78-05-B2
- Main Page \ Reagan Radio Commentaries \ 1978
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No Pay, No Vote
TranscriptIt goes without saying that the U.S. has proven its generosity again and again. Other nations owe us tens of billions of dollars but they aren't asked to pay up. We are first on the scene to bring aid when natural disaster strikes and our Marshal plan and subsequent foreign aid programs are unique in history. We helped allies and erstwhile enemies alike, with need being the only criteria. All of which qualifies us now to make a long overdue move in the United Nations. A United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon is estimated to cost $68 million in the first six months. The United Nations is already $166 million in debt for other peacekeeping chores going all the way back to 1948 and including the U.N. emergency force in the Sinai from 1956-67, the Congo operation in 1960-64 and the current observer force activities in the Middle East. We've paid our share for all these U.N. undertakings. Besides, we pay a fourth or more of the entire United Nation budget. The Soviet Union and its satellite states have refused to pay some $82 billion in assessments for their share of these U.N. activities. They claim that since they disapprove of the actions they don't have to pay. Back in 1964 there was quite a fuss when the United States and several Western powers threatened to invoke charter sanctions and deny voting rights to the delinquent nations. Unfortunately, we only threatened. It therefore should come as no surprise to us that the Soviet Union has made plain that it has no intention of supporting the peace keeping force in Lebanon; that it is opposed to the functions of the force and believes Israel should be made to pay the entire cost. This should bring the Soviet unpaid bill up to $100 million or more. The Soviets even refuse to consider the creation of a permanent United Nations peacekeeping fund. A U.N. financial expert has been quoted as saying, "If anything brings down the United Nations, I think the financial tangle will." I'll refrain from expressing an opinion on whether that would be good or bad but one thing does need doing. If a club member or, in many cases a union member, is delinquent in his dues he loses privileges, including the right to vote till he pays up. Since the United States holds the unchallenged record for financial responsibility in the U.N. why shouldn't our ambassador officially move that voting rights be denied the Soviet Union? And this time make it stick. If they threaten to pack up and go home-- what will have been lost? Can anyone remember a single instance in which the Soviet Union has contributed anything of lasting value? The Korean war, we tend to forget was fought under the U.N. flag with the Soviet Union lending comfort and aid to the enemy. If the United Nations would take such an action it might acquire a soul. If it refuses, then we could take a walk and discover we still have one. This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening. |
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