But Serbia, which considers Kosovo the cradle of its identity and religion, was strongly opposed and tried earlier in the day to delay the vote.
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The request to allow Kosovo to join was explained as an issue “unrelated to recognizing Kosovo as a state or supporting its United Nations membership”, while a vote in favor would “give citizens of Kosovo access to cultural values and education and support UNESCO’s mission”. It fell short of that mark by two votes, with 50 members voting against the bid and 29 abstaining, according to the AP.
In Pristina, Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga told The Associated Press that the narrow vote was a “missed opportunity” for UNESCO, but vowed to push on with efforts to become “an equal member of the worldwide community”.
After the vote, Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Hachim Thaci remained defiant.
On October 21, the UNESCO Executive Committee recommended considering Kosovo’s membership of the organization.
“This is a just and moral victory in nearly impossible conditions”, Nikolic said in a statement.
Kosovo’s Prime Minister Isa Mustafa attends news conference at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, June 30, 2015.
Kosovo came under United Nations and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation administration after a 1999 Nato-led air war halted a Serbian crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists.
Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in February 2008.
Kosovo is already a member of the World Bank and the worldwide Monetary Fund, and has signed an association agreement with the EU.
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“The fact that the membership of Kosovo and Metohija is being discussed today in Paris is proof of a deep crisis in global law, a crisis of the today’s world”, Serbian Ambassador to Russian Federation Slavenko Terzic said.
