to those countries, adding that U.S. officials are trying to prevent this from happening again.

　　"We're certainly making the point directly to the Palestinians and to the voting members of other organizations that we don't see any benefit and we see considerable potential damage if this move is replicated⁸ in other U.N. organizations," she said.

　　Nuland said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has spoken to U.S. lawmakers and has organized a team to speak to Congress about the restrictions and options to protect U.S. interests.

　　According to UNESCO's constitution, if a country is in arrears⁹ in its payments to UNESCO for more than two years, it could lose its voting rights in the body.

　　The funding cuts could also have implications for the U.N. body because the United States provides 22 percent of UNESCO's budget.

1 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

2 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

3 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

4 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

5 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

6 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

7 disapproval   

n.反对，不赞成

参考例句：

• The teacher made an outward show of disapproval.老师表面上表示不同意。
• They shouted their disapproval.他们喊叫表示反对。

8 replicated   

复制( replicate的过去式和过去分词 )； 重复； 再造； 再生

参考例句：

• Later outplant the seedlings in a replicated permanent test plantation. 以后苗木出圃栽植成重复的永久性试验林。
• The phage has replicated and the donor cells have lysed. 噬菌体已复制和给体细胞已发生裂解。

9 arrears   

n.到期未付之债，拖欠的款项；待做的工作

参考例句：

• The payments on that car loan are in arrears by three months.购车贷款的偿付被拖欠了三个月。
• They are urgent for payment of arrears of wages.他们催讨拖欠的工钱。