For
PGA, Jeremic
$7 M Might
Beat Kerim's
$1 M,
But Qatar
Hides Ball
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
July 6 -- That
the
highest
position in
the UN system,
President of
the General
Assembly, is
essentially
privately
funded
creates
unfairness
against small
countries and
possibly
conflicts of
interest.
In
the
past, Inner
City Press has
reported on Switzerland
paying for the
housing of PGA
Joseph Deiss
(despite the
oath nearly
ubiquitous in
the
Organization
to serve the
UN and not
one's
country), and
has
inquired into
the
fundraising of
Srgjan Kerim
(beyond the $1
million
from his
government.)
Now
incoming
PGA Vuk
Jeremic of
Serbia, whose
election
Inner City
Press
predicted
with 97 votes
(he got 99)
is under some
fire at home,
for a
reported $7
million
request.
Jeremic's
rival in
the Democratic
Party (DS),
Belgrade Mayor
Dragan Dilas,
has put the
figure at $7.5
million and
called it
disgraceful.
For now, it's
said
that only $2.9
million have
been approved,
prior to the
vote for PGA,
but running
only throw
December.
In
order
to asses
Jeremic's
reported
estimate,
Inner City
Press asked
the office of
the current
Qatari PGA:
"This
is
a press
request to
know the
budget of the
current
President of
the
General
Assembly for
his year in
office, both
from UN and
non-UN
sources.
"To
explain,
there is now a
controversy in
the press in
Serbia about
the
incoming
president's
proposed
budget from
his country...
in this
context, and
generally for
UN
transparency,
I am asking
you for the
total PGA
budget for his
year, broken
down as much
as are willing
to."
The
answer
that came back
did not have
the number
from Qatar,
only from
the UN:
"Dear
Matthew,
The Office of
the PGA
receives
$250,000 for
each
presidency
from the
regular UN
budget. This
amount has
been set in
1998 by Member
States. The
national
government of
the PGA may
contribute to
the funding of
the operations
and activities
of the
PGA/OPGA.
"There
is
also the Trust
Fund
established in
support of the
Office and
used
to cover the
costs of PGA
initiatives
such as
specific
thematic
debates.
Member States
can make
voluntary
contributions
to this Fund
- but during
this session
the Fund
received no
contributions."
There
is
another
wrinkle,
raised to
Inner City
Press by
another UN
source:
beyond the
now-outdated
$250,000, the
UN pays for
some of the
PGA
Office's
posts, and
others are
seconded by
other
countries.
Still, it
has become
harder and
harder for
poor countries
to be PGA:
witness
Nepal losing
out to Qatar.
Now there is
Serbia. Inner
City Press has
reiterated its
request for
the actual
Qatari number.
Watch this
site.
, 
