GA/AB/3083

FIFTH COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS DEFERRING CONSIDERATION OF CONDITIONS OF SERVICE OF UN STAFF TO NEXT ASSEMBLY

The Noblemaire principle recommends that United Nations Professional salaries be set in relation to those of the best-paid national civil service in the world. They are currently set in relation to the United States federal service pay systems -- the comparator.

In the report, submitted under the Assembly's agenda item on the United Nations common system, the ICSC states that, while the total compensation levels of the German civil service were better than those of the United States, it did not find it opportune to recommend that the German compensation levels should be used to determine United Nations wages, in accordance with the principle. It argued that the process of changing comparators was complex and that the superiority of the total German civil service compensation might not be maintained over time.

Speaking on the common system, the representative of Ireland, also speaking for the European Union, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovakia supported the deferral. Japan's representative expressed regret that the issue could not be considered at this session.

Regarding the financing of the peace-keeping missions in the former Yugoslavia, Ireland's representative, expressed the European Union's concern about the extent of outstanding third-party claims submitted to the United Nations Peace Forces in the former Yugoslavia. The Union looked forward to proposals from the Secretary-General on measures to limit United Nations liability in third-party claims arising from peace-keeping and to provide simpler and prompt settlement of claims. Highlighting the more than $700 million owed to the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), he called on Member States in arrears to pay up their dues to ensure that troop- contributing States were reimbursed. The statement was backed by the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Norway.

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The Secretary-General's reports on the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), the peace-keeping operations in the former Yugoslavia and the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) were introduced by the United Nations Controller, Yukio Takasu.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m., on Thursday, 12 September, to hear statement on the United Nations financial situation by the Under- Secretary-General for Administration and Management, Joseph E. Connor.

Committee Work Programme

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) met this morning to consider the financing of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) and the missions to the former Yugoslavia -- United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia (UNCRO), United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP), United Nations Peace Forces in the former Yugoslavia (UNPF) and the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) as well as the United Nations common system.

MINURSO

In a report on the financing of MINURSO (document A/50/655/Add.2), the Secretary-General asks the General Assembly to appropriate $18.6 million gross ($17.6 million net) for the period 1 December 1996 to 30 June 1997, including $737,565 for the support account for peace-keeping. It should be assessed at the rate of $2.7 million gross ($2.5 million net) monthly, subject to the extension of MINURSO's mandate by the Security Council beyond 30 November.

He requests it to appropriate approximately $28 million gross ($25.5 million net) for 1 February to 30 June, and $13.3 million gross ($12.6 million net) for 1 July to 30 November inclusive of the amount of $7.8 million ($6.8 million) already authorized and assessed. He asks it to assess an additional $5.5 million gross ($5.7 million net) for 1 July to 30 November.

According to the report, the revised cost of maintaining MINURSO from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997 is estimated at $31.9 million gross ($30.1 million net). It provides for a 230-person military component and a nine-member civilian police, supported by an administration of 167 (102 international and 65 local) staff. It takes into account the phased repatriation of military observers until 31 October 1996. Due to the reduction of military personnel and the suspension of identification activities, 243 of the Mission's 410 authorized posts will be blocked until its activities are resumed.

As of 21 June, a total of $231.3 million had been assessed from the Mission's inception in 1991 to 31 May 1996, with some $187.7 million received.

Missions to Former Yugoslavia

A report of the Secretary-General on UNPROFOR, UNCRO, UNPREDEP and UNPF (document A/50/696/Add.6) discusses the decentralization of some administrative functions and the reduction of staff. He cites some analysis showing that the centralization of administrative functions in the mission area would yield modest savings in terms of staffing because even in a centralized environment, focal points for procurement, finance and other areas would have to be retained locally. Also, the creation of an additional

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procedural tier would render support functions more cumbersome. The functions that need centralization are already centralized at Headquarters in the Departments of Peace-keeping Operations and Administration and Management. They include recruiting and placing international staff, contracting air and sea carriers for the repatriation of troops as well as biddings for large-scale purchases. Further centralization at the regional level would only duplicate the work.

In the area of local personnel administration, centralization would not reduce staff since those functions require officers to be present in various locations throughout a mission area. Therefore, the overall number of staff would not change regardless of whether the service was centralized or not.

The reports states that the Secretary-General withdraws a proposal to set up a central transport warehouse in Zagreb since it would be counterproductive operationally. He recommends that the budgetary provisions for the warehouse be deleted and its eight staff shared equally by the Communications Control Centre and air operations. The total proposed staffing for the missions' central support unit would remain at 62.

The Secretary-General's financial performance report on UNPROFOR, UNCRO, UNPREDEP and UNPF (document A/50/696/Add.7) for the period 1 July to 31 December 1995 also relays his request for the Assembly to decide on what to do with an unencumbered balance of $227.4 million gross ($227.9 million net) for the period 1 October 1994 to 31 December 1995.

As for the period 1 July to 31 December 1995, about $861.3 million gross ($854.4 million net) was spent out of the total of $889 million gross ($882 million net) provided by the Assembly. That created an unencumbered balance of $27.7 million gross ($27.5 million net) for that period.

In reviewing the Yugoslavia missions' financial administration, the Secretary-General says that total resources of $5.09 billion gross ($5.06 billion net) was made available to them from 12 January 1992 to 30 September 1996. The total estimated spending for that time was $4.77 billion gross ($4.74 billion net), including voluntary contributions of $40.6 million. There are total outstanding dues of $736.5 million.

United Nations Common System

On the common system of salaries, allowances and conditions of service for United Nations staff, the Committee had before it the addendum to the 1995 report of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC).

In the addendum to its report on conditions of service of the Professional and higher categories (document A/50/30/Add.1), the ICSC re- examines two issues on which it had already made recommendations to the

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Assembly. Those issues concerned the manner in which net remuneration comparisons are made with the current comparator (the United States federal civil service); and, clarification of outstanding difficulties in making comparisons with the German federal civil service. The issues were re- examined pursuant to Assembly resolution 50/208 of December 1995.

The 15-member Commission advises the Assembly on salary and compensation issues, including post adjustment and pension, for Professional and higher level staff as well as on General Service remuneration and conditions of service. Fourteen organizations, together with the United Nations, participate in the common system of salaries and allowances.

On the first issue the ICSC decided to reaffirm its 1995 decision that ways needed to be found to reflect the comparator's special pay systems more fully in the remuneration comparisons.

On the second issue the ICSC maintained its position that the total compensation levels of the German federal civil service were superior to those of the current comparator. Following further discussion with the German officials, the Commission did not consider that it was opportune to recommend a change of comparator.

In its 1995 report (document A/50/30) which was presented to the Fifth Committee last November, the Commission asked the Assembly to consider reaffirming the continued applicability of the Noblemaire Principle. (That principle states that salaries for staff in the Professional and higher categories in the United Nations system shall be established by reference to the highest paid national civil service. For that purpose the United States federal civil service has been used as the comparator.) Regarding the German civil service, the Commission decided that "the conditions for changing the comparator were not, under the current circumstances, in place". (See Press Release GA/AB/3043 of 20 November 1995.)

Statements on Financing of Former Yugoslavia Missions

PATRICK KELLY (Ireland), speaking for the European Union, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Norway, expressed regret that the performance report for the period ending 31 December 1995 could not be taken up in the resumed session because they had been submitted later than the 15 August deadline set for its submission. That date had not been set arbitrarily. One of the reasons for holding the resumed session of the Committee was to discuss that report.

The Union, he said, did not traditionally favour granting the Secretary- General commitment authorities that were not accompanied by assessments. However, it would make an exception, and would agree to the provision of a month's authority to meet the expenses of the UNPF through the end of October.

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The Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) should give priority consideration to the performance report so that the Fifth Committee could consider the matter early in the next session and decide on the substantial unencumbered balance in the UNPROFOR account. The Union shared the concern of the ACABQ on the extent of outstanding third-party claims submitted to the UNPF. It looked forward to proposals from the Secretary-General on measures to clearly limit United Nations liabilities in third-party claims arising from peace-keeping missions and to provide simpler and prompt settlement of claims.

He drew attention to the $700 million owed to UNPROFOR and reminded all those in arrears to pay up their dues to help ensure that troop-contributing States were reimbursed. The Union was concerned about the sums of money owed to UNPF troop contributors, many of whom were European Union member States, particularly in respect of contingent-owned equipment. Delays in the processing of claims were another cause of concern.

YUKIO TAKASU, United Nations Controller, said that the Secretariat had made a general commitment to produce performance and other reports by the deadlines set by the Assembly. But there were cases in which the deadlines could not be met. While the deadline set for the performance report was 15 August, the report came out in all languages on 29 August. Despite doing its best, the Secretariat could not meet that deadline, owing to the reductions in conference and other services arising from budget cuts. The Secretariat would try to maintain its commitment on meeting deadlines. It would state, whenever deadlines were set, whether they could be met.

Statements on Financing of UNOMIL

Mr. TAKASU, United Nations Controller, introducing the report on the financing of UNOMIL, recalled that commitment authority had been granted for the financing of UNOMIL until 30 September, subject to extension of the Mission's mandate by the Security council. The report (document A/50/650/Add. 4) would be considered by the ACABQ later this month. In the interim, the Secretariat was requesting that the Assembly approve commitment authority of $1.1 million gross until the end of October.

MOVSES ABELIAN (Armenia), Committee Vice-Chairman, said the agenda item would be considered in informal consultations.

Statements on Common System

Mr. KELLY (Ireland), speaking on behalf of the European Union as well as for the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, said the issues dealt with in the report were of the utmost importance for the operation of the common system and the determination of conditions of service of Professional staff members. However, due to the limited time available to

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the Committee during the final part of the resumed session, the European Union could agree to defer the item to the next regular session. The deferral should allow the Fifth Committee to consider all aspects of the common system at the earliest possible opportunity in the forthcoming regular session. The importance of the issues warranted such consideration.

FUMIAKI TOYA (Japan) expressed regret that the Assembly's fiftieth session had been unable to conclude its consideration of the ICSC 1995 annual report. The Assembly had a responsibility to the United Nations and to all the participating organizations of the common system to do so. Consideration of the report should take place early in the fifty-first session.

The Committee decided to recommend that the Assembly take note of the ICSC report, including its addendum, and defer its consideration to the next session.

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