Coalition Urges Congress, President to Pay UN Debt

To: National and International desks
Contact: Linda Jamison of the Emergency Coalition for U.S.
Financial Support of the United Nations,
202-546-1572; Web site: http://www.clw.org/ecun

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 /U.S. Newswire/ -- As President Clinton prepares to address the United Nations General Assembly this Tuesday, a bundle of more than 40 letters from different member organizations of the Emergency Coalition for U.S. Financial Support of the United Nations will be delivered to members of Congress and the President, urging them to pay the U.S. debt to the U.N. this year.

The United States is the biggest debtor to the U.N., owing over $1.2 billion, and risks losing its vote in the U.N. General Assembly if a significant portion of the debt is not paid by Jan. 1, 2000. These organizations represent hundreds of thousands of activists across the country who believe that the United Nations plays a vital role in promoting peaceful resolutions to conflicts, coordinating humanitarian aid, and providing medical care, food, shelter and clothing for refugees.

Signers of the letters say the U.S. has already damaged its political credibility by not paying its arrears to the U.N. The Emergency Coalition's letter states, "How can the United States continue its leadership in the world if we cannot muster the political will in Washington to honor our own moral and financial commitments to the United Nations."

Organizations sending letters to members of Congress and the President include:

-- Alliance for a Sustainable Future
-- Alliance to Prevent Childhood Lead Poisoning
-- American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
-- American Ethical Union
-- American Veterans Committee
-- Americans for Democratic Action
-- British American Security Information Council
-- Campaign for U.N. Reform
-- Catholics for a Free Choice
-- Center for Reproductive Law and Policy
-- Church of the Brethren
-- Church Women United
-- Coalition for American Leadership Abroad
-- Council for a Livable World
-- Emergency Coalition for U.S. Financial Support of the United Nations
-- Episcopal Church
-- Federation of American Scientists
-- Friends Committee on National Legislation
-- Fund for New Priorities in America
-- General Federation of Women's Clubs
-- Jewish Council on Public Affairs
-- League of Women Voters
-- Medical Mission Sisters
-- Mennonite Central Committee
-- National Association of Colored Women's Clubs
-- National Council of the Churches of Christ USA
-- National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is
-- NETWORK: National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
-- Presbyterian Church (USA)
-- Religion Action Center of Reform Judaism
-- Unitarian Universalist Association
-- United Church of Christ, Office of Church in Society
-- United Methodist Church, General Board of Church of Society
-- United Nations Association of the United States
-- U.S. Committee for United Nations Development Program
-- U.S. Council for International Business
-- Veterans for Peace
-- Women Strike for Peace
-- Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
-- World Federalist Association
-- 20/20 Vision

For copies of any of the letters, contact Linda Jamison at
202-546-1572.

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Founded in early 1997, the Emergency Coalition is a diverse, bipartisan coalition of former high-ranking government officials, including all of the former U.S. Secretaries of State, and more than 110 business, labor, civic, faith-based and humanitarian organizations that have joined together to urge full payment of U.S. legal obligations to the United Nations.

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/U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
09/20 10:00