§ Sir Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in view of the position on questions relating to Namibia of the United Kingdom as a contact group member, he will withdraw United Kingdom funding from all United Nations agencies which allocate funds to SWAPO; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RifkindThe United Kingdom has an obligation under the United Nations Charter to contribute to the regular budget of the United Nations, whatever expenditures this may cover. We have a similar obligation to contribute to the assessed budgets of the United Nations specialised agencies of which we are a member. Membership of the contact group does not affect those obligations. However, in common with our partners in the contact group, we have consistently abstained on United Nations General Assembly resolutions authorising explicit provision of financial assistance to SWAPO through any United Nations body.