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Russia’s envoy to UNESCO quitting his post — agency

The 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee was to be held this summer in Russia’s Kazan but was postponed for an indefinite time

MOSCOW, November 24. /TASS/. Alexander Kuznetsov of Russia has quitted as Permanent Representative to UNESCO and vacated the office of the chairperson of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, Agence France-Presse reported on Thursday.

The agency quoted his letter to the committee members saying that he finds it impossible to remain the chair of the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee as his mission as Russia’s envoy to UNESCO is over.

According to UNESCO’s rules, the next chairperson of the committee is to be appointed by a country, which is listed alphabetically next in the English language after the country of the quitting chair. Thus, Kuznetson will be succeeded to a representative of Saudi Arabia, which is to confirm its consent and appoint a new chairperson within days.

The 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee was to be held this summer in Russia’s Kazan but was postponed for an indefinite time. According to AFP, an extraordinary session will be convened within weeks to agree the date and venue of the next session, which may be organized in the first half of 2023.

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