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US to pay dues: Annan
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UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Friday that the US President George W Bush and other senior US officials had indicated their desire to honour the country's financial obligations to the world body.
Annan made his statement upon his arrival at the UN headquarters in New York following his meetings hours ago with Bush and other senior US officials in Washington.
Annan told reporters that both President Bush and US Secretary of State Colin Powell “are very supportive of the UN and believe that there should be no withholding of the funds — it's the wrong thing to do."
Annan was commenting on a recent decision by the US Congress to attach an amendment to the bill authorizing the dues payment which would withhold a portion if Washington does not regain its seat on the Geneva-based UN Commission on Human Rights.
Annan stressed that President Bush had indicated “that he would also want to see the dues paid without any withholding." “My sense is that they would want to see the US honour the understanding that was reached last year and pay a substantial portion of their arrears, and of course continue to pay its annual contribution both on the regular budget and peacekeeping," Annan said.
“As secretary-general of the UN, I've always maintained that these dues are legal obligations and they have to be paid by all member states in full, on time and without conditions."
He expressed satisfaction that the House decision did not affect the US$582 million arrears payment agreed upon last December, he hoped that the US would find a way of removing the conditions from the US$244 million payment as well.
The US House voted 252-165 on 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.(Xinhua)
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