UN SCALE OF ASSESSMENT: ARTICLE 19, MULTIYEAR

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001902

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC KUNR UNGA
SUBJECT: UN SCALE OF ASSESSMENT: ARTICLE 19, MULTIYEAR
PAYMENT PLANS, PEACEKEEPING SCALE AND YUGOSLAV ARREARS

REF: USUN NEW YORK 01845

This cable contains a guidance request. Please see paragraph

7.


1. Summary. Beginning the week of October 9, in addition to
the consideration of exemptions to Article 19 (reftel),the
Fifth Committee is expected to consider the reports of the
Secretary-General on the implementation of General Assembly

SIPDIS
resolutions 55/235 and 55/236 (A/61/139) relating to the
composition of the peacekeeping scale of assessment;
multiyear payment plans (A/61/68); and unpaid assessed
contributions of the former Yugoslavia (A/60/140 and corr. 1,
A/58/189, and A/56/767). It is expected that the Committee
will take quick and early action with respect to exemptions
from Article 19 to allow those countries to vote during the
main 61st GA and will also likely move through consideration
of the other items swiftly. End summary.

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Updated composition of the peacekeeping scale of assessment
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2. The report of the updated composition of the peacekeeping
scale of assessment details increases and decreases in
assessment levels, in accordance with their GNI for the base
period 1999-2004, for the following countries: Antigua and
Barbuda (decrease),Argentina (decrease),Czech Republic
(increase),Hungary (increase),Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
(decrease),Malta (increase),Mexico (increase),Oman
(increase),Palau (decrease),Republic of Korea (increase),
Slovenia (increase),Timor-Leste (decrease),Trinidad and
Tobago (increase),Uruguay (decrease). In addition, Serbia
and Montenegro would be added to level I. Further to these
adjustments in rate levels, the SG received a request from
the Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the UN for
a decrease in level in keeping with its capacity to pay. The
request was reflected in the updated composition of levels.
It is recommended that the GA take note of the report,
endorse the updated composition for 2007-2009, and decide
that both Serbia and Montenegro should be assigned to level I
in 2006.

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Multi-year payment plans
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3. The SG's report on multi-year payment plans updates, as of
31 December 2005, the status of payment plans for Georgia,
Iraq, Niger, Republic of Moldova, Sao Tome and Principe, and
Tajikistan. In the course of 2005 both Iraq and the Republic
of Moldova made sufficient payments to no longer fall under
the provisions of Article 19. Tajikistan has also made
considerable progress in reducing its arrears, however it
still falls under Article 19. It is recommended that the GA
take note of the report and encourage Member States with
significant arrears in contributions to consider submitting
multi-year payment plans.

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Unpaid assessed contributions of the former Yugoslavia
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4. This fall the Fifth Committee will once again consider
the reports of the SG on the unpaid assessed contributions of
the former Yugoslavia (A/60/140 and Corr.1, A/58/189, and
A/56/767). The Committee has deferred the question in recent
years because the five successor states (Bosnia and
Herzegovina; Croatia; Macedonia; Slovenia; and the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia which has since become the independent
states of Serbia and Montenegro) have not reached agreement
with the United Nations on the exact date of the dissolution
of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.


5. The total outstanding assessed contributions of the
former Yugoslavia amounts to $16,135,838 as at July 2005.
The SG's report concludes that options for resolving the
matter include: 1) complete write-off of unpaid assessments,
2) payment by the successor states of arrears arising before
the dissolution of Yugoslavia with a write off of the
remaining arrears, or 3) payment by the successor states of
arrears arising before the dissolution of Yugoslavia with
payment of the balance by Serbia and Montenegro.


6. On September 29 at the organizational meeting of the
Fifth Committee, Slovenia delivered a statement on behalf of
the successor states to indicate that they are intent on
resolving the matter at the main 61st GA. However, the
successor states still do not concur with the recommendations
of the SG and will submit their own paper as an official
document for consideration by the Committee, inclusive of a
proposed solution to the question of arrears.



7. Request for guidance. Unless otherwise instructed, USUN
will concur with the recommendations of the SG regarding the
updated composition of the peacekeeping scale of assessment
and multiyear payment plans. USUN will report back on the
proposal to be made by the successor states to the former
Yugoslavia and will seek further guidance once the proposal
is made.
BOLTON