Clinton Urged to Deal for U.N. Back Dues

President Clinton’s foreign policy strategists are urging him to strike a deal with Republicans in Congress to pay U.S. back-dues to the United Nations even if that means accepting some unwanted abortion restrictions, administration and congressional sources said Friday.

If Clinton takes the advice, and officials say he probably will, the concession can be expected to touch off a wave of condemnation from women’s groups that traditionally have been a key part of his political constituency. Although Clinton has run his last race for elective office, the controversy could affect Vice President Al Gore’s and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton’s 2000 races.

Gloria Feldt, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said that the rumored deal would amount to “total capitulation” by Clinton to GOP anti-abortion forces.

Administration officials said that the president is not prepared to accept all of the abortion restrictions demanded by congressional forces led by Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.). But, they said, the U.N. dues issue has become such a weight on U.S. diplomacy that the matter cannot be allowed to drag on much longer.

The United Nations says that Washington owes about $1.6 billion in back dues. The U.S. government puts the figure at $926 million. Congress has agreed to appropriate the smaller figure, provided the abortion dispute is settled.

If the practical effect of abortion restrictions can be kept within reasonable bounds, one official said, the administration will agree to accept limits that it might have turned down earlier.

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, an exponent of abortion rights, has concluded that the U.N. dues issue must be resolved before Congress goes home for the year, officials said.

“The failure to pay these dues has harmed our national security and it will only get worse,” State Department spokesman James P. Rubin said. Referring directly to Albright, he added: “The national security argument has only increased in her mind, and she feels that it’s absolutely critical that we get this money paid so that we get the support from the other countries in the world we need in the United Nations on subjects like Iraq, subjects like Kosovo, subjects like East Timor.”

At the same time, Rubin said, “Secretary Albright does believe strongly in the women’s health issue and the important role that can be played by the United Nations and other organizations in promoting women’s health.”

The administration and abortion rights advocates appear to be looking for a face-saving compromise similar to one embraced by the House in July. Moments after adopting Smith’s amendment to the U.N. dues bill, the House approved a less stringent measure as an amendment to the main foreign aid bill.

That provision, backed by lawmakers on both sides of the abortion issue, would allow U.S. aid funds to go to international groups that promote abortion rights as long as they use separate funds for those activities and abortion is legal in the country where the group is operating. Smith’s proposal would impose a flat prohibition on aid to overseas organizations that lobby in favor of abortion rights.

Under U.N. rules, the United States will lose its vote in the General Assembly unless it pays some of the overdue bill by the end of next month. The loss of the General Assembly seat would be a major embarrassment, even though the United States would retain its vote--and its veto power--in the far more powerful Security Council.

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Times staff writer Art Pine contributed to this story.