GENERAL ASSEMBLY WOULD STRESS NEED FOR DEVELOPED COUNTRIES' SUPPORT TO 'HEAVILY INDEBTED' INITIATIVE, BY SECOND COMMITTEE DRAFT

Press Release
GA/EF/2756

GENERAL ASSEMBLY WOULD STRESS NEED FOR DEVELOPED COUNTRIES' SUPPORT TO 'HEAVILY INDEBTED' INITIATIVE, BY SECOND COMMITTEE DRAFT

The General Assembly would stress the urgent need for developed countries to support and implement flexibly the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), by the terms of an orally amended draft resolution approved by the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) this afternoon.

That draft was one of seven approved without a vote by the Committee as it concluded its work for the session. Under its provisions, the Assembly would stress the importance of flexible implementation of the Initiative's eligibility criteria with the full involvement of debtor countries and significant creditors. Further, it would stress the full implementation of the results of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations and the Marrakesh ministerial decisions in favor of the least developed countries and the net food-importing developing countries.

Under the provisions of an orally amended draft resolution also approved this afternoon, the Assembly would invite the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) to strengthen its cooperation with other United Nations and relevant national, regional and international institutes. Further, it would request that relevant measures be taken by the Institute's Board of Trustees with respect to the regularization of the post of the its Executive Director.

By another draft approved this afternoon, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to cooperate with the Director-General of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to further stimulate international debate on culture and development. He would be further requested to cooperate with the UNESCO Director-General in compiling a report on culture and development for the Assembly's consideration at its fifty-third session, taking into account the views, comments and proposals of States and the relevant intergovernmental organizations on the report of the World Commission on Culture and Development.

By other drafts approved, the Assembly would:

-- Stress the importance of maintaining the Small Island Developing States Unit within the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development; and request the Secretary-General to maintain the Unit at an appropriate level of staff and to improve its structure and organization.

-- Note with satisfaction that most States and one regional economic integration organization have ratified or acceded to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and invite States that are not Parties to take appropriate action to that end; call upon Member States that are Parties to the Convention to pay in full and in a timely manner for each of the years, 1996 and 1997, the contributions required for the trust fund for the core budget of the Convention.

-- Request the Secretary-General to continue consideration of innovative measures to improve the interaction and communication between the United Nations University and other bodies of the United Nations system; request the University Council and the Rector to continue to make further efforts to ensure the efficiency and economy of the University's activities as well as its financial transparency and accountability.

Also this afternoon, the Committee approved its draft biennial programme of work for 1997-1998, as orally amended.

In closing remarks, the Committee Chairman, Arjan Hamburger (Netherlands) said the Committee had met for 21 fewer days and had finished its work 10 days earlier as compared to last year. As result of meetings starting on time, $72,000 less had been spent. Moreover, only a total of 28 resolutions had been approved as against last year's total of 43. He emphasized the scope for further streamlining the Committee's work.

Closing statements were also made by the representatives of Costa Rica, on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, United States and Poland, on behalf of the Eastern European States.

Committee Work Programme

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met this afternoon to take action on all outstanding drafts.

Under its consideration of macroeconomic policy questions, the Committee has before it a revised draft resolution on enhancing international cooperation towards a durable solution to the external debt problem of developing countries (document A/C.2/51/L.24/Rev.1). That draft is sponsored by Costa Rica, on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, and by Colombia, on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries.

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Under its provisions, the Assembly would recognize that effective, equitable, development-oriented and durable solutions to the external debt and debt-servicing problems of developing countries can contribute substantially to the strengthening of the global economy and to the efforts of developing countries to achieve sustained economic growth and sustainable development. It would note that further progress, including new and concrete measures and swift implementation of innovative approaches, is essential to effective, equitable, development-oriented and durable solutions to the external debt and debt-servicing problems of developing countries, particularly the poorest and heavily indebted countries.

The importance of developing countries continuing their efforts to promote a favorable environment for attracting foreign investment thereby promoting economic growth and sustainable development, would be stressed. Also stressed would be the need for the international community to promote a conducive external economic environment through, among other measures, improved market access, stabilization of exchange rates, effective stewardship of international interest rates and increased resource flows, as well as improved access to technology for the developing countries.

Also stressed would be: the need for developing countries to continue to undertake sound, transparent and market-oriented economic policies for structural adjustment in order to favor their exit from debt problems; and the fact that the evolving debt strategy must be accompanied by a favorable and supportive international economic environment, including the full implementation of the results of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations, and the Marrakesh ministerial decisions in favor of the least developed countries and the net food-importing developing countries.

The Assembly would welcome the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Debt Initiative endorsed by the Interim Committee of the IMF and the Development Committee of the World Bank, designed to enable eligible heavily indebted poor countries to achieve a sustainable debt situation through coordinated action by all creditors on the basis of adjustment efforts by the debtor countries necessary to achieve sustained economic growth and sustainable development.

In addition, it would recognize that the implementation of the Initiative requires additional financial resources from both bilateral and multilateral creditors, and therefore should not be pursued at the expense of development resources. It would stress the urgent need for the developed countries to give the Initiative the support it both needs and deserves, and to implement it flexibly to ensure that the performance already achieved is taken into account in determining the duration of adjustment required to reach, with the assistance of all creditors, an exit from debt rescheduling. Further stressed would be the importance of implementing the Initiative eligibility criteria flexibly in a transparent manner and with the full involvement of the debtor country.

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Also by the draft, the Assembly welcoming the decision taken by the Paris Club to go beyond Naples terms to provide debt reduction including some debt stock forgiveness for the poorest and most heavily indebted countries, would stress the need for the swift implementation of that decision and urge all other bilateral creditors to make comparable contributions in the context of coordinated efforts by all countries.

The efforts of indebted developing countries in regard to fulfilling their commitments on debt servicing despite the incurring of a high social cost would be recognized. In that regard, the Assembly would encourage private creditors and in particular commercial banks to continue their initiatives and efforts to address the commercial debt problems of middle-income developing countries.

Creditor countries, private banks and multilateral financial institutions, within their prerogatives, would be invited to continue the initiatives and efforts to address the commercial debt problems of the least developed countries. The IMF would be invited to continue devising concrete measures and action to address the problems faced by indebted developing countries, including the provision of bilateral contributions and if the need arises, to consider optimizing its reserves management in order to facilitate the financing of the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility (ESAF).

The Assembly would note with great concern the continuing burden of debt and debt-service obligations of middle-income countries, including in particular those in Africa and -- in language which remains bracketed in the text pending agreement -- would [urge] or [encourage] creditors, including multilateral financial institutions and commercial banks, to continue to address their obligations effectively.

In addition, the Assembly would stress the need for, in addition to debt-relief measures that include debt and debt-service reduction, new financial flows to debtor developing countries from all sources. It would urge creditor countries and multilateral financial institutions to continue to extend concessional financial assistance, particularly to the least developed countries, in order to support the implementation of economic reforms, stabilization and structural adjustment programmes and the eradication of poverty by the developing countries so as to enable them to extricate themselves from the debt overhang, attract new investment and to assist them in achieving sustained economic growth and sustainable development. Further stressed would be the urgent need to continue to provide social safety nets to vulnerable groups most adversely affected by the implementation of economic reform programmes in the debtor countries, particularly low-income groups.

The Assembly would call upon the international community, including the United Nations system, and invite the Bretton Woods institutions, as well as the private sector, to take appropriate measures and action for the implementation of the commitments, agreements and decisions of the major United Nations

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conferences and summits organized since the beginning of the 1990s on development related to the question of external debt. The Secretary-General, in close cooperation with the Bretton Woods institutions and other relevant bodies of the United Nations system, would be requested to closely follow the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Debt Initiative and to report to the Assembly's fifty-second session on the implementation of the Initiative and of the draft resolution.

By a draft resolution on the report of the World Commission on Culture and Development (document A/C.2/51/L.34), submitted by a Vice-Chairman of the Committee, Mohammad Reza Hadji Karim Djabbary (Iran) on the basis of informal consultations held on a previous draft contained in document A/C.2/51/L.22, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to cooperate with the Director-General of UNESCO to further stimulate international debate on culture and development.

The Secretary-General would also be requested to cooperate with the UNESCO Director-General in compiling a report on culture and development for the Assembly's consideration at its fifty-third session taking into account the views, comments and proposals of States and the relevant intergovernmental organizations on the report of the World Commission on Culture and Development. The UNESCO General Conference would also be encouraged to discuss the report further at its twenty-ninth session in 1997.

By other terms of the draft, the Assembly would encourage UNESCO to pursue its ongoing task of promoting throughout the United Nations system, a greater awareness of the crucial relationship between culture and development, taking into account the diversity of cultures.

The Vice-Chairman of the Committee, Mohammad Reza Hadji Karim Djabbary (Iran) also submits a draft resolution on the implementation of the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (document A/C.2/51/L.35) on the basis of consultations held on a previous text contained in document A/C.2/51/L.7.

Under its provisions, the General Assembly would stress the importance of maintaining the Small Island Developing States Unit within the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development. It would request the Secretary-General to maintain the Unit at an appropriate level of staff and improve its structure and organization, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 49/122.

It would take note of the decisions of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) at its ninth session related to programme support for small island developing countries within the framework of the Programme of Action. It would request the Secretary-General to implement fully the relevant provisions of General Assembly resolution 49/122.

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Moreover, the Assembly would call upon Governments, as well as the organs of the United Nations system, other intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations to continue to implement fully all the commitments made at the Global Conference, and to continue to take necessary actions for effective follow-up to the Programme of Action including action to ensure the provision of the means of implementation under chapter XV.

It would recognize the importance of the technical assistance programme (SIDSTAP) and the information network for small island developing States (SIDSNET) in the overall implementation of the Programme of Action. In addition, it would request that in the context of the special session of the General Assembly, specific modalities be recommended to examine all outstanding chapters of the Programme of Action and for undertaking the full review of the Programme of Action in 1999.

The Assembly would welcome the inclusion of the development of a vulnerability index for small island developing States as part of the work programme of the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development for 1996-1997. It would request the Secretary-General, in collaboration with UNCTAD, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), other relevant United Nations organizations and non-United Nations organizations to prepare a report based on the views of experts on the vulnerability index in 1997. Further, it would request closer collaboration and greater transparency between the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for effective implementation of the SIDSTAP. The Assembly would stress that small island developing States are particularly vulnerable to global climate change and sea level rise; potential effects of which are increased strength and frequency of tropical storms and inundation of some islands, with loss of exclusive economic zones, economic infrastructure, human settlements and culture. Therefore, it would urge the international community to support small island developing States in their efforts to adapt to the sea level rise that would be experienced as a result of the impact of greenhouse gases that had already been emitted into the atmosphere. Further, it would call upon the international community, where appropriate, to support the efforts of, and to provide assistance to small island developing States with respect to improving and acquiring, through appropriate investment incentives and innovative measures, the means of maritime transport and development of infrastructure, such as airports, harbors, roads and telecommunications. It would decide to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second session under the item entitled "Environment and sustainable development", the sub-item entitled "Implementation of the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States". Moreover, it would request the Secretary-General to submit to it at its fifty-second session a progress report on the actions taken to implement the present resolution.

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The Vice-Chairman of the Committee, Mohammad Reza Hadji Karim Djabbary (Iran), also submits a draft resolution on global climate for the present and future generations of mankind (document A/C.2/51/L.33) on the basis of informal consultations on document A/C.2/51/L.6.

Under its provisions, the Assembly would note with satisfaction that most States and one regional economic integration organization have ratified or acceded to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and would invite States that are not parties to take appropriate action to that end. It would note with appreciation, the generous offer of the Government of Japan to host the third session of the Conference of the Parties at Kyoto from 1 to 12 December 1997.

Moreover, it would note that the relocation of the Convention secretariat to Bonn, Germany, was well under way and would express its appreciation to the Government of Germany and the city of Bonn for the facilities and support provided to the secretariat. The Assembly would note the administrative arrangements regarding personnel and financial matters that had been established in the context of the transitional arrangement for administrative support to the secretariat of the Convention for the biennium 1996-1997. It would also note the arrangements made for the provision of conference services to the Conference of the Parties to the Convention and its subsidiary bodies for the biennium 1996-1997.

The Assembly would note with appreciation contributions made to the extrabudgetary funds established under paragraphs 10 and 20 of Assembly resolution 45/212, and maintained in accordance with Assembly resolution 47/195. It would call upon Member States that are parties to the Convention to also contribute generously to the trust fund for participation in the Convention process envisaged in paragraph 15 of its financial procedures, and to the trust funds envisaged for supplementary activities under the Convention.

It would call upon Member States that are parties to the Convention to pay in full and in a timely manner for each of the years 1996 and 1997 in accordance with the indicative scale adopted by consensus by the Conference of the Parties the contributions required for the trust fund for the core budget of the Convention envisaged in paragraph 13 of its financial procedures, so as to ensure continuity in the cash flow required to finance the ongoing work of the Conference of the Parties, the subsidiary bodies and the Convention secretariat.

Moreover, it would invite the Executive Secretary of the Convention to report to it at its fifty-second session and pending the outcome of the special session of the Assembly in 1997 to report on the results of future meetings of the conference of the Parties to the Convention. Also, it would decide to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second session, the item entitled "Protection of global climate for present and future generations of mankind".

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A revised draft resolution on the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) (document A/C.2/51/L.27/Rev.1) is sponsored by Australia, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Pakistan and Zaire.

Under its provisions, the Assembly would reaffirm the relevance of UNITAR, particularly in view of the growing importance of training within the United Nations and the training requirements of all Member States, and the pertinence of research activities related to training undertaken by the Institute within its mandate.

Also by the draft, the Assembly would invite the Institute to strengthen its cooperation with other United Nations and relevant national, regional and international institutes. It would request that relevant measures be taken by the Board of Trustees of the Institute with respect to the regularization of the post of Executive Director of the Institute. It would renew its appeal to all Governments and to private institutions that have not yet contributed financially or otherwise to the Institute to give it their generous financial and other support, and urge the States that interrupted their voluntary contributions to consider resuming them in light of the progress that has been made in the restructuring and revitalization of the Institute.

The Assembly would take note of the report of the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) on the relocation of the Institute, and the subsequent decision of the Board of Trustees of the Institute to postpone any decision on the possibility of relocating the Institute. The Secretary-General would be requested to explore in consultation with the Executive Director of the Institute, as well as with the heads of United Nations programmes and funds, ways and modalities of cooperation, in order to better define the role of the Institute in the field of training, research and methodology, assessment and capacity-building within the United Nations system, and to report thereon to the Assembly's fifty-second session. He would also be requested to have the JIU, in close cooperation with the Institute and relevant United Nations bodies, prepare a study as recommended by the Unit in its report, on the training institution programmes and activities of the United Nations system, and to submit a report thereon for consideration by the Assembly at its fifty-second session.

A draft resolution on the United Nations University (document A/C.2/51/L.20) submitted by Committee Vice-Chairman Kheireddine Ramoul (Algeria) on the basis of informal consultations on a previously introduced draft (document A/C.2/51/L.3), would have the Assembly welcome the completion of the second medium-term perspective 1990-1995, of the United Nations University and the ongoing work of formulating the third medium-term perspective for the period 1996-2001, being considered by the Council of the University.

The Assembly would request the University Rector and the Council to continue intensifying their efforts to improve the University's interaction and

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communication with other bodies of the United Nations system, and to continue their efforts to avoid the duplication of work within the system. It would request the Council and the Rector to enhance further the coordination and complementarity between the University's programmes and its research and training centers.

Further, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to continue consideration of innovative measures to improve the interaction and communication between the University and other bodies of the United Nations system. It would invite the Secretary-General to continue to encourage the participation of the University, as appropriate, in the activities of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) and its subsidiary machinery, as well as through other existing structures and modalities for communication, interaction and integration.

In addition, the Assembly would request the Council and the Rector to continue to make further efforts to ensure the efficiency and economy of the University's activities, as well as its financial transparency and accountability, and to intensify efforts to augment its Endowment Fund and to find innovative ways to mobilize operating contributions and other programme and project support. Also, the international community would be invited to make voluntary contributions to the University.

The draft biennial programme of work for the Second Committee is also to be considered (document A/C.2/51/L.40).

Action on Drafts

The Vice-Chairman of the Committee, MOHAMMAD REZA HADJI KARIM DJABBARY (Iran) introduced the draft on the report of the World Commission on Culture and Development.

The representative of Ireland asked whether the draft had budgetary implications.

The Secretary of the Committee assured the Committee that it had no budgetary implications.

The draft was approved by the Committee without a vote.

The representative of (Costa Rica), speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, announced that Canada, Norway and Ukraine had become co-sponsors.

In the light of the approval of the draft, an earlier version of the text was withdrawn by its sponsors.

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Mr. DJABBARY (Iran) introduced the draft on the implementation of the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.

The representative of (Canada) announced that it had become a co-sponsor of the draft.

The draft was approved without a vote.

The representative of (Papua New Guinea) expressed satisfaction at the adoption of the draft and commended a number of delegations for their efforts in facilitating agreement on the draft.

An earlier version of the draft withdrawn by the sponsors.

Mr. DJABBARY (Iran) introduced the draft on protection of global climate for present and future generations of mankind. Since the draft was the last to be presented by him, he commended a number of delegations and the Secretariat for their cooperation during the session.

The Committee approved the draft without a vote.

The representative of Marshall Islands noted the phenomenal level of flexibility on the draft resolution. His delegation's preference would have been stronger language. That was an urgent and vital issue for his delegation. It looked forward to continued negotiations in Geneva next week under the renewed impetus of the Geneva Ministerial Declaration which the Committee had recognized in the draft.

The earlier version of the draft was withdrawn by its sponsors.

The Committee then took up the draft resolution on UNITAR.

KHEIREDDINE RAMOUL (Algeria), a Vice-Chairman of the Committee, briefing delegations on the results of the informal consultations on the draft text, said some changes had been made to the last paragraph as it had been realized that the word "request" at the beginning of the paragraph would have legal implications. The phrase "also requests the Secretary-General to have the Joint Inspection Unit" could be replaced to read "would request the Secretary-General to invite the Joint Inspection Unit".

The representative of Senegal said his country wanted to co-sponsor the draft. The representative of Cuba thanked the Vice-Chairman for the amendment, but wondered if the JIU was not a subsidiary body of the Assembly. He also asked that the Secretariat clarify how the paragraph should be interpreted in view of the amendment just made.

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MARGARET KELLEY, the Committee Secretary, said the Secretary-General often suggested to the JIU, matters that it might look into. Therefore, the word "invite" was within the Secretary-General's prerogative.

The representative of Guinea Bissau said his country wanted to co-sponsor the draft.

The representative of Mali said his country was interested in co-sponsoring the draft.

The representative of Chile also expressed the desire to be a co-sponsor.

The representative of Algeria added his country's name to the list of co- sponsors.

The representative of Poland said her delegation wanted to propose changes to operative paragraph 7. The phrase, "Also requests the Secretary-General to have the Joint Inspection Unit", should be replaced with "Requests the Joint Inspection Unit, in close cooperation with". She also asked for further clarification from the JIU.

A representative of the JIU said it would be in accordance with the Unit's legislative position if the Assembly was to pass the request directly to it. However, the Secretary-General on many occasions did pass suggestions to it. He emphasized that according to the practice of JIU, it would be served better if the request were directed directly to it.

MR. RAMOUL (Algeria) said extensive negotiations on the matter had already taken place. Those who had concerns should have raised their voice earlier in informal consultations. However, he suggested that Poland's suggestion be presented to the Committee and if it was acceptable to all delegations, then it was acceptable to him.

The representative of Argentina said his delegation was willing to support it.

The Chairman asked if the Committee approved the draft as orally revised.

The representative of Pakistan said before any decision on Poland's suggestion, the co-sponsors of the draft should be given an opportunity to study the amendment.

The Committee then postponed a final decision on the draft resolution for a few minutes.

Next, it took up a draft resolution on the United Nations University.

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MR. RAMOUL (Algeria) introduced the draft and said it had been approved in informal consultations by consensus. The draft was then approved, without a vote, and an earlier version of it was withdrawn by its sponsors.

The representative of Colombia said his delegation had not been present when the draft resolution on the "permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people on the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Golan over their natural resources" had been put to vote. Had it been present, it would have voted in favor of the draft.

Next, the Chairman suggested that the Committee suspend its meeting for 35 minutes.

The representative of Cameroon said unfortunately his country was the coordinator for the two resolutions on external debt and UNITAR on which negotiations had not yet concluded. He asked if he could attempt to see if an agreement on the draft text on UNITAR had emerged.

After receiving permission from the Chairman to continue, he said only operative paragraph 7 remained to be agreed upon. If there were no objections, the paragraph could read "requests the Joint Inspection Unit, in close cooperation".

The representative of the United States said she shared the intention of all delegations to finish early. However, she needed a few more minutes to consider the proposed amendment.

The representative of Burundi added his country's name to the list of co- sponsors.

The Chairman then declared that he would suspend the meeting until 4 p.m.

The representative of Cameroon asked for a suspension until 5 p.m.

The Chairman said if he could be assured that in an open meeting by 5:30 p.m., there would be agreement on the two remaining draft resolutions, he would suspend the meeting until 5 p.m.

The representative of Cameroon replied in the affirmative.

The meeting was then suspended until 5 p.m.

Resuming its meeting after a one hour suspension, the Committee took up the draft resolution on UNITAR.

The Chairman asked if the orally amended text was acceptable to all delegations.

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The representative of Japan said he supported the oral amendment made to the text and said his country wanted to join as a co-sponsor.

The representative of Niger said her delegation also wanted to be a co- sponsor.

The Committee then approved, without a vote, the draft resolution as orally amended.

The representative of Belarus said he wanted to make a statement on the draft on international trade and development which had already been approved. He asked the Secretariat to reflect that Belarus had joined as a co-sponsor to that draft resolution.

The Chairman then suspended the meeting for five minutes to await the amended text on the draft resolution on external debt.

Committee Vice-Chairman MR. RAMOUL (Algeria) introduced the draft amendments to the revised draft text entitled "enhancing international cooperation towards a durable solution to the external debt problem of developing countries", commending those who had helped to achieve agreement. He suggested that the representative of the Philippines inform the Committee on results of the negotiations.

The representative of the Philippines first drew attention to a correction in the preambular paragraph of the text to read "as well as the results, as agreed, of all major United Nations Conferences and summits held since the beginning of the 1990s". He also drew attention to a mistake in the spelling of debt in the text. He thanked delegations for the constructive spirit displayed during the negotiations and commended the draft to the Committee for adoption by consensus.

The Committee then approved the draft without a vote.

Speaking after action, the representative of Costa Rica, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, expressed the Group's position on two provisions of the draft text -- operative paragraph 3 and operative paragraph 7. He said the possibility of exploring new criteria on eligibility for relief for other heavily indebted countries should be kept open. It was important that efforts were made to ensure that those countries that had been left out became eligible.

As regards paragraph 7, he said that it was extremely important that new resources required by the heavily indebted countries did not adversely affect the support they needed for their development.

The representative of Ireland speaking on behalf of the European Union, also expressed appreciation for the work of the Philippines representative in the

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achievement of an agreement on the text. She stressed that in joining the consensus, the European Union did not intend to go beyond the commitments of their Governments made at the Washington, D.C. negotiations on the initiative on the heavily indebted countries.

The representative of the United States expressed reservations about references to "sustained economic growth" in operative paragraphs 2, 9 and 11 of the draft. As had earlier been stated by his delegations on similar references, it was the understanding of his delegation that the term referred to "growth in the context of sustainable development" consistent with the provision of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development affirmed by the heads of State and Government at the World Summit for Social Development.

The representative of Cameroon also expressed thanks for the confidence placed in him by the Group of 77 in the negotiations on the draft and commended the representative of the European Union, the United States and others for the flexibility shown in the negotiations. He also paid tribute to the spirit of consensus expressed by all delegations and praised the Chairman for his patience.

Next, the Committee took up its draft biennial programme of work.

WILLIAM BUNCH, Chief, Programme and Documentation Planning Section, Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, made a number of corrections in the document to reflect the changes contained in the draft resolutions approved by the Committee.

The Committee then approved the draft as orally revised.

Concluding Statements

KHEIREDDINE RAMOUL (Algeria), Vice-Chairman of the Committee, said he wanted to thank all the delegations on the work that they had done in the Second Committee. He joined in thanking them along with Mr. Djabbary (Iran), the other Vice-Chairman. He also thanked the coordinators for the various texts.

ARJAN HAMBURGER (Netherlands), the Committee Chairman, said he appreciated everyone's work to make the Committee more efficient. In fact, some had accused him of reintroducing slavery. However, he hoped that the efficient working of the Committee would silence the skeptics. The Committee had met 21 less working days than last year and had finished its work 10 days earlier. The resumed substantive session of the Economic and Social Council had taken away two and a half days from the Committee and that had made it difficult to finish on Friday. He also called for timely issuance of documents and reports. He had circulated proposals on periodicity and the Committee would hopefully meet in an informal gathering on that sometime next week.

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The Committee had been very strict about starting meetings on time, he said. He hoped that would continue. In fact, as a result of beginning meetings on time, $72,000 less had been spent as compared to last year. Moreover, time limits on speeches had been well accepted. The further reduction of time limits for general debate, as suggested by some delegations should be considered. He suggested that maybe there was no need to conduct a formal debate on each item. However, that would not preclude introduction of resolutions on those items. The formula of having the United Nations representatives respond to the delegates on an immediate basis was good. It should be further explored whether it was feasible for delegates to make immediate responses to each other. He appreciated the United Nations University's logistical support in the organization of informal panels.

The number of resolutions approved by the Committee had been reduced to 28, compared to 43 last year, he said. There was still room for improvement and texts could be further streamlined. He suggested further discussion on the possibility of having only one resolution per item. Also, the deadline for submission of proposals had been strictly applied and extended only in exceptional cases. He also welcomed the submission of joint drafts. Moreover, the United Nations agencies should show utmost restraint in lobbying delegations on resolutions. The six week rule on reports should be respected and reports should be concise. Possibilities for consolidation of reports should be looked into.

On the Committee's relationship with the Third Committee (Social, Cultural and Humanitarian), he said there had been useful meetings with that Committee's bureau in the beginning. He hoped that the two bureaus could meet in the future. Speaking on work methods, he said he would have liked to submit a draft to formalize the working methods but had not done so as some delegations required more time. He thanked the two Vice-Chairmen and the Rapporteur, members of the Secretariat, members of delegations and his own mission.

The representative of Costa Rica, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said he wanted to thank the bureau, the Chairman, Vice-Chairmen, Rapporteur and Secretariat. He also thanked the Secretariat staff, funds and agencies.

The representative of the United States thanked the Secretariat, services, Vice-Chairmen and most specially the Chairman. The Second Committee had operated on time and efficiently, and that had led to a series of resolutions that representatives considered to be a considerable improvement on past years. There should be a continuum.

The representative of Poland, speaking on behalf of Eastern European States, congratulated the Chairman as well as Vice-Chairmen and the Rapporteur on efficiently conducting the Committee's work. She also commended the representatives of the Secretariat.

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