FIFTH COMMITTEE APPROVES ABOUT $45 MILLION FOR TWO MISSIONS AND CONFERENCE-SERVICING COSTS

3 June 1996

Press Release
GA/AB/3080

FIFTH COMMITTEE APPROVES ABOUT $45 MILLION FOR TWO MISSIONS AND CONFERENCE-SERVICING COSTS

19960603 Also Approves Two Drafts on JIU, Implementation of 1996-1997 Programme Budget

The General Assembly would appropriate or authorize commitments of about $45 million for two missions, covering various periods, as well as for conference servicing of the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, by three of five draft resolutions approved by its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) Friday night, 31 May.

Other texts approved this evening were on implementation of the programme budget for the biennium 1996-1997 and on the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU).

By the draft resolution on one of the missions, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), the Assembly would appropriate $2.7 million gross ($2.6 million net), already authorized by the Assembly for the period from 1 to 30 June, subject to the extension of the Force's mandate.

By other terms of the text, introduced by the representative of Latvia, the Assembly would also appropriate $32.3 million gross ($31.3 million net) for the maintenance of the Force from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997, inclusive of the amount of $760,900 for the support account for peace-keeping operations.

The text on absorbing the cost of new mandates in the 1996-1997 programme budget would authorize the Secretary-General to enter into further commitments of $1.8 million gross ($1.6 million net of staff assessment) for the period from 1 June through August 1996 for the International Civilian Mission to Haiti (MICIVIH). It would also authorize him to enter into commitments through December in an amount not exceeding a monthly level of $627,900 gross ($567,700 net of staff assessment), should the Assembly decide to extend the Mission beyond 31 August.

By that text, introduced by the representative of Ireland, the Assembly would note the Secretary-General's statement that new approved and prospective mandates might require an additional $120 million during the course of the 1996-1997 biennium. It would ask him to submit a report containing proposals on possible means of absorption, including information on staff costs where savings might arise from the implementation of the early separation programme.

By the draft resolution on conference-servicing costs, introduced by the representative of Belgium, the Secretary-General would be authorized to enter into commitments up to $5.5 million for costs relating to the meeting of the States Parties to the Framework Convention.

By the text on the implementation of the programme budget for the 1996- 1997 biennium, the Assembly would ask the Secretary-General to submit a report containing proposals for achieving savings, no later than 1 September, and to ensure that until the report is considered by the Assembly, all mandated programmes and activities are implemented in full. The draft was introduced by the representative of Austria.

The JIU draft would have the Assembly ask the Unit to seek a more reader-friendly and uniform format of reports, including sections containing the objectives of the report, an executive summary, the conclusions drawn, and as appropriate, the action required to be taken by the organizations. According to the draft, introduced by the representative of Brazil, the reports should be as concise as possible and comply with the 32-page limit.

Statements were made by the representatives of Costa Rica (also on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China), Cuba, United States, Italy (also on behalf of the European Union), Canada, India, Trinidad and Tobago, Germany, Japan and Lebanon.

The Fifth Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today, 3 June, to take action on remaining texts and conclude the second part of its resumed fiftieth session.

Draft Texts and Statements

By a draft resolution on implementation of the programme budget for the biennium 1996-1997 (document A/C.5/50/L.61), the Assembly would ask the Secretary-General to submit, through the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), a report containing proposals for achieving savings, no later than 1 September. It would ask him to ensure that, until the above-mentioned report is considered by the Assembly, all mandated programmes and activities are implemented in full.

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The Assembly would note that the programme budget for the biennium 1996- 1997 was adopted in unique circumstances and did not constitute a precedent. It would ask the Secretary-General to ensure that productivity gains will not have a negative impact on his obligations under the Charter to recruit staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible, even on a temporary basis. It would also ask him not to take any measures that do not respect the prerogatives of the Assembly.

After the approval of the draft resolution on implementation of the programme budget for the biennium 1996-1997, NAZARETH A. INCERA (Costa Rica), speaking on behalf also of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said the reintroduction of the budgetary process was important because it meant the Assembly retained control over integral parts of the process, including contingency funds and the rules on programme planning. The draft strengthened the concept that changes to the budgetary procedures were the exclusive prerogative of the Assembly. The operative paragraph relating to recruitment was important. The report called for by the draft should be presented on time and follow the budgetary format.

She said that the Committee secretariat needed strengthening and asked why no one had yet been designated Assistant Secretary-General. The Committee secretariat was smaller than other Main Committees of the Assembly, which did not have the same workload. It was difficult for the secretariat, now that the Committee was sitting all the time. Burdens on the staff and the workload could not be over-estimated. The scant resources of the Committee's secretariat could not be reduced further. She asked the Secretary-General to proceed with the appointment of an Assistant Secretary-General to the Committee without delay.

By a draft resolution on absorbing the cost of new mandates in the 1996- 1997 programme budget (document A/C.5/50/L.66), the Assembly would note that the Secretary-General has reported that he could not absorb any additional amount beyond the reductions of $154 million required to maintain expenditures within the approved appropriations and that he anticipated that new approved and prospective mandates might require an additional $120 million during the course of the biennium.

The Assembly would restate that the Secretary-General's authority to implement any proposal to change mandated activities is subject to its prior approval. It would ask that he submit a further report, no later than 1 September, containing proposals on possible means of absorption in the programme budget for the biennium 1996-1997. That should include information on staff costs where savings might arise from the implementation of the early separation programme during 1996-1997.

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In addition, the Assembly would authorize the Secretary-General, in responding to the requirements of resolution 50/86 B of 3 April on Haiti, to enter into further commitments of $1,767,300 gross ($1,606,200 net of staff assessment) for the period from 1 June through August 1996. He would also be authorized, should the Assembly decide to extend the mandate of the International Civilian Mission to Haiti beyond 31 August, to enter into commitments through December in an amount not exceeding a monthly level of $627,900 gross ($567,700 net of staff assessment).

Speaking before the approval of the draft resolution on absorbing the costs of new mandates in the 1996-1997 programme budget, DONALD GILBERT (United States) said his delegation had joined the consensus on the draft, but it had grave reservations and was disappointed that the text did not have detailed proposals to offset the $25 million in new activities. His delegation could not accept any measures which would increase the 1996-1997 budget approved last December. Paragraph 4 of the text called on the Secretary-General to submit proposals by 1 September for possible absorption of additional costs. His Government could not release $80 million of its assessed contributions unless those extras were absorbed.

After action on the draft, BERNARDINO MANCINI (Italy), speaking also on behalf of the European Union, said that he had not intended to address the Committee, but the statement by the representative of the United States had prompted him to reiterate that all Member States had a legal obligation to pay their assessed contributions in full and on time, and without conditions.

Ms. INCERA (Costa Rica), speaking also on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said they had joined the consensus on the text, but had hoped that the Committee would have agreed to the amounts proposed by the Secretary-General. The nature of the expenditures should be kept in mind. The Group shared the Secretary-General's concerns that the Organization could not absorb additional costs and that asking the Secretariat to make more savings would incapacitate its ability to carry out its work.

SAMUEL HANSON (Canada) said he agreed with Italy's comments. The obligations of Member States flowed from the Charter and were binding under international law. Every country should order its internal procedures so as to meet those obligations.

By a draft resolution on the conference-servicing costs for the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (document A/C.5/50/L.71), the Assembly would authorize the Secretary-General to enter into commitments up to $5,517,000 from the programme budget for biennium 1996-1997 for the provision of conference servicing to the Conference and its subsidiary bodies.

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It would ask the Secretary-General, subject to fully implementing all mandated programmes and activities as required by resolution 50/214, to submit a report no later than 1 September on possible means of absorption to the 1996-1997 programme budget. It would reconsider the issue of appropriations in the context of the first performance report.

Speaking following the approval of the draft resolution on conference- servicing, Mr. GILBERT (United States) said his delegation had joined the consensus on the draft and thanked the Rapporteur for his efforts. However, he regretted that the text did not avail itself fully of the opportunities to achieve savings in conference services. He urged the Secretary-General to make information on those savings available as soon as possible.

VIJAY GOKHALE (India) said that the issue must be dealt with in accordance with resolution 41/213, which established the United Nations programme budget.

RAJIV RAMLAL (Trinidad and Tobago) said his delegation attached great priority to the draft as small island States were subject to the adverse effects of climate changes. The Conference was therefore important to help mitigate those effects. His delegation had agreed to the draft resolution on the understanding that the funding would be maintained.

KLAUS-DIETER STEIN (Germany) said his delegation had happily agreed to the draft and he had not intended to address the Committee. However, having heard the statement of one of the delegations, he decided to associate himself with the statements of India and Trinidad and Tobago.

FUMIAKI TOYA (Japan) said the draft resolution should not have an impact on future meetings.

By a draft resolution on the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) (document A/C.5/50/L.64), the Assembly would decide to consider the appropriate periodicity of the JIU agenda item. It would ask that the necessary measures be taken to ensure that the JIU's thematic reports are listed under the appropriate substantive agenda items of the work programmes of the Assembly, other pertinent United Nations bodies, and the appropriate legislative organs of the other JIU participating organizations.

The Assembly would ask the JIU to seek a more reader-friendly and uniform format of reports, taking into account new publishing technologies, that would include sections containing the objectives of the report, an executive summary, the conclusions drawn, and as appropriate, the action required to be taken by the organizations, in order to make reports as concise as possible and to comply with the existing page limit of 32 pages. It would

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also ask that it report to its next regular session on measures taken aimed at developing the set of internal standards and guidelines for inspection, evaluation and investigation.

In addition, the Assembly would ask the executive heads of the JIU participating organizations to fully comply with the statutory reporting procedures for the consideration of the JIU reports. It would ask the Unit to continue focusing its reports on important priority items, identifying concrete managerial, administrative and programming questions aimed at providing it and other legislative organs of participating organizations with practical and action-oriented recommendations on precisely defined issues.

Speaking after the approval of the draft resolution on the Joint Inspection Unit, ANA SILVIA RODRIGUEZ-ABASCAL (Cuba) said there was an error in the Spanish text; it contained a paragraph which had been deleted from the English text.

Following a brief discussion, the Committee Chairman said the Committee would take up the draft resolution on the financing of both United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

By the draft resolution on the financing of UNDOF (document A/C.5/50/L.54), the Assembly would appropriate $2,679,000 gross ($2,601,714 net), already authorized by the Assembly for the period from 1 to 30 June, subject to the extension of the Force's mandate. It would further decide to appropriate the amount of $32,254,900 gross ($31,342,900 net) for the maintenance of the Force for the period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997, inclusive of the amount of $760,900 for the support account for peace-keeping operations. That would be assessed on Member States at the monthly rate of $2,687,908 gross ($2,611,908 net) for the period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997, in accordance with the composition of groups already set out.

The Assembly would decide that there shall be set off against the apportionment among Member States their respective share in the tax equalization fund of the estimated staff assessment income of $897,000 approved for the period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997, and in the estimated other income of $15,000 for the same period.

Speaking following the approval of the draft resolution on UNDOF, Mr. STEIN (Germany), said his delegation had joined the consensus with reservations. The funding of United Nations peace-keeping operations would total $1.3 billion and that amount would not be fully covered by Member States since one of them had announced its intention of reducing its contributions. That position would exacerbate the Organization's already difficult financial situation. Germany had proposed, during informal consultations, the freezing of 6 per cent of each operation's budget. Its proposal had not met with

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approval, although the situation must be addressed. Germany was not ready to accept a change in its accepted share of the scale of assessments because of the action of one Member State.

ULDIS BLUKIS (Latvia) said the Committee had not yet reached agreement on the text of the draft resolution on UNIFIL.

HICHAM HAMDAN (Lebanon) said the draft on UNIFIL before the Committee was the latest version. However an earlier text had been discussed and there were differences over one paragraph. His delegation, with the support of its Arab neighbours, had proposed an amendment to the text. After much consultation, to avoid political discussion and in a desire to reach consensus, it had given up some paragraphs and agreed to a practical procedure with no implications. He said he was referring to paragraph 7 bis and he wanted the Committee to approve the draft with that paragraph by consensus.

Following a 15-minute suspension of the meeting, Mr. HAMDAN (Lebanon) expressed his appreciation to the Chairman and the delegations for their efforts to ensure the success of the draft resolution on UNIFIL, which had been discussed at great length in informal consultations. He asked whether it would be possible to ask the drafters of the text to introduce the basic elements. He, along with representatives from other Arab countries, would like to introduce the draft formally.

He said his delegation had done everything and agreed to drop several changes and to submit an amendment to operative paragraph 7, which would ask the Secretary-General to submit a full evaluation of damages to the UNIFIL compound as a result of the incident at Qana in southern Lebanon last April. The text did not go beyond any element that was not already part of the Committee's practice.

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