GA/9087

GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONCLUDES FIFTIETH SESSION

The United Nations Secretariat will defer action on the involuntary separation of staff to achieve overall savings of $154 million from the 1996- 1997 budget, Under-Secretary-General for Administration and Management, Joseph E. Connor, told the General Assembly as it met to conclude its fiftieth session.

In his statement, Mr. Connor added that the separations would be deferred until the Assembly had considered the Secretary-General's report on how to achieve the mandated savings. In the meantime, efforts to find appropriate placements for the affected staff would continue.

The Assembly subsequently adopted, without a vote, an orally amended draft decision from its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) to take note of the Secretary-General's action. The oral amendment, introduced at today's plenary by the Chairman of the Fifth Committee, Erich Vilchez Asher (Nicaragua), changed an earlier text that would have had the Assembly request the Secretary-General to defer the separations.

After the adoption of the amended text, the representative of Costa Rica, speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said that the Secretary-General's decision meant that no termination letters would be sent to the concerned staff until the Assembly considered the relevant reports on the matter.

The representative of Ireland, also speaking for the European Union, said the Union did not believe that the Assembly should take a decision on the matter, taking into consideration the Under-Secretary-General's statement and the fact that the relevant report had not yet been introduced to the Assembly. The Union's concern was that the Secretary-General's authority should not be diminished and that the Assembly should not interfere with the running of the Secretariat.

In other action, the Assembly adopted Fifth Committee draft decisions to approve financing for several peace-keeping missions, as well as take note of and/or defer to the fifty-first session several reports from the Secretary-

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General, the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), the Committee on Contributions, the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU), and the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts, on jurisdictional and procedural mechanisms for the proper management of the United Nations resources and funds.

On peace-keeping, the Assembly authorized the Secretary-General to commit approximately $10 million gross to finance the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), United Nations Peace Forces in the former Yugoslavia (UNPF) and the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL). Regarding the United Nations Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL), the Assembly credited to Member States an unencumbered balance of about $15 million gross in the Mission's account.

By the terms of the drafts, the Assembly:

-- Authorized up to $6.2 million gross ($5.8 million net) for the period 1 to 31 October to liquidate the Peace Forces and provide common support. The Forces are the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), the United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia (UNCRO), the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP) and the United Nations Peace Forces Headquarters;

-- Authorized up to $2.6 million gross ($2.5 million net) for MINURSO for 1 to 31 October;

-- Authorized the use of the resources available to UNOMIL and, if necessary, the commitment of $1.1 million gross ($1 million net) up to the end of October; and

-- Appropriated and apportioned for ONUSAL $826,000 gross ($745,300 net) for the period 1 December 1994 to 30 April 1995, and $16,300 gross ($17,700 net) for the period 1 to 31 May 1995. The sums had been authorized. Further, the $14.9 million gross ($13.5 million net) in unencumbered balance was credited to Member States. Interest and miscellaneous incomes of $256,674 would all be transferred to the Peace-keeping Reserve Fund.

Turning to agenda items on the administrative and budgetary aspects of peace-keeping missions, the review of United Nations efficiency, the scale of assessments, financial statements and auditors' reports, the Assembly approved several decisions to take note of and/or deferred some reports.

Those decisions, relating to the 1996-1997 budget, include: the Secretary-General's reports on the implementation of the 1996-1997 budget; construction projects at Addis Ababa and Bangkok; special representatives and envoys and on unforeseen and extraordinary expenses; four reports on standards

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of accommodation for air travel; three reports on review of travel and related entitlements on the lump-sum option for travel by air and related entitlement; granting of technical assistance to least developed and other developing countries that are members of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL); and two related ACABQ reports. Consideration of a JIU report on efficiency and cost savings in United Nations travel was also deferred.

Under the scale of assessments, the Assembly deferred the Committee on Contributions' report on its 1996 annual session.

Regarding the review of efficiency of the United Nations administrative and financial functioning, the Assembly took note of the following: a note by the Secretary-General on the JIU report on managing works of art in the United Nations; and two reports by the Secretary-General -- one on facilities and management, and the other on procedures for implementation of article VIII, section 29, of the Convention of Privileges and Immunities.

It also took note of and deferred: the Secretary-General's report and that of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on jurisdictional and procedural mechanisms for the proper management of the United Nations resources and funds; the note by the Secretary-General transmitting views of the Panel of External Auditors and Board of Auditors on how oversight functions could be improved; and the Secretary-General's report on the review of efficiency of the United Nations administrative and financial functioning.

The Assembly also adopted a draft decision to defer consideration of a report from the ICSC on the conditions of service of Professional staff and the application of the Noblemaire principle.

The Assembly concluded its consideration of agenda items on: strengthening coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations; the implementation of the New United Nations Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s; question of Palestine; the situation in the Middle East; the situation in Central America; sustainable development and international economic cooperation; human rights questions; the 1994-1995 budget; financing of the United Nations peace-keeping forces in the Middle East; financing of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission; financing of activities arising from Security Council resolution 687 (1991); financing of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus; financing of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia; and financing of United Nations Mission in Haiti.

The Assembly also concluded consideration of agenda items on: financing of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda; financing of the International Tribunal for former Yugoslavia; financing of the United Nations

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Mission of Observers in Tajikistan; United Nations Decade of International Law; human resources management; financing of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda; financing of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina; financing of the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium; and financing of the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force. The President announced that those items had been included in the provisional agenda of the fifty-first session of the Assembly.

In his closing statement, Assembly President Diogo Freitas do Amaral (Portugal) said Member States should not be afraid of dialogue or negotiation or the spirit of compromise and consensus building. A comprehensive approach should be taken to strengthen the United Nations as a whole, with its constituent parts acting in a more efficient and coordinated manner. The United Nations could and must be less expensive and more efficient. Cost- cutting and productivity gains were welcome, but should not be sought for their own sake. The exponential increase in United Nations membership had made necessary an expansion in the size of the Security Council to strengthen its representative character. That, along with improvements in its working methods, would serve to make the Council more transparent and more effective.

The President also announced that Mali had made the necessary payments to regain its right to vote.

Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this morning to consider a number of reports of the resumed session of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) and to take action on recommended draft texts, before concluding its fiftieth session.

It had before it a report from the Committee containing three draft decisions on financial statements and audited report (document A/50/850/Add.5), which makes recommendations on administrative and budgetary aspects of financing peace-keeping operations. They would have the Assembly take the following actions:

-- Take note of and defer to the next session the Secretary-General's reports on the management of peace-keeping assets; assets storage facilities and mission start-up kits (document A/49/36); management of peace-keeping assets (document A/50/965); inventory control system for non-expendable property at Headquarters (document A/C.5/50/51) and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) (document A/50/985); and management of peace-keeping assets: storage facilities at Brindisi (document A/50/907);

-- Take note of and defer the Secretary-General's reports on the Peace- keeping Reserve Fund operation and related reports from the ACABQ; and

-- Take note of and defer the Secretary-General's report on rates of reimbursement to troop-contributing States and the related report of the ACABQ.

The Assembly had before it a report of the Fifth Committee, containing a draft decision on the review of efficiency of the United Nations administrative and financial functioning (document A/50/840/Add.2), which would have the Assembly take note of the following: a note by the Secretary- General on the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) report on managing works of art in the United Nations; and two reports by the Secretary-General -- one on facilities and management, and the other on procedures for implementation of article VIII, section 29, of the Convention on Privileges and Immunities. The Assembly would also take note of and defer the Secretary-General's report and that of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts, on jurisdictional and procedural mechanisms for the proper management of the United Nations resources and funds; the note by the Secretary-General transmitting views of the Panel of External Auditors and Board of Auditors on how oversight functions could be improved; and the Secretary-General's report on the review of efficiency of the United Nations administrative and financial functioning.

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By another draft decision on the scale of assessments contained in a report from the Committee (document A/50/843/Add.2), the Assembly would take note and defer consideration of the Committee on Contributions' report of its 1996 annual session to its fifty-first session.

A draft decision in the report on the United Nations common system (document A/50/844/Add.1) would have the Assembly take note of and defer consideration to its fifty-first session the 1995 report of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) -- conditions of service of the Professional and higher categories: examination of the Noblemaire principle and its application.

By another draft decision on the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), contained in another report from the Fifth Committee (document A/50/819/Add.2), the Assembly would authorize the Secretary-General to commit up to $2.6 million gross ($2.5 million net) for the Mission for 1 to 31 October.

The draft resolution on the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL), contained in a report of the Committee (document A/50/818/Add.1), would have the Assembly appropriate and apportion for the Mission $826,000 gross ($745,300 net) for the period 1 December 1994 to 30 April 1995, and $16,300 gross ($17,700 net) for the period 1 to 31 May 1995. Both sets of sums were previously authorized.

The draft text on ONUSAL would ask the Assembly to decide that Member States that have paid up their dues to the Mission would have their apportionments met from their respective share in $842,300 gross ($763,000 net) from the unencumbered balance of $15.7 million gross ($14.2 million net) related to the period up to 30 November 1994. Those who had not done so would have their respective share in the $842,300 gross ($763,000 net) used to offset their debts to the Mission. The remaining $14.9 million gross ($13.5 million net) in unencumbered balance would be credited to Member States. The remaining interest and miscellaneous income of $256,674 and any surpluses from the eventual liquidation of the remaining obligations in the Mission's account would be transferred to the Peace-keeping Reserve Fund.

A draft decision in Part V of the report on the United Nations Combined Peace Forces in the former Yugoslavia (UNPF) (document A/50/796/Add.4) would have the Assembly authorize the Secretary-General to commit $6.2 million gross ($5.8 million net) for the period 1 to 31 October to liquidate those Forces and provide common support. The Forces are the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), the United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia (UNCRO), the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP) and the United Nations Peace Forces Headquarters.

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By another draft on the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) contained in a report from the Committee (document A/50/846/Add.2), the Assembly would authorize the Secretary-General to use the resources currently available to the Mission and, if necessary, commit an additional $1.1 million gross ($1 million net) up to the end of October.

Another report on the 1996-1997 budget (document A/50/842/Add.4) contains three draft decisions. Draft decision I would have the Assembly take note of and defer the following reports of the Secretary-General: on the construction projects at Addis Ababa and Bangkok; on special representatives and envoys; and on unforeseen and extraordinary expenses.

Draft decision II would have the Assembly take note of and defer consideration of four reports on standards of accommodation for air travel; some reports on the review of travel and related entitlements on the lump-sum option for travel by air and entitlements on home leave, education grant and family visit; and on granting of technical assistance to least developed and other developing countries that are members of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL); two related reports from the ACABQ; and the report of the JIU on travel in the United Nations: issues of efficiency and cost savings.

Draft decision III would have the Assembly request the Secretary-General to defer action on the involuntary separation of staff in the context of the 1996-1997 budget, until it had considered a report it had asked him to submit, with proposals on how to save $154 million from the budget. It would also 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 mandated savings of $104 million from the budget, set its overall level at $2.61 billion, 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. It also set the vacancy rate at 6.4 per cent for Professional and General Service staff and 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

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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 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.

The Assembly was also expected to closed its consideration of the items on: strengthening of coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations; the implementation of the New United Nations Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s; the question of Palestine; the situation in the Middle East; the situation in Central America; sustainable development and international economic cooperation; human rights questions; 1994-1995 budget; financing of the United Nations peace-keeping forces in the Middle East; financing of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM); financing of activities arising from Security Council resolution 687 (1991); financing of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP); financing of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG); financing of the United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH); financing of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda (UNAMIR); financing of the International Tribunal for former Yugoslavia; financing of the United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT); United Nations Decade of International Law; human resources management; financing of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda; financing of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina; financing of the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES); and financing of UNPREDEP. The items are to be included in the fifty-first session's provisional agenda.

Action on Fifth Committee Drafts

The Assembly first considered part VI of the report of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) on financial reports and audited financial statements and reports of the Board of Auditors, and on the sub-item on financing of the United Nations peace-keeping operations. Part VI of the report contained three draft decisions.

It adopted draft decision I, on management of peace-keeping assets, without a vote.

It also adopted, without a vote, draft decision II, on Peace-keeping Reserve Fund.

Next, it adopted, again without a vote, draft decision III, on rates of reimbursement to troop-contributing States.

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Thereafter, the Assembly went on to consider part III of the Fifth Committee's report on review of the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations, and adopted, without a vote, a related draft decision.

The Assembly then considered part III of the Committee's report on scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations and adopted a draft decision contained therein without a vote.

Turning to the Committee's report on the United Nations common systems, it adopted, without a vote, a draft decision on conditions of service of the Professional and higher categories: examination of the Noblemaire principle and its application recommended by the Committee in paragraph 6 of the report.

The Assembly went on to consider part III of the report on financing of MINURSO and adopted a draft decision on the matter without a vote.

Next, the Assembly took up part II of the Committee's report on financing of ONUSAL and adopted, without a vote, a related draft resolution.

Thereafter, the Assembly considered part V of the report of the Committee on financing of UNPROFOR, UNCRO, UNPREDEP and the United Nations Peace Forces headquarters. It then adopted, without a vote, the related draft decision.

Next, the Assembly considered part III of the report of the Committee on financing of UNOMIL and adopted, without a vote, the draft decision on the Mission financing.

The Assembly then took up part V of the Committee's report on programme budget for the biennium 1996-1997 and considered three related draft decisions recommended by the Committee. Decisions I and II were adopted without a vote.

JOSEPH CONNOR, Under-Secretary General for Administration and Management, said the Secretariat had decided to defer action on involuntary separation of staff, pursuant to Assembly resolution 50/214, until the Assembly had considered the Secretary-General's report. In the meantime, every effort would be made to find appropriate placement for the staff concerned. The Secretary-General's report on implementation of the budget reduction had been submitted only recently, and the ACABQ was still reviewing it. The position taken by the Fifth Committee on the question of involuntary separation of staff had also been taken into account.

ERICH VILCHEZ ASHER, Fifth Committee Chairman, then made the following oral amendment to draft decision III: "The General Assembly takes note of the decision of the Secretary-General to defer action related to the involuntary separation of staff to achieve the objectives of General Assembly resolution

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50/214 until the General Assembly has considered the report of the Secretary- General and, in the meantime, continuing effort will be made to find appropriate placement for them."

The Assembly then adopted the oral amendment.

Explanation of Vote

PATRICK KELLY (Ireland), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the Union did not believe that the Assembly should take a decision on the matter, in view of the statement just made on behalf of the Secretary-General and in light of the fact that the relevant report had not yet been introduced to the Assembly. The Union's overriding concern was that the Secretary- General's authority should not be diminished in any way. The Assembly should not interfere with the running of the Secretariat. Although the European Union did not support the draft text, it would not oppose its adoption. Had there been a vote, the European Union would have abstained.

Draft decision III, regarding deferral of action on involuntary separation of staff, was adopted without a vote, as orally amended.

Following adoption, NAZARETH INCERA (Costa Rica), speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said that the Secretary- General's decision that was announced by Under-Secretary-General Connor meant that no letters of involuntary separation would be sent to the concerned staff until the Assembly considered the relevant reports on the matter. Such developments made the statements by the representatives of the Legal Office and Personnel Administration in the recently concluded meetings of the Fifth Committee null and void.

The Assembly then concluded its consideration of the agenda items on: strengthening coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations; the implementation of the New United Nations Agenda for the Development of Africa in 1990s; question of Palestine; the situation in the Middle East; the situation in Central America; sustainable development and international economic cooperation; human rights questions; programme budget for the biennium 1994-1995; financing of the United Nations peace-keeping forces in the Middle East; financing of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission; financing of activities arising from Security Council resolution 687 (1991). Also, it concluded consideration of the following items: financing of the UNFICYP; financing of UNOMIG; financing of UNMIH; financing of UNAMIR; financing of the International Tribunal for former Yugoslavia; financing of the UNMOT; United Nations Decade of International Law; human resources management; financing of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda; financing of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina; financing of UNTAES; and financing of UNPREDEP.

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DIOGO FREITAS DO AMARAL (Portugal), Assembly President, announced that those items had been included in the provisional agenda of the fifty first session of the Assembly.

Closing Statement

The President of the Assembly, Mr. FREITAS DO AMARAL (Portugal), said that during the historic fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations last October, almost all the heads of State and government in their speeches committed themselves and their peoples unequivocally to the United Nations and its ideals of peace and development, human rights and international cooperation. "I heard no one defend the practice of war, nor advocate the denial of assistance to less fortunate peoples", he said. "I heard no one extol the virtues of dictatorship nor champion isolationism." It was not enough to proclaim ideals. Real acts must follow. But the fact that all were agreed on what were common values -- those of the United Nations -- signified that that part of the work was done. What still remained was for all to work together to agree on the means to achieve those ideals. An example of that was the adoption by a significant majority last week of the text of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

The fiftieth session was marked by a concerted effort towards reforming the Organization, he said. The work done during the year by the various working groups under his chairmanship or coordination had already begun the process of identifying the specific issues which needed to be addressed by Member States. That work must now continue to translate ideas and positions into action and real change. Member States should not be afraid of dialogue, of free discussion, of the clash of ideas and proposals. They should also not be afraid of negotiation, of the spirit of compromise and the building of consensus. A comprehensive approach must be taken to strengthen the United Nations as a whole. The United Nations could and should be less expensive and more efficient. Cost-cutting and productivity gains were thus welcome, but should not be sought for their own sake.

The unprecedented financial crisis must not be ignored, he continued. The crisis, which resulted primarily from unpaid assessed contributions by Member States, was unacceptable. The payment of assessed contributions was a freely accepted responsibility and a duty of all States. They must be paid in full, on time and without condition. As Chairman of the working group on the financial situation of the Organization, he was disappointed to see the premature interruption of its work towards placing the Organization on a sound financial basis because of the effects of the cash crisis. He hoped the impasse would be overcome in the near future.

Member States had agreed that the Security Council must be brought up to date and that the exponential increase in the United Nations membership had made necessary an expansion in the size of the Council to strengthen its

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representative character. That, along with improvements in its working methods, would serve to make the Council more transparent and, therefore, more effective. The links between sustainable development and peace could not be overestimated. The best way to prevent conflicts and civil strife was to lay down the foundations for social and economic progress by attacking the root causes of poverty.

He again appealed to States to set up a system of more effective enforcement of international law. He would also continue to strive for the establishment of international courts with binding jurisdiction to determine when international laws were violated and to better serve as forums for the peaceful settlement of conflicts.

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