HL Deb 15 July 1996 vol 574 c40WA
Lord Kennet

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, given that the United States is now several billion dollars in arrears with its financial commitments to the United Nations and associated organisations, they are content that it should continue to participate in the UN Security Council, including using its power of veto, and in the UN General Assembly, and that US firms should continue to bid for contracts with UN organisations.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

Article 19 of the UN Charter provides that a member state which is in arrears in its financial contributions to the UN shall have no vote in the General Assembly if the amount of its arrears equals or exceeds the amount of contributions due from it for the preceding two full years. There is no comparable provision concerning the Security Council.

British proposals, developed jointly with the French, for UN financial reform includes measures to tighten the application of Article 19 and to strengthen the penalties for non-payers. One of the measures would exclude member states in arrears from bidding for UN contracts.