Originally posted by MRRiley As for why we have not paid our dues. Could it be because the host country probably shouldn't have to pay dues. Afterall, we put up with the hassles and expenses incured by all of the delages and we have to suffer enemies like Ahmadinejad and Hugo Chaves on our soil. We also foot a lot of the bill for peacekeeping activities in both treasure and lives.
Umm - nice theory.. However , couple of things...
The current UN site was purchased outright by the UN with money gifted by Rockefeller Jr to the UN - nothing to do with NY or the Fed. Govt..... All other member nations also foot bills for peace keeping - in fact, a few big 'outings' from the US weren't actually UN Ratified last few years... Also - The US has lobbied to KEEP the HQ there - the UN has talked about moving out of the US for the last 10 years at least.
Quote: In 2001,
Dmitriy Rogozin proposed moving the HQ to
St. Petersburg due to America's failure to pay its dues to the UN, saying "If the position of the Americans does not change and if as a result the international civil servants working in New York feel ever more uncomfortable, I think we will raise the question of moving the central UN headquarters to the 'Venice of the North,' St. Petersburg,"
[54] During the period where the UN was facing delays in its efforts to refurbish its existing buildings, alternative sites considered as temporary sites also included the
World Trade Center site being proposed as a new permanent facility.
[55] Current talk is that Singapore will house the new HQ from 2015 - however 2010 talks seemed to infer Dubai was arguing heavily for it as well...
So, don't think that the US is doing the UN any favours here.... It would outwardly seem the opposite since the US lobbys against relocation on a regular basis... (perhaps because then they would have no choice but to pay the bill.. the 'we host it' argument being null and void...>)
Ultimately though - its not the stated reason given by the US officially. The Administration going back to '85 has stated the reason the US is withholding its Dues is that the US has placed 'mandates' on the UN in relation to performance and the US has decided that it will not pay its dues until these "Mandates" are met... basically - It wants the UN to do things the way the US wants or it wont pay its bill.... (feel free to look that one up
)
But I do have to point out one thing - As for 'suffering enemies' on your soil... It would probably serve well to remember Diplomatic Missions aren't enemies and that sort of attitude at what is supposed to be a 'round table' is Self-Defeating before anything has even begun...... (just saying and all.....)