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UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 26 (UPI) The heads of the United Nations' principal charter organizations issued an appeal Tuesday for "all member states...to sustain and support the organization at this crucial time in world affairs."
The leaders of the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice and the Secretariat addressed the joint plea to "particularly those who have failed to meet their financial obligations under the (U.N.) Charter."
It could hardly be a more direct reference to the United States, which is more than $1 billion in debt to the world organization and is threatened with losing its General Assembly vote at year's end.
"The five presidents and the secretary-general briefly reviewed developments in the principal organs," they said in a statement. "Following this brief review, the meeting also discussed issues relating to humanitarian intervention (as outlined in the secretary- general's recent statement in the General Assembly), as well as matters relating to the application of Article 19 of the (U.N.) Charter, including obligation of members to pay their asset contributions. Discussions were also held regarding the ongoing preparations for the Millennium Summit."
For two years running, the United States failed to get on the influential Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions _ and that means the largest contributor to the United Nations no longer has a voice on the committee.
In 1998, Washington came close to losing its vote in the U.N. General Assembly. It faces the same fate this year.
The Security Council seat is permanent and the accompanying U.S. veto power was not affected.