Statement on a Revision of the United Nations' Peacekeeping Costs Assessment Scale

I am pleased that so many nations have announced their support for a revision of the United Nations' peacekeeping scale of assessment, a revision that will better reflect the reality of peacekeeping costs in the year 2000. Much will depend on the outcome of this fall's deliberations, including the future of U.N. peacekeeping.

Specifically, I want to express my personal appreciation to the countries who have demonstrated leadership by agreeing to assume additional financial responsibility under the peacekeeping scale: Antigua and Barbuda, Bulgaria, Kuwait, Malta, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, and Slovenia. The formula used for funding U.N. peacekeeping operations, the so-called scale of assessment, is long out of step with today's realities and is in pressing need of change.

Yesterday all permanent five members of the Security Council supported a revision of the peacekeeping financial structure. My team and I will be working on this important issue for the remainder of this administration.

The U.N. General Assembly will be debating revisions to the scale of assessments over the next few months. These deliberations will be guided and inspired by the example of the countries.