FIFTH COMMITTEE SAYS $1.3 MILLION WILL BE NEEDED IF ASSEMBLY EXTENDS MANDATE OF MISSION IN EL SALVADOR

30 October 1995

Press Release
GA/AB/3027

FIFTH COMMITTEE SAYS $1.3 MILLION WILL BE NEEDED IF ASSEMBLY EXTENDS MANDATE OF MISSION IN EL SALVADOR

19951030 Committee Begins Section-by-Section Review of 1996-1997 Proposed Budget

Total additional requirements of about $1.3 million would arise in the 1994-1995 and 1996-1997 United Nations budgets, should the General Assembly extend the mandate of the Mission of the United Nations in El Salvador (MINUSAL) for six months until 30 April 1996, according to an oral decision adopted this morning by the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary).

Those additional needs would be $886,900 in the 1996-1997 budget and no more than $367,400 in the 1994-1995 budget, both in the sections dealing with peace-keeping operations and special missions. According to the decision, the extra appropriations for 1996-1997 would be considered in the context of the approval of next biennium's budget and those for 1994-1995, in the context of that biennium's performance report.

The Committee took that action in accordance with the General Assembly's rules of procedure, which states that no resolution in which spending is anticipated should be voted by the Assembly until the Fifth Committee had stated the proposal's effects on the Organization's budget estimates. The representatives of Cuba and the United States spoke on the programme budget implications.

Also today, the Committee began its first reading of the proposed United Nations budget for 1996-1997, a process that would involve detailed reviews of the budget sections. It took up sections 1 to 6 today. At the end of this morning's meeting, it had completed the first reading of section 1 on overall policy-making, direction and coordination, and section 2, on political affairs. It started but did not complete discussing section 3, on peace-keeping and special missions. Adjusted funds of $39.9 million are proposed for section 1 and $59.3 million are for section 2.

Speakers at the meeting called for more information on the staffing of various sections, with some of them stressing that the Organization's staff should be used before experts or consultants were hired. Some delegations expressed concern at the allocation of resources to pay for the travel of the spouses of the members of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ).

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There were suggestions for cuts in the use of consultants, general temporary assistance and travels costs. Some representatives stressed that adequate resources should be made available to enable delegations from the developing countries to take part in the meetings of the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC). Others stressed that posts should be deployed to cater for programmes related to Africa.

Statements on the three sections were made by Spain, for the European Union; New Zealand, speaking for Australia and Canada; Russian Federation, Cuba, United States, Uganda, Belgium, Japan, India, Egypt, Algeria, Norway, Romania, Ukraine, Sudan, Mali, Bulgaria and the United Republic of Tanzania.

The Chairman of the ACABQ, C.S.M. Mselle, introduced his Committee's comments on the sections discussed today and answered some questions. United Nations Controller, Yukio Takasu, spoke on some aspects of those sections.

According to the Fifth Committee Chairman, Erich Vilchez Asher (Nicaragua), the budget's first reading was meant to help the Committee identify difficult points in the budget that would eventually be resolved in informal consultations. At the end of the first reading and first round of informal consultations, the Committee would put together all matters or amounts approved for each section and those approved in respect of revised estimates and programme budget implications. That would lead to the second reading in which each section's total appropriation would be approved. The entire exercise was expected to produce a package deal, which would form the programme budget for 1996-1997.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m., today, to continue its section- by-section consideration of the proposed 1996-1997 budget.

Committee Work Programme

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) met this morning to begin its first reading of the proposed 1996-1997 United Nations budget, a section-by-section review, and to continue considering the programme budget implications of a draft resolution on extending the mandate of the United Nations Mission in El Salvador (MINUSAL) for six months until 30 April 1996. The cost for that period would be about $1.4 million. (For background see Press Release GA/AB/3026 of 27 October.)

For the first reading of the proposed budget (document A/50/6/Rev.1 Vols. I and II) the Committee had before it the Secretary-General's proposals as well as reports from the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) (document A/50/7) and from the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) (document A/50/16). The Secretary-General proposes a budget of $2.51 billion (in 1994-1995 dollars), prior to adjustments for factors such as inflation and exchange rate fluctuations. The ACABQ recommendations are largely in 1996-1997 figures, adjusted for those factors. (For background on the proposed budget, see Press Release GA/AB/3017 of 4 October.)

The budget sections to be reviewed included those on overall policy- making, political affairs, peace-keeping operations, outer space affairs, International Court of Justice and legal activities.

Section 1. Overall policy-making, direction and coordination: The Secretary-General proposes a pre-adjusted $37.8 million -- which the ACABQ approves -- for the section that covers the direct costs of the sessions of the General Assembly and its subsidiary organs such as the ACABQ, the CPC, the Committee on Contributions, the Board of Auditors, the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Board, the Secretary-General's Executive Office, and those of the Directors-General of the United Nations Offices at Geneva and Vienna.

Section 2. Political affairs: The Secretary-General proposes $56.3 million before recosting, which the ACABQ approves, for the Department of Political Affairs. It would support his work in preventive diplomacy and peace-making; provide secretariat services to the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Trusteeship Council, and implement the programme on disarmament.

Section 3. Peace-keeping operations and special missions: The Secretary-General proposes an increase to $80.1 million before recosting, after cutting $52.1 million for the section which covers the Department of Peace-keeping Operations, responsible for managing peace-keeping, supporting all field missions, and enhancing the United Nations effectiveness in conducting peace-keeping and other field operations. Increases are proposed in relation to the redeployment of a post at the Principal Officer level (D-1) for the Department of Political Affairs, the transfer to the regular budget of

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19 posts -- one Director (D-2), eight Senior Officers (P-5), two Second Officers (P-3), one General Service (Principal level) and seven General Service (other level) -- currently funded from the support account for peace-keeping operations and for full biennial provision for the Special Coordinator in the Occupied Territories. Cuts relate to the proposed streamlining of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), with a consequent reduction of 44 posts, among others.

The ACABQ recommends $88.2 million in 1996-1997 rates, down from the Secretary-General's adjusted estimates of $90.4 million.

Section 4. Outer space affairs: The Secretary-General proposes $4.1 million before adjustment for the Office for Outer Space Affairs to promote the use of space technology to protect the Earth and space environment, implementing sustainable development programmes envisaged in Agenda 21 of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) and for substantive work to prepare and organize regional workshops to promote the objectives of the third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. The ACABQ approves the amount.

Section 5. International Court of Justice: The Secretary-General proposes $20.5 million for the International Court of Justice, before recosting. The sum would be used to enlarge its premises, provide for more temporary assistance for meetings and to buy office automation equipment to handle the Court's increased case-load.

The ACABQ reduces the Secretary-General's adjusted estimates of $21.6 million to $20.4 million by, among others, deleting the provisions for expanding the Court's premises.

Section 6. Legal activities: The Secretary-General proposes $29.4 million, prior to recosting, after cutting $2.1 million, for the Office of Legal Affairs. Reductions are related to the winding up of the Law of the Sea Office at Kingston, offset by a proposed addition of one P-3 post for the General Legal Division. The ACABQ approves the request.

Statements on MINUSAL

DULCE BUERGO (Cuba) said her delegation had not been in a position to take action last Friday on the draft decision on the programme budget implications of the draft resolution relating to the mandate of MINUSAL as it had received the relevant documents late. The report on the Mission indicated that some posts would be required for six months. She said she had doubts about the officer to be assigned at the P-5 level as a coordinator, to deal with military affairs and carry out good offices functions. The coordinator would deal with day-to-day activities, verification and oversee the smooth functioning of some United Nations agencies working in that country, such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It was surprising that the

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coordinator would carry out development activities. It meant that the scope of the coordinator's functions was being expanded to include those that he had not been mandated. Those questions should be clarified.

YUKIO TAKASU, United Nations Controller, said the functions of the coordinator had nothing to do with operational activities. There was need for the coordinator to work closely with the UNDP but not replace its functions. The coordinator would carry out administrative and logistic duties as well as coordination to avoid duplication.

Ms. BUERGO (Cuba) said she was not entirely satisfied with the explanation but she would not prolong consideration of the draft as the current mandate of the Mission would lapse tomorrow. Her delegation attached particular importance to activities being carried out regarding the verification of the peace accords. She would accept the draft introduced last Friday but would return to the issue on another occasion.

Action on MINUSAL

The Chairman, ERICH VILCHEZ ASHER (Nicaragua), introduced an oral draft decision.

By that draft the Fifth Committee would decide to inform the General Assembly that, should it adopt the draft resolution A/50/L.7/Rev.1, additional requirements not exceeding $367,400 would be required under section 4 of the programme budget for the biennium 1994-1995. Any additional appropriation would be dealt with in the context of the 1994-1995 biennium performance report. For the additional requirements of MINUSAL in 1996, the Committee would inform the Assembly that should it adopt the draft resolution, it would entail an additional appropriation of $886,900 under section 3 of the proposed 1996-1997 budget. Such additional appropriation would be considered in the context of its approval of the 1996-1997 budget.

LINDA SHENWICK (United States) requested confirmation that the draft would be based on the recommendations of the ACABQ.

The CHAIRMAN confirmed that it was based on the recommendation of the ACABQ.

The draft decision was approved without a vote.

Statement on Proposed Programme Budget

C.S.M. MSELLE, Chairman of the ACABQ, presented his committee's views and recommendations on the six budget sections: section 1, overall policy- making, direction and coordination; section 2, political affairs; section 3,

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peace-keeping operations and special missions; section 4, outer space affairs; section 5, International Court of Justice; and section 6, legal activities.

He stressed the need for more information to be provided by the Secretariat on all aspects of the budget so that the Committee could better analyse the requirements. Regarding peace-keeping operations, he said it was not necessary to agree with the total number of posts referred to in the proposed budget because the level of peace-keeping operations could not be predicted at this stage. The Committee had not recommended the transfer of any of the General Service posts to the regular budget. The Committee had not recommended the transfer of four of the professional posts. The functions of those posts were also subject to fluctuation depending on the level of peace-keeping operations. Further savings were possible in the UNTSO.

He said recommendations of the ACABQ regarding the section on the International Court of Justice were predicated on the fact that savings could be made in a number of areas such as travel, telephones and common services. Due to expected automation, the Committee had not recommended the continuation of some temporary posts. It awaited more information on the issue of expansion. The resources for the enlargement of the Court had now been deleted from the Secretary-General's estimates. The Committee hoped that discussions between the Court and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia would lead to the optimal use of common services.

The Advisory Committee had made very little changes on the section regarding legal activities, he said. It had requested that the extrabudgetary resources for legal activities be reviewed with a view to getting a fair share of resources under the regular budget. Additional explanation was also sought on the budget of the International Law Commission. The Assembly would have to decide if exceptions for the payment of honorariums should be maintained, increased or abolished.

Statements on Overall Policy-Making Section

Speaking on section 1, overall policy-making direction and coordination, RAFAEL MUNOZ (Spain), on behalf of the European Union, focused on subsection B relating to executive direction and management. There was a need to streamline and to eliminate overlapping and redundant activities as well as those of minimum or no value. The duplication of efforts between the Secretariat and the wider United Nations system was a problem that had to be urgently addressed. Those directly involved -- the administrative and executive heads of departments, programmes and agencies -- could propose how the elimination of duplication and the coordination of activities could be best achieved in the interest of the mandates defined by Member States. The Executive Office of the Secretary-General should head the efforts to achieve that important objective.

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DENISE ALMAO (New Zealand), speaking for Canada and Australia, expressed concern at the request for travel by the ACABQ and the CPC. She asked whether the sum of about $1.6 million sought for travel by the ACABQ would be needed in 1996-1997. That amount was to enable the ACABQ to cope with extra workload due to peace-keeping activities. Since the number and costs of those activities might be reduced, the amount for travel should also be cut. Expressing concern at the amount of about $52,600 for air travel for spouses of ACABQ members, she said the provisions should be deleted from the proposed budget section on overall policy-making, direction and coordination.

She expressed concern about the $788,000 requested for travel by CPC members. The Committee had not used all of its previous travel allocations, and it was doubtful that it would now need a $30,000 increase in travel provisions. The Secretariat should explain the CPC travel allocations.

VLADIMIR KOUZNETSOV (Russian Federation) said he agreed that information on section 1 should be provided regularly. Russia was not convinced of the need for the one P-5 and one General Service post sought for the ACABQ. Efforts should also be made to avoid the overlapping of inspections duties.

ANA RODRIGUEZ (Cuba) said she supported the proposal to increase the resources in the Executive Office of the ACABQ, taking into account that Committee's higher workload. She supported the proposal for one P-5 and one General Service post. Resources should be guaranteed for the CPC to allow it to carry out its tasks. Many CPC members came from their respective capitals and some of their costs should be met by the Organization. The relevant provisions of the Assembly should be maintained as that would allow participants from the developing countries to take part in the work of the CPC.

As for the Secretary-General's Executive Office, she said that the budget narrative did not mention the efforts of the Secretary-General to work in the area of development. Rather, he had dwelled mostly on peace-keeping and human rights. The Secretariat should explain what was meant by the flexibility he required to hire expert advisers and consultants since the Secretariat was supposed to use the resources in the United Nations before hiring such consultants.

Ms. SHENWICK (United States) said her country would be raising similar issues with other sections of the budget. She was concerned that the budget was incremental in approach and had built on the 1994-1995 budget as a base, especially regarding the manning table. That table did not represent the total human resources available to the Organization. That was disappointing as the table was one of the means of controlling United Nations costs. The level of General Service staff, the level of travel and general temporary assistance were all subjects of concern. The general temporary assistance in the section was not being used for what had been authorized. Therefore, her delegation would call for reductions in the levels for assistance and

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consultants. The concept of strengthening should not always mean adding staffing to various units. She supported the comments of New Zealand that spouses of ACABQ members should not travel at United Nations expense. There should be a manning table for section 1 showing all the people working for the Secretary-General's office, for instance.

DAVID ETUKET (Uganda) said he was supportive of the ACABQ's proposals on the need to provide policy organs with adequate resources. The Executive Office of the Secretary-General should set an example for all other departments and units with regard to a rationalization of resources. To ensure transparency, the information requested by the ACABQ on the financing of that Office should be provided. He agreed with Cuba that the Secretariat should give an idea of the expertise being offered by the various experts in that Executive Office. There was need to look again at that question since the budget for experts was increasing.

ADRIEN TEIRLINCK (Belgium) asked for further information on why the Secretary-General had not developed a separate section for external oversight. More information was needed on the proposed meetings of the CPC; he had some doubts about their meetings for 1996. A modification of the text might be necessary based on that information.

FUMIAKI TOYA (Japan) said the role of the Secretary-General's Executive Office was crucial because of the importance of preventive diplomacy. His Government, therefore, supported the budget proposals for that Office. However, the Office should be streamlined further. He requested that more information be provided with regard to travel of spouses of ACABQ members. He expressed support for the budget increase for the Board of Auditors. There should not be unfair requests for travel for the members of the CPC.

NALIN SURIE (India) said he had noted the overbudgetting for activities of the CPC. There was an obvious need to be more realistic. It was important that funds be provided to allow ACABQ to carry out its mandates. The funds must relate to the Advisory Committee's workload. The use of consultants should be curtailed in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General. Such rationalization should begin in that Office.

MOHAMED FATTAH (Egypt) expressed support for the need to safeguard the resources for the CPC to guarantee the participation of developing countries' delegations. The Division for Palestinian Rights should be allocated adequate resources until the issue of Palestinian rights was totally resolved.

Mr. TAKASU, United Nations Controller, said the involvement of the Office of the Secretary-General in streamlining the Organization had been explained before. The process towards efficiency had not stopped, it was an ongoing process. A board had been set up to further that exercise, with the participation of the Secretary-General. Some of the provisions for travel had been decided by the General Assembly and not the Secretariat. Spending for

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the ACABQ and the CPC had been based on their operational needs. Some of the costs were for peace-keeping missions and others were in the context of the support account for peace-keeping. The allocations for external auditors, such as the Board of Auditors, had been based on working requirements.

The Executive Office of the Secretary-General played a strategic function in the Organization, and it was not restricted only to political and peace-keeping areas, he continued. It was involved in economic areas, also. The Office needed adequate support staff to carry out its functions. The General Service staff there did not handle just secretarial duties; there was a large number of research assistants and others, for instance. The ratio of General Service to Professional staff should be rationalized carefully. While the Secretary-General could use in-house staff, in some exceptional cases, independent expert advice or support was necessary. The resources available to the United Nations had been presented in a comprehensive manner; nothing had been left out. The budget tables, including those for extrabudgetary resources, explained the resources needed. The extrabudgetary resource tables explained some of the additional means needed, for instance for the support account for peace-keeping. Past patterns of performance and other factors had been taken into consideration in presenting the budget proposals.

Mr. MSELLE, Chairman of the ACABQ, referring to the travel proposals, said the ACABQ did not formulate its work programme independent of the other programmes it looked at. It once held 75 meetings a year; it held almost 300 in 1994 alone. It met on a schedule arranged to consider peace-keeping operations and that timetable had been recognized by a General Assembly resolution. The ACABQ did not decide on its meetings independent of demands; it had to respond to Fifth Committee requests and had to look at the budgets of some specialized agencies or programmes. Due to the increase in the meetings spent on peace-keeping operations, it had not been able to spend enough time to look at some of the agencies and programmes of the United Nations. Some of the programmes had resources larger than the regular budget. For example, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spent some $1.5 billion. It was necessary to look at the resources of those bodies in detail to safeguard the interest of Member States. The Advisory Committee was ready to provide more information at informal consultations on how the travel estimates had been reached.

Mr. VILCHEZ ASHER (Nicaragua), Fifth Committee Chairman, said the Committee had completed the first reading of section 1 and would examine it further in informal consultations.

Statements on Political Affairs Section

Speaking on section 2, relating to political affairs, LARBI DJACTA (Algeria) expressed support for the allocation of resources for the section. He asked about the allocation of resources for disarmament and sought clarification on the implementation of the Declaration on Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism.

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Mr. ETUKET (Uganda) expressed concern about the level of resources proposed for disarmament. He supported the important role and the contribution of the disarmament institutes. The resources of some of the institutes, particularly posts, were not being used for the purposes for which they were originally intended. He stressed that resources earmarked for specific purposes by the General Assembly should be utilized only for those purposes.

There was a proposal to double resources for preventive diplomacy and peace-making, he continued, adding that the proposals did not include a clear justification for the increase. There was need for clear prior justification as well as justification for alternative uses of resources no longer needed in the Secretariat, such as resources allocated for apartheid. The Palestinian Rights Division should be adequately supported in view of the progress of the peace process. He would not support the redeployment of resources from that Division.

Mr. KOUZNETSOV (Russian Federation) agreed that there was need for a more detailed analysis of the post structure in the areas of political affairs. Information should be provided on expenditures of the Department of Political Affairs. He welcomed efforts to strengthen support for the sanctions committee and expressed the hope that the resources to be provided would have a favourable impact on the Secretariat's work in that area. He wanted assurances that that Committee would have adequate resources to do its work.

Ms. ALMAO (New Zealand), speaking on behalf of Canada and Australia, expressed support for the proposals to convert and redeploy posts under this section of the budget. She agreed with the proposals of the ACABQ not to approve the transfer of General Service posts and requested additional information from the Secretariat on the support account. The proposal regarding the staff and non-staff resources by UNTSO should be kept under review.

Ms. RODRIGUEZ (Cuba) asked for information from the Secretariat as to why an office to help in the construction of Lebanon would not be funded. She sought additional explanation as to where some resources for the Trusteeship Council would come from and regarding other programmes. The proposal to abolish two posts in the Division for Palestinian Rights should be explained. That Division should be adequately resourced until the rights of Palestinians were attained.

DAG BRISEID (Norway) said that preventive diplomacy and peace-keeping operations needed special attention. The relevant department should be given the necessary resources to carry out those functions. The situation in Lebanon had improved and the abolition of an office to coordinate programmes there was welcome. The United Nations should be prepared for new tasks,

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especially in preventive diplomacy. Whenever the Secretary-General sought resources to fulfil the Charter, the Committee should be forthcoming.

VIJAY GOKHALE (India) requested organizational charts of the departments before and after the resources were approved. The part for preventive diplomacy had been greatly increased and all actions in relation to the proposed budget should be based on political decisions. He wanted to know when funds would be available to allow the Director for the disarmament Centre in Kathmandu to go there.

DORIAN MIHAI (Romania) approved the ACABQ recommendations for additional resources for Security Council affairs. The criteria for the division of responsibilities between the Departments of Political Affairs and of Peace- keeping Operations should be clarified.

IGOR V. GOUMENNY (Ukraine) supported the comments of the Russian Federation on strengthening the functions of the division that serviced the sanctions committees. There were delays in providing documents on third countries that suffered from sanctions, such as those imposed on Yugoslavia. He agreed with the comments and proposals of the ACABQ on the section.

HAMID ELTINAY (Sudan) said the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People had not completed its work and should remain in existence until there was a just solution to the problem. Appropriations for its activities should either be strengthened or maintained at current levels. Its resources should not be cut. He expressed support for the comments of the ACABQ.

Mr. TOYA (Japan) said activities for preventive diplomacy and peace- making had become increasingly important and necessary resources for them should be ensured. Activities of the sanctions committees should be strengthened. The budget for the activities in the area of disarmament and the regional Centres for disarmament should be assured. The Director for the Centre in Kathmandu was still in New York due to budgetary reasons. The matter should be examined.

ALIOU ZACKARIOU TOURE (Mali) said regional disarmament Centres should have sufficient resources to carry out their mandates. The resources of the Division for Palestinian Rights should not be reduced. The resources for activities against apartheid should be redeployed to development programmes for Africa.

GUEORGUI DIMOV (Bulgaria) said the sanctions committee should be strengthened. He was concerned about the backlog of that committee's work, especially regarding the sanctions related to the former Yugoslavia. Bodies which dealt with sanctions issues must be strengthened.

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S.E.S. MONGELLA (United Republic of Tanzania), expressing support for the ACABQ views on this section of the budget, said the work of the Palestinian Rights Committee was important in view of the recent developments in the peace process. The resources following the abolition of the activities against apartheid should be redeployed to development programmes for Africa. The regional Centres for disarmament needed to be strengthened. He noted that the Director for the Kathmandu Centre had not yet been posted there. He also requested organizational charts of the Organization. The Secretary-General should review the responsibilities of the Department of Political Affairs and the Department of Peace-keeping Operations to ensure a clear delineation of tasks in order to avoid overlapping or duplication.

Mr. TAKASU, United Nations Controller, said the Department of Political Affairs had made major efforts to reorganize. There had been a streamlining of that Department in the context of the proposed budget. Preventive diplomacy and peace-making had been reaffirmed in the budget. In that connection, the Department's staff resources had been redirected and some efficiency gains had been made without affecting programme delivery. There had been a reduction of 27 posts, many from anti-apartheid activities but also in other areas. He expressed confidence that the resources would permit the Department to fulfil its mandates. Regarding the anti-apartheid programme, the Secretary-General had proposed redeployment of those posts to African programmes, as approved by the General Assembly. The posts had been redeployed for such programmes as the New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s and the Crime Institute in Uganda.

The disarmament institutes were not operating very well, he continued. The General Assembly had approved very limited funding for them. The Assembly proposed that the regular budget should only be used for one Director's post. Unless extrabudgetary funds were made available the institutes could not operate. That issue would be addressed under the Secretary-General's proposals on support for regional institutions. The Secretariat was very aware of the importance of the sanctions committees and had taken firm measures to strengthen their work.

He said the Secretary-General had proposed the elimination of resources for the office to coordinate assistance to Lebanon, and recommended that its activities be phased out and some functions entrusted to the UNDP. That recommendation had not been opposed. The Secretariat had also been guided by the Assembly's decisions on the Trusteeship Council. Should that Council continue to function, it would be serviced with existing resources.

In order to service the numerous Assembly working groups, there was need to redeploy services within General Assembly affairs, including from the Division of Palestinian Rights, he continued. No negative impact on the servicing of the work of that Division was foreseen as a result. Regarding other posts such as in Security Council affairs, he said proposals had been

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made for re-organizing the workload, utilizing reduced staff for the same responsibilities.

The Committee completed the first reading of section 2 of the proposed budget on political affairs.

Statements on Peace-keeping Operations

Speaking on section 3 relating to peace-keeping operations and special missions, Mr. MUNOZ (Spain), on behalf of the European Union, noted that the core staffing of the Department of Peace-keeping Operations would increase. The support account, not the regular budget, was intended to allow the Secretariat to take care of its needs in the area of peace-keeping. In order to reinforce peace-keeping as a priority, the proposals in section 3 of the budget must be supported. The justification by the ACABQ for not recommending the transfer of the posts was unclear.

The ratio of General Service to Professional posts required more detailed analysis, he continued. Over-simplified conclusions must be avoided. There was need to take account of the services the General Service provided. The European Union was willing to analyze the ratio issue more carefully. It was also concerned that no resources had been included for ad hoc or special missions to finance the Secretary-General's missions in the field of peace- making. There was no reason not to include resources for such missions, which needed more secure funding.

Mr. KOUZNETSOV (Russian Federation) said the 19 posts proposed for transfer from the support account for peace-keeping operations had key functions. He supported the proposal to transfer to the regular budget eight General Service posts but the Secretariat should seriously consider the matter of the ratio of General Service to Professional staff. The report of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) on the use of resources in the Field Administration and Logistics Division had been a cause for alarm, the granting of more resources to that Division would not necessarily solve the problems there. Criticisms of the use of resources were serious enough to be taken into account when the budgets of various Secretariat units were considered. The structure of the UNTSO should be streamlined.

Mr. BRISEID (Norway) welcomed the proposed transfer of posts from the support account to the regular budget. The United Nations should have the ability to quickly support the start-up of peace-keeping missions; otherwise, missions might run into problems. It should be ready for more activity in that area and administrative capacities should be consolidated.

Ms. SHENWICK (United States) said she generally endorsed the position of the ACABQ on the conversion of the posts from support account to the regular budget, with some caveats. The political component of the decision on the transfers should be considered. The support account allowed the Organization

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to pay for some functions without having them charged to the regular budget. Many of the posts to be transferred did not fit certain criteria. The United States would oppose the transfer of any clerical post to the regular budget because many already existed.

Mr. TOURE (Mali) said the transfer of 19 posts from the support account for peace-keeping to the regular budget deserved serious consideration and should not be approved.

Ms. RODRIGUEZ (Cuba) said she regretted that the Secretary-General had proposed to transfer the posts to the regular budget despite views to the contrary expressed by Member States. Cuba would not support that move. She sought clarification on the functions of United Nations missions to observe economic development, which should be done by support offices rather than by peace-keeping offices. The relationship between the Departments of Political Affairs and of Peace-keeping Operations should be clarified to avoid duplication.

Mr. GOKHALE (India) said the fact that some missions had been or would be closed should be considered. Some of the posts proposed were justified but the manner in which they had been presented was a cause for concern. India would not support the transfer of the posts from the support account. The Secretariat should explain the utilization of 95 military personnel provided on non-reimbursable basis.

Mr. ETUKET (Uganda) asked the Secretariat to give an indication of all the posts dealing with special missions. In its submission, it should also indicate such posts that had been deployed elsewhere, outside the Department.

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