U.N. Chief Rips Failure to Pay Members’ Dues
Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali on Wednesday decried the $1.7-billion debt owed to the United Nations and encouraged the Security Council to combat massive violations of human rights around the world.
Boutros-Ghali’s 47-page annual report was his first evaluation of U.N. activities since he took office in January and runs through the myriad controversies facing the world body.
Analyzing the United Nations’ perennial cash shortage, Boutros-Ghali said nations were behind $908.5 million in regular dues and $844.4 million in peacekeeping contributions for a total of more than $1.7 billion.
The United States owes about $731 million of this amount.
Boutros-Ghali recommended that interest be charged on dues paid late and that he be authorized to borrow commercially.
He also proposed a peacekeeping reserve fund of $50 million to meet initial expenses, a request expected to win General Assembly approval.
On human rights, Boutros-Ghali said that the “long-term credibility of our organization as a whole will depend on the success of our response to this challenge.”
He said the commissions handling rights abuses were not able to cope with “massive human rights violations” in face of “the barbaric conduct which fills the news media today.”
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