UN General Assembly allows three member states in serious arrears to vote

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- The UN General Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution to allow three member states, which are at least two years in arrears for membership dues, to vote in the assembly in the current 77th annual session.

The three states concerned are the Comoros, Sao Tome and Principe, and Somalia.

Article 19 of the UN Charter stipulates that a member state can no longer vote in the General Assembly if it is at least two years in arrears for membership dues unless the assembly is satisfied that the failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the control of the member state.

In Friday's resolution, the General Assembly agrees that the failure of the three states to pay was indeed due to conditions beyond their control.