US threatens to block UN budget

UNITED NATIONS—The United States says that it might block the passage of the UN budget for the next two years, due to be adopted by the General Assembly before Dec. 31, if proposals for the UN management reform were not approved by that time, a move that could disrupt the world body’s operations. US Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton told reporters that the United States has been pushing the UN Secretariat to present recommendations for management reforms this month or early next month. Washington is pushing to expand powers of the secretary-General’s office, a move that the Group of 77 (developing countries) fears would erode the authority of the General Assembly. “We’re concerned that if the Secretariat doesn’t do the work that’s required by the outcome document (of the September world summit) until the end of February, we’ll be in the position where the General Assembly will have adopted a budget for two years and we won’t be able to take into account the mandate reviews and the rules and regulations study,” he said. Kofi Annan was requested by the outcome document to submit proposals for management reform, including reviews of the Secretariat’s various mandates, to the General Assembly for decision in early 2006.—APP