Section 46:8 b-21 of the state statutes, for example, allows the association to put a lien on each unit for unpaid assessments.

Among Europeans, there is growing resentment against the United States, which owes about $1.5 billion in unpaid assessments, while Europe shoulders nearly half the organization's budget.

Mr. Ban also drew attention to $23.7 million in unpaid assessments for UNDOF's funding.

He added that other nations were also in arrears and that "the total level of unpaid assessments has increased to unprecedented levels."

He also drew attention to the amount of unpaid assessments for the Force, which stood at $19.1 million on 30 September.

"The magnitude of the unpaid assessments eliminates any financial base of the organization," he said.

Nonetheless, unpaid assessments for United Nations peacekeeping totaled more than $2 billion.

Michael D. Brooks, who became the district's executive director 18 months ago, said he had already made headway in collecting unpaid assessments.

In the Great Depression, many properties were allowed to decay and deteriorate and large sums of unpaid assessments accumulated.

The United States is in arrears by $466.9 million, fully two-thirds of the total of unpaid assessments owed by all the 159 member countries.