Biden Joins Helms in Criticism of United Nations
By The Associated Press
United Nations -- A day after conservative Sen. Jesse Helms upbraided the United Nations, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today joined in the criticism and said fundamental structural changes are inevitable.
"I know it, you know it, we all know it," Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., told Secretary-General Kofi Annan and other top U.N. officials.
Biden's message was far less harsh than the sharply worded one delivered Thursday by Helms, R-N.C., the Foreign Relations Committee chairman, in a speech to the Security Council.
But Biden said that while he does not share Helms' conservative politics, he too believes the United Nations must overhaul his practices.
Congress has imposed a set of conditions on repayment of nearly $1 billion in delinquent U.S. dues to the world body, conditions that were written by Helms and Biden. They include a lower U.S. share in running the United Nations.
"Fundamental changes have to take place," Biden told the U.N. officials. "The good news is you're in charge."
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Carl
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