Vol. 469 No. 3
7 Mr. R. Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the nature of the discussions he had with United States officials with regard to the United States debt to the UN; and the proposals, if any, which exist to alleviate this debt. [17467/96]
I availed of the opportunity of my recent address to the United Nations General Assembly to point out that the non-payment of dues owed to the United Nations was a "poison in the system" which should cease. I recalled the clear and consistently repeated view of Ireland and the members of the European Union that all member states of the United Nations have an obligation to discharge their arrears and pay their assessed budget contributions promptly, in full and without conditions.
This position has been clearly and emphatically conveyed to United States officials on many occasions both formally and informally, and I have myself raised the matter personally with President Clinton. At a recent meeting within the framework of political dialogue on UN issues between the Union and the United States, the Irish Presidency repeated the view that the European Union required all member states of the UN to meet their financial obligations.
I note that President Clinton, in his address to the United Nations General Assembly, stated that the United States is paying its dues and is committed to paying off the US accrued obligations. I welcome this commitment. The United States remains the largest contributor to the United Nations budget. It is important therefore that it meets its financial obligations in full in order to resolve the current financial crisis within the United Nations system.
