PARIS, November 24. /TASS/. Western states are trying to avoid responsibility for undermining the 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Kazan, Russian Permanent Representative to the organization Alexander Kuznetsov told TASS on Thursday, commenting on a media report on his resignation.
"Such reports are only an attempt by Western countries to absolve themselves of their responsibility for undermining the 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Kazan," the diplomat said. He explained that he did indeed inform his colleagues of his resignation as the committee’s chairman but he continues to carry on as Russia’s permanent envoy to the organization.
The diplomat reiterated that Russia is actively participating in the World Heritage program and is marking the 50th anniversary of the 1972 convention this year. He noted that Russia, as the chairing country of the World Heritage Committee, attached great importance to the conference and was actively preparing to hold it without ruling out the possibility that it might be postponed, if necessary, or moved to Paris. However, according to him, Western countries "wanted to block the session in order to avoid the Russian chairmanship at the conference for the sake of their opportunistic goals."
According to him, "now Western countries are seeking an opportunity to justify the disruption of the committee’s session." "I consider this a propaganda ploy, which is regrettable," the envoy added.
News of resignation
Earlier, Agence France-Presse, citing Kuznetsov’s letter to the committee he chaired, reported that his authority as an envoy to the organization had been terminated and he was resigning as the committee’s chair. According to the news agency, the next chairperson of the committee will be appointed by a country which is listed next alphabetically in English following the name of the country of the quitting chair, in this case, Saudi Arabia. In the near future, the country should approve and designate a new chairperson, the news agency reported.
The 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee was supposed to be held in Kazan this summer but has been postponed indefinitely. According to Agence France-Presse, an emergency session to define the date and location of the next session will be held in the coming weeks. It may be held in the first half of 2023.