SUSPENSION OF PROBATIONARY APPOINTMENTS LIFTED, FIFTH COMMITTEE TOLD
Press Release
GA/AB/3058
SUSPENSION OF PROBATIONARY APPOINTMENTS LIFTED, FIFTH COMMITTEE TOLD
19951219 Approves Draft Decisions on Commission Of Inquiry in Rwanda, Rights of Child, Staff RulesIn response to concerns expressed by Member States, Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali has lifted the suspension of probationary appointments to the United Nations, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) was told last night as it concluded the current stage of discussions on human resources management. Human resources issues will be further considered at the resumed session of the Assembly.
The meeting also considered the financing of the International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL), as well as the budgetary aspects of the Commission of Inquiry in Rwanda, the promotion of the rights of the child and follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women.
The Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management, Denis Halliday, in announcing the decision, said pending the Assembly's consideration of a range of issues concerning career appointments at its fifty-first session, the Secretariat would continue the reviews for conversion of probationary appointments to permanent contracts. Successful candidates hired through national competitive examinations would continue to be offered probationary appointments. A bulletin on the matter would be issued by the end of this week. He recalled that the Secretary-General, in a 9 November bulletin, announced the suspension of the conversion of probationary appointments, effective 13 November.
The representatives of Japan, Spain, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea welcomed Mr. Halliday's announcement. Earlier in the meeting, the representative of Spain, speaking for the European Union, said the decision to suspend probationary appointments on recruitment or new permanent appointments violated the commitments the United Nations made to candidates recruited through competitive examinations and to their countries. Referring to another circular issued by the Office of Human Resources Management, he said there was no legislative basis for General Service staff to take national examinations for posts at the Second Officer (P-3) level. It was perplexing that the decision should have been taken as the Secretary-General suspended probationary or permanent appointments.
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By an oral draft decision, the Committee recommended that the Assembly take note of the amendments to the 100 and 200 series of the staff rules. The amendments refer to the rules regarding such issues as education grant, home leave and to the limits of the functions of the Appointment and Promotion Board to appoint and promote candidates who have passed the competitive examinations. Other amendments would subject Under-Secretaries-General to the new performance appraisal system.
The 100 series of rules apply to staff appointed by the Secretary- General, except technical assistance project personnel and staff on short-term contracts. The 200 series relate to personnel appointed for technical assistance projects.
Under its consideration of the 1994-1995 budget, the Committee approved another oral decision that would have the Assembly note the Secretary- General's report on the revised estimates on the International Commission of Inquiry in Rwanda and endorse the recommendations on the matter by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ). It had recommended that additional appropriation of not more than $688,600 that would arise for 1996 should be considered by the Assembly while approving the proposed 1996-1997 budget.
The Committee approved an oral decision to have the Assembly note that, should it adopt a draft resolution on the promotion and protection of the rights of children, no additional provision would be sought under the human rights section of the proposed 1996-1997 budget.
The representatives of Japan, Philippines, Austria, Indonesia, Uganda, Tunisia, New Zealand, Bahamas and the United States spoke on the programme budget implications of the draft resolution on the Fourth World Conference on Women. Due to lack of agreement, the item was referred to consultations. The United States' representative spoke on (UNOMIL).
The United Nations Controller, Yukio Takasu, introduced the Secretary- General's reports while the ACABQ Chairman, C.S.M. Mselle, introduced his Committee's.
The Committee will meet again at 9.30 p.m. Wednesday, 20 December, to take up the second performance report of the 1994-1995 budget; the financing of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) and the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR); and draft decision on the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
Human Resources Management
In considering human resources management, the Committee had before it six reports of the Secretary-General -- three on reform of the Secretariat's internal justice system, one each on the composition of the Secretariat, list of Secretarial staff, and amendments to the Staff Rules. Also before the Committee were a note submitted by the Secretary-General on behalf of the members of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) concerning privileges and immunities of United Nations officials; a note by the Secretary-General transmitting the comments of the Administrative Tribunal and the Staff Union of the Secretariat on the internal justice system; and the ACABQ report on the system. (For background, see Press Release GA/AB/3056), of 14 December.)
RAPHAEL MUNOZ (Spain), speaking on behalf of the European Union and Bulgaria, Cyprus, Hungary and Latvia, referred specifically to the documents on privileges and immunities of officials of the United Nations and other specialized agencies. He said disregard for those privileges and immunities constituted one of the main obstacles to the implementation of the missions and programmes that Member States had assigned to the United Nations system. It was the responsibility of host governments, their authorities and parties in conflict to guarantee respect for those rights. It was deplorable that 14 staff members had been killed between 1 July 1994 and 30 June 1995 and four other lives lost since then.
The European Union strongly condemned terrorist acts. Governments must ensure respect for United Nations staff members' immunities and privileges. The Union was also concerned for staff engaged in peace-keeping and humanitarian missions. The Union unconditionally supported the Secretary- General's efforts to ensure the safety of staff members.
On the composition of the Secretariat, he said 54 new staff members had been appointed recently to posts subject to geographical distribution through the national competitive examinations designed to recruit nationals of underrepresented and unrepresented Member States. That number represented 40 per cent of all appointments. The decision to suspend probationary appointments on recruitment or new permanent appointments as stated in the Secretary-General's bulletin ST/SGB/280 of November 1995 was a violation of the commitments made by the United Nations to candidates recruited through competitive examinations and with their Member States. The Union could not accept the suspension. Referring to another circular regarding applications by General Service staff members to take national examinations to the Second Officer (P-3) level, he said there was no legislative basis for such examinations. It was perplexing that the decision should have been taken at a time when the Secretary-General decided to suspend probationary or permanent appointments.
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He welcomed the increased representation of women in posts subject to geographical distribution. However, the European Union regretted that the 35 per cent target had not been achieved. It was also disappointing that the 25 per cent participation rate of women in posts at the Principal Officer (D-1) level and above had not been reached. The importance of reform of the internal justice system warranted serious and informed discussion. Therefore, in view of the current time constraints, the issue should be considered during the resumed fiftieth session.
WANG XIAOCHU (China), speaking on reform of the internal justice system, said he supported the Secretary-General's proposals on the goals of the reform. Early settlement of disputes would solve the root causes of such problems. There was insufficient time to seriously consider the matter during the current regular session; it should be deferred to the resumed session. He expressed support for the proposal to solicit the Sixth Committee's opinion on defining the proposals for the reform. The biennial treatment of personnel management issues in the Fifth Committee should be respected.
DENIS HALLIDAY, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management (OHRM), responding to questions, said General Assembly resolution 35/210 applied to promotions of staff in the General Service and related categories to the Assistant Officer (P-1)/Second Officer (P-2) levels. By that resolution, General Service staff promotions through the competitive examinations were counted against the 30 per cent of posts earmarked for promotion of those categories of staff. That would continue to be the case.
The experimental opening of the P-3 national competitive examinations to the General Service staff who had other entry requirements was not specifically covered by General Assembly resolution 35/210, he continued. The experiment was to offer additional opportunities to nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States who were already serving the Organization. The process would be open only to those General Service and related staff who had the experience and the educational credentials to qualify for the examination, and who were nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States. The experimental period would be used to determine how, and whether, such opportunities produced suitable and successful internal candidates. The Office of Human Resources Management was committed to reporting on the outcome of the experiment to the fifty-first Assembly. At that time, the Secretariat would seek Member States' guidance on a number of issues for future action.
The promotion of staff from the P-2 to the P-3 level was governed by the established promotion and placement system set up according to relevant Staff Regulations and Rules and administrative instruction. The Staff Regulation required that "the fullest regard shall be had, in filling vacancies, to the requisite qualifications and experience of persons already in the service of the United Nations". Thus P-3 posts could only be offered to successful
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examination candidates after all qualified P-2 staff had been considered. That priority was met by announcing all vacancies internally for serving P-2 staff, before making any P-3 post available to successful candidates from P-3 examinations.
Regarding the suspension of the conversion of probationary appointments announced by the Secretary-General's bulletin ST/SGB/280 of 9 November, he said it had been decided that the bulletin would be reissued to exclude the review of probationary appointments from temporary suspension measures. That meant the lifting of suspension on the review of probationary appointments. The Secretariat would inform the Assembly at its next session on many issues on career appointments, including proposals of "what proportion of appointments would be made on fixed-term basis". The suspension on probationary appointments was thereby lifted, pending the Assembly's consideration of those proposals. Reviews for conversion of probationary appointments to permanent contracts would be conducted, and successful candidates hired through national competitive examinations would continue to be offered probationary appointments, until the whole issue was reviewed by the Assembly. Candidates sitting for the 1996 examinations would be advised that the policy on career appointments would be reviewed by the fifty-first Assembly.
YUJI KUMAMARU (Japan) said his delegation was glad to hear of the new decision to lift the suspension of the granting of permanent contracts and probationary appointments and the reissuance of the Secretary-General's bulletin. He asked how soon the bulletin would be reissued.
Mr. HALLIDAY said that it would be done by the end of the week.
Mr. MUNOZ (Spain), speaking on behalf of the members of the European Union, said the Union supported Japan's statement and welcomed the lifting of the suspension of permanent contracts.
DENISE ALMAO (New Zealand) said she looked forward to seeing the reissued document by the end of the week.
SOONG CHUL SHIN (Republic of Korea) said he appreciated the decision to lift the suspension of probationary appointments and permanent contracts.
The Committee Chairman, ERICH VILCHEZ ASHER (Nicaragua), then proposed an oral draft decision that would have the Assembly take note "of the amendments to the 100 and 200 series of the staff rules contained in document A/C.5/49/32 and A/C.5/50/32".
The Committee approved the draft decision and decided to defer other issues relating to human resources management to the resumed session.
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1994-1995 Programme Budget
Under the 1994-1995 programme budget, the Committee had before it the Secretary-General's report on the revised estimates for the International Commission of Inquiry in Rwanda (document A/C.5/50/27). The report states that an additional appropriation of $688,600 net will arise in the proposed 1996-1997 budget section on peace-keeping and special missions. Additional requirements of $392,100 net will be reported in the context of the second performance report for the 1994-1995 biennium under a General Assembly resolution on unforeseen and extraordinary expenditures.
The Commission was set up by the Security Council last September to, among other things, collect information and investigate reports on the sale or supply of arms and related matériel to former Rwandan government forces in violation of relevant Council resolutions. It would also investigate allegations that such forces were getting military training to destabilize Rwanda and to identify parties aiding the illegal acquisition of arms by former Rwandan government forces. To be based in Nairobi, the Commission will comprise six legal, military and police experts. It will be chaired by a United Nations staff at the Director (D-2) level appointed by the Secretary-General. The other five members will be made available by governments, which will pay their salaries. Travel and subsistence allowance in the area of operation would be borne by the United Nations. The Commission will be supported by one military observer, eight international staff and six local level staff.
In its report (document A/50/7/Add.4), the ACABQ states that additional appropriations of not more than $688,600 that would arise for 1996 should be considered by the General Assembly while approving the proposed 1996-1997 budget. The additional spending needs of $419,200 gross or $392,100 net for the period 1 November to 31 December 1995 should be considered in the context of the second performance report for the 1994-1995 biennium.
MOVSES ABELIAN (Armenia), a Committee Vice-Chairman, orally presented an oral draft decision by which the Assembly would take note of the report of the Secretary-General's revised estimates on the International Commission and endorse the recommendations of the ACABQ.
The Committee approved the oral draft decision on the Commission.
Financing of UNOMIL
The Secretary-General's report on financing UNOMIL (document A/50/650/Add.1) contains the revised estimates for two six-month periods from 1 July to 31 December 1995 and from 1 January to 30 June 1996. It includes the additional requirements arising from the adjustment of the mandate and concept of operations for the Observer Mission based on a Security Council resolution of 10 November 1995.
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The Secretary-General requests the Assembly to appropriate and assess an additional amount of $13.7 million gross ($13.7 million net) taking into account the amount of $8.5 million gross ($7.9 million net) already appropriated and assessed for the period from 1 July to 31 December 1995; to appropriate and assess $2.9 million gross ($2.7 million net) for the period from 1 to 31 January 1996; and to appropriate and assess the same amount per month for the period beyond 31 January to 30 June 1996, subject to the decision of the Council on the extension of UNOMIL's mandate. Approval is also sought to credit Member States the unencumbered balance of $226,890 gross ($224,900 net) based on the performance report for the period 23 October 1994 to 30 June 1995.
YUKIO TAKASU, United Nations Controller, introduced the Secretary-General's report on UNOMIL. He said the most recent Security Council resolution had extended UNOMIL's mandate to 1 January 1996. Therefore, action by the Assembly was urgently required to ensure continued financing for the Mission, should the Council decide to extend the mission's mandate.
C.S.M. MSELLE, ACABQ Chairman, in an oral presentation of the Advisory's Committee's report, said the revised estimates had been prepared to take account of delays in deployment of personnel and delays in the demobilization programme. No additional appropriation would be needed for the period 1 July to 31 December 1995. The ACABQ would review the Mission's financing in detail in the coming months. The higher amount now requested for January to March represented activities which had been rolled over from the end of 1995, such as public information activities and the demobilization programme. The ACABQ therefore advised that the amount of $21.9 million gross ($21.4 million net) be approved and assessed for the mission for the period 1 January to 31 March 1996. That recommendation was made without prejudice to recommendations to be made to the Assembly following the Advisory Committee's detailed review in early 1996.
VIRGINIA GRAHAM (United States) asked on what authority and why a vacant Assistant Secretary-General post was moved from UNOMIL to UNPROFOR. She also asked whether Member States were being assessed twice for it and for how long it had been vacant. She wanted a more complete assessment of the local authorities' cooperation with the Mission, specifically regarding exemptions from local fees and taxes.
Mr. TAKASU, United Nations Controller, said the proper forum to answer those questions would be the informal consultations.
Proposed 1996-1997 Budget
Also before the Committee was a statement on the budget implications of draft resolution A/50/L.61 on the promotion and protection of the rights of
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children (document A/C.5/50/46), which would amend the Convention of the Rights of the Child. That would increase the membership of the Convention's expert monitoring Committee from 10 to 18 at the cost of $518,100 per biennium for travel, per-diem and honorariums. However, until the amendment is accepted by a two-thirds majority of States parties and enters into force, the Committee on the Rights of the Child will continue to have 10 members. Therefore, should the Assembly adopt the draft resolution, no additional provision would be sought under the human rights section of the proposed 1996- 1997 budget. If the amendment is accepted by a two-thirds majority of States parties and enters into force in the biennium, the Secretary-General would revert to the issue.
Mr. MSELLE, ACABQ Chairman, introduced the Advisory Committee's report recommending the appropriations for $518,100. The amendment was not expected to come into force next year. Therefore, additional appropriations were not envisaged for the 1996-1997 biennium. The amount could be considered when the amendment went into effect.
The Committee Chairman, Mr. VILCHEZ ASHER (Nicaragua), proposed a draft decision orally. It would have the Assembly note that, should it adopt draft resolution A/50/L.61, no additional provision would be sought under the human rights section of the proposed 1996-1997 budget.
The Committee approved the draft decision relating to the rights of the child.
Mr. TAKASU, United Nations Controller, introduced the statement on the budget implications of the draft resolution on follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and full implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (document A/C.5/50/44). It states that an additional appropriation of $596,600 would be required for the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development in the proposed 1996-1997 budget, if the text was adopted. The appropriation would be subject to the guidelines for using and operating the contingency fund.
The statement sets out the measures the Secretary-General would take in response to the provisions in the Platform for Action. As part of those measures, the Secretary-General proposes a high-level board on the advancement of women. The board of 15 to 20 eminent persons will contribute to the building and strengthening of partnership between the United Nations and major constituencies on gender-related issues. It will also help him and his senior adviser on gender-related issues in promoting knowledge and understanding of, and mobilizing support for United Nations activities for the advancement of women and the follow-up to the Conference. The members will be appointed by the Secretary-General to serve in their individual capacities, with due regard to geographical representation. If the board has 15 members and meets twice a year for three days each session, it is estimated that $240,000 would be
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needed for travel and subsistence costs. The Secretary-General also asks for three additional professional posts.
Mr. MSELLE, ACABQ Chairman, said the Advisory Committee had reviewed the Secretary-General's proposals. It had noted that three professional posts would be established in January 1996 as new posts, requiring some money to pay for them. The ACABQ did not object to the posts. The high-level board to advise the Secretary-General had not been mentioned in either the Beijing Declaration or the draft resolution from the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural). The ACABQ cautioned against the proliferation of the use of such boards.
YUJI KUMAMARU (Japan) said he was baffled by the programme budget implications' call for the board. It had not been called for in either the Beijing Declaration or the resolution approved by the Third Committee. It was wrong to introduce it in a statement on budget implications when the draft resolution had not mentioned it. There was no reason or merit in creating such a board. Other bodies such as the Commission on the Status of Women and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women were already doing useful work. The Secretary-General could call on other sources of advice whenever necessary. Japan opposed that aspect of the budget implications.
MARY JO B. ARAGON (Philippines) said she wanted the Secretary-General to fully implement the provisions of the Beijing Conference. Referring to the statement of the Chairman of the ACABQ, she asked what the 50 per cent costing of the annual costs of the three posts would mean. She would have preferred the Secretary-General to implement recommendations as adopted in the Platform for Action, specifically the need to set up high-level posts to ensure the implementation of the Platform.
ELISABETH KORNFEIND (Austria) supported Japan's statement.
PRAYONO ATIYANTO (Indonesia) supported the concerns raised by the Philippines.
DAVID ETUKET (Uganda) said he agreed with the comments of the representative of the Philippines and supported the outcome of the Beijing Conference. He asked for an indication as to whether other possibilities had been explored for implementing the draft, apart from the setting up of the board.
Mr. TAKASU, United Nations Controller, said the Beijing Conference had adopted the Platform for Action. It sought many activities and the strengthening of others. The Secretary-General, in that regard, had reflected on the kind of action he had to take to meet the Member States' expectations on the implementation of the recommendations of the Beijing Conference. The
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Conference had asked the Secretary-General to assume the coordination of activities resulting from the Conference. He had concluded that it would be necessary to request additional expert support from eminent persons to mobilize support for United Nations activities for the advancement of women. That kind of expertise did not exist in the Organization right now. The advice of those high-level people from all over the world, would complement what he received from his own staff.
The Secretariat agreed with the caution sought by the ACABQ against the proliferation of meetings, he continued. On the advancement of women, the Secretary-General was convinced that the board would be useful. It was hoped that Member States would be favourably disposed. The 50 per cent costing for the three posts was a standard budgetary procedure when new posts were sought.
AMMAR AMARI (Tunisia) said the Beijing Conference had been a success. The Secretary-General was only taking an initiative to follow up on the recommendation to set up a high-level group. It was regrettable that problems were being raised. The Secretary-General should be supported. Tunisia would have preferred a recommendation that went beyond what the Secretary-General had sought to strengthen the Conference's follow-up.
Mr. ETUKET (Uganda) said that the Secretary-General had sought about $240,000 for the high-level board. Uganda was not convinced that that was the best way to ensure follow-up to Beijing.
Ms. ALMAO (New Zealand) asked for how long the board would exist.
Mr. TAKASU, United Nations Controller, said it was proposed to be on ad hoc basis and would not substitute the Commission on the Status of Women and other bodies.
SHARON BRENNEN-HAYLOCK (Bahamas) said her delegation had followed discussions of the subject in the Third Committee. Few delegations had supported the creation of the board and some had raised questions. A question posed was on the relationship between the proposed board and existing committees and commissions. A high-level post would have been more appropriate. Bahamas had spoken for the members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on the matter; it had not heard anything to change their minds.
EDWARD KELLER (United States) suggested that the Secretary-General's request be approved but consideration of the amount of $240,000 sought for travel and subsistence should be postponed until the resumed session.
Mr. KUMAMARU (Japan) said that an appropriate discussion had not taken place on the substantive issue by the Main Committee concerned. The issue of the high-level board needed further discussion in the Third Committee.
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Mr. ETUKET (Uganda) said that the Secretary-General's statement on programme budget implications had addressed several elements, including the posts and travel and subsistence allowance for the board. He was not sure he could partially accept what had been proposed in the budget implications. He asked whether such a procedure was acceptable.
The Committee decided to consider the statement on budget implications of the draft resolution on follow-up to the Beijing Conference.
Financing of International Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia
The Committee had before it the Secretary-General's report on the financing of the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (document A/C.5/50/41) which states that the Tribunal would require resources of $40.8 million for 1996. The estimates include 342 posts, reflecting an increase of 84.
Based in The Hague, the Tribunal, consists of: (a) the Chambers, comprising two Trial Chambers and an Appeals Chamber; (b) the Prosecutor; and (c) a Registry, servicing both the Chambers and the Prosecutor. The Chambers are composed of 11 independent judges and are presided over by the President of the Tribunal. The Prosecutor conducts all investigations and prosecutions. The Office of the Prosecutor acts independently as a separate organ of the Tribunal. The Registry administers and services the Tribunal.
Mr. TAKASU, United Nations Controller, introduced the Secretary- General's report. He indicated that interim action had to be taken by the Assembly to enable the Tribunal to continue beyond 31 December 1995 and requested bridging authority for the period 1 January to 31 March. Half of the estimated amounts would be drawn from the regular budget and half from the unencumbered balance of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR).
Mr. MSELLE, ACABQ Chairman, in an oral presentation of the Advisory Committee's observations on the Tribunal said the Committee had not examined the estimates in detail due to time constraints. However, it recommended that the Assembly approve the appropriation to the special account for the Tribunal an amount of $7.6 million for the period 1 January to 31 March 1996 and the assessment of that amount, to allow the Tribunal to continue its activities through 31 March. The additional funding should be granted without prejudice to recommendations that the Committee might make following its review of the Tribunal's budgetary and financial matters. The Committee also recommended that the Secretariat be granted the authority to enter into contractual arrangements for staff for up to one calendar year. However, he cautioned that the Tribunal's staffing table had not yet been approved by the Assembly.
The Committee requested the Secretariat to prepare a draft decision for approval by the Committee at its next meeting on Wednesday, 20 December.
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Financing of International Tribunal for Rwanda
The Committee had before it two reports of the Secretary-General on financing of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. The earlier report (document A/C.5/50/16) states that an Assembly resolution last July had appropriated to the Special Account for the Rwanda Tribunal a total amount of $13.5 million gross ($13 million net) for the period ending 31 October 1995. That was inclusive of the commitment authority of $2.9 million authorized by the ACABQ. However, owing to delays in attaining a fully operational phase, the funding appropriated will be sufficient to meet the requirements of the Tribunal up to 31 December 1995. Consequently, a budget performance report will be submitted at the current session covering the period up to the end of December as well as estimates for 1996-1997.
In a subsequent report (document A/C.5/50/47), the Secretary-General states that, in view of the further delays experienced by the Tribunal in attaining an operational phase, detailed estimates of requirements for 1996 could not be prepared. He therefore proposes that a maintenance budget of three months' resources and posts, at the level authorized in 1995, be approved for the period from 1 January to 30 March 1996. The estimated requirements for the Tribunal for that period amounts to $7.1 million.
A summary of estimates by object of expenditure include costs for salaries, allowances and common costs for judges, temporary posts, consultants, travel, rental and maintenance of premises, and communications. The largest allocation of $3.5 million is for temporary posts. The summary of posts shows a total of 163 posts to service the Tribunal -- 116 professional and higher posts and 47 other categories of staff.
Mr. TAKASU, United Nations Controller, introduced the Secretary- General's reports on the Tribunal for Rwanda. The report provided the cost estimates for the first three months of 1996 for which he was requesting bridging authority. He expected the same agreement by the Assembly for the costs of the Tribunal to be shared equally by the regular budget and the support account.
Mr. MSELLE, ACABQ Chairman, said the Advisory Committee had recommended $7.1 million to cover the costs for the period 1 January to 31 March 1996.
The Committee requested the Secretariat to prepare a draft decision for action by the Committee at its next formal meeting on Wednesday, 20 December.
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