A U.N. panel made up of international experts proposed that the staff of the United Nations be cut sharply to streamline the organization and make it more cost efficient. Ambassador Tom

Vraalsen of Norway, chairman of the 18-member panel, said that if the recommendation was accepted, about 1,700 U.N. Secretariat jobs would be eliminated over three years. That would be

slightly more than a 15% reduction in the Secretariat’s staff of 11,000. The U.N. controller’s office said an estimated savings of $60 million to $70 million could be achieved by the

personnel cuts. MORE TO READ