STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA BY AMBASSADOR DAUDI N. MWAKAWAGO, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS AND CHAIRMAN OF THE GROUP OF 77, AT THE HIGH-LEVEL OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP ON THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

New York, 25 November 1997

Mr. President,

The Group of 77 and China wishes to thank the Secretary-General for his statement on the financial situation of the United Nations.

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Ambassadors Patricia Durant of Jamaica and Ernst Sucharipa of Austria for their election as Co-Vice Chairmen of this working group.

The Group of 77 and China wishes to express once again its deep concern at the persistent difficult financial situation faced by the United Nations. Despite more than two years of intensive deliberations, the Working Group was unable to make any progress in addressing the central issue for resolving the crisis of payment. The incessant difficult situation has created financial and administrative chaos affecting the overall performance of the United Nations.

In the absence of political will on the part of some Member States, and specially the major contributor as recent developments and declared positions have manifested, have continued to impede any improvement in this already serious situation. The only cure for the financial ills of the organisation is the payment of assessed contributions in full, on time, and without imposing conditionalities.

The members of the Group of 77 and China as large troop and equipment contributors are bearing the brunt of this responsibility in ensuring the financial solvency of this organisation. This unfortunate situation is causing extreme difficulties for those who have responded positively to the call of the international community to meet the challenges for international peace and security.

The Group continues to believe that the financial situation of the organisation has been caused by the nonfulfillment by Member States of their legal obligations under the Charter and that the scales of assessments have no bearing on such a situation.

Without the political will of the major contributor to meet fully and without imposing any conditionalities its financial obligations, it is very unlikely that the working group would be in a situation to offer suggestions to overcome the current financial predicament of the organisation.

The Group of 77 and China has understood the request of the Secretary-General for reconvening this extraordinary meeting of the High-level open-ended Working Group on the Financial Situation of the Untied Nations. However, any future resumption of this working group should comply fully with relevant General Assembly resolutions regarding meetings of any subsidiary bodies conciding with the regular session of the General Assembly. We are also very mindful of the decision taken by this working group at the last meeting that the work of the group would be resumed Awhen appropriate after consultations with Member States.@

The deliberations of the Working Group become relevant only if there is an environment conducive to progress, otherwise such meetings will amount to an exercise in futility.

Thank you.