Non-Paying U.N. Members Absolved

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30846, 3 September 1965, Page 15

Non-Paying U.N. Members Absolved

(N.Z.P.A-Reuter—Copyright) NEW YORK, September 2. The United Nations General Assembly met yesterday to conclude its nineteenth session after a recess of more than six months.

The Assembly agreed without formal vote to bury the hatchet in a bitter constitutional dispute over finance which has virtually paralysed the present session. A recommendation by a special committee was endorsed absolving States from the penalty of loss of vote for failure to pay their assessments for the Middle East and Congo peace-keeping operations.

It was this threat, against Russia, France, and about a dozen other countries, that had prevented the Assembly from doing any substantive business requiring a vote. Yesterday’s meeting was the first since February 18. The Assembly adjourned then so that members might resolve the problem in private negotiations and in the 33-member special committee on peacekeeping operations. Its report and recommendations constituted yesterday's only formal business. U Thant's Appeal Earlier, the Secretary-Gen-eral, U Thant, appealed to all member States to make voluntary contributions so that the financial difficulties of the United Nations might be solved. U Thant said he would dpaw up shortly an estimate of the

organisation’s current financial needs and distribute a report among the members. Estimates on the United Nation’s deficit have varied between 65 million dollars and something over 100 million dollars. Britain has led the way with a voluntary donation of ten million dollars but only a handful of other countries so far has followed suit. Russia and France are expected to make voluntary contributions after the 20th session gets under way in three weeks’ time with norma) procedures, though neither of them has made any formal commitment.