**Georgia’s PM Explains Withdrawal of Zurab Pololikashvili’s UN Candidacy**
In a surprising move, Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has explained the reasons behind the withdrawal of Zurab Pololikashvili’s candidacy for Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. According to Kobakhidze, one of the main reasons was that there is no precedent in the UN system for a candidate to be nominated for such a position more than twice.
Kobakhidze stated that specific states began to summon Georgia’s ambassadors as a kind of “demarche” or diplomatic protest regarding the fact that Georgia had submitted its candidacy to the UN system for the third time. This, he said, was considered undemocratic and without precedent in the UN system. While Kobakhidze declined to go into further details about the reasons behind the decision, he emphasized that Pololikashvili’s message on the topic was regrettable.
**Pololikashvili Denies Knowledge of Withdrawal**
Meanwhile, Zurab Pololikashvili has denied any knowledge of the withdrawal of his candidacy. In a letter to Formula, he claimed that the decision had not been agreed with him and demanded an explanation from Prime Minister Kobakhidze. Pololikashvili also expressed frustration at being kept in the dark about the decision, stating that it was a big lie that he had desired or agreed upon the withdrawal of his candidacy.
Kobakhidze responded to Pololikashvili’s letter by saying that the message spread by him on this topic was regrettable. He emphasized that there were other reasons behind the decision, which he chose not to disclose. However, Kobakhidze did express satisfaction at the fact that Pololikashvili’s message had “firmly proved” that Georgia’s decision was correct.
**What Does it Mean for Georgia and the UN?**
The withdrawal of Pololikashvili’s candidacy has sparked interest in the international community, particularly given his previous experience as Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organization. While details about the reasons behind the decision are scarce, it is clear that Georgia’s government was keen to avoid a repeat of what they saw as an undemocratic precedent.
As for Pololikashvili, his denial of knowledge of the withdrawal and his frustration at being kept in the dark suggest that there may be more to this story than meets the eye. Will we see him return to his role as Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organization? Only time will tell.
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