The Defense Committee

Whereas:

1) from 1948 to 1993, over 600,000 soldiers and civilians have operated under the command of the United Nations in 28 peace-keeping operations;

2) in 1993 more than 80,000 people have been employed in ongoing operations, and that 40,000 more people are expected to be employed;

3) the costs of such operations have risen from $600 billion in 1991 to $2,8 billion in 1992, and that for 93/94 the estimated cost for such operations is $3,6 billion;

4) that while relevant, these figures are unquestionably an underestimation with respect to the budgets of the single States in relation to national defense;

5) the United Nations peace-keeping operations represent a relevant contribution to the security of all countries;

6) while expectations on these operations rise, the United Nations is not endowed with the means apt to guarantee the flexibility required to ensure a prompt and effective response;

7) the contributions of the single states to peace-keeping operations are paid often with considerable delay, thus forcing the UN to ask for loans;

8) at 31 October 1993, the arrears for peace-keeping operations amount to $384 million; $648 million are due for 1993 since only 12 countries have already paid their assessments; $1 billion needs yet to be collected from the states for ongoing peace-keeping operations;

9) Italy has not yet paid its assessment for 1993, valued at $35 million;

10) in order to meet the need for cash in relation to peace-keeping operations it has been decided, through resolution 47/217 of 23 December 1992, to establish a Peace-Keeping Reserve Fund;

11) the Secretary-General of the United Nations has addressed the following recommendation: "because peace-keeping is an investment in security, Governments should consider financing its future cost from their national defense budgets"" ((A/48/460, par. 63);

binds the government

- to pay its financial assessments for peace-keeping operations in time;

- to appropriate the funds necessary to increase the budget of the Peace-Keeping Reserve Fund ($18 million);

- to envision special chapters of the budget of the Ministry of Defense for the financing of peace-keeping operations;

-to increase such chapters also by reducing other national security costs, which is possible owing to the different international situation and the enhanced role of the United Nations.

Roberto Cicciomessere (Fed.)

Salvatore Meleleo (Dc)

Paolo Bampo (Lega nord)

Isaia Gasparotto (Pds)

Paolo Caccia (Dc)

Stelio De Carolis (Pri)

Riccardo Fragassi (Lega nord)

Pietro Folena (Pds)

Mauro Polli (Lega nord)