United Nations -- Whichever U.S. presidential candidate takes office January 20 there will be no change in U.S. legislation requiring U.N. reforms and the reduction of U.S. dues to the organization's main budget and peacekeeping operations, two senior U.S. senators told a group of U.N. ambassadors November 28.

Senator John Warner, (Republican-Virginia), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator Gordon Smith, (Republican-Oregon), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and chairman of the West European Subcommittee, along with U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Richard Holbrooke met with the U.N. group to discuss the continuity of existing U.S. laws as the United States awaits the outcome of its presidential election.

The two senators stressed that the so-called Helms-Biden legislation -- which sets out benchmarks for U.N. reforms and reduces the percentage of the U.S. assessments for the regular budget as well as providing for the payment of U.S. arrears to the organization -- is U.S. law and will be followed regardless of which presidential candidate takes office.

In addition, they said, there is no "wiggle room" or way to renegotiate the U.S. reduction from 25 percent of the budget to 22 percent even if U.N. member states agree to offset a portion of the reduction.

"This is a piece of legislation that was very carefully worked out over a long period of time," Warner told journalists after the meeting. "And it is my opinion, having served in the Senate some 22 years, that it will remain intact; that the next president -- whoever that may be -- will implement it according to the letter of the law."

Smith said he and Warner "are here at a time when there is perceived uncertainty in the passing of power in the United States. We are here as a statement to say there is actual constitutional certainty and it does cross party lines."

"We want to say to the whole world: Our government is working. There is no crisis. And, indeed, when it comes to the United Nations there is bipartisan support, but bipartisan insistence that the reforms that we have asked be ultimately achieved," Smith said.

Holbrooke emphasized that for the U.S. fiscal year 2001, which began October 1, the U.S. "Congress has appropriated a record amount of money for the U.N. regular budget, peacekeeping, specialized agencies, and voluntary contributions.

"The best estimate we have is that the U.N. system will get $3.4 billion from the United States this year" when all the legislation is completed, Holbrooke said. "That is the highest amount we have ever given the U.N."

Warner said that he tried to correct ambassadors who said that it appears the United States feels it doesn't need the U.N.

"That is wrong. We very much as a nation need the U.N.," he said. "In fact, we need the U.N. to be even stronger and take on more responsibilities, particularly in the area of peacekeeping the world over."

The senator noted that he served in the U.S. marines in Korea 50 years ago as a part of the U.N. force. "So I go a long way back with this great organization and I'm proud to have been a part of that engagement," he said.

Referring to pleas from other U.N. member nations that at a time of U.S. prosperity the financing structure not be changed, Smith said that "it is important to point out ... that much of the U.S. burden for promoting peace around the world does not show up on any U.N. ledger."

"The budgets I deal with as a member of the Senate Budget Committee contain columns of peacekeeping (costs) unrelated to the United Nations but which nevertheless do bolster the United Nations. Certainly, not the least of which is the strength of the United States military," he said.

"At the end of the day (the U.S. military) is the backbone of our peacekeeping efforts," Smith said. "Otherwise we would be a lot of nice people talking to one another. It is the strength of our arms that makes the effect of our words so meaningful in the promotion of peace around the world."

Warner said "we are enjoying at this time probably the strongest relationships certainly between the Congress and the United Nations." And Smith attributed the "greatly enhanced relationship" to Senator Joseph Biden, (Democrat-Delaware), Senator Jesse Helms, (Republican-North Carolina), Holbrooke, and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan.

It has been the "credibility and confidence of Kofi Annan leading this organization that makes our job easier in talking to our colleagues to foster greater understanding in the United States Senate and Congress about the workings of the United Nations and why the United States needs the United Nations," Smith said.

Holbrooke said that "everyone focuses on the arrears" and forgets that the United States will be giving the U.N. $3.4 billion in 2001 along with another $536 million by the end of the year and $244 million in 2001 to pay down the arrears.

"The U.S. is seeking a reduction in our assessment of the regular budget," the ambassador said. "That request amounts to less than I percent of the amount of money that the Congress has given."

It is important to recognize that "America may have an arrears problem, but we remain by far the largest contributor and...we believe in the importance in the U.N.," Holbrooke said.