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University Daily Kansan Wednesday. Oct. 17, 1962
UN Financial Picture Dark
Editors Note
The financial crisis is expected to be one of the hardest-fought issues before the current session of the General Assembly.
By Donald Johnston
UNITED NATIONS, N.Y.-(UPI)
Money problems continue to hamstring the United Nations.
The emergency bond issue and the International Court ruling on peace-keeping costs have brought slight hope of improving the organization's shaky financial position, but permanent stability is far from reality.
AT PRESENT the total arrears of the 108 members is nearly $150 million. As each month passes, the Congo Operation (ONUC) costs $10 million more and the Middle East emergency force (UNEF) an additional $1.6 million.
Caught in the middle is the United States, which contributes almost 50 per cent of the support for all U.N. activities.
The seriousness of the situation has been mentioned in almost all general debate policy speeches. Everyone agrees that something must be done. The question—as it has been for two years—is what?
The crux of the problem remains the refusal of the 10-nation Soviet bloc, France, South Africa, Portugal and several other members to pay their shares of ONUC and UNEF upkeep.
There is little trouble collecting for the regular administrative budget, which this year runs about $74 million and is estimated for 1963 at about $86 million. ONUC and UNEF have been supported by special funds.
UNLESS THE assembly can find a formula for making members meet all their financial obligations, the United Nations may be forced to abolish its peace-keeping function and lapse into a debating society. The Congo experience has made delegates wary of more such ventures.
Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko reiterated Soviet arguments that the Congo Operation is being conducted in the interests of the western "colonial" powers. Russia owes $32,052,762 for ONUC and $14,218,287 for UNEF.
France has refused to contribute because of President Charles de Gaulle's aversion to any kind of intervention by the world organization.
The opposition of Portugal and South Africa is linked to their desire to keep the United Nations out of their own colonial matters in Africa. Many of the African, Asian and Latin American nations contend they are unable to pay.
IF THE ASSEMBLY adopts the World Court opinion on peacekeeping assessments and Russia persists in its refusal to pay, an official has said, the Assembly would be faced with the decision in 1964 of whether Russia should be allowed to vote. This could force an end to the organization, he said.
The key to a solution is how to put teeth in the International Court's opinion and therefore subject members to mandatory assessment. The Court's action last summer was an
Israeli Neighbors Meet in U.S.
ST. LOUISE — (UPI) — Miss Eve Milikowsky and Ruven Feist, who live several blocks apart in Haifa, Israel, never met until they enrolled in a Ladue, Mo., high school near here. Both will return to Israel next summer and enter the Israeli Army.
Fish Carry Scales in Pocket
Fish scales are formed of bone-like material and are confined in pockets in the skin of a fish.
--advisory opinion and requires a follow-up by the Assembly to give it force.
The United States and a dozen other nations are behind a plan to have the Assembly adopt a resolution specifically accepting the Court's finding.
THERE IS LITTLE doubt that the resolution will get a two-thirds majority for passage. But if 30 or 40 members abstain in the vote, the measure will lose meaning.
If the ruling is endorsed, delinquent members could be punished under the charter stipulation that a member shall have no vote in the Assembly if the amount of its arrears equals or exceeds the amount of assessments due from it for the preceding two full years.
U. S. sources claim the Communists are nearly isolated on the issue. The large African group and most Asians appear aligned with the United States and most of its
Western Allies. The sources say France and India will abstain.
The group that can make or break the situation is the Latin Americans. Most of them are reportedly ready to back the Court ruling providing they get assurances for the future.
CONDITIONS that have been mentioned include a period of 5 to 10 years to pay up arrears and a scale of assessments different from the regular budget. Most of the 20 Latin countries want an arrangement whereby the major powers would assume nearly all financial as well as political responsibility for peace-keeping operations.
The trouble with this argument is that of the five permanent members of the Security Council—which has primary responsibility for keeping the peace—Russia and France refuse to pay and Nationalist China is unable. That leaves the United States and Britain.
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