DRAFT ON ACHIEVING GOAL OF GENDER EQUALITY IN SECRETARIAT STAFFING ONE OF THREE TEXTS APPROVED WITHOUT VOTE IN THIRD COMMITTEE

Press Release
GA/SHC/3394

DRAFT ON ACHIEVING GOAL OF GENDER EQUALITY IN SECRETARIAT STAFFING ONE OF THREE TEXTS APPROVED WITHOUT VOTE IN THIRD COMMITTEE

The General Assembly would express concern that the goal of 50/50 gender distribution in United Nations Secretariat staff by the year 2000 might not be met, especially at policy- and decision-making levels, according to the terms of a draft resolution approved this afternoon without a vote by the Third Committee (Humanitarian, Social and Cultural).

According to the text, the Assembly would call on the Secretary-General to ensure full and urgent implementation of the strategic plan of action to improve the status of women in the Secretariat (1995-2000). Member States would be strongly encouraged to support efforts to increase the percentage of women in professional posts, especially at the D-1 level and above, by regularly submitting more female candidates and encouraging them to apply for posts. The Secretary-General would be asked to continue creating a gender- sensitive work environment and to ensure that individual managers were held accountable for implementing his strategic plan.

The Committee also approved a draft resolution on violence against migrant women workers without a vote. By its terms, the Assembly would acknowledge the economic benefits women migrant workers brought to both sending and receiving countries. It would ask the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Centre for Human Rights, the Special Rapporteur, and relevant agencies to give particular attention to the plight of female migrant workers and submit reports on the issue to the Assembly. States would be asked to consider adopting appropriate legal measures against intermediaries who deliberately encourage the clandestine movement of workers and exploit migrant women workers.

According to the terms of another text approved without a vote this afternoon, the Assembly would recommend the Organization take part in consultations on the establishment of a permanent United Nations forum for

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indigenous people and would welcome Chile's offer to host a second workshop on the issue. Governments would be encouraged to contribute to the United Nations Trust Fund for the Decade on Indigenous Peoples; to prepare programmes and reports on the Decade, and give indigenous people greater responsibility for their own affairs and an effective voice on decisions which affect them.

A draft resolution reaffirming the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination was approved by a vote of 138 in favour to 2 against (Israel and the United States), with 11 abstentions (see Annex). By its terms, the Assembly would express the hope that the Palestinian people would soon exercise that right in the current peace process. It would urge all States and the United Nations to continue to support and assist the Palestinian people in their quest for self-determination.

The Committee heard the introduction of draft resolutions on the girl child and on the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

The representatives of Ireland (on behalf of the European Union and associated countries), Andorra, Chile, Cuba, Russian Federation, Ukraine and China addressed the Committee during the debate on human rights questions.

Algeria spoke in exercise of its right of reply.

The Committee will continue its general debate at 10 a.m. Tuesday, 19 November, on human rights issues. It is also expected to hear the introduction of draft resolutions on the implementation of human rights instruments and the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Committee Work Programme

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this afternoon to continue its examination of human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. (For background information see Press Releases GA/SHC/3388 of 13 November, 3390 of 14 November, 3391 and 3392 of 15 November and 3393 of 18 November.) The Committee was also expected to take action on a number of draft resolutions.

The Committee is expected to take action on a draft text on violence against migrant women workers (document A/C.3/51/L.17). By its terms, the Assembly would acknowledge the economic benefits that accrue to sending and receiving States from the employment of women migrant workers and determine to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls. It would ask the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Centre for Human Rights and the Special Rapporteur, as well as relevant United Nations agencies, that when discussing violence against women, they give particular attention to the violence perpetrated against women migrant workers and to submit reports to the Assembly.

The Assembly would invite Member States to consider adopting appropriate legal measures against intermediaries who deliberately encourage the clandestine movement of workers and who exploit migrant women workers.

The text is sponsored by Argentina, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guinea-Bissau, Marshall Islands, Philippines and Portugal.

The Committee is also expected to take action on a draft resolution on improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat (document A/C.3/51/L.19), by which the Assembly would reaffirm the goal of 50/50 gender distribution in the Secretariat by the year 2000, and express its concern that this goal may not be met, especially at policy-making and decision-making levels (D-1 and above). It would also call upon the Secretary-General to ensure full and urgent implementation of the strategic plan of action for the improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat (1995-2000).

The Assembly would strongly encourage Member States to support the strategic plan and the efforts of the United Nations and the specialized agencies to increase the percentage of women in Professional posts, especially at the D-1 level and above, by identifying and regularly submitting more women candidates and by encouraging women to apply for posts within the Secretariat, specialized agencies and regional commissions.

The Assembly would request the Secretary-General to ensure that individual managers are held accountable for implementing the strategic plan

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within their areas of responsibility. It would also request him to continue to create a gender-sensitive work environment, including thorough implementation of appropriate administrative procedures, and through development of a policy on sexual harassment.

The draft is sponsored by Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, Cyprus, Ecuador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Tajikistan, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey and Zambia.

Another draft resolution before the Committee is a text on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination (document A/C.3/51/L.25). By that text, the Assembly would reaffirm that right and express the hope that the Palestinian people would soon exercise it in the current peace process. It would urge all States and the United Nations system to continue to support and assist the Palestinian people in their quest for self-determination.

The draft is sponsored by Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, Egypt, Finland, France, Greece, Guinea, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Viet Nam, Yemen and Zambia.

By a draft resolution on the programme of activities for the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (document A/C.3/51/L.30), the Assembly would reaffirm the adoption of a declaration on the rights of indigenous people as one of the Decade's objectives. It would recommend relevant United Nations bodies and agencies take part in any further consultations on the establishment of a permanent United Nations forum for indigenous people and welcome Chile's offer to host a second workshop on the issue.

Governments would be encouraged to contribute to the United Nations Trust Fund for the Decade; prepare relevant programmes, plans and reports on the Decade in consultation with indigenous people; seek ways, in consultation with indigenous people, to give them greater responsibility for their own affairs and an effective voice on decisions which affect them; establish national committees involving indigenous people to ensure the Decade's objectives are planned and implemented in partnership with indigenous people. Governments and other donors would also be encouraged to contribute to the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations.

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The draft is sponsored by Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, Greece, Guyana, Iceland, Mexico, Norway, Peru, Solomon Islands and Sweden.

By the terms of a draft resolution on the girl child (A/C.3/51/L.31), the Assembly would call upon States and international and non-governmental organizations, individually and collectively, to set goals and develop and implement gender-sensitive strategies to address the rights and needs of children; to generate social support for the enforcement of laws on the minimum legal age for marriage, particularly by providing education opportunities for girls; to give attention to the rights and needs of adolescent girls, which called for special actions for their protection from sexual exploitation and abuse; to ensure the equal participation of girls and young women on the basis of non-discrimination and as partners with boys and young men in social, economic and political life; and, to strengthen and reorient health education and health services, particularly primary health- care programmes.

The Assembly would call upon States and international and non- governmental organizations to mobilize all necessary resources, support and efforts to realize the goals, strategic objectives and actions set out in the Platform for Action of the World Conference on Women. It would also call upon all States, all the relevant organizations and bodies of the United Nations system and non-governmental organization to implement commitments to goals and actions relating to the girl child.

By the terms of a draft resolution on the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (document A/C.3/51/L.32), the Assembly would call upon all Member States to consider signing and ratifying or acceding to the Convention as a matter of priority and express the hope that it would enter into force at an early date. It would request the Secretary-General to provide all facilities and assistance necessary for the promotion of the Convention through the World Public Information Campaign on Human Rights and the programme of advisory services in the field of human rights.

The draft is sponsored by Argentina, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Turkey and Uruguay.

Statements

MICHAEL HOEY (Ireland), speaking on behalf of the European Union, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, expressed concern about the continued violations of the human rights of women. Those included rape, sexual violence and many religious and traditional practices harmful to women and the girl child. The

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European Union urged States to promote and protect all women's human rights, including sexual and reproductive rights. In this regard, it was important that the United Nations further develop the human rights mechanism, particularly by applying a gender perspective throughout the system, most notably in the work of the Special Rapporteurs. The international community must integrate the human rights of women into the mainstream of human rights activities if it was to live up to the commitments entered into in Vienna and Beijing.

Vienna had made clear that democracy provided the best defence for the human rights of the individual, he said. However, human rights violations could and did take place in democratic systems, and democratic States could not set themselves apart if they failed to take all necessary steps to prevent and address violations of human rights within their own countries. All States must take effective action to address the problem of impunity to ensure that it was not allowed to exist or develop. The establishment of a permanent international criminal court would also contribute to addressing this problem effectively.

States that violated human rights should not be able to hide behind a veil of State sovereignty or a shroud of secrecy, he said. Both the Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provided the international community, and the United Nations in particular, with a mandate to address all human rights violations where they occurred. He then addressed human rights situations that were of particular concern to the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Cyprus, Turkey, Chechnya, Georgia, Tajikistan, Algeria, Israel, Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Burundi, Rwanda, Zaire, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Niger, Sudan, Equatorial Guinea, Afghanistan, Kashmir, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, East Timor, Indonesia, China, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Cuba, Haiti and Colombia.

Regarding the situation in Rwanda, the European Union supported the call by the UNHCR that the Human Rights Field Operation in Rwanda needed to be reinforced in order to enhance the return and security of refugees, he said. It called upon all States to ensure the financing of the Human Rights Field Operation in Rwanda and work for lasting solutions to its financing problems through the United Nations regular budget. The Union also supported the efforts of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda to bring to justice those responsible for human rights violations and called for the restoration of the judicial system, national reconciliation and the ending of impunity, as well as full respect for human rights in Rwanda.

In Afghanistan, indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets by warring factions had led to many serious human rights violations and breaches of international humanitarian law, he said. The European Union called for an immediate cessation of the hostilities and exhorted the leaders of all Afghan

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parties to renounce the use of force. Recent actions by the Taliban had had the effect of depriving women of their economic and social rights, including the rights to work, education, health and welfare, in addition to their civil and political rights. He said the Union could not accept any form of discrimination against women or the girl child and called on all parties to act in accordance with international human rights standards to ensure respect for the human rights of all Afghans, irrespective of gender. The European Union fully supported the efforts of the United Nations and its Special Mission to achieve a negotiated and comprehensive solution to the Afghan conflict which would ensure full respect for human rights. It urged all parties to cooperate fully with the United Nations in this regard and called on third countries to refrain from interfering in the conflict and from supplying weapons to the warring factions.

JULI MINOVES-TRIQUELL (Andorra) said that his Government was very sympathetic with the results of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' report, particularly the subject of education in human rights. Andorra had repeatedly said that children were a priority in education in human rights in order to avoid perpetuating past errors and passing them on to the young. The Government had contacted several universities to establish a human rights programme in schools and was cooperating with developing countries to promote education in human rights. The strengthening of the rule of law was also important because Andorra was a small State, and in the future it would like to see an increased role for the International Court of Justice.

LUIS LILLO (Chile) said the intensive and complex work that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights had accomplished was impressive, particularly its work in the field and grave humanitarian crises, which covered organizing dialogues with governments, and acting as a liaison in coordinating work with other agencies. The Office's work in technical cooperation, the right to development and education were equally important. The list of issues in human rights attested to the great magnitude of work undertaken by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, including preventing and ending human rights violations wherever they may occur and ensuring that the Declaration of Vienna was respected everywhere in the world.

Chile affirmed its confidence in the High Commissioner for Human Rights, he said. The Government was certain that the restructuring of the Centre for Human Rights would lead to its effective strengthening, have a positive impact on the prevention of human rights violations and bolster monitoring mechanisms. On the basis of the new structure it might be possible to give all human rights equal attention. Supplying the sufficient means and resources was as important as providing political support in the restructuring process now and in the future. It would be unfortunate to find in 1998, at the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration, that the success and progress in the field would be overshadowed by a lack of financial means. That would be unforgivable.

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BRUNO RODRIGUEZ PARRILLA (Cuba) said the imposition of unfair, selective practices, political manipulation and lack of objectivity still characterized the debate on human rights. Dialogue and cooperation were still a remote dream. Year after year, the United States had forced the Committee to engage in an absurd and sterile exercise against Cuba. A hostile policy by successive American administrations against the Cuban people had been absurdly expressed in the manipulation of mechanisms conceived to further the protection and promotion of human rights. Everyone knew that without the aggressive United States policy against Cuba and without the need to justify the economic blockade against Cuba, which had just been condemned by the General Assembly, there would not be a so-called human rights situation in his country.

Cuba had one of the most complete health care systems in the developing world, and had done away with illiteracy, he continued. It provided its people with education and guarantees to enjoy the fullest individual and collective freedom and dignity in a democracy based, like no other, on the direct participation of people without any political intermediaries. There were no privileged elites or electoral parties with financial contributions from power groups or multi-million dollar campaigns. Cuba was not advocating its society, which was as imperfect as any other, as a model for other countries. But it was just calling for respect. It was not calling for special rapporteurs to investigate other systems no matter how many reasons it might have.

He said the United States still planned to sabotage the Cuban economy, particularly its strategic industries. Cuba's territory was still being violated, its civil airplanes were still being hijacked and attempts were still being made to assassinate its leaders. It was impossible to accuse Cuba of using torture, having missing persons or imposing sanctions not called for by its legislation. It was true that its laws were, in some cases, specific to the country's exceptional situation, to the besieged way of life and to the massive battle for survival.

No country permitted the legal presence of organized groups that jeopardized the existing democratic system, much less those who were fostered and organized with funds from a declared enemy, he said. No honest person could confuse groups who met in the residence of unscrupulous American diplomats, received salaries from United States entities, had access to the most powerful media and came in and out of Cuba freely with legitimate opposition or dissidence. A powerful fundamentalist right-wing in the United States and extremist groups of Cuban origin financed terrorism and bought congressmen in Miami. They were mercenaries not dissidents. Cuba's civil society was in a constant development. There were thousands of non- governmental organizations participating in every human right and there was a broad diversity of opinion and even criticisms about institutional life. The Government was not against changes.

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SERGEY S. LAVROV (Russian Federation) said more than 300,000 permanent residents in Estonia and 700,000 in Latvia were deprived of their nationality and their national minority status. There were more than 40 substantive differences between the rights of citizens and non-citizens in Estonian legislation and more than 60 substantive differences in Latvia. The document (A/C.3/51/13) submitted by his Government provided specific examples of the results of such policies. About one third of the potential electorate in Estonia and Latvia were deprived of their right to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections.

In Estonia, the May 1993 Law on Privatization stipulated that only permanent residents had the right to privatize their housing units -- a right denied to more than 300,000 non-citizens living permanently in the country. Applications to obtain temporary residence permits expired on 12 July 1996, and, since then non-citizens had been transferred into the category of temporary residents. They were denied the right to occupy official posts in local authorities, to be employed by the police and courts, as well as to work as notaries, customs officers, guards and bankers. There was a similar situation in Latvia. There were serious concerns that the Estonian and Latvian policies had the objective of changing the ethnic balance to create societies based on monoethnic principles. As a result, from 1991 to 1996 more than 100,000 people -- against their wishes -- had had to leave Estonia and 75,000 people had to leave Latvia. Most of those who stayed would not be able to restore their rights and freedoms proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

He said he had just received a list of 600 people who had been denied, under various pretexts, registration as citizens of Latvia. They had been either born in the country or lived there most of their adult lives. There was also another list of hundreds of people who had been separated from their families and who had received orders expelling them from the country. The problems concerning discrimination against the Russian-speaking population in Estonia and Latvia remained unsolved despite efforts by the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and other countries. His Government was consistently trying to pursue its bilateral dialogue with Estonia and Latvia to ensure fair treatment of hundreds of thousands of its residents.

YURI V. BOGAYEVSKIY (Ukraine) said his Government fully supported the activities of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in restructuring the programme of work and the organization of the Centre for Human Rights, as well as his efforts to improve the effectiveness of the United Nations human rights machinery. The Centre should increase its coordinating capability by establishing a capacity to prepare and follow up the substantive and administrative aspects of its coordination activities. The Centre should also promote the undertaking of joint studies and the provision of advisory services and technical assistance in collaboration with other United Nations

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human rights organs, bodies and special agencies and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, regarding the mutually reinforcing interrelationship between development, democracy and human rights. To this end, it was necessary to clearly define the medium- and long-term priorities of the Centre's activities and to strengthen its role in advancing the innovative approaches to improve effectiveness in protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms.

His Government believed that there was an urgent need to strengthen the international monitoring mechanism over the rule of international humanitarian law and other generally recognized standards in the field of human rights during armed conflicts, he said. While some mechanisms had been established for tackling violations of human rights after they had occurred, preventive measures in this sphere were still based on the practices of the past. As a result, the United Nations was often ill-equipped to deal with the human rights aspects of armed conflicts and lacked the necessary resources to make an effective impact. With regard to massive human rights violations, the Secretary-General could, through the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, play a more active role and, in some cases, bring such violations to the attention of the Security Council as matters that might threaten international peace and security. Ukraine believed it was vital to strengthen State responsibility in the fulfilment of their international commitments in order to achieve progress in this field.

WANG XUEXIAN (China) said his Government believed that the right to development had not yet been given due attention by the international community and that the goals set in the Declaration on the Right to Development were far from being attained. Though vast numbers of Asian, African and Latin American countries had won independence long ago, many of them remained confronted with various economic difficulties, and some could not provide adequate food and clothing for their people. The ruthless plunder and exploitation against developing countries by colonialists in the past and the current irrational and unjust international economic order constituted the major obstacles to the realization of the right to development. Developed countries were duty-bound to remove those obstacles. China called on the international community, particularly developed countries, to abide by the Declaration and take concrete actions together with developing countries to remove obstacles to the right to development and create an international environment conducive to development in developing countries, thus making useful contributions to the realization of the right to development.

The objective of guaranteeing that the people of all countries enjoy full human rights was a lofty one, he said. Unfortunately, this objective had been distorted and blasphemed by the negative practice of certain countries to politicize human rights and pursue double standards. To promote sound international cooperation in the field of human rights, it was imperative to do away with such practice and restore and adhere to the following principles:

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respect for state sovereignty; cooperation on an equal footing; respect for the universality and peculiarities of human rights; and, equal treatment of all human rights.

Action on Draft Resolutions

The Committee then took action on a draft resolution on violence against women migrant workers.

The representative of the Philippines added Uruguay and Sri Lanka to the list of co-sponsors and then read out the following revisions to the text:

-- sixth preambular paragraph, line 4, "inter alia" should be inserted between "of" and "poverty";

-- eighth preambular paragraph, line two, "as a basis for policy formulation" should be added to the end of the line;

-- ninth preambular paragraph, line one, add the word "by" before "the continuing reports";

-- ninth preambular paragraph, line 2, replace the world "certain" by the words "by some";

-- tenth preambular paragraph, line 1, replace the word "certain" by the word "some";

-- operative paragraph 4, line 5, replace the word "their" by "that they";

-- operative paragraph 4, line 5, insert the word "and" between "compensation" and "indemnification" and delete the word "measures";

-- operative paragraph 8, line 2, insert the words "on violence against women" between "Rapporteur" and "as well";

-- operative paragraph 9, line 2, insert "in document A/51/325" between "Secretary-General" and "on";

-- operative paragraph 11, delete the entire paragraph;

-- operative paragraph 13, line 3, replace the word "organizations" with the word "authorities";

Kyrgyzstan added its name to the list of co-sponsors.

The Committee then approved the draft resolution without a vote.

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The Committee then took action on a draft resolution on improvement on the status of women in the Secretariat.

The representative of New Zealand, speaking on behalf of the Canada, Australia and New Zealand, added the following countries to the list of co- sponsors: Andorra, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Iceland, Jamaica, Kazakstan, Macedonia, Singapore, United States, Afghanistan, Albania, Bhutan, Bolivia, Ghana, Philippines, Costa Rica, Cameroon, Mali, Malta, United Kingdom, Italy, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Uganda, Japan, Egypt, Dominican Republic, Azerbaijan, United Republic of Tanzania and Congo. He then read out the following revisions to the text:

-- operative paragraph 6, the words "in administrative instruction ST/AI/412 of 5 January 1996" should be replaced by the words "in his report (A/51/304)";

-- operative paragraph 6, insert the word "further" before the words "development of a policy on sexual harassment";

-- operative paragraph 6, line 2, insert the words "training and" before the word "implementation";

-- operative paragraph 7, delete the words "within existing resources";

-- operative paragraph 8 bis should now read:

"Urges the Secretary-General, consistent with Article 101 of the United Nations Charter, to increase the number of women employed in the Secretariat from developing countries, including at the D-1 level and above, particularly those that are under-represented, and from other countries that have a low representation of women, including countries in transition."

The Committee then approved the draft resolution without a vote.

The Committee then took action on a draft resolution on the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People.

The representative of Australia added the Philippines to the list of co-sponsors and read out the following revision to the text:

-- operative paragraph 5, line 3, the word "meetings" should be replaced with the word "sessions"; and inverted commas should be inserted around the phrase beginning with "United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples";

-- operative paragraph 5, lines 5 and 6, inverted commas should bracket the phrase "United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples";

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-- in operative paragraph 15 after the word "populations" add "in order to assist indigenous representatives to participate in the Working Group on Indigenous Populations and the working group charged with elaborating a draft declaration";

-- a new operative paragraph 19 (bis) should read: "encourages Governments to consider contributing, as appropriate, in support of the achievement of the goals of the Decade, to the fund for the development of indigenous peoples in Latin America and the Caribbean".

Congo, Kyrgyzstan and the Netherlands were added to the list of co- sponsors.

The Committee then approved the draft resolution without a vote.

The representative of the United States, speaking after the Committee action, asked whether operative paragraphs 8 or 9 were to have parallel meanings. If so, the United States would join as a co-sponsors as long as "consideration" meant that the utility of a permanent forum was still under discussion.

The representative of Japan, speaking after the action, said that he agreed with the approval of the resolution by consensus. However, regarding the sixth preambular paragraph and operative paragraph 15, Japan was a regular contributor to the Voluntary Fund and would maintain its position.

The Committee then took action on a draft resolution on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.

The representative of Egypt added the names of Niger, Japan and the Lao People's Democratic Republic to the list of co-sponsors. Andorra and Kyrgyzstan were also added to the list of co-sponsors.

The representative of Israel, speaking in explanation of vote before the vote, said the issue in question was not the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination but the commitment to the agreement signed by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel, as well as the principles of the negotiations. Again and again the approach had been vindicated, and the principle had formed the basis of the peace process begun in Madrid in 1991.

Israel looked forward to progress with the other parties in the peace process, he said. The PLO had agreed that issues related to the permanent status would be negotiated by the parties at a later date. Unfortunately, the draft resolution was intended to predetermine the peace talks, therefore undermining the principle of direct negotiations. Israel urged all Member States that supported the peace process to vote against the resolution.

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Israel would make every effort to bring the peace process to a successful conclusion.

The representative of the United States, speaking in explanation of vote before the vote, said it was committed to the achievement of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, a process which had been launched in Madrid in 1991. The international community should do everything in its power to support this process, including aiding the Palestinian people in building institutions to bring about a better life for themselves. However, both sides had agreed that all questions regarding permanent status would be discussed at a later date. Therefore, his Government believed that this was not the forum to debate permanent status issues and that the United Nations should not take a vote on this resolution.

The Committee then approved the resolution by a vote of 138 in favor, 2 against (Israel and the United States), with 11 abstentions.

The representative of Syria, speaking in explanation of vote after the vote, said his Government welcomed once again the adoption of the resolution on Palestinian self-determination by a large majority. The support reflected the Member States' intention to end the suffering of Palestinian people and to allow them to achieve economic and social progress. Syria's vote in favor showed support for the just struggle of Palestinian people, and it also showed support for peace based on the principles of land for peace. The fourth preambular paragraph asserted that Israel was continually impeding the peace process and placing obstacles in its path by refusing to recognize the inalienable right of the Palestinian people, including self-determination, and by refusing to implement commitments and agreement that were part of the peace process.

The representative of Iran, speaking in explanation of vote after the vote, said while he had voted in favor of the resolution, he would like to register reservations regarding the fourth preambular paragraph. The agreements listed in the paragraph would not aid the self-determination of the Palestinian people. Iran therefore disassociates itself from that paragraph.

The representative of Norway, speaking in explanation of vote after the vote, said he supported the right of the Palestinian people to self- determination. However, since peace negotiations had been initiated, he urged the parties to go ahead with negotiations and cooperate fully. The Committee should not add or detract from what the parties would do or how they would act, so Norway had abstained.

The representative of Argentina, speaking in explanation of vote after the vote, said he had abstained because he did not want to participate in a decision that might undermine or damage the Middle East peace process.

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The observer for Palestine, speaking after the vote, said she would like to express her appreciation to all States that sponsored the resolution and voted in its favor. She wished to thank Egypt for its considerable efforts that led to the satisfactory result. She also strongly welcomed the co- sponsorship of some other States for the first time, which illustrated that self-determination would enhance the peace process in the Middle East. The right was enshrined in the United Nations charter and other international instruments. The resolution did not mean to prejudge the success of the peace process. She hoped that the draft resolution would be adopted unanimously at the later stage.

Introduction of Draft Resolutions

The representative of Namibia, speaking on behalf of the sponsors, introduced the draft resolution on the girl child.

The representative of Mexico, on behalf of the co-sponsors of the resolution, introduced the draft resolution on International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

Right of Reply

The representative of Algeria, speaking in exercise of the right of reply, said certain States were giving grades to some countries, urging them to continue their march towards democracy and castigating others for the same efforts, forgetting some dictators and retrograde feudal regimes for reasons known to all. Algeria had undertaken democratic measures, in keeping with its traditions. It had democratically elected its President without any exhortations from any quarter. When the country decided to build a democratic society, it did not do so for the approval of anyone. It had struggled under very difficult conditions, in the face of a terrorism which "struck with savage rage" at all people, including women and children, with the declared goal of imposing a reactionary regime. When the same terrorism struck in other countries there was an immediate mobilization. But when the same terrorist gangs enjoyed a free run in other countries because of a lax interpretation of the principles of free expression and the right of asylum, those countries chose a strange code of silence. Terrorism could only be fought when all countries, including Algeria's neighbours to the north, mobilized together.

(ANNEX FOLLOWS)

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Third Committee Press Release GA/SHC/3394 42nd Meeting (PM) 18 November 1996

ANNEX

Vote on Right of Palestinian People to Self-Determination

The draft resolution on the right of the Palestinian people to self- determination (document A/C.3/51/L.25) was approved by a recorded vote of 138 in favour to 2 against with 11 abstentions, as follows:

In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guines, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: Israel, United States.

Abstaining: Argentina, Estonia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Marshall Islands, Norway, Republic of Moldova, Uzbekistan.

Absent: Belize, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Palau, Panama, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Vanuatu, Zaire.

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