Jason Cormier wrote:
> On 7/3/03 16:35, in article be243e$gko2$1@ID-105084.news.dfncis.de,
> "Kevin Gowen" <kgowenNOSPAM@myfastmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>>>> Um, Jason, why do you think the US could renegotiate? Member States
>>>> don't get to negotiate what percentage of UN expenses is
>>>> apportioned
>>>> to them by the General Assembly.
>>>
>>> Interesting choice of words.
>>
>> No more interesting than Article 17(2):
>> "The expenses of the Organization shall be borne by the Members as
>> apportioned by the General Assembly."
>
> If only the UN was solely run via the General Assembly...

...then what? I'm not exactly sure of what you want to say. The GA's 5th
committee is responsible for the UN budget. It is a unique function. Did you
think the Security Council was involved in some fashion?

>>> The percentage isn't negotiated but the
>>> total amount certainly is.
>>
>> Here we have a shift of ground. The US has gone from agreeing to pay
>> a given percentage of the UN budget to simply agreeing to the total
>> amount of the UN budget.
>
> No, here we have Kevin putting another's words into my mouth. I never
> said the US paid based on a a percentage. Michael wondered why their
> portion, regardless of how that derived, was so high. I made the
> point that they were not forced into this situation.

Which is a bit misleading.

> I did not
> comment as to whether it was decided as a percentage.

I see. My mistake.

>>> Do you think the apportioned expenses are
>>> numbers pulled out of thin air and without any prior discussion?
>>
>> I never said anything of the kind, Jed.
>
> Kevin, I thought you already felt secure in your superiority to us
> intellectual lightweights. Yet here you are, sounding much like a
> person
> with a massive inferiority complex.

How so?

>> Of course there is prior discussion,
>> but not in the General Assembly. Discussion takes place in the GA's
>> Administrative and Budgetary Committee (5th committee of the UNGA).
>> The United States has no representative in its bureau.
>
> Are you familiar with the workings of such committees? (Not just
> budgetary.)

Yes, I am, althought I have never taken part. Such workings of the UN
comprised the bulk of my Public International Law class's curriculum.

Is there a followup question?

> They do not operate in a vacuum and they most certainly
> do not make
> decisions without outside input.

I never said that they did, but that is beside the point.

-- 
Kevin Gowen
"When I'm president, we'll do executive orders to overcome any wrong
thing the Supreme Court does tomorrow or any other day." Dick Gephardt
(D-MO), presidential candidate