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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 23, 1998|
Worldwide Vigil to Protest United Nations Financial Crisis

Ottawa - The United Nations is now into the third year of the worst
financial crisis in the organization's history. Governments owe the UN $2.6
billion. The U.S. government is responsible for 60% of this debt.

Canadian citizens in Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, Winnipeg,
Yellowknife, Victoria and Guelph are participating today in the Third
Worldwide Vigil to demonstrate support for the UN and to deplore its
ongoing financial crisis. This year vigils will be held in over 50 cities
around the world.

In Ottawa, the World Federalists of Canada and United Nations Association
in Canada have organized a Candlelight Vigil. Participants will meet at
7:30 p.m. at the Capital Infocentre (Wellington and Metcalfe), walk to the
Human Rights Monument and conclude with speeches at the U.S. Embassy
(EST 8:15 p.m.).

In Washington last week to meet Congressional leaders, UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan said, "The news for UN funding is grim indeed. It appears that
the United States will squeak by, paying just enough to avoid losing its
vote in the General Assembly, which happens to nations who fall two years
behind in their contributions."

Until this year, the reason given for U.S. funding delays was that the
United Nations was a "bloated bureaucracy," Annan said. "Reform is not
mentioned any more. . . . The United Nations has gone through more reform
in the past few months than we have in many decades."

This year the appropriation for UN funding is tied up in a wrangle over a
provision barring U.S. aid to family planning groups that lobby countries
to liberalize their abortion laws. President Bill Clinton has said he would
veto the UN authorization bill if it contained the abortion restrictions.
Fergus Watt, Executive Director of the World Federalists of Canada
commented, "The real problem is not the abortion advocates in Congress; or
the lack of reform at the UN; or Jesse Helms. It's the policy of the United
States government. The U.S. was able to overcome Congressional obstacles to
find $18 billion for the IMF (International Monetary Fund)," says Watt.

"They could find the money they owe the UN as well, if it was important
enough to them. But it isn't."

Watt believes that Canada could do more to resolve the problem. "As the
world's only superpower, the U.S. seems to have decided that a weak
multilateral system is in their interest. But it's not in Canada's
interest. Canada should speak up more forcefully about this."

"For example, other parts of the UN system derive their funding from
sources other than state contributions," says Watt. "We should be at least
willing to consider alternative funding sources for the UN's core
functions, the regular and peacekeeping budget."

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Fergus Watt, Executive Director, World Federalists of Canada (232-0647)
Harry Qualman, Executive Director, United Nations Association in Canada (232 5751, ext. 223)

World Federalists of Canada
207 - 145 Spruce St.
Ottawa K1R 6P1
CANADA

Tel: (613) 232-0647
E-mail: wfcnat@web.net
Web site: http://www.web.net/~wfcnat

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