The UN has paid special thanks to Azerbaijan and 18 other member countries for totally fulfilling their peacekeeping assessments, financed by UN. According to Trend's US correspondent, the Under-Secretary-General for Management, Angela Kane, speaking at the sixth meeting of the fifth Committee of the Sixty-fourth UN General Assembly session, announced her special gratitude to 19 countries including Azerbaijan that contributed fully to the peacekeeping operation UN funds.

Reporting on the financial situation of the United Nation, the Organization's top management official presented, once again, "a mixed picture", while noting some improvements and stressing the importance of timely and full payment of Member States' dues to the United Nations.

Kane said that cash positions were projected to be positive at year-end for all funds, although the final outcome would depend on last-quarter contributions. Unpaid peacekeeping assessments showed a decrease, as compared with October 2008, reflecting reduced amounts owed for peacekeeping by major contributors, as well as the lower level of assessments issued for the current peacekeeping fiscal year, pending the approval of a new scale of assessments for 2010.

The total amount outstanding for peacekeeping operations at 13 October 2009 had been over $2.1 billion, unfortunately some $763 million lower than at the end of 2008. The current level of unpaid assessments was, in part, related to a lower level of peacekeeping assessments for the 2009-10 fiscal year, pending approval of a new scale of assessments for 2010.

While unpaid assessments had decreased for peacekeeping operations, there had been increases for the regular budget, the Tribunals and the capital master fund, she said. Further, the number of Member States meeting their obligations in full was lower than one year ago across all categories.