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Coronavirus pandemic

US motives behind quitting WHO unclear, says Russia’s UN ambassador

This is not a very reasonable move, he believes, since "to a large extent, it is the US that controls this organization"

MOSCOW, July 9./TASS/. The aim of the US withdrawal from the World Health Organization is unobvious, given the influence it had in the organization, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nenenzya said in an interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman.

"There’s been many things the US has quitted of late, the most recent being the WHO. It is worth noting that they have the right to do this. Any country is sovereign, it has the right to participate or not participate in this or that treaty, agreement or organization. A different question is what the US needs this for, what is it seeking to achieve by this," he added.

This is not a very reasonable move, he believes, since "to a large extent, it is the US that controls this organization" "If you take a look at the staff of the WHO Secretariat, you will see this. It is difficult to explain this move, even for domestic policy considerations. Since there is a serious opposition in the US to this decision and assessment of the WHO role, both in general and in terms of how it acted among the pandemic," the diplomat summed up.

US President Donald Trump said on May 29 that Washington was terminating its relations with the World Health Organization "because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms." The US leader claimed the WHO was being controlled by China and accused China and the WHO of not taking due measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus infection.

The United States notified the United Nations about its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) from July 6, 2021, Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said on Tuesday.

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