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International Issues

Paying the U.N.'s Bills

The U.S. pays the largest single share of the United Nations' regular and peacekeeping budgets -- 25 and 31.2 percent respectively. But the U.N. says the U.S. owes it $1.3 billion in back dues. The U.S. says the amount is more like $900 million. Washington says the U.N. must be reformed and it believes that withheld dues are the only real leverage the U.S. has. The Senate has passed a bill that would pay $819 million to the U.N. -- but with strings attached. The bill would impose a cap on yearly donations to the U.N.'s regular budget and end contributions to the peacekeeping budget -- since the U.N. is supposed to repay countries for the cost of taking part in peacekeeping missions and the U.S. has yet to be repaid. It would withhold funds if the U.N. fails to meet its budget targets or doesn't set up a third-party auditor. The U.N. would also have to cut 1,000 jobs in the next two years -- less than 2 percent of its overall workforce -- and stop giving money to other international groups and conferences. Source: Editorial, "Is the U.N. Paying Its Dues?" Investor's Business Daily, September 24, 1997.

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