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Ambassador Bill Richardson United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations Remarks to the San Antonio World Affairs Council May 15, 1998 |
| USUN PRESS RELEASE #89 (98) May 15, 1998 NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS |
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San Antonio, TX--U.S. Ambassador Bill Richardson today warned of further consequences
from the continued failure of the United States to pay its outstanding United Nations
arrears.
Speaking at a luncheon hosted by the San Antonio World Affairs Council, Ambassador
Richardson made clear how much the arrears issue hinders U.S. effectiveness at the
institution.
"This is having an impact on issues affecting our national and security
interests," explained Ambassador Richardson. "Last year, on a number of issues,
from peacekeeping operations to the extension of sanctions regimes, our interests were
compromised by the failure to pay our dues."
The United States, as the world's lone superpower, cannot tackle the serious issues of the
post-Cold War era alone, Ambassador Richardson argued. Only through teaming up with
multilateral institutions, such as the UN, can the U.S. hope to adequately address the
diplomatic and development challenges of the 21st century.
"The fact is, America's continued failure to pay our debts to the UN is calling into
question our commitment to the very standards of international behavior we expect other
nations to uphold," Ambassador Richardson told the audience. "Because paying our
arrears to the UN is about a lot more than money. It's about America's national interests,
it's about upholding our responsibilities as an international leader and it's about
keeping our word as a nation."
In addition to speaking and taking questions at the World Affairs Council luncheon,
Ambassador Richardson is also meeting with members of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce at an afternoon reception, and he will make remarks at an evening banquet
sponsored by the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project. After departing San
Antonio Friday night, Ambassador Richardson will travel to Albuquerque, Los Angeles and
Denver for speaking engagements before returning to New York on Wednesday.
(Text follows)
Let me first say what a great pleasure it is to be here this evening. Over the past year,
as your Ambassador to the United Nations, I've traveled around this country, talking to
Americans about the critical importance of U.S. leadership in the international arena.
Because, in ways many Americans often don't realize, our participation in the UN system
upholds America's national security interests.
At the dawn of the 21st century, it is neither geopolitics nor spheres of influence, but
transnational, multilateral issues such as environmental degradation, ethnic conflict,
international terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the global
drug trade that will come to dominate the international agenda. These evolving global
challenges serve to underscore the critical importance and unique role that international
organizations play in protecting the interests of the American people.
Consider for a moment some of the gravest threats to international peace and security that
we have seen over the past few months. In Iraq, while the American military obviously
played a preeminent role in deterring Saddam Hussein, it is UN inspectors, on the ground
in Iraq, who are working to discover and destroy Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass
destruction program.
All the weapons in our arsenal could not prevent or fix Southeast Asia's reeling economic
fortunes. Indeed, we must rely on the intervention of international organizations, such as
the International Monetary Fund, to prevent a domino effect of financial collapse in a
region critical to American economic interests. In the former Yugoslavia, a small, but
invaluable UN peacekeeping contingent in the tiny European nation of Macedonia is helping
prevent ethnic violence in Kosovo from spreading beyond its borders and engulfing the
entire region.
It is exactly this sort of burden sharing that makes the United Nations and other
international organizations critical tools of American foreign policy.
In addition, through the technical standard setting functions of UN specialized agencies,
the UN system helps serve a fundamental role in the foundation of global commerce and
business - greatly affecting American companies. Consider for example, the World
Intellectual Property Organization, which safeguards billions of dollars worth of U.S.
exports in computer software, videos, movies and industrial inventions from pirating and
copyright infringement. Or, the World Health Organization, which besides helping to wipe
out smallpox and polio, also sets important global standards for pharmaceutical products.
These standards support growing international demand for high-quality American
pharmaceuticals and protect American industry against sub-standard imitations.
There's also the Food and Agriculture Organization, which coordinates international plant,
pest and animal disease control, protecting U.S. farmers from billions in losses. In fact,
a recent study by an FAO group was key to a World Trade Organization ruling that kept
European markets open to U.S. beef sales. In layman's terms that means $300-$400 million
per year for farmers across the country.
But, as things currently stand in Congress our influence in the FAO, the World Health
Organization and every other agency in the UN is significantly diminished, because of
Congress' ongoing failure to pay our outstanding UN arrears, which now total more than a
billion dollars. And while America is sitting on the sidelines, the European Union and
Japan are using our nonpayment of arrears as a means of enhancing their own influence in
these various organizations - to the detriment of American businesses and American
workers.
And it's not just these specialized agencies where America is being hurt. On a wide range
of issues, the ongoing failure to pay our outstanding debts is costing us dearly. Our
credibility is being undermined. Our interests our suffering direct harm. Our influence is
being diminished. And, in the corridors and meeting rooms of the organization, America is
enduring the slings and arrows of animosity and resentment from not just our foes, but our
friends as well. When I go to my fellow Ambassadors and ask for their support on
resolutions or agenda items, I am often reminded of America's debtor status
This is having an impact on issues affecting our national and security interests. Last
year, on a number of issues, from peacekeeping operations to the extension of sanctions
regimes, our interests were compromised by the failure to pay our dues. For example, our
efforts to move forward with reform at the UN are being stopped dead in their tracks.
Other nations are using our failure to pay our debts as an excuse for dragging their feet
on enacting reform measures.
Our deadbeat status could soon cost American firms directly. Over the past several years,
American companies have received nearly $700 million in procurement contracts from UN
headquarters. A new proposal being considered in New York would grant procurement
preferences to UN member states that have fully paid their arrears - potentially costing
American workers their jobs and American companies millions of dollars in business.
Moreover, the issue of our debt to the UN is being raised in nearly every meeting attended
by U.S. diplomats in New York, including recent Security Council debates on Iraq. I don't
think there's a person in this room who believes that it is appropriate for the United
States to be held in such low regard or stand by complacently as our influence on the
world stage declines.
The fact is, America's continued failure to pay our debts to the UN is calling into
question our commitment to the very standards of international behavior we expect other
nations to uphold. Because, paying our arrears to the UN is about a lot more than money.
It's about America's national interests, it's about upholding our responsibilities as an
international leader and it's about keeping our word as a nation.
In fact, whether its prodding China to respect the basic human rights of its people or
forcing Saddam Hussein to comply with Security Council resolutions, I spend much of my
time as your Ambassador to the UN ensuring that other nations around the world live up to
their international obligations. It should go without saying that the United States must
uphold the same obligations that we ask other nations to maintain.
And, throughout our history, we've done just that. The America that I know defends its
allies, it stands by its friends, it pays its debts and it abides by its international
responsibilities.
Today, however, that legacy and that vision of America is under direct threat. Recent
actions in Congress are ensuring that our estrangement from an organization the United
States created more than 50 years ago will continue to fester. Just this past month, an
already underfunded UN arrears payment was once again attached to unrelated provisions on
family planning - provisions that the Congress was well aware would force a Presidential
veto.
Now, as we all know, abortion is a serious and divisive issue. There are strong held views
on both sides of the debate. But, what both sides should be able to agree upon is that
abortion is not a place to debate or hold hostage America's international leadership. To
make matters worse this entire process is actually costing the American taxpayer millions
of dollars. By not paying our arrears, the United States has lost a golden opportunity to
negotiate a lower assessment rate at the UN that would have saved America more than $100
million.
And, that's only the beginning. If we fail to pay back a portion of our arrears by year's
end, we risk the very real chance that the United States will lose its vote in the UN
General Assembly. I can assure you, if Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Arthur Vandenberg
or Dwight Eisenhower - men who built the international system that has brought us 50 years
of peace and prosperity - were alive today, they would shake their heads in disbelief.
Other nations that America depends upon for military, economic or political support have
good reason to doubt our sincerity and commitment when as the world's richest and most
powerful nation we fail to uphold our international responsibilities. There is no question
that America remains the world's indispensable nation. When other nations are simply
unable to convince North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, or deter Saddam Hussein
from once again plunging the Persian Gulf into bloody conflict, there must be a nation
with the vision, the will and the strength to do what the international community
requires, but cannot achieve without American assistance.
From Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin to the beaches of Iwo Jima, America has upheld this
tremendous responsibility for more than 50 years. But, as the calls for our active
engagement grow, we know that we possess neither the resources nor the wherewithal to be
the world's policeman. We cannot guarantee a world that is stable, at peace and full of
hope for the future by flying solo. By working through international organizations such as
the United Nations, will America be best able to effectively meet the vast international
challenges of the 21st century.
In my view, the UN enjoys the support of the American people, it deserves the support of
Congress, and it demands the full force of American leadership and engagement. We must
willingly embrace, not selfishly evade, the responsibilities, obligations and challenges
that the imperative of American leadership entails. Only then can a safer, freer and more
prosperous future take shape - both here in America and around the world.
Thank you.
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