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THE UNITED STATES, the world's most powerful nation, is in danger of losing its seat on the 188-member United Nations General Assembly because House Republicans want to make an anti-abortion statement that in reality has no direct connection to U.N. policies.
The United Nations does not even sanction abortions, much less provide them. On the contrary, the family-planning programs the U.N. does support tend to reduce the need for abortions.
Nevertheless, Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., has insisted on tying release of funds for a partial payment on the more than $1 billion owed in U.N. back dues to an anti-abortion policy. He seeks to prevent any family planning organization that receives U.S. aid from ``advocating'' abortion.
That could mean even discussing abortion at a conference, a condition that would not be tolerated if Smith were trying to impose the same restrictions at home.
House leaders need to call off Smith and his colleagues and get on with allowing the United States to pay its fair share. U.S. influence is undermined when it seeks a say on dealing with world trouble spots such as East Timor and Kosovo but then refuses to contribute to the peacekeeping efforts. Leadership comes with responsibility to play by the rules, not just make such demands of everyone else.
Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., used the issue of U.N. dues to extract major reforms in management and budget procedures, as well as to win agreement to taking a more cautious approach to peacekeeping ventures. But even he has come around. ``I have not changed my stand on abortion,'' he explained more than a year ago. ``I am just fed up with it being used as a ploy leading to nowhere.''
The United States has until December 31 to make a partial payment on its back dues, which means Congress must send a bill to President Clinton in the next few weeks that does not include abortion strings. Otherwise, the United States will lose its vote in the General Assembly, and the leadership of the world's superpower will be eroded.