United States Participation in the United Nations. Report by the Secretary of State to the Congress for the year 2004

摘要

This report is submitted pursuant to the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 (Public Law 79-264). Section 4 of this law provides, in part, that: The President shall from time to time as occasion may require, but not less than once each year, make reports to the Congress of the activities of the United Nations and of the participation of the United States therein. In July 2003, the President delegated to the Secretary of State the authority to transmit this report to Congress. The United States Participation in the United Nations report is a survey of the activities of the U.S. Government in the United Nations and its agencies, as well as the activities of the United Nations and those agencies themselves. More specifically, this report seeks to assess UN achievements during 2004, the effectiveness of U.S. participation in the United Nations, and whether U.S. goals were advanced or thwarted. The United States is committed to the founding ideals of the United Nations. Addressing the UN General Assembly in 2003, President Bush said, The founding documents of the United Nations and the founding documents of America stand in the same tradition. Both assert that human beings should never be reduced to objects of power or commerce, because their dignity is inherent. Both recognize a moral law that stands above men and nations, which must be defended and enforced by men and nations. And both point the way to peace, the peace that comes when all are free. The United States believes the United Nations should be a place where diverse countries and cultures of the world work together for freedom, democracy, peace, human rights, and prosperity for all people. In 2004, the United Nations continued to face many challenges in living up to those founding principles. This report treats thematically UN activities that most significantly affected U.S. interests.