Europe after Maastricht : interim report : report, together with the Proceedings of Committee, Minutes of Evidence, and Appendices : first report [of the] Foreign Affairs Committee.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Foreign Affairs Committee.
Date:
1992
Catalogue details

Licence: Open Government Licence

Credit: Europe after Maastricht : interim report : report, together with the Proceedings of Committee, Minutes of Evidence, and Appendices : first report [of the] Foreign Affairs Committee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    34/96 (page 18)
    12 October 1992] [ Continued [Mr Gapes Contd] but I certainly would not want to give the Committee any assurance that we would not do so in the future; we have the right to do so. 65. Could I ask you about the item you referred to earlier on when you referred to $1.6 billion unpaid contributions to the United Nations. The Secretary General’s report to the General Assembly last month refers to the fact that “the financial foundations of the organisation daily grow weaker debilitating political will and practi- cal will and new and essential activities”. What is Her Majesty’s Government doing to press those countries which owe money to the United Nations, particularly the United States, to pay their back how this financial crisis at the UN can be resolved? (Mr Hurd) They should pay, Mr Gapes, that is quite right, and we should urge them to do so. When the Committee releases me, I shall go and talk to the Russian Foreign Minister and urge him to do that himself. $524 million is the United States, $138 million Russia, South Africa $49 mil- lion, Brazil $33 million, and the Ukraine $17 mil- lion. I think those are the principal ones outstanding. All EC members have paid their con- tributions to the regular budget in full. We have tried, the British try to pay our assessed contribu- tions on time and in full and encourage other members to do the same, but it is very important. People know the background to the American problem and it is the result of an argument between their administration and Congress and I think whatever the result of the election on November 3, the President will have to, and will wish to, tackle this problem and clear it up because I do not think the United States can reconcile its position in the world today with the existence of these debts. . Chairman: Foreign Secretary, this has been a marathon session but then you have a marathon job and we are extremely grateful to you for answering our many questions this morning and sharing some of your thoughts about a very com- plex future both at the European Community and at the United Nations levels and the international order which we grope towards in the future, so could I thank you very much indeed for coming to us during the recess. Thank you, Mr Arthur, Mr Appleyard,.Mr Eaton and Ms Evans as well. We are most grateful to you. © Parliamentary copyright House of Commons 1992 Applications for reproduction should be made to HMSO Printed in the United Kingdom for HMSO. Dd.5060319, 11/92, C6, 3382/5B, 5673, 219371. 9 780102!'769937