April 30 (Reuters) – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday that the billions of dollars the United States owes to the world body is “non-negotiable,” after reports that Washington had placed conditions on releasing the funds.
The development newswire Devex reported this week that two diplomatic notes circulated by the U.S. called for nine “quick-hit” reforms as a condition for releasing more funds, including further cost-cutting, and moves to counter China’s influence at the United Nations.
“The money we are talking about is referred to as assessed contributions,” Guterres told reporters when asked about the reports. “Assessed contributions are an obligation of member states. They are non-negotiable.”
Guterres, who has been leading reform efforts under pressure from member states, especially the United States, said the U.N. would do its best “to make sure that we make this organization as effective and as cost-effective and as able to deliver for the people we care for.”
“But these are two separate things,” he added.
According to Devex, the U.S.-demanded cost-cutting included overhauling the U.N. pension system, ending long-distance business-class travel for some senior and all mid-level professionals, additional cuts to senior U.N. ranks and a 10% reduction in long-running and ineffective peacekeeping missions.
It said they also included a demand to block China from channeling tens of millions of dollars each year to a discretionary fund housed in the office of the U.N. secretary-general, a move aimed at countering Chinese influence.
The U.S. mission to the United Nations has not commented on the reports. The U.S. has said repeatedly it will keep pressuring the United Nations to reform after announcing its withdrawal from dozens of U.N. bodies this year and cutting millions of dollars in funding last year.
Guterres warned in January that the U.N. faced “imminent financial collapse” due to unpaid fees, most of which are owed by the United States. The U.N. said in February the United States had paid about $160 million of the more than $4 billion it owes to the world body.
(Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Don Durfee and Bill Berkrot)
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