G-77 deeply concerned over continued cash crisis in U.N.

UNITED NATIONS, March -- The Group of 77 has expressed "deep concern" over the continued cash crisis facing the United Nations.

Ambassador Makarim Wibisono of Indonesia, chairman of the Group of 77, told the Fifth Committee of the UN General Assembly that the Group had consistently held the view that the current financial difficulties of the Organization is primarily a crisis of payment due to the failure by some member states, in particular the major contributor, to fulfill their Charter obligations in full, on time and without conditions.

"We are also of the view that in addressing the late or non-payment by member states of their assessed contributions, there is a need for sympathetic understanding to be given to those who are willing to pay but are temporarily unable to do so due to genuine economic difficulties and reasons beyond their control," he added.

The current financial difficulties of the Organization, he said, is a concern shared by Member States.

In this regard, he said, due consideration should be given by member states to the debts owed by the Organization to the member states.

"I would like to emphasize that, in fact, the Organization has been functioning at the expense of those member states and in particular the developing countries who have contributed troops and equipment,'' Ambassador Wibisomo said.

As of December, the U.N. owes more than $950 million to member states for providing troops and equipment for peacekeeping operations. The majority of these states are developing nations and members of the Group of 77.

The Group of 77, he said, has actively participated in the attempts to find a viable solution to the cash problem which has continuously beset the Organization and which has threaten its capability to fully implement all its mandated programmes and activities.

In this context, the Group of 77 will continue to work actively in seeking urgently needed results in the ongoing discussions on the crisis of payment confronting the United Nations, he added.

The Group of 77, he said, would like to emphasize that the lack of political will of certain member states to fulfill their financial obligations should not be used to confuse this issue with others.

"Therefore, we would like to reiterate that the scale of assessment has no relationship with the ongoing financial problem of the Organization," he noted.