Large US payment puts UN on sound financial footing, top UN official reports

United Nations News Service ^ | Oct. 15, 2001 | ?

[JMJ333]

15 October – A United States payment of over half a billion dollars to the United Nations has put the world body on its best financial footing in recent years, the Organization's top budget official said today.

"This is not a report that features doom and gloom - it's a report that features good news," Joseph Connor, the Under-Secretary-General for Administration and Management, told reporters at a press briefing in New York. He said Member States were expected to contribute more to the UN in regular dues than in any prior year - amounting to $4,716 million, compared with $2,893 million last year.

The US was expected to pay $1,666 million, including $625 million paid last Friday. With legislative directives in place, "payment of sizeable amounts from the United States to the United Nations is at hand," said Mr. Connor. The UN has funds in excess of current requirements. Washington's payments include back and current dues for the UN's regular budget, peacekeeping operations and international tribunals.

Looking back on the history of the US arrears problem, which has plagued the UN over successive administrations, Mr. Connor said, "We're looking at numbers we've never looked at in a long number of years here, but basically the key element here is that there will only be relatively speaking about $600 million unpaid, as opposed to $1.9 billion that we'd been looking at." In other words, he added, "they're cutting it by two-thirds."

"You've never heard me say this," said Mr. Connor to the journalists, many of whom have attended his previous briefings on the UN's dire financial situation. "The United Nations has funds in excess of current requirements."

While welcoming these developments as a "step in the right direction," the Under-Secretary-General said the UN's financial situation was "still somewhat tenuous for an Organization that has no reserves, no capital and no borrowing capacity."

[JMJ333]

While welcoming these developments as a "step in the right direction," the Under-Secretary-General said the UN's financial situation was "still somewhat tenuous for an Organization that has no reserves, no capital and no borrowing capacity."

"Its more money than we've ever recieved and that's nice, but---its just not enough!"

[JMJ333]

I hate knowing that so much of our hard earned tax dollars are going to such evil creeps. I wish Bush would stand up to them and get us out of the UN.

[Tacis]

This US taxpayer money will allow many of the 3rd world crooks who are on staff at the UN to catch up on the back rent payments for the apartments they maintain for their girl friends and, maybe, a little bauble or two for that special event. But, no matter how much we give them, "it should have been more."

[RippleFire]

Indexing for the UN_List.

[onedoug]

I suspect that Bush might put the UN to nation-building work as the Taliban fall, freeing the US and coalition forces to move on to new targets. Perhaps it's about time the UN was made to do what they're supposed to be doing. And the image of the United States leading the way while the United Nations brings up the rear has its own sort of appeal.

[cahergowan]

Perhaps with so much money, they can pay the $21 million they owe in parking fines to New York:

UN Parking Fines

[chimera]

It would be nice if all the money we pay these scumbags would buy some influence over there. Or at least gratitude. As it is, they take our money and spit in our faces. But with petty rats like these, that's their SOP.

[Kakaze]

" "The United Nations has funds in excess of current requirements." "

Wonderfull!

Now maybe they can finance their own relief efforts or maybe even afford to move to new "digs".......Why not in fact get a new place to live......on any other continent but North America!

After all it's time that the U.S.'s 50 plus year old dependant MOVED OUT!

[Garrisson Lee]

More money to the UN? It sounds like doom and gloom to me. They are the enemy.

[JMJ333]

I suspect that Bush might put the UN to nation-building work as the Taliban fall, freeing the US and coalition forces to move on to new targets. Perhaps it's about time the UN was made to do what they're supposed to be doing. And the image of the United States leading the way while the United Nations brings up the rear has its own sort of appeal

I may be wrong, but I don't think the Bush administration has the capability to "put" the UN to nation building. We just lost our seat on the security council...to Syria [a terrorist nation].

Israel, the British and the US need to get out of the UN and quit acting like they are legitimate.

[gcruse]

So the UN is flush. Now flush the UN.

[Kakaze]

A Early evening bump

[JMJ333]

Evening bump

[JMJ333]

bttt

[JMJ333]

4,716,000,000 of our money down the drain to anti-American pro-totalitarian pro-radical Islamic funadmentalists. We're really rooting out those terrorists, aren't we?