UN urged to improve performance

UN urged to improve performance

By Rikza Abdullah

NEW YORK (JP): Indonesia and fifteen other countries urged the
United Nations yesterday to work harder at preventing conflicts,
strengthening multilateral economic systems and fostering
democracy.

"The world is reminded daily of human misery deriving from new
threats to security and from growing economic, demographic,
environmental and social imbalance. Global cooperation is
critical to the survival of humankind," said 16 heads of state
and government in a joint statement after a one-hour meeting at
the UN headquarters here.

At the same time the UN General Assembly was holding a
Special Commemorative Meeting for the World Body's 50th
anniversary.

President Soeharto, who attended the meeting of the 16
countries, said that Indonesia supports the statement in light of
shifting global challenges.

The meeting, led by Swedish Prime Minister Ingvar Carlsson,
was attended by the state/government heads of Australia, Brazil,
Canada, the Czech Republic, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Ireland,
Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, South
Africa and South Korea.

The statement said the capacity of the UN to prevent conflicts
and bring security must be increased. "The UN must be able to
anticipate and prevent crisis, respond more rapidly to outbreaks
of violence and efficiently manage and resolve crises when they
occur."

The multilateral economic system must be reformed and the
partnership of the UN with other relevant institutions
strengthened to facilitate beneficial participation by all
countries in the global economy, it said.

"This is essential to the achievement of greater economic
growth and integration, sustainable development, the eradication
of poverty and the reduction of inequality," the statement said.

It also said the UN should work for a democratic world, where
people can determine their future and where human rights and
fundamental freedoms are respected.

It went on to say that the UN must become a more efficient,
effective and representative organization. "Adequate financial
resources should be made available. All countries must pay their
assessed contributions in full and on time."

According to the UN Secretariat, the overdue budget
assessments of member countries reached US$3.2 billion as of Oct.
9, most of which was owed by the United States.

The UN system needs total operating expenses of $18.2 billion
a year, for which the United states is expected to contribute 15
percent, Japan 13.9 percent, Germany 8.9 percent, France 6.3
percent, Russia 5.7 percent and Britain 5.3 percent. The UN
peace-keeping operations last year alone required $3.2 billion.

Soeharto

Soeharto said the proposed measures have been formulated on
the basis of studies, observations and evaluations by various
parties, including governments and non-governmental
organizations.

The statement, presented to UN Secretary-General Boutros
Boutros-Ghali afterwards, said that the participating leaders
represent small and large countries from all continents, with
different faiths, cultural heritage, traditions and economic
levels.

"We will lend our political weight to achieve early, concrete
results in the effort to adapt and strengthen the United Nations
system," the statement said.

Boutros-Ghali and most of the speakers on the first day of the
General Assembly's Special Commemorative Meeting on Sunday
affirmed the need for the UN to carry out reform and strengthen
its financial condition.

The secretary-general said the UN cannot play its role if the
present shortage of funds continues.

"The problems of globalization and fragmentation have caused
vast responsibilities to be given to the United Nations," he
said. "But the United Nations has not been given the resources
required to accomplish the tasks imposed."

U.S. President Bill Clinton said the United States, the
largest contributor to the UN, will continue its contribution if
the UN improves efficiency.

The heads of state/government of 54 countries delivered their
five-minute speeches at the commemorative meeting on Sunday and
54 other leaders are scheduled to address it on Monday, including
President Soeharto, who is to deliver his address in the
afternoon (Tuesday morning Jakarta time).

After delivering his speech, Soeharto will lead a summit of
the Non-Aligned Movement Caucus at the General Assembly, which
will be attended by his counterparts from Botswana, Honduras,
Nigeria, Oman and Rwanda. Colombian President Ernesto Samper
Pizano, the Movement's new chairman, has also been invited to
attend the meeting.

The caucus, whose leadership is rotated every six months, is
now chaired by Indonesia.

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