[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 61 (Tuesday, May 17, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     AN AMERICAN AS UNDER SECRETARY GENERAL FOR ADMINISTRATION AND 
                    MANAGEMENT AT THE UNITED NATIONS

  Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, as a long-time supporter of U.N. reform, 
I was extremely interested in recent efforts to fill the position of 
Under Secretary for Management and Reform at the United Nations. This 
position was held most recently by Melissa Wells, an American whose 
resignation was apparently forced by the Secretary General and his 
staff. Last January, I encouraged the President to urge Secretary 
General Boutros Boutros-Ghali to appoint another American to this 
important and powerful position.
  I was pleased to learn that an American, Joseph Connor, has been 
appointed to the important position of Under Secretary General for 
Administration and Management. I wish Mr. Connor great success in this 
most difficult job. It will not be easy to implement reform within an 
agency that seems to do all it can to avoid reforming even its most 
egregious practices. It also is my hope that the United States will aid 
Mr. Connor's efforts by seriously pushing for meaningful reform.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a copy of my letter to 
the President and his response be included in the Record immediately 
following my remarks.
  There being no objection, the letters were ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:


                                                  U.S. Senate,

                                 Washington, DC, January 24, 1994.
     The President,
     The White House, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: I am writing to encourage you to urge 
     United Nations Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali to 
     appoint an American to the important and powerful position of 
     Under Secretary General for Administration and Management. 
     This position was held formerly by Dick Thornburgh and most 
     recently by Melissa Wells whose resignation apparently was 
     forced by the Secretary General and his staff.
       This is an unsettling precedent. Melissa Wells was the 
     highest ranking American official at the United Nations. The 
     position of Under Secretary General for Administration and 
     Management has oversight not only over reforming the United 
     Nations' inefficient bureaucracy and responsibility for 
     security, contracts and support services for peacekeeping 
     operations. Her removal further delays the reform effort. The 
     U.S. mission at the United Nations has been pressing to 
     streamline the unwieldy U.N. bureaucracy to satisfy those of 
     us in Congress who have become increasingly concerned about 
     waste and fraud.
       It is my hope that we will continue to drive the U.N. 
     towards reform despite a seeming unwillingness to move in 
     that direction. The forced resignation of Melissa Wells 
     should strengthen the resolve of the United States to insist 
     on reform. This is a bureaucracy out of control, financed by 
     U.S. taxpayer dollars. I urge you to push for the appointment 
     of an American citizen to the powerful position of Under 
     Secretary General for Administration and Management. If a 
     non-American fills the position, the U.S. risks losing 
     considerable leverage in the U.N. reform process. It is of 
     utmost importance that the drive for reform and the oversight 
     of that effort remain in our hands.
       There are difficult tasks ahead for the United Nations. If 
     the U.N. is to succeed in the face of limited resources, 
     budgetary and bureaucratic reforms are necessary. The 
     strength of the U.N. as a credible peacekeeping body depends 
     on the effectiveness of the U.N. Under Secretary General for 
     Administration and Management. A reform-minded American 
     citizen appointed to this position would ensure the future 
     credibility of the United Nations.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Larry Pressler,
     U.S. Senator.
                                  ____



                                              The White House,

                                    Washington, DC, April 6, 1994.
     Hon. Larry Pressler,
     U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Pressler: Thank you for your letter urging 
     that we press for an American to replace Melissa Wells as UN 
     Undersecretary General for Administration and Management. I 
     can assure you I consider this an especially important 
     position at the UN which will help me carry out my commitment 
     to serious and lasting management reform at the UN.
       Ambassador Albright has submitted to Boutros-Ghali on my 
     behalf a list of several highly qualified American candidates 
     with substantial management expertise for this position. I 
     have every hope that a very capable American will be selected 
     to fill this post.
       I am committed to continuing to press vigorously for 
     concrete management reforms at the UN. Top among our current 
     priorities is the establishment of a fully independent office 
     of inspector general with broad oversight responsibilities.
       I appreciate your longstanding interest in these issues and 
     your support for meaningful UN reform.
           Sincerely,
     Bill Clinton.

                          ____________________