DEPARTMENT OF STATE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND PROGRAM STATEMENT OF ROY MOREY, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY, BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF STATE ACCOMPANIED BY: DONALD KING, DIRECTOR, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICE, DEPART- GERALD TAPE, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TO THE INTERNATIONAL CHESTER NORRIS, BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZA- SIDNEY S. CUMMINS, BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZA- ROBERT WHITE, DEPUTY REPRESENTATIVE, ORGANIZATION Senator INOUYE. Our next witness is Dr. Roy Morey, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of International Organization Affairs. Mr. Morey is here to justify the administration's request for $256 million in contributions to international organizations. These are in addition to our contributions of $337,104,000 to many of these same organizations. Since we have had an opportunity to read your prepared statement. it will be inserted in the hearing record. Will you introduce your associates, please? Dr. MOREY. On my far left is Mr. Donald King, who is Director of the Environmental Office in the Department of State; Ambassador Gerald Tape, our U.S. representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency; Mr. Sidney Cummins and Mr. Chester Norris, who are colleagues of mine in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs, and finally, Mr. Robert White, who is our Deputy Representative to the Organization of American States. GENERAL PURPOSE OF U.S. CONTRIBUTIONS I will try to be very brief in my summary, Mr. Chairman, as you have suggested. I would like to say that I am pleased to be here before your committee today to support the President's request for $256 million in fiscal year 1978 for contribution to the 11 United Nations' and 4 Organization of American States' development assistance programs. These programs demonstrate America's compassion for the noor and show our concern for the dispossessed around the world. These are an important component of our foreign policy. Especially in the context of the important north-south dialog. (473) Mr. Chairman, I feel that we cannot effectively promote multilateral diplomacy, the control of the proliferation of the nuclear arms, combat international terrorism, reduce the level of potential weapons, or protect our interests in the oceans and space in a hungry and embittered world and unless we achieve cooperation on basic noneconomic issues, unless we do our fair share in the long-term process of international development and cooperation, and unless we are seen as furthering, not blocking, world aspirations for a better life for everyone. CONTRIBUTIONS OF INDIVIDUAL DONORS The multilateral U.N. and OAS programs play a special role in meeting these developmental and humanitarian needs. They focus on technical assistance with most of the funding going to the poorer countries. This is particularly true of the U.N. development program, and as you know, Mr. Chairman, our request for the U.N.D.P. is $130 million as opposed to the $110 million that was submitted in January by the previous administration. Funding at the $130 million level for the UNDP will represent only about 21.6 percent of the anticipated contributions made in the total funding for UNDP. In our opinion, Mr. Chairman, Administrator Brad Morse has brought the UNDP operation under firm control. Staffing has been lowered, arrearages have been reduced, deficits have been eliminated, and an efficient financial reporting system has been installed. In our view the UNDP does have the ability and the capacity to increase its programing significantly above current levels and in line with the objectives of its second cycle which is calendar year 1977 through 1981. In our request today, the second largest item is the administration request for $52 million for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, for the Palestine refugees in the Near East. This amount would constitute approximately 35 percent of the total Government contribution that we anticipate for UNWRA in fiscal year 1978. The next largest item in our request is $20 million for UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund. The United States, as you know, has been a major supporter of UNICEF since it was funded in 1946. I am happy to say that many other countries have helped to shoulder the burden. In fact, 133 countries made contributions to UNICEF in 1976. Much more remains to be done. Millions of dollars worth of approved projects remain unstarted due to the lack of funds. Mr. Chairman, we are also requesting $10 million in support of programs of the International Atomic Energy Agency for the development and the strengthening of the Agency's nonproliferation and international safeguards responsibility. I have introduced Ambassador Gerald Tape, who is with me today who would be happy to answer any questions that you may have on our IAEA request. I should also point out, Mr. Chairman, that provision is made for the United States to contribute $10 million to the endowment fund of the United Nations University. This is one of the new items contained in President Carter's amendments to the fiscal year 1978 budget submission. The United Nations University is an initiative in which one of our allies, Japan, has taken the lead and has already given generous support. As a matter of fact, as you may know, Mr. Chairman, the Japanese Government has pledged $100 million to the United Nations University Endowment Fund and $60 million has been contributed thus far. We are favorably impressed with the United Nations University which is getting started under the leadership of Dr. James M. Hester, who was formerly the president of New York University and who was appointed Rector of the United Nations University in 1975. We believe that a contribution at this time is urgently required if other potential major donor nations are to provide their support with significant contributions. Mr. Chairman, I would also like to point out the tenfold increase, that is from $50,000 to $500,000, in funding request for the United Nation's educational and training program for southern Africa, UNETPSA. This is directly related to the pressing needs of Namibians and Zimbabweans, for training in administrative and technical matters in order to provide needed skills for majority rule in those territories. In view of the current situation in southern Africa it is urgent that UNETPSA be able to increase substantially the number of assistance awards it has granted. Also, included, is the administration's request. of $17.5 million dollars for development programs carried out by the Organization of American States. With the gradual reduction in the funding available for the bilateral development programs, resources made available through the Organization of American States assume greater importance. As I mentioned, Mr. Robert White, our Deputy Representative to the OAS is with me today to answer any questions that you and the committee may have on OAS. That summarizes my comments, Mr. Chairman, and I would be happy to try to respond to any questions that you and the committee have or submit information that you would like for the record. [The statement follows:] STATEMENT OF ROY D. MOREY Mr. Chairman: I am pleased to be here with you today to support the President's request for $256 million to fund in FY 1978 eleven United Nations' and four OAS development assistance programs. This compares with last year's requirement of $228 million. These programs demonstrate America's compassion for the poor and dispossessed around the world and are an important component of our foreign policy, particularly in the context of an increasingly important North-South dialogue. One of the most significant developments in the past few years has been the growing awareness of the importance to the United States, in an increasingly interdependent world, of the less developed countries. As the world's greatest industrial power, the condition of the global economy is of direct concern to us, particularly the Third World where our trade and investment interests are increasing. As a result of this there is a direct benefit to us in advancing basic economic security in the developing world. Multilateral economic assistance programs permit us to address the needs of LDC's for programs directed to their economic security and in a manner acceptable to them. These are some of the considerations which have led us to seek multilateral approaches to a series of global problems that confront the world population, energy, new sources of raw materials, transfer of technology - - food, particularly through the UN and OAS systems of development programs which have achieved technical competence and have the confidence of the developing world. Substantial and increased U.S. participation in these international programs directly serves U.S. interests in many ways, including: A. Promotion of U.S. National Economic Interest These programs make a vital contribution to a growing dynamic world economy - one that is able to provide resources, the trade and investment opportunities, and the necessities for general prosperity upon which the U.S. welfare depends. B. Improving Relations with the LDC's These programs are a vital element in the constructive dialogue between the developed and developing world in a global economic context. Practical cooperative efforts in problem-solving through international institutions such as UNDP and UNICEF serve to shift the emphasis in our relations away from ideological confrontation. Strengthen ing of these institutions further serves our interests by insuring the existence of reasonable, viable alternatives to sweeping proposals for extreme change in international economic development arrangements. C. Mobilizing International Efforts Through substantial U.S. contributions to these funds and agencies there is a multiplier effect in generating support from other donors. D. Reducing Long-Term Cost Unless better solutions are soon found for pressing requirements in areas such as food, population, and water resources, the long-term costs in meeting the inevitable crises will be much greater for us all. There is no escaping major U.S. participation in attacking these problems. E. Assisting the Least Developed 87-640 - 77 - 31 |