UN welcomes US paying dues

The United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, has welcomed the decision by the United States Congress to clear some of Washington's unpaid dues to the UN saying it would restore the United States to its natural leadership position in the world body.

In a statement, Mr Annan said the approval of the US federal budget, which includes provisions for a pay-out of more than nine-hundred million dollars to the UN, marks a turning point in the relations between Washington and the international organisation.

Although the money will not clear the total debt of one-and-a-half billion dollars it will spare Washington from automatically losing its vote in the UN General Assembly next year. Mr Annan also said that the American legislation contained certain conditions for the payment of some of the moneys, but he said the matter can only be resolved in negotiations between the UN members states.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service