EU Presidency Statement - UN Budget

Statement on the UN Budget by Sir Emyr Jones Parry, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the United Nations, on behalf of the European Union, at the United Nations General Assembly, 5th Committee, New York

Tonight's agreement is a good outcome for the United Nations. We have a two-year budget with substantial resources and an assessment for 1 year which means all member states are expected to make contributions as required by the Charter.

The European Union has been actively involved in negotiations and played its part in bridging differences which existed.

The budget and associated resolutions bring together different challenges facing the UN, many of which were set out in the Summit Outcome Document.

We have recently made progress on implementation. Next year we look forward to more as we work together to fulfil our commitments. Management Reform is a priority and the Summit has set the timetable for us. So these results should be available when we consider requesting the Secretary General for the expenditure authority for the second tranche in 2006.

In work on Para 3 of the budget appropriation resolution, negotiations were agreed on the importance of the budget permitting continued functioning of specific programmes.

But equally it was acknowledged that this Secretary General request would be treated on its merits with no automaticity.

The European Union will continue to work actively with colleagues next year in order to achieve necessary reforms and make the progress the Summit expects.

We are confident that the Assembly will generate progress on these aspects, to build on what we have achieved tonight.

Thank you Mr President.

| Arriba |

• EU Presidency Statement - Proposed Programme budget for biennium 2006-07 (25/10/2005)
• EU Presidency Statement - Programme Budget for Biennium 2004-05: Lifting recruitment suspension of General Service category (18/10/2005)
• EU Presidency Statement - Item 123: Administrative and Budgetary Aspects of Financing UNPKOs (3/5/2005)
• EU Presidency Statement - Programme Budget for the Biennium 2004-2005 (7/3/2005)