UN not officially notified about U.S. decision to withdraw from UN entities: spokesperson

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations has not been officially notified about the U.S. decision to withdraw from 31 UN entities, a UN spokesperson said Friday.

"No, and I checked especially with our legal department ... and there's been no official communication," Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told a daily briefing when asked if the United Nations has been officially notified about the U.S. decision to pull out of 31 UN entities.

The United States is to withdraw from 66 international organizations, according to a presidential memorandum signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday. The memorandum applies to 31 UN entities and 35 non-UN entities, which the White House said "no longer serve American interests."

In a statement issued by the spokesperson on Thursday, the UN chief regretted the announcement by the White House regarding the U.S. decision to withdraw from UN entities.

"As we have consistently underscored, assessed contributions to the United Nations regular budget and peacekeeping budget, as approved by the General Assembly, are a legal obligation under the UN Charter for all Member States, including the United States," the statement said.

Noting that all UN entities will go on with the implementation of their mandates as given by member states, the statement said the United Nations "has a responsibility to deliver for those who depend on us. We will continue to carry out our mandates with determination." ■