LAST UPDATE: 14.45
Russia has decided to withdraw from the World Tourism Organization (WTO), whose member states will vote to exclude it, the UN-based service in Madrid announced today.
“Russia announced its intention to withdraw from the WTO” during the general assembly, the UN service wrote on Twitter. The suspension of Russia’s participation “has immediate effect”, he added.
The UN agency, which has been tasked with promoting tourism around the world, announced in early March that it was considering blocking Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine.
This decision, approved by the WTO Executive Board, must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the Member States at the General Assembly in order to take effect.
However, the WTO clarified on Twitter that the withdrawal decided by Moscow will not prevent the exclusion process from continuing. “Members must express themselves through a democratic vote.” assured.
“Our status is clear: promoting tourism for peace and universal respect for human rights,” WTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili of Georgia also tweeted.
“Only members who comply with it can be members of the WTO,” he said.
The 159-member WTO had “unequivocally” condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early March, denouncing a “gross violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
“War is never a solution! Neither now nor ever,” Zurab Pololikashvili said in a statement at the time, urging member states to send a “clear and unequivocal” message.
According to the WTO, which has been based in Madrid since 1976, this is the first time the organization has been convened to “consider suspending” the participation of one of its members.
Source: AMPE
Source: Capital
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