COMMITTEE APPROVES THREE DRAFTS ON HOST COUNTRY RELATIONS, INTERNATIONAL LAW ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME AND DECADE
Press Release
GA/L/2896
COMMITTEE APPROVES THREE DRAFTS ON HOST COUNTRY RELATIONS, INTERNATIONAL LAW ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME AND DECADE
19951124 The General Assembly would urge the host country to consider lifting travel controls on certain diplomatic missions and Secretariat staff members of certain nationalities by the terms of a draft resolution on the report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country -- one of three draft resolutions approved without a vote by the Sixth Committee (Legal) this morning.The General Assembly would also express the hope that the host country would continue to take necessary measures to prevent interference with the functioning of diplomatic missions. Also by the draft, the General Assembly would approve a series of recommendations of the Host Country Committee regarding the problem of diplomatic indebtedness.
By the terms of a draft on the United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law, the Assembly would authorize the Secretary-General provide in 1996 and 1997 fellowships and scholarships in international law, and to provide travel grants to participants from developing counties for regional courses.
By the terms of the draft resolution on the United Nations Decade of International Law, the General Assembly would express its appreciation for the work done on the Decade and express its appreciation to the Secretary-General for the successful organization this year of the United Nations Congress on Public International Law. The Assembly would welcome the progress made in the computerization of the multilateral treaties deposited with the Secretary- General and of the United Nations Treaty Series and would encourage the Office of Legal Affairs to continue its efforts to bring up to date the publications of the United Nations Treaty Series and the United Nations Juridical Yearbook.
The Sixth Committee took no action on draft resolutions on the review of the role of the Trusteeship Council, on the United Nations model rules for the conciliation of disputes between States, and measures to eliminate international terrorism.
Speaking this morning were the representatives of Sweden, Ghana, Cameroon, Slovak Republic and the United States.
The Sixth Committee will meet again on a date to be announced.
Committee Work Programme
The Sixth Committee this morning had before it draft resolutions on the review of the role of the Trusteeship Council; the Report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country; United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International law; United Nations Decade of International Law; United Nations model rules for the conciliation of disputes between States; and measures to eliminate international terrorism.
By the terms of the draft resolution sponsored by Malta on the review of the role of the Trusteeship Council (document A/C.6/50/L.6), the General Assembly would decide to include that item in the provisional agenda of its fifty-first session. It would also request the Secretary-General to invite Member States to submit by 30 June 1996 their comments and proposals to enhance the Trusteeship Council. The Secretary-General would also be asked to submit a report containing those comments to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session. (For information, see Press Release GA/L/2895 of 22 November.)
By the terms of a five-Power draft resolution on the report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country (document A/C.6/50/L.8), the General Assembly would urge the host country to consider lifting travel controls with regard to certain missions and Secretariat staff members of certain nationalities. It would express the hope that the host country would continue to take all measures necessary to prevent any interference with the functioning of diplomatic missions, and would call upon the host country to review measures and procedures relating to the parking of diplomatic vehicles, with a view to responding to the growing needs of the diplomatic community and to consult with the Committee on those issues.
Also by the draft, the General Assembly would endorse recommendations and conclusions of the Host Country Committee, including proposals of its working group on financial indebtedness. In its report, the Host Country Committee recommended, among others, that permanent missions, their personnel and Secretariat staff members meet their financial obligations promptly and in full. (For information on that reports see Press Release GA/L/2893 of 20 November.)
The draft is sponsored by Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire and Cyprus.
By the terms of a draft resolution, sponsored by Ghana, on the United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law (document A/C.6/50/L.9), the Assembly would authorize the Secretary-General to provide a number of international law fellowships in 1996 and 1997, a minimum of one scholarship in both years under
Sixth Committee - 3 - Press Release GA/L/2896 45th Meeting (AM) 24 November 1995
the Hamilton Shirley Amerasinghe Memorial Fellowship on the Law of the Sea, and a travel grant for one participant from each developing country invited to regional courses to be organized during those two years, subject to overall resources for the Programme. Those activities would be financed from regular budget provisions as well as from voluntary contributions.
Also by the draft, the Assembly would express appreciation for the thirtieth and thirty-first sessions of the International Law Seminar, held at Geneva this year, and for the activities of the Office of Legal Affairs related to the fellowship programme and to the Shirley Amerasinghe Memorial Fellowship. The Assembly would request the Secretary-General to consider admitting into the various components of the Programme of Assistance, candidates from countries willing to bear the entire cost of such participation. It would also request him to consider the relative advantages of using available resources and voluntary contributions for regional, subregional or national courses, as against courses within the United Nations system.
The General Assembly would welcome efforts undertaken by the Office of Legal Affairs to update the United Nations Treaty Series and the United Nations Juridical Yearbook. It would urge States and international organizations to implement the goals of the United Nations Decade of International Law dealing with the teaching, study, dissemination and wider appreciation of international law.
The Assembly would reiterate its request to Member States, organizations and individuals to make voluntary contributions for the International Law Seminar, for the fellowship programme in international law, and for the Hamilton Shirley Amerasinghe Memorial Fellowship. It would urge governments to make voluntary contributions for the organization of regional refresher courses in international law by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.
By that draft, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to report on the implementation of the programme during 1996 and 1997 at its fifty-second session. It would also decide to appoint 25 Member States to serve as members of the Advisory Committee on the United Nations Programme of Assistance for a period of four years beginning 1 January 1996.
By the terms of the draft resolution on the United Nations Decade of International Law (document A/C.6/50/L.10) proposed by the Chairman of the working group on the Decade, the General Assembly would express its appreciation for the work done on the Decade and request the group to continue its work in accordance with its mandate. It would further express its appreciation to the Secretary-General for the successful organization of the United Nations Congress on Public International Law and request him to make its proceedings widely available, within existing resources.
Sixth Committee - 4 - Press Release GA/L/2896 45th Meeting (AM) 24 November 1995
The Assembly would also strongly welcome the recent advances made by the Treaty Section of the Office of Legal Affairs in its programme of computerization of the multilateral treaties deposited with the Secretary- General and the United Nations Treaty Series. It would invite all States, international organizations and institutions to provide information on activities to implement the programme of the Decade and submit their views on possible activities for the Decade's next term. At the national level, the Assembly would encourage States to disseminate information contained in the report of the Secretary-General.
The Assembly would further appeal to States, international organizations and non-governmental organizations working in the field of international law, and the private sector to make financial contributions or contributions in kind for the implementation of the Programme. It would also encourage the Office of Legal Affairs to continue to bring up to date the publications of the United Nations Treaty Series and the United Nations Juridical Yearbook. The Secretary-General would be requested to bring to the attention of States and international organizations and institutions the programme of the third term of the Decade for 1995-1996. The International Committee of the Red Cross would be invited to continue to report on activities undertaken in regard to the protection of the environment in armed conflict.
The draft resolution on the United Nations model rules for the conciliation of disputes between States (document A/C.6/50/L.11) would have the Assembly commend the Charter Committee for having adopted by consensus the final text of the model rules and would draw the attention of States to the possibility of applying them to settle disputes which would not be solved through direct negotiations.
The General Assembly would request the Secretary-General to lend his assistance to States resorting to conciliation on the basis of those rules and make necessary arrangements to distribute them to governments. The model rules, in ten chapters, are annexed to the draft resolution.
The draft is sponsored by Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Nicaragua and Panama.
By the terms of a draft on measures to eliminate international terrorism (document A/C.6/50/L.12), the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to follow up on the implementation of the Declaration on Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism, which it adopted last year. The Assembly would urge States to promote the Declaration, strengthen their cooperation, implement their obligations under existing international conventions, and fully observe international law.
Recalling the role of the Security Council in combating international terrorism, the Assembly would strongly condemn terrorism and reiterate that
Sixth Committee - 5 - Press Release GA/L/2896 45th Meeting (AM) 24 November 1995
criminal acts intended to provoke terror for political purposes were unjustifiable, whatever their political philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic or religious rationale.
Statement
Speaking on the role of the Trusteeship Council, MICHAEL ODEVALL (Sweden), said that the principal organ had completed its mission. There was a need to adapt the Charter of the United Nations to the new realities. Common responsibility for the global environment required concerted actions on the part of the United Nations; that could include a new role for the Trusteeship Council.
Action on Drafts
The draft resolution on the report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country (document A/C.6/50/L.8) was approved without a vote.
ERIC ODOI-ANIM (Ghana), introducing the draft on the Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law (document A/C.6/50/L.9), said the Programme was of particular importance to the developing countries. Many developed States also showed interest in it. Due to financial problems, no increase in allocations for the Programme could be recommended this year. In view of the expiration of the term of the Advisory Committee, it was necessary for the regional groups to communicate the names of their nominees for the membership in the Committee.
PASCALINE BOUM (Cameroon) said to allow the election of another African member to the Committee, her country withdrew its candidacy.
The draft was then approved without a vote.
PETER TOMKA (Slovak Republic) introduced the draft resolution on the United Nations Decade of International Law.
CAROLYN L. WILLSON (United States), in explanation of position, said she joined the consensus on the draft, although she considered the inclusion of paragraph 11 on the activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross redundant. It could be considered an affront to other organizations participating in the Decade, which were not mentioned in the draft. Also, all the activities of the ICRC were of interest and some of them should not be emphasized in the draft at the expense of others.
The Committee approved the draft without a vote.
Sixth Committee - 6 - Press Release GA/L/2896 45th Meeting (AM) 24 November 1995
TYGE LEHMANN (Denmark), Chairman of the Sixth Committee, informed the delegates that the draft on the measures to eliminate international terrorism had been circulated today.
Action on that draft and the draft resolution relating to the United Nations model rules for the conciliation of disputes between States was deferred until next week.
* *** *