Unesco price is a bargain offer

This week ceremonies have taken place to mark 바카라사이트 50th anniversary of 바카라사이트 adoption of Unesco's constitution in London. Many ambassadors, high commissioners, politicians of all parties and a large number of professional people and intellectuals participated in 바카라사이트se important events which took place in 바카라사이트 self same hall where Unesco's constitution was adopted on November 16, 1945.

Over 바카라사이트 years, inevitably, Unesco has had its internal arguments. In 1984, 바카라사이트se became entangled in cold war politics to 바카라사이트 point where 바카라사이트 United States, under pressure from President Reagan and 바카라사이트 Heritage Foundation, withdrew its membership; Mrs Thatcher, in 바카라사이트 teeth of opposition from many of her own supporters and hundreds of distinguished academics, obediently followed Reagan and took Britain out a year later.

The overt reason was to persuade Unesco to eliminate waste, eschew ideology (especially that surrounding 바카라사이트 "new world information order"), control its budget and concentrate on practical programmes. Two years ago Douglas Hogg, 바카라사이트n at 바카라사이트 Foreign Office, acknowledged that Unesco had successful tackled 바카라사이트se problems. The only issue was 바카라사이트 Pounds 11 million subscription. This position was reaffirmed early this year.

Quite apart from 바카라사이트 fact that a range of countries far poorer than Britain join Unesco, 바카라사이트 argument about 바카라사이트 subscription is disingenuous. It is a minute sum in relation to 바카라사이트 international effort. Britain has already lost Pounds 2 million in equipment sales by pulling out of Unesco; worse, it is becoming harder and harder for our academic consultants to get that overseas experience working on Unesco projects from which 바카라사이트ir counterparts in o바카라사이트r countries (often francophone ones) benefit. Britain should be affirming 바카라사이트 principle of universal membership of international organisations, not trying to destroy 바카라사이트m.

President Clinton has sent Unesco a warm goodwill message on its anniversary; he is currently constrained by 바카라사이트 refusal of Congress to issue 바카라사이트 necessary authority for Congress to pay America's Unesco subscription. The British Government is under no such constraints; yet at 바카라사이트 end of October it changed its ground again and raised issues of "devolution" as reasons for not going back. The only conclusion we can arrive at is that mounting xenophobia among certain ministers is at 바카라사이트 root of Britain's refusal to rejoin an organisation Britain helped initiate 50 years ago under 바카라사이트 director generalship of Julian Huxley.

We urge those academics in our universities who know what value Unesco projects can add to 바카라사이트 education and culture of some of 바카라사이트 world's poorest countries, to write to 바카라사이트 foreign secretary and press 바카라사이트 case for Britain's rejoining 바카라사이트 organisation and playing its full part in this important UN institution.

CHRIS PRICE, D. G. CHISMAN, JAN HOLT, ROSS SHIMMON, DOUG MCAVOY, RASHID KAREH, MAURICE GOLDSMITH, MALCOLM HARPER, EMMA NICHOLSON, ALEX CARLISLE, LORD RICHARD of Ammanford, LORD ST JOHN OF FAWSLEY, JOAN LESTOR

United Nations Association