The United States said today that it “strongly opposes” the resolution approved yesterday by the Economic and Financial Committee of the United Nations General Assembly that implied financial support for the Palestine Liberation Organization. “We see it as an effort to use UN assistance programs for the political benefit of the PLO,” the State Department’s chief spokesman, Hodding Carter, said.
“While we support assistance to the Palestinian people through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and other UN programs, we believe that any effort to twist these programs for partisan aims undermines support for them,” Carter added.
The resolution was approved by the committee by a vote of 93-5 with 33 abstentions, including the nine member states of the European Economic Community (EEC). The five opposing votes were cast by the U.S., Israel, Australia, Canada and Malawi. The resolution requires the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to render assistance and cooperation to the PLO in carrying out projects to improve the social and economic conditions of the Palestinians.
WILL OPPOSE MAKING PLO A CONDUIT
Hodding Carter, who made his remarks in reply to questions from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, was asked whether the U.S. would cut off funds from the UN agency supporting this program. He said that was “an if question” and “premature.” He explained that “the resolution constitutes a recommendation to the governing body of the United Nations development program. It does not mention the PLO or specifically define a role for the PLO in deciding on the implementation of assistance to the Palestinian people.
“We will oppose any move in the UNDP governing council to make the PLO a conduit for UN assistance in an effort to buttress its political position. UNDP has not given this role to the PLO in response to earlier resolutions of the Economic and Social Council which this resolution simply endorses. We do not believe they should change their practice pursuant to this resolution.”
The U.S. delegation to the UN warned, meanwhile, that the committee’s decision could lead to a cut-off of American financial support to UNDP. Last year the U.S. contribution amounted to $230 million for UN assistance projects.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
