ASSEMBLY ADOPTS 159-ITEM AGENDA FOR FIFTY-FIRST SESSION
Press Release
GA/9094
ASSEMBLY ADOPTS 159-ITEM AGENDA FOR FIFTY-FIRST SESSION
19960920 Among New Subjects, Elimination of Coercive Economic Measures to Be Considered in Plenary, Others Allocated to CommitteesThe General Assembly this morning adopted a 159-item agenda for its fifty-first session. The agenda includes new items on a transnational crime convention, on coercive economic measures, on financing of the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti (UNSMIH) and on observer status for the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).
With the adoption this morning of the report of its General Committee on the organization of the fifty-first session, the Assembly decided that the new agenda items on observer status for Interpol and the elimination of coercive economic measures would be among the 60 items considered directly at plenary meetings. The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) will take up the item on the elaboration of an international convention against transnational crime, while the item on financing of UNSMIH will go to the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary).
A new agenda sub-item on the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons was included on the Assembly's agenda. It will be taken up along with other general and complete disarmament sub-items by the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security).
In addition, the Assembly deferred consideration of two items on its provisional agenda -- one on the question of the Malagasy islands and the other on the question of East Timor. It decided not to include the item on the situation of Taiwan.
Also this morning, the Assembly adopted its organization of work for the fifty-first session which should recess no later than Tuesday, 17 December 1996, and close on Monday, 15 September 1997. All Main Committees were instructed to start their work as soon as possible and to make every effort to complete it by Friday, 29 November 1996. It was agreed that morning meetings of the plenary and the Committees should start at 10 a.m. and, as a cost- saving measure, every effort should be made to ensure that the afternoon meetings begin at 3 p.m. and adjourn by 6 p.m., and that no meetings be held on weekends.
The general debate was scheduled to begin on Monday, 23 September, and
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close on Friday, 11 October, and the list of speakers in that debate will be closed on Wednesday, 25 September, at 6 p.m. It was also decided that past practices should be followed concerning such matters as explanations of vote, right of reply, points of order, length of statements, expressions of congratulations, records of meetings, documentation, reproduction of statements in the Main Committees and limitation of concluding statements.
The Assembly took note of the Secretary-General's observations that Member States should submit proposals involving statements of programme-budget implications sufficiently in advance to avoid the cancellation of meetings and the postponement of the consideration of items.
Acting on other recommendations of its General Committee, the Assembly decided that, in order to avoid the late start of meetings, it would waive the requirement of the presence of at least one third of the Members to declare a plenary meeting open and permit the debate to proceed, and of at least one quarter of the Members to declare a meeting of a Main Committee open and permit the debate to proceed. The President of the Assembly, Razali Ismail (Malaysia), endorsed the suggestion for each delegation to designate someone to be present at the scheduled meeting time.
The Assembly further took note of the fact that verbatim records would be provided during the fifty-first session for its plenary meetings and meetings of the First Committee, and that summary records would be provided for the meetings of the General Committee and the other Main Committees. It also recommended that the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) may obtain, on specific request, transcriptions of debates of some of its meetings, or portions thereof.
The Assembly adopted the suggested format for commemorative meetings, including limiting each statement to 15 minutes. Observances and commemorative meetings would take place, as far as possible, immediately following the general debate.
The Assembly took note of the recommendations of the Committee on Conferences regarding special conferences, as well as its recommendations that the following subsidiary organs be authorized to meet during the fifty-first session: the Committee on Conferences; Committee on Relations with the Host Country; Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian Peoples; Special Committee on Peace-keeping Operations; Executive Board of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF); and the Working Group on the Financing of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
In other action this morning, the Assembly decided to hold a special commemorative plenary meeting marking the fiftieth anniversary of the operations of UNICEF on Wednesday, 11 December.
The Assembly will meet next to begin its general debate on 10 a.m., Monday 23 September.
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Assembly Agenda
The General Assembly met this morning to consider the report of its General Committee on the organization of the work of the fifty-first session, in which it recommends that the Assembly adopt a 159-item agenda. That agenda includes four new items, and a new sub-item.
In its report (document A/51/250), the Committee recommends the following agenda:
1. Opening of the session by the Chairman of the delegation of Portugal.
2. Minute of silent prayer or meditation.
3. Credentials of representatives to the fifty-first session of the General Assembly:
(a) Appointment of the members of the Credentials Committee;
(b) Report of the Credentials Committee.
4. Election of the President of the General Assembly.
5. Election of the officers of the Main Committees.
6. Election of the Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly.
7. Notification by the Secretary-General under Article 12, paragraph 2, of the Charter of the United Nations.
8. Adoption of the agenda and organization of work: reports of the General Committee.
9. General debate.
10. Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization.
11. Report of the Security Council.
12. Report of the Economic and Social Council.
13. Report of the International Court of Justice.
14. Report of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
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15. Elections to fill vacancies in principal organs:
(a) Election of five non-permanent members of the Security Council;
(b) Election of 18 members of the Economic and Social Council;
(c) Election of five members of the International Court of Justice.
16. Appointment of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
17. Elections to fill vacancies in subsidiary organs and other elections:
(a) Election of the members of the International Law Commission;
(b) Election of 20 members of the Committee for Programme and Coordination;
(c) Election of the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme.
18. Appointments to fill vacancies in subsidiary organs and other appointments:
(a) Appointment of members of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;
(b) Appointment of members of the Committee on Contributions;
(c) Appointment of a member of the Board of Auditors;
(d) Confirmation of the appointment of members of the Investments Committee;
(e) Appointment of members of the United Nations Administrative Tribunal;
(f) Appointment of members of the International Civil Service Commission;
(g) Appointment of members of the Committee on Conferences;
(h) Appointment of members of the Joint Inspection Unit;
(i) Confirmation of the appointment of the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme.
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19. Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.
20. Admission of new Members to the United Nations.
21. Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance:
(a) Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations;
(b) Special economic assistance to individual countries or regions;
(c) Emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan;
(d) Assistance to the Palestinian people.
22. Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of American States.
23. Cooperation between the United Nations and the Asian-African Legal Consultative Committee.
24. Law of the sea:
(a) Law of the sea;
(b) Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks;
(c) Large-scale pelagic drift-net fishing and its impact on the living marine resources of the world's oceans and seas; unauthorized fishing in zones of national jurisdiction and its impact on the living marine resources of the world's oceans and seas; and fisheries by-catch and discards and their impact on the sustainable use of the world's living marine resources.
25. Cooperation between the United Nations and the Caribbean Community.
26. Cooperation between the United Nations and the Economic Cooperation Organization.
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27. Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba.
28. Universal Congress on the Panama Canal.
29. Cooperation between the United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
30. Cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States.
31. Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
32. Zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic.
33. The situation in the Middle East.
34. Assistance in mine clearance.
35. Question of Palestine.
36. International assistance for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Nicaragua: aftermath of the war and natural disasters.
37. The situation of democracy and human rights in Haiti.
38. Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
39. The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security.
40. The situation in Central America: procedures for the establishment of a firm and lasting peace and progress in fashioning a region of peace, freedom, democracy and development.
41. Support by the United Nations system of the efforts of governments to promote and consolidate new or restored democracies.
42. Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity.
43. The situation in Burundi.
44. Implementation of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s.
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45. Implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development.
46. Restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields.
47. Question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters.
48. Strengthening of the United Nations system.
49. Question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
50. Report of the International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991.
51. Declaration of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity on the aerial and naval military attack against the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya by the present United States Administration in April 1986.
52. Armed Israeli aggression against the Iraqi nuclear installations and its grave consequences for the established international system concerning the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and international peace and security.
53. Consequences of the Iraqi occupation of and aggression against Kuwait.
54. Implementation of the resolutions of the United Nations.
55. Launching of global negotiations on international economic cooperation for development.
56. The situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
57. Question of the Comorian island of Mayotte.
58. Question of Cyprus.
59. Report of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Genocide and Other Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of
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Rwanda and Rwandan Citizens Responsible for Genocide and Other Such Violations Committed in the Territory of Neighbouring States between 1 January and 31 December 1994.
60. Prohibition of the development and manufacture of new types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons: report of the Conference on Disarmament.
61. Reduction of military budgets:
(a) Reduction of military budgets;
(b) Objective information on military matters, including transparency of military expenditures.
62. Question of Antarctica.
63. The role of science and technology in the context of international security and disarmament.
64. The role of science and technology in the context of international security, disarmament and other related fields.
65. Amendment of the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and under Water.
66. Implementation of the comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty.
67. Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East.
68. Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in South Asia.
69. Conclusion of effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.
70. Prevention of an arms race in outer space.
71. General and complete disarmament:
(a) Notification of nuclear tests;
(b) Transparency in armaments;
(c) Prohibition of the dumping of radioactive wastes;
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(d) Convening of the fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament: report of the Preparatory Committee for the Fourth Special Session of the General Assembly Devoted to Disarmament;
(e) Relationship between disarmament and development;
(f) Measures to curb the illicit transfer and use of conventional arms;
(g) Regional disarmament;
(h) Conventional arms control at the regional and subregional levels;
(i) Nuclear disarmament;
(j) Non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and of vehicles for their delivery in all its aspects;
(k) Advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons.
72. Review and implementation of the Concluding Document of the Twelfth Special Session of the General Assembly:
(a) United Nations Disarmament Information Programme;
(b) United Nations disarmament fellowship, training and advisory services;
(c) Regional confidence-building measures;
(d) United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa, United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific and United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean;
(e) Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons.
73. Review of the implementation of the recommendations and decisions adopted by the General Assembly at its tenth special session:
(a) Report of the Disarmament Commission;
(b) Report of the Conference on Disarmament;
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(c) Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters;
(d) United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research;
(e) Confidence-building measures.
74. The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.
75. Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects.
76. Strengthening of security and cooperation in the Mediterranean region.
77. Implementation of the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace.
78. Consolidation of the regime established by the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco).
79. African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty.
80. Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction.
81. Review of the implementation of the Declaration on the Strengthening of International Security.
82. Effects of atomic radiation.
83. International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.
84. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
85. Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories.
86. Comprehensive review of the whole question of peace-keeping operations in all their aspects.
87. Questions relating to information.
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88. Information from Non-Self-Governing Territories transmitted under Article 73 e of the Charter of the United Nations.
89. Activities of foreign economic and other interests which impede the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples in Territories under colonial domination.
90. Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations.
91. Offers by Member States of study and training facilities for inhabitants of Non-Self-Governing Territories.
92. The situation in the occupied territories of Croatia.
93. Question of the composition of the relevant organs of the United Nations.
94. Macroeconomic policy questions:
(a) External debt crisis and development;
(b) Financing of development, including net transfer of resources between developing and developed countries;
(c) Trade and development;
(d) Commodities.
95. Sectoral policy questions:
(a) Industrial development cooperation;
(b) Food and sustainable agricultural development.
96. Sustainable development and international economic cooperation:
(a) Implementation and follow-up to major consensus agreements on development:
(i) Implementation of the commitments and policies agreed upon in the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of the Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries;
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(ii) Implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade;
(b) Agenda for development:
(i) Agenda for development;
1 (ii) Renewal of the dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership;
(c) Integration of the economies in transition into the world economy;
(d) Population and development;
(e) Human settlements;
(f) Eradication of poverty;
(g) Cultural development.
97. Environment and sustainable development:
(a) Implementation of the decisions and recommendations of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development;
(b) Special session for the purpose of an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of Agenda 21;
(c) Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity;
(d) Implementation of the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States;
(e) Protection of global climate for present and future generations of mankind;
(f) International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.
98. Operational activities for development.
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99. Training and research:
(a) United Nations Institute for Training and Research;
(b) United Nations University.
100. Social development, including questions relating to the world social situation and to youth, ageing, disabled persons and the family.
101. Crime prevention and criminal justice.
102. International drug control.
103. Advancement of women.
104. Implementation of the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women.
105. Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, questions relating to refugees, returnees and displaced persons and humanitarian questions.
106. Promotion and protection of the rights of children.
107. Programme of activities of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People.
108. Elimination of racism and racial discrimination.
109. Right of peoples to self-determination.
110. Human rights questions:
(a) Implementation of human rights instruments;
(b) Human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms;
(c) Human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives;
(d) Comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action;
(e) Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
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111. Financial reports and audited financial statements, and reports of the Board of Auditors:
(a) United Nations;
(b) United Nations Development Programme;
(c) United Nations Children's Fund;
(d) United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East;
(e) United Nations Institute for Training and Research;
(f) Voluntary funds administered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees;
(g) Fund of the United Nations Environment Programme;
(h) United Nations Population Fund;
(i) United Nations Habitat and Human Settlements Foundation;
(j) Fund of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme;
(k) United Nations Office for Project Services.
112. Review of the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations.
113. Programme budget for the biennium 1994-1995.
114. Programme planning.
115. Improving the financial situation of the United Nations.
116. Programme budget for the biennium 1996-1997.
117. Administrative and budgetary coordination of the United Nations with the specialized agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
118. Pattern of conferences.
119. Scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations.
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120. Human resources management:
(a) Implementation of the Secretary-General's strategy for the management of the Organization's human resources and other human resources management issues;
(b) Composition of the Secretariat;
(c) Respect for the privileges and immunities of officials of the United Nations and the specialized agencies and related organizations.
121. United Nations common system.
122. United Nations pension system.
123. Financing of the United Nations peace-keeping forces in the Middle East:
(a) United Nations Disengagement Observer Force;
(b) United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.
124. Financing of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission.
125. Financing of the activities arising from Security Council resolution 687 (1991):
(a) United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission;
(b) Other activities.
126. Financing of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara.
127. Financing of the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador.
128. Financing and liquidation of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia.
129. Financing of the United Nations Protection Force, the United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia, the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force and the United Nations Peace Forces headquarters.
130. Financing of the United Nations Operation in Somalia II.
131. Financing of the United Nations Operation in Mozambique.
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132. Financing of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus.
133. Financing of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia.
134. Financing of the United Nations Mission in Haiti.
135. Financing of the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia.
136. Financing of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda.
137. Financing of the International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991.
138. Financing of the United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan.
139. Financing of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Genocide and Other Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of Rwanda and Rwandan Citizens Responsible for Genocide and Other Such Violations Committed in the Territory of Neighbouring States between 1 January and 31 December 1994.
140. Administrative and budgetary aspects of the financing of the United Nations peace-keeping operations:
(a) Financing of the United Nations peace-keeping operations;
(b) Relocation of Ukraine to the group of Member States set out in paragraph 3 (c) of General Assembly resolution 43/232.
141. Report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the Office of Internal Oversight Services.
142. Status of the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and relating to the protection of victims of armed conflicts.
143. Consideration of effective measures to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives.
144. Convention on the law of the non-navigational uses of international watercourses.
145. United Nations Decade of International Law.
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146. Report of the International Law Commission on the work of its forty-eighth session.
147. Establishment of an international criminal court.
148. Report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on the work of its twenty-ninth session.
149. Report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country.
150. Report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization.
151. Measures to eliminate international terrorism.
152. Progressive development of the principles and norms of international law relating to the new international economic order.
153. Financing of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
154. Financing of the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium.
155. Financing of the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force.
156. Observer status for the International Criminal Police Organization-Interpol in the General Assembly.
157. Financing of the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti.
158. Question of elaboration of an international convention against organized transnational crime.
159. Elimination of coercive economic measures as a means of political and economic compulsion.
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