U.S. Ambassador Hopeful of Restoring Cuts in Funding for U.N.

WASHINGTON — Vernon A. Walters, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Thursday expressed hope that the United States will restore cuts in its funding of the international organization this year and that it will begin paying $330 million that it owes from past years.

Walters, speaking before a panel discussion sponsored by U.N. advocates, noted that Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar has ordered a 25% staff reduction and instituted money-saving structural changes since last year, when the United Nations adopted reforms in response to demands by Congress.

“I believe the United Nations is worth keeping,” Walters said. “And I believe we have to move to carry out our part of the bargain now that they have done theirs.”

‘Talk of Further Cuts’

But Margaret Galey, a House Foreign Affairs Committee consultant, warned that while the fiscal 1988 House appropriations authorization bill for the United Nations could provide as much as $142 million--$42 million more than this fiscal year’s allocation--the amount would still be much less than the $200 million a year supplied by Washington before the reductions.

“And there is talk of further cuts on the House floor when the bill is reported out next week,” Galey said.

The cuts began when Congress adopted an amendment to the fiscal 1984 U.N. appropriations bill that required the world body to give stronger voting rights on financial matters to those nations that contribute the most funds. Under the amendment, written by Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum (R-Kan.), the U.S. contribution was to be cut by 20% each year until the stronger voting requirement was met.

Last year, Walters said, the General Assembly agreed to act on financial issues only by consensus. In theory, this move gives individual nations a veto power because no U.N. fiscal action could be taken without a unanimous vote.

However, because the General Assembly agreement was made at the end of last year’s session, the new arrangement has not yet been tested.

“The problem is that we only have an agreement to agree,” said Fran Goodwin, a Kassebaum aide. “And Congress has to act on the 1988 appropriation before the United Nations fixes its budget.”

John G. Shank, a Republican staff member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said that the U.N. portion of the federal budget is an “easier target than domestic programs” for budget cutters. He said he doubts that it will be possible to make up for the earlier cuts.

“If the President and the Congress can’t agree on a budget,” Shank said, “I don’t think we’ll have the ability to make up any (arrearage) in 1988 or the foreseeable future.”