UN REQUEST PAYMENT OF 2009 REGULAR BUDGET

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000010 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UN AORC AFIN ABUD SUBJECT: UN REQUEST PAYMENT OF 2009 REGULAR BUDGET ASSESSMENT ¶1. USUN has emailed to Department (IO/MPR-Lisa Spratt and EUR-IO/EX/FM-Alice Green) a copy of a note dated December 30, 2008 from the Secretary General requesting payment of the U.S. assessed contribution to the UN regular budget for 2009 in the amount of $598,292,101. The note also refers to outstanding payments in the amount of $394,484,638 with respect to the UN regular budget for prior years. Text of the note is as follows: ¶2. Begin Text: The Secretary-General of the United Nations presents his compliments to the Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations and has the honor to refer to regulation 3.3 of the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, which provides that, after the General Assembly has adopted or revised the programme budget, the Secretary-General shall transmit relevant documents to Member States, inform them of their commitments and request them to remit their contributions. In compliance with that regulation, the Secretary-General has the honor to transmit the document ST/ADM/SER.B/755 and to inform His Excellency that the contribution payable by His Excellency's Government with respect to the regular budget of the United Nations for 2009 is $598,292,101. In this connection, the Secretary-General also wishes to bring to the attention of His Excellency that the United Nations records show that as at 30 December 2008 an amount of $394,484,638 remains payable by His Excellency's Government with respect to the regular budget for prior years. In view of the continuing frailty of the Organization's financial situation, the United Nations continues to require funds on an urgent basis in order to meet its financial commitments in a timely manner. In this connection, attention is drawn to regulation 3.4 of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations, which states that contributions are due and payable in full within 30 days of the receipt of the communication of the Secretary-General. It would be highly appreciated if His Excellency's Government could make a special effort to comply with financial regulation 3.4. The Secretary-General also invites His Excellency to indicate the approximate date at which payment could be expected from his Government in order to facilitate financial planning of the Organization. Payment in United States dollars may be deposited to the "United Nations General Fund Account" No. 485-001985, JPMorgan Chase Bank, New York, N.Y., U.S.A. End Text. ¶3. Action requested: Department is requested to facilitate payment as noted above in paragraph 1. Khalilzad