GENERAL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS INCLUSION OF AGENDA ITEMS ON WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION, WORLD COURT ELECTION
Press Release
GA/9011
GENERAL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS INCLUSION OF AGENDA ITEMS ON WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION, WORLD COURT ELECTION
19951128 The General Committee this morning recommended that the General Assembly include in its current agenda an item on the admission of the World Tourism Organization to membership in the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund, and a sub-item on elections to fill a vacancy on the International Court of Justice.The Committee further recommended that the item on the admission of the World Tourism Organization to the Pension Fund be allocated to the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary). The sub-item on the vacancy in the World Court would be taken up directly by the plenary under the item on elections to fill vacancies in principal organs.
The representative of Spain, who introduced the item on the World Tourism Organization, said the item was not new, but had been positively received by the General Assembly two years ago. However, it was decided then that further contacts were needed between the Secretariats of the United Nations, the Joint Staff Pension Fund, and the World Tourism Organization.
He said the World Tourism Organization had furthered its contacts and adopted staff regulations and other internal legislation to bring its request in line with the requirements of the Joint Staff Pension Fund. The protection of a large number of staff members of a related United Nations organization required the particular attention of the General Assembly. He recommended that the item be allocated to the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary).
The representative of France said the Assembly's attention to the World Tourism Organization was of major importance to the organization, which had taken the steps deserving of membership. The proposal was also supported by
General Committee - 2 - Press Release GA/9011 5th Meeting (AM) 28 November 1995
the representative of Kenya, who said that help for the staff of the World Tourism Organization would be a positive move. The representative of Lebanon also spoke in support of the request.
The request for inclusion of the item on the World Tourism Organization was presented in a letter from Spain dated 24 November (document A/50/236 and Corr.1). An explanatory memorandum annexed to the letter noted the Organization's desire to join the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund as soon as possible, to provide social protection for its 90 staff members.
The request for inclusion of the sub-item on elections to fill a vacancy on the International Court of Justice was contained in a note by the Secretary-General of 20 November (document A/50/237). The note states that the vacancy on the Court, resulting from the death of Judge Andres Aguilar Mawdsley (Venezuela) on 24 October 1995, required the election of a new member to serve until 5 February 2000.
The General Committee's recommendations will be considered by the Assembly on Friday, 1 December.
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