ACCESSION NUMBER:308266
FILE ID:POL301
DATE:10/20/93
TITLE:ALBRIGHT: PEACEKEEPING TROOPS TO BE TIED TO U.S. INTERESTS (10/20/93)
TEXT:*93102001.POL
ALBRIGHT: PEACEKEEPING TROOPS TO BE TIED TO U.S. INTERESTS
(But U.S. supports improvement of U.N. capabilities) (550)
By Paul Malamud
USIA Staff Writer
Washington -- The Clinton administration will be unlikely to commit
substantial numbers of troops to future U.N. peacekeeping operations unless
the United States has vital interests at stake, says Madeleine Albright,
U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations.
But the administration wants to work with the world organization to help
build up its peacekeeping capacity in the long run, the difficulties of the
Somalia operation notwithstanding, Albright told the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee October 20.
"Where it is in our interests," she said, the United States "should support
and sometimes participate in well-planned U.N. peace operations." However,
she anticipated that "the U.S. contribution to such operations will most
often be in areas such as logistics, intelligence, public affairs and
communications, rather than combat."
When "large-scale or high-risk operations are contemplated, and American
involvement is necessary," Albright said, "we will be unlikely to accept
U.N. leadership."
Instead, she said, "we will ordinarily rely on our own resources, or those
of a regional alliance such as NATO, or an appropriate coalition such as
that assembled during Operation Desert Storm."
While Albright acknowledged that "American interests dictate that we remain
active and engaged on the world stage," she added, "Current U.N.
peacekeeping capacities and decision-making procedures are not adequate and
must be strengthened."
She said the U.S. share of U.N. peacekeeping expenses should be reduced and
noted, "We now pay more than 30 percent under a scale of assessments that
1as not changed in 20 years."
Albright said "the changing nature of U.N. peace operations has led us into
uncharted territory," but she conceded that the United States should
provide "appropriate levels of personnel, technical assistance and
equipment (credited against our assessment) to improve the management and
improve the effectiveness of U.N. peacekeeping capabilities."
U.N. Secretary General Boutros-Ghali is attempting to improve peacekeeping
capabilities, and the United States supports his effort, she said, but
added that the administration is "very concerned about...what looks like a
growth industry in peacekeeping" by the United Nations.
In the future, she emphasized, "We are not likely to have American troops in
most of these peacekeeping operations except where U.S. vital interests are
involved."
Albright warned against U.S. withdrawal from world affairs, noting that "an
overriding objective of American foreign policy" has to be a "vibrant
economy" in a "functional international system." She said it is "essential
for us to have a dialogue with the American people about how we fit into
the world."
U.S. special envoy to Somalia Robert Oakley has made a "successful" effort
to "kick-start the negotiating process" there, Albright said, and "it is
our optimistic sense at the moment" that the peace process is "moving
forward." She pointed out, however, that the administration "intends to
maintain military pressure" on disruptive Somali clan factions.
Asked about "nation-building" as a goal, she said "None of us believes that
we can build a nation for anybody....People in that nation have to do it
for themselves" with appropriate international assistance.
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