Palestine Succeeded In Getting UNESCO Full Membership In 2011 Inspite Of Opposition Of USA And Israel

Inspite of severe opposition of the USA and Israel UNESCO approved full membership of Palestine with majority on October 31. Palestine membership was approved by 107 votes while 14 were against. While 52 countries including Britain did not participated in voting. UNESCO is the first organization of the UN that gave membership to Palestine. It is note worthy that 131 countries have recognized Palestine as an independent state that is more than 2/3 majority of the total of the UN member countries. On December 13, the Palestinian flag was hoisted among the flags of other countries outside the UNESCO building situated in Paris. The dialogue between Palestine and Israel have been suspended since 2010. Palestine boycotted the dialogue due to the Jewish settlement in Western Jordan. The USA has stopped the 60 million dollars aid to UNESCO as revenge of approving Palestinian membership that was due one week after the voting. UNESCO gets 20 % of its annual budget from the USA. According to an American law approved in 1990 any organization of the United Nation giving membership to Palestine before the peace accord between Palestine and Israel will be deprived of American aid.
*-- March 30,Power Handed Over To Civilian Government By Military Regime In Myanmar.
*-- On March 30, the Newly elected president of Myanmar (Burma), Thene Sein after taking oath dissolved the military government. The army chief of the Myanmar Mun Aang was also present in the oath taking ceremony. The civilian government came into power in November 2010 controversial election. The army favors the present government. "National League For Democracy" party of pro-democracy leader Aang Sou Chi of Myanmar did not take part in the elections. The newly elected government had talks with Sou Chi after elections and she was released after 7 years of house arrest on November 13, 2010. The Sou Chi's release was an important step ahead toward democratic process.On August 19, an hour long dialogue was held between Sou Chi and Myanmar president Thene Sein in Speada, a far flung city of capital Rangoon where Sou Chi had come to attend Economic Forum.On October 19, two thousand prisoner were released including journalists, political workers,poets, and religious leaders. They had participated in 2007 in protests against military regime. On November 16, ASEAN allowed Myanmar to preside over the meeting of the organization during 2014, due to taking steps toward democracy.