U.S. Should Not Punish U.N. for Losing Rights Commission Seat: AnnanU.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday said that the U.S. should not punish the world body by placing conditions on the payment of outstanding dues.Annan made his remarks at U.N. Headquarters in response to questions from the press about recent decision by the U.S. House of Representatives to delay arrears payments to the U.N. on regaining the seat that it had lost last week for the first time since the inception of the Geneva-based Commission. "I hope the dust will settle and that we will look forward to the future," Annan said. Annan also stressed that he thought attaching amendments to U.N. dues was not the right way to go, noting that he had "always maintained as Secretary-General that Member States should pay their dues in full and on time and without condition." He expressed satisfaction that the House decision did not affect the US$582 million arrears payment agreed upon last December, he hoped that the U.S. would find a way of removing the conditions from the US$244 million payment as well. The U.S. House voted 252-165 Thursday to pay US$582 million in back dues but to withhold an additional US$244 million until it is restored to the human rights panel. |
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