Following vote in US House, Annan says he is 'deeply committed' to UN reform

Reacting to the passing of a bill in the United States House of Representatives that calls for withholding of US dues to the UN budget, Secretary-General Kofi Annan today said he did not feel that such action was "a productive route" to achieving UN reform and stressed his deep commitment to revitalizing the world body.

A spokesman for Mr. Annan said in a statement that the Secretary-General is undertaking a number of management reforms and has laid out a broader agenda of institutional reform and renewal that is being actively discussed by Member States in the run-up to a "reform summit" of heads of government in September.

"The Secretary-General is deeply committed to UN reform," the spokesman said, adding: "He believes that US engagement and leadership in this process is very important but does not feel that withholding dues is a productive route to achieving reform and indeed that it could jeopardize the outcome of the September summit."

"Mr. Annan also sees today's vote as one step in the US legislative process," the spokesman said.