Ambassador Chris Lu
U.S. Representative for UN Management and Reform
New York, New York
June 30, 2023
AS DELIVERED
The United States strongly supports UNIFIL in implementing its important mandate. However, the use of General Assembly funding resolutions to pursue claims against a Member State is not appropriate. We have historically opposed General Assembly resolutions on this item because they required a Member State to pay for costs stemming from the Qana incident of 1996. Those resolutions were not consensus resolutions.
Since shortly after the founding of the United Nations, the procedure which has been followed is that the Secretary-General presents and pursues the settlement of the Organization’s claims against a State or States. Using a funding resolution to legislate a settlement is inappropriate. It also politicizes the work of the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee, and should be avoided both now and in the future.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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