16 September 1996 GA/AB/3085
GENERAL ASSEMBLY WOULD ASK SECRETARY-GENERAL TO DEFER ACTION ON BUDGET-RELATED STAFF SEPARATION, ACCORDING TO DRAFT DECISION TABLED IN FIFTH COMMITTEE 19960916The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) began consideration of a draft decision that would have the General Assembly request the Secretary-General to defer any action on the involuntary separation of staff in the context of the 1996-1997 budget until the Assembly had considered the report it had asked from him on the budget cuts.The draft text was introduced on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China by the representative of Costa Rica, as the Committee met on Friday evening, 13 September, to table the text. Action on the draft was deferred in part because consensus could not be reached after a day of informal consultations, and some delegations, citing some rules of procedures, demanded a deferral. The draft would also have the Assembly reaffirm its resolutions 50/214, 50/230 and 50/231. By its resolution 50/214, of December 1995 -- on questions relating to the budget -- the Assembly set $2.61 billion as the total level of the budget, decided that the savings from the budget should not affect the full implementation of mandates, and that they should ensure fair, equitable and non-selective treatment of all budget sections, and set the vacancy rate at 6.4 per cent for Professional and General Service staff. It also asked the Secretary-General to report on how the mandated savings would be achieved. By resolution 50/230, of 7 June -- on progress on the programme budget for the biennium 1996-1997 -- the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to ensure full implementation of all mandated programmes and activities, until he submitted his proposals for achieving those budget savings to the Assembly. He was also asked to ensure that productivity gains would not hamper his Charter obligation to recruit staff on the widest geographical basis possible, even on a temporary basis. In resolution of 50/231 of 7 June -- on how to absorb the cost of new mandates within the budget -- the Assembly, among other things, reiterated that the Secretary-General's authority to implement any proposal to change mandated programmes was subject to its prior approval. It asked him to submit a report no later than 1 September with proposals on how to absorb those costs Fifth Committee - 2 - Press Release GA/AB/3085 68th Meeting (Night) 16 September 1996 within the budget, including political affairs, and in the area of the staff cost savings that might arise from the implementation of the early separation programme. Speaking on the introduction of the draft text, the representative of Ireland said, on behalf of the European Union, that normal rules of Assembly procedure, such as the 24-hour rule, should be observed. He cited rule 120, which he said stated that no proposal shall be voted on unless copies had been circulated in all United Nations official languages at least a day in advance. He expressed regret that the Committee was being asked to address a decision that had just been tabled and on which there had been no report from either the Secretary-General or the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ). Mexico's representative said it was still possible to negotiate a consensus on the draft proposal. The representative of Uganda expressed disappointment that the Committee had not arrived at a decision in all the informal meetings held on Friday. Appealing for flexibility by all sides, he said the lack of consensus was not a good sign for the Committee at the conclusion of the fiftieth session. Canada's representative said that the Assembly and the Committee should avoid taking actions that would interfere with employer-employee relations in a manner that might contravene regulations. He asked that Committee be given legal advice on the issue and expressed hope that a vote would be avoided on Monday. The representative of Cuba said that any agreement reached should show equal concern for the views of all sides, and that the substance of the matter should be clearly understood. If the text was translated on Friday and sent out to various missions, the 24-hour rule would have been met on Monday, placing the Committee in a position to act. Committee Chairman Erich Vilchez Asher (Nicaragua) said that the Secretariat could prepare the text and distribute it in one-and-a-half hours. France asked for clarifications on whether there would be informal consultation during the weekend and the provision of conference services. * *** *
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