COMMITTEE ON RELATIONS WITH HOST COUNTRY RECOMMENDS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPT PROPOSALS ADDRESSING PROBLEMS OF DIPLOMATIC INDEBTEDNESS
Press Release
HQ/561
COMMITTEE ON RELATIONS WITH HOST COUNTRY RECOMMENDS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPT PROPOSALS ADDRESSING PROBLEMS OF DIPLOMATIC INDEBTEDNESS
19951108 The Committee on Relations with the Host Country today recommended that the General Assembly adopt a set of proposals during its current session that address the problem of diplomatic indebtedness. It further recommended that permanent missions, their personnel and Secretariat staff pay their financial obligations promptly and in full.The Committee took that action in adopting its draft report by consensus. It further recommended that its working group on indebtedness continue to monitor progress on the indebtedness question and develop solutions to that problem.
The draft report (document A/AC.154/1995/CRP.2 and 3), which was introduced by the Rapporteur, Emilia Castro de Barish (Costa Rica), deals with such matters as the security of missions and the safety of their personnel; issues arising in connection with the implementation of the Agreement between the United Nations and the United States Regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations; responsibilities of permanent missions, particularly the problem of financial indebtedness; and transportation and parking.
In its draft report, the Committee expressed the hope that the remaining travel restrictions with regard to the personnel of certain missions and Secretariat staff of certain nationalities would be removed by the host country as soon as possible.
Further, the Committee expressed its appreciation for efforts by the host country relating to the security and safety of missions to the United Nations and anticipated that the host country would continue to take measures necessary to prevent any interference with the functioning of missions.
The Committee called upon the host country to review measures relating to the parking of diplomatic vehicles, with a view to resolving the problem and the growing needs of the diplomatic community. It also noted measures by the host country to accelerate custom and immigrations procedures for diplomatic personnel arriving in New York City.
The Committee expressed its appreciation to the host country for its efforts to maintain appropriate working conditions for the normal work of missions to the United Nations, and said it had been assured that problems raised at its meetings would be settled in a spirit of cooperation and in accordance with international law.
The Committee had before it a letter from the United States (document A/AC.154/283) dated 23 October 1995, addressing allegations by Cuba in connection with an invitation from the City of San Francisco to participate in ceremonies to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Charter.
The letter states that travel restrictions imposed on the Cuban representative in San Francisco "in no way violated" the treaty obligations of the United States as host country, since events were hosted by the City of San Francisco and not officially convened by the United Nations. Although the host country had no obligation to permit travel to private events, it permitted the Permanent Representative of Cuba to participate in City of San Francisco events in keeping with the spirit of the fiftieth anniversary. Travel to any event not sponsored by that city or outside a radius of 25 miles from the hotel was not authorized.
Addressing the Committee, the representative of the United States, Victor Marrero, said his Government appreciated the efforts of the working group and the Secretary-General's report which had brought attention to the problems of indebtedness. A number of missions that had experienced financial problems had discussed the issue and taken steps to deal with it, including negotiations with creditors. He was pleased to report that the difficulties China had experienced in a transaction on a building had been worked out.
The representative of the Russian Federation, Serguei Karev, congratulated the Committee and the Secretariat on the success of the visit by Pope John Paul II and the fiftieth anniversary celebrations. Those high-level events should be carefully studied to ensure certain problems relating to security were dealt with properly in the future. He said some officials, including the Russian Foreign Minister, had experienced difficulty gaining access to and movement within the Headquarters building. High-level events should not interfere with the normal work of the Organization, and he suggested the matter be taken up at a later meeting.
The Chairman, Nico Agathocleous (Cyprus), said the Sixth Committee (Legal) would consider the draft report of the Committee on Host Country Relations on 21 November.
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