FIFTH COMMITTEE APPROVES $138 MILLION FOR UNAVEM, RECOMMENDS $10.6 MILLION FOR OPERATIONS IN GUATEMALA, EL SALVADOR AND AFGHANISTAN

16 December 1996

Press Release
GA/AB/3130

FIFTH COMMITTEE APPROVES $138 MILLION FOR UNAVEM, RECOMMENDS $10.6 MILLION FOR OPERATIONS IN GUATEMALA, EL SALVADOR AND AFGHANISTAN

19961216 Makes Provisions for Legal Committee Requested Meetings

The General Assembly would appropriate and apportion about $138 million gross for the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III) for the first half of 1997, should it adopt a draft resolution approved without a vote yesterday afternoon, 15 December, by the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary).

By the terms of the draft, the Assembly would apportion the sum at a monthly rate of about $23 million gross ($22.5 million net) beginning 1 January 1997, should the Security Council extend UNAVEM's mandate beyond 28 February 1997. The $138 million gross, which includes $4.1 million for the support account for peace-keeping operations, would be an addition to $170.1 million gross ($167 million net) that had been appropriated for the period from 1 July to 31 December.

Speaking in explanation of position, the representative of Germany expressed concern that the amount of every peace-keeping budget would not be fully covered by contributions of Member States since one of them had announced its intention to reduce its assessments unilaterally. She stressed that her Government was neither ready to stand for the non-payment of Member Sates nor was it ready to accept a change in its effective share in the current scale of assessments.

The Committee also considered the budgetary implications of some draft resolutions recommended by the Assembly's Main Committees, and the pattern of conferences.

On the financial implications of drafts, the Committee decided, without a vote, to inform the Assembly that a total of $10.6 million in additional appropriations would arise in the 1996-1997 budget section on peace-keeping and special missions, if it adopts three draft texts on Guatemala, Afghanistan and El Salvador, respectively. The sums, to be considered in the context of the revision of the 1996-1997 appropriations, are:

-- $7.1 million in relation to the draft on the extension of the United Nations Human Rights Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA) through March 1997;

-- $3.1 million to retain the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan; and

-- $408,700 to maintain a United Nations support unit to help with good offices functions in El Salvador from 1 January to 30 June 1997.

Statements on the financial implications of draft texts were made by the representative of Mexico, United States, Singapore and Cuba.

Regarding the pattern of conferences, the Committee adopted a draft decision to inform the Assembly that the question of extra meetings on some subjects recommended by the Sixth Committee (Legal) had been dealt with by the Fifth Committee in the context of its substantive draft resolution on the pattern of conferences. Those extra meetings relate to the Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses; the Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of an International Criminal Court; the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization; and Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism.

In addition, the representative of Mexico introduced a draft resolution on the scale of assessments, which, according to her, was unrelated to the Organization's current financial situation, which stemmed from the lack of mandatory payments in full and on time by some Member States. The Committee on Contributions must be given timely instruction by the Assembly so that the next scale could be prepared, she said.

The Committee was also briefed by coordinators on different agenda items on the progress being made on negotiations on draft resolutions.

The Committee is scheduled to meet again at 3 p.m. today to consider the budgetary implications of a draft resolution on the International Civilian Mission to Haiti (MICIVIH) and a draft decision on the Office of Internal Oversight Services.

Committee Work Programme

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) met this afternoon to take up aspects of the 1996-1997 budget relating to the programme budget implications of draft resolutions on MINUGUA, the United Nations political presence in El Salvador, and the situation in Afghanistan. It was also scheduled to hear the introduction of draft texts on the financing of UNAVEM III and the Organization's pattern of conferences.

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Pattern of Conferences

Under its consideration of pattern of conferences, the Committee has before it a note by the Secretary-General on meetings additional to the approved calendar of conferences and meetings for the 1996-1997 biennium, including two addenda (document A/C.5/51/22 and Adds. 1 and 2, of 4 November).

The note states that in the course of this year, numerous intergovernmental bodies have requested to convene, in 1997, meetings additional to those already scheduled in the calendar of conferences and previously approved by the Assembly in December 1995.

According to the Secretary-General, demands for additional meetings over and above the resources available cannot be met. It is not possible to offset such over-expenditure under the budget's section 26E (conference services) by under-expenditure in another section, as all budgeted sections have been subjected to economy measures required to contain expenditure within the provisions appropriated by the Assembly in its resolution 50/214 (related to the 1996-1997 budget).

He also notes that, taking into account the Organization's available resources, additional meetings of any body, including those of the Main Committees of the General Assembly, can no longer be accommodated routinely, notwithstanding past practice. In fact, all requests for additional meetings must be considered in light of the available capacity on the dates requested.

The Secretary-General states that the following meetings cannot be accommodated: 20 parallel meetings of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests of the Commission on Sustainable Development; 10 meetings parallel to the Commission on the Status of Women for the in-session open-ended working group on the elaboration of a draft optional protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; and 12 parallel meetings of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.

Also, the following meetings can only be accommodated if they are held on the dates indicated below: Committee on Contributions, one-week extension from 27 May to 20 June; Ad Hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean, from 30 June to 3 July; Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization, from 11 to 21 February; resumed session of the Fifth Committee, to be held either from 24 March to 4 April, from 28 April to 2 May, from 12 to 30 May, from 30 June to 3 July, from 14 July to 15 August or from 25 August to 12 September.

The Secretary-General's note also states that meetings of the following bodies can be accommodated on the understanding that there will be no parallel meetings of the working groups of the General Assembly: open-ended working group on the strengthening of the United Nations system; open-ended working

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group on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Security Council; ad hoc open-ended working group on an agenda for development; and open-ended working group on the financial situation of the United Nations.

Further in his note, the Secretary-General states that the Assembly may wish to take note of the meetings that cannot be accommodated and those meetings that can be accommodated only on certain dates or on the understanding that there will be no parallel meetings with other working groups in order to reflect that situation in the calendar of conferences for 1997, and to inform the bodies concerned. He adds that, should the Assembly wish to modify the selection of meetings that can be accommodated, it should be noted that, given the finite conference-servicing resources available, there is a need to identify the meetings on the calendar of conferences that would be dispensed with.

The first addendum to the Secretary-General's note, dated 3 December, states that meetings of the following bodies could now be accommodated: the in-session open-ended working group of the Commission on the Status of Women; the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization, from 27 January to 7 February 1997; and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, to be held in Vienna from 24 April to 8 May 1997. Attached to the first addendum is a list of the additional meetings.

In the second addendum, dated 12 December, the Secretary-General states that the Fifth Committee may wish to inform the General Assembly that it has reviewed the overall requirements for the servicing of meetings in 1997. After determining that the Committee will meet for a maximum of eight weeks inter-sessionally, it will be possible to accommodate the full list of meetings included in document A/C.5/51/22 and Add.1.

The above is addressed to the Fifth Committee because of the uncertainty of that Committee's meeting requirements, the Secretary-General states. In 1996, the Fifth Committee met for eight weeks and held a total of 80 meetings on an inter-sessional basis. Provisionally, 15 weeks of meeting services have been reserved for its inter-sessional meetings in 1997. Should the Fifth Committee exercise the option to use the entire 15 weeks of meeting services, no resources would be available to service the following three sets of meetings: the fourth session of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests, planned to take place from 10 to 21 February 1997; the fifth session of the Preparatory Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court, scheduled to be held from 1 to 12 December 1997; and the Working Group of the Whole on the Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses of the Sixth Committee (Legal), scheduled to convene from 24 to 27 March 1997.

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However, should the Fifth Committee agree to meet for a maximum of eight weeks inter-sessionally, the residual provision for seven weeks could be allocated to the servicing of the three meetings.

Aspects of 1996-1997 Budget: Programme Budget Implications

Statements of programme budget implications (PBIs) are submitted to the Fifth Committee under the Assembly's rules of procedure, which provide that a legislative organ shall not vote any draft resolution with financial implications until the Administrative and Budgetary Committee has had a chance to state the proposals' costs or effects on the United Nations regular budget.

According to the Secretary-General, it is necessary to appropriate the sums he would be requesting for the three operations -- in Guatemala, El Salvador and Afghanistan -- because they have not been included in the budget, could not be absorbed, and could not be taken from the contingency fund owing to the extraordinary nature of the work to be carried out under the terms of their respective draft resolutions.

In a statement on the financial implications of a draft text on the United Nations Human Rights Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA) (document A/C.5/51/41), the Secretary-General says that an additional appropriation of $7.1 million net would be required in 1997 for the Mission, should the Assembly adopt the draft resolution contained in document A/51/L.57. The draft would have the Assembly extend the mandate of MINUGUA for a further three months, until 31 March 1997, to continue verifying the situation of human rights in Guatemala. The $7.1 million net would, among other things, pay for the following: salaries and staff costs ($3 million); personal service contracts ($1.5 million); Mission subsistence allowance ($871,400); and civilian police observers ($549,700). The amount would fall under the budget section dealing with peace-keeping and special missions.

In a statement on the costs of a draft text on the United Nations political presence in El Salvador (document A/C.5/51/42), the Secretary-General says an additional appropriation of $408,700 would be required for a United Nations support unit to help facilitate good offices functions in El Salvador from 1 January to 30 June 1997, should the Assembly adopt the draft resolution contained in document A/51/L.58, deciding to close the United Nations Office of Verification (ONUV) in El Salvador as of 31 December. The support unit would help an envoy of the Secretary-General, who would be making periodic visits to El Salvador to carry out the good offices functions.

According to the Secretary-General, the amount would pay the staffing for the unit, which would consist of three Professional, one General Service and seven local staff, and one civilian police officer.

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In a statement on the financial implications of a draft text on the situation in Afghanistan (document A/C.5/51/40), the Secretary-General says an additional appropriation of $3.2 million would be needed for 1997 for the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan, should the Assembly adopt draft resolution B contained in document A/51/L.49 to continue the Organization's work in that country. The amount would mainly pay for the Mission, which would consist of 30 staff (1 Assistant Secretary-General, 1 D-2, 5 P-5, 2 General Service, 4 Field Service and 17 Local level posts), 5 military advisers and 2 civilian police. The Mission would operate out of Islamabad and Kabul.

While the Mission would cost $3.7 million in 1997, the Secretary-General says that $507,600 of the sum could be absorbed from what was left unspent in the $2.6 million provided for the Mission for 1996. The remaining $3.2 million needed for 1997 would have to be found somewhere else.

According to the Secretary-General, the draft resolution's adoption would have the United Nations continue playing a central role in international efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the Afghan conflict. The mission in Afghanistan would intensify the search for national reconciliation, lasting political settlement, and reconstruction. In the past, it had been provided with 16 staff, including the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General at the Under-Secretary-General level.

Also, at some points in the past, the Office of the Secretary-General in Afghanistan (OSGA) was to be the operational unit which provided a permanent presence in that country and would support the Special Mission. However, in order to rationalize the Organization's political presence in Afghanistan, the Secretary-General says he had proposed that the OSGA be closed down, effective from the end of June. All United Nations peacemaking work in Afghanistan would be integrated into the Special Mission.

He says that the Mission would focus its efforts immediately on the negotiation of a cease-fire, the demilitarization of Kabul and the establishment of a neutral force to police the city while political dialogue amongst the Afghan parties continues. For 1997, he proposes to increase the number of military advisers from two to five to help demilitarize the capital. He also proposes the positions of two civilian police advisers to help establish a neutral force to police the city.

It should be noted that, by the terms of Assembly resolution 41/213 of December 1986, the contingency fund shall not cover revised estimates arising from extraordinary expenses such as those for maintaining peace and security. The Secretary-General however, should try to absorb amounts through savings from the budget without harming programme delivery or without prejudice to the use of the fund.

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Financing of UNAVEM

A draft resolution on the financing of UNAVEM (document A/C.5/51/L.20) would have the Assembly appropriate almost $138 million gross ($135 million net) for the period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997. It would apportion the amount, as an ad hoc arrangement, at a monthly rate of some $23 million gross ($22.5 million net) beginning 1 January 1997, should the Security Council extend UNAVEM's mandate beyond 28 February 1997. The $138 million gross, which includes $4.1 million for the support account for peace-keeping operations, would be an addition to $170.1 million gross ($167 million net) that has been appropriated for the period from 1 July to 31 December. The total UNAVEM appropriations for 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997 would be about $308.1 million gross ($302 million net).

Regarding the $20.8 million gross ($20.6 million net) unencumbered balance in the Mission's account for the period from 9 February to 31 December 1995, the draft would have the Assembly distribute it to Member States on the basis of what they had contributed to the Mission. Respective shares of that amount would be applied to the future appropriation of the States that have fulfilled their obligations to the Mission. For those that owed funds, their respective shares in the balance would be applied to reduce their arrears.

Scale of Assessments

The draft resolution on the scale of assessments for the apportionment of expenses of the United Nations (document A/C.5/51/L.21), submitted by Mexico, would request the Committee on Contributions to recommend to the Assembly's fifty-second session a scale of assessments for the period 1998-2000 on the basis of several elements, including the following: a statistical base period of six years; uniform exchange rates; the debt adjustment approach used in preparing the 1994-1997 scale; a low per capita income allowance formula with a per capita income limit of the average world per capita income for the statistical base period and a gradient of 85 per cent; a floor rate of 0.001 per cent; a ceiling rate of 25 per cent; the phase out of the scheme of limits; and the expression of the scale in three decimal places.

Also by the text, the Assembly would decide that in phasing out the scheme of limits, the allocation of the additional points to developing countries benefitting from its application shall be limited to 15 per cent of the effect of the phase out. It would also decide that individual rates for the least developed countries shall not exceed the level of 0.01 per cent.

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Statements on Pattern of Conferences

SYED RAFIQUL ALOM (Bangladesh), Vice-Chairman and the coordinator of informal consultations on pattern of conferences, informed the Committee that there were no problems regarding the substance of the draft resolution. Problems regarding the wording of some paragraphs in the text would be discussed by some concerned delegations.

NGONI FRANCIS SENGWE (Zimbabwe), the Chairman of the Committee, then proposed that the Committee should take action on the draft resolution on pattern of conferences on Tuesday, 17 December. The Committee agreed.

He proposed an oral draft decision that would, in the meantime, inform the Assembly that:

Should it adopt relevant draft resolutions contained in the reports of the Sixth Committee (Legal) -- on agenda items 144: Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses; 147: Establishment of an International Criminal Court; 150: Report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization; and 151: Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism -- it is understood that the question of the additional meetings requested in connection with those resolutions had been dealt with by the Fifth Committee in the context of its draft resolution on pattern of conferences.

The Committee adopted the oral draft decision without a vote.

Statements on PBIs: MINUGUA

CONRAD S.M. MSELLE, Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), said that the amount of $7.1 million for the three months of 1997 was about the same rate as the amount of $2.1 million per month that had been approved in the past for MINUGUA for the period from 1 April to 31 December. The $100,000 difference between the new amount and what had been approved in the past was mainly due to the effects of the changes in rates of inflation and foreign exchange.

The draft resolution before the Assembly called for the extension of MINUGUA up to the end of March 1997, he continued. However, the nature of its presence beyond 31 March 1997 was not clear in the statement of the Secretary- General on the text's financial implications. The ACABQ had been informed that by the end of March, the Secretary-General would have submitted proposals on the restructuring of the Mission. The Secretary-General should have indicated whether and how much the Mission would require in the period after 31 March 1997.

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The ACABQ, its Chairman said, recommended the approval of the $7.1 million, which would not covered by the contingency fund.

MARTA PENA (Mexico) said that she had been made to understand that the activities contemplated in the draft resolution on MINUGUA would not require additional contributions from Member States into the current budget. The Secretariat should clarify whether or not that understanding was true.

EDWARD KELLER (United States) said that, based on the monthly sums that had been approved for the Mission, it would need about $6.9 million; the Fifth Committee was being asked to approve $7.1 million. Even though the ACABQ Chairman had said that the difference was due to foreign exchange fluctuations, the stronger-than-envisaged United States dollar should have led to savings instead of the need for more money, he added.

HO TONG YEN (Singapore) sought clarification as to whether the budget implications included provisions for the military observers that had been requested by Guatemala's Government.

YUKIO TAKASU, United Nations Controller, said that a slight increase in the cost of staff salaries had led to the difference in the figures for MINUGUA as cited by the representative of the United States. Since no action had been taken on the military observers by the competent legislative body, their costs had not been included in the statement of budget implications. As to the question from Mexico's representative, he said he could not give her any assurances, since he was not familiar with what she had spoken about.

LINDA SHENWICK (United States) asked the Secretariat to comment on the financial implications of decisions by the Committee not to take action on the salary increases recommended by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC).

Mr. TAKASU said he could not answer that question presently as some time would be required to calculate the figures, after taking some variables into account.

Mr. SENGWE (Zimbabwe), the Committee Chairman, orally proposed the following draft decision:

Should the Assembly adopt the draft resolution concerning MINUGUA contained in document A/51/L.57, additional appropriations of $7.1 million would arise under section 3 of the 1996-1997 budget, dealing with peace- keeping and special missions. The amount would be dealt with in the context of the revised appropriations for 1996-1997.

The Committee then adopted the oral draft decision without a vote.

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Mr. KELLER (United States) said his understanding on the amount for MINUGUA was similar to that held by Mexico. The understanding "did not come out of the blue, but from corridor conversations".

Statements on PBIs: United Nations Presence in El Salvador

Mr. MSELLE, ACABQ Chairman, introduced the Advisory Committee's comments on the programme budget implications of the draft resolution contained in document A/51/L.58, concerning the United Nations political presence in El Salvador.

Mr. KELLER (United States) asked for clarification on the amount allocated for staff travel. It was his understanding that last year the ACABQ had not agreed to that item. However, travel had been reinstated in the programme budget implications.

Ms. PENA (Mexico) said she had the same understanding for the United Nations political presence in El Salvador as she had expressed in reference to MINUGUA.

Mr. TAKASU, United Nations Controller, said the travel referred to was that of the Secretary-General's high-level envoy. In 1996, the envoy was located in El Salvador. In 1997, the envoy would travel from New York.

Mr. KELLER (United States) said he would like to reinforce the statement by Mexico on the general capacity of the Secretariat to absorb the resources. He did not understand Mr. Takasu's explanation since the same trips would be taken.

Mr. MSELLE, ACABQ's Chairman, said that last year the Advisory Committee had concluded that the amount for travel was in excess of actual requirement. At that time, four visits had been envisaged. For 1997, three were proposed. The level of the budget itself was cause for concern. There was little room to absorb that expenditure. Even though the number of trips had been reduced, the amount was slightly more than in 1996. The ACABQ had concluded that the funds for travel would be required for the next six months. Subsequently, the support for the envoy would be given by operational bodies in the United Nations system. The ACABQ would bear in mind the amounts for travel and the comments by the United States when it reviewed the Secretary-General's next submission on the matter.

Mr. TAKASU, United Nations Controller, said the estimates for the previous six months had been more than 100 per cent higher than the estimates for the next six months. Costs had been reduced. If the Member States felt it was still high, they would be re-examined. Every effort had been made to reduce costs such as staff travel, salaries and number of staff. The Secretariat hoped that the reduction was appreciated. He added that

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assurances made informally by some officials had to be confirmed officially and be reflected in the Secretary-General's report.

ANA SILVIA RODRIGUEZ ABASCAL (Cuba) referred to the issue of assurances given informally, that the two draft resolutions would have no financial implications for Member States. She was now confused. The Secretary- General's report gave his position. Therefore, it was that position that should be reflected. It was regrettable that other staff had given views that were different from that of the Secretary-General.

The Committee Chairman then proposed the following draft decision:

Should the Assembly adopt the draft resolution contained in A/51/L.58 on the United Nations political presence in El Salvador, additional appropriations of $408,700 would arise for 1997 under section 3 of the 1996-1997 budget, dealing with peace-keeping and special missions. The amount would be dealt with in the context of the revised appropriations for 1996-1997.

The Committee adopted the draft decision.

Statements on PBIs: Draft on Afghanistan

Mr. MSELLE, ACABQ Chairman, said that the Advisory Committee was recommending the reduction of the amounts sought by the Secretary-General's statement of programme budget implications. There should be closer coordination between the Special Mission to Afghanistan and the humanitarian work of the Department of Humanitarian Affairs. The ACABQ recommended that the $3.2 million sought by the Secretary-General in his programme budget implications should be cut to $3.1 million, due to the ACABQ calls for reductions in the amount spent for the renting of aircraft and other items.

Ms. PENA (Mexico) said the understanding she had received from the officials of the Secretariat on MINUGUA also applied to the Mission to Afghanistan.

Mr. KELLER (United States) raised questions regarding the staffing of the Mission. With the addition of military advisers and civilian police observers, the proposals for some P-5 positions seemed disproportionate to the duties in the political component of the Mission. Since the degree of responsibilities within the political affairs section should vary, he was surprised that the level of staff proposed was at the top level of the Professional category. He asked whether that was because the Secretary- General anticipated more complicated political responsibilities or whether the Professional levels were being heightened in order to overcome some recruitment problems.

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Mr. TAKASU said that, since the Secretariat's position was reflected in the statement of programme budget implications, he could not go beyond that document. He provided further clarifications on the basis of the contents of the statement of budget implications of the Secretary-General.

MR. KELLER (United States) said the staff level of the five political affairs officers should be based on a varied level of responsibility, not solely on the basis of the highest levels in the Professional category, the P-5 level. Such staffing structure would have suggested an escalated level of resources. "I am not suggesting a pyramid structure", he said. But there should be other levels of officers in the Professional category for the Mission, he added, proposing that the staff levels for the Mission should follow the varying degrees of responsibility in the political sections of the Mission.

Mr. TAKASU said: "It seems some delegations have some problems with all staff being at the P-5 level." But the positions of the five political officers had been based on resolutions of the Assembly. The officers were based in different locations, such as Herat, Kandahar and Kabul, where they were political advisers working with different groups in the Afghan conflict. That should be taken into consideration when a decision was taken.

Mr. SENGWE (Zimbabwe), the Committee Chairman, then orally proposed a draft decision:

Should the Assembly adopt draft resolution B contained in document A/51/L.49 concerning Afghanistan, additional appropriations of $3.1 million would arise under section 3 of the 1996-1997 budget, dealing with peace- keeping and special missions. The amount would be dealt with in the context of the revised appropriations for 1996-1997.

The Committee then adopted the draft decision.

Action on Financing of UNAVEM III

REGINA EMERSON (Portugal) introduced the draft resolution on the financing of UNAVEM III, submitted by the Chairman of the Fifth Committee. She made an oral amendment to operative paragraph 7.

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

Speaking in explanation of position, HENRIETTA RIECK (Germany) said that, although her delegation had joined consensus on peace-keeping budgets, it did so with reservations. There was cause for concern that the amount of every peace-keeping budget would not be fully covered by contributions of Member States since one Member State had announced its intention to reduce its

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assessed contributions to peace-keeping budgets to an amount which it deemed convenient.

That unilateral action would further contribute to the Organization's already difficult cash flow situation and, in the long run, jeopardize the implementation of all peace-keeping operations, she added. The amount the Secretary-General was authorized to commit for every peace-keeping budget would have to be adjusted to the predictable income level. She stressed that her Government was neither ready to stand up for the non-payment of Member Sates nor was it ready to accept a change in its effective share in the current scale of assessments.

Statements on Scale of Assessments

SEDAT YAMAK (Turkey), speaking on a point of order, said that the Journal did not list agenda 119 (scale of assessments) as an item for today's formal meeting. Why was it being taken up today? he asked.

JOSEPH ACAKPO-SATCHIVI, the Fifth Committee's Secretary, said that during yesterday's informal consultations, he had informed the Committee that he would add two items to today's agenda for the formal meeting -- item 199 and an item on "other matters", to hear the reports of the coordinators of the various agenda items. Since one Journal was issued for Saturday and Sunday, the changes could not have been reflected in it. Delegates were also aware that the Committee's work programme changed from day to day. For those reasons, the Committee had been informed of the additions to the agenda of today's formal meeting. Committee members could confirm that.

Ms. PENA (Mexico), introducing the draft resolution on the scale of assessments, on behalf of her delegation, said that the scale was unrelated to the Organization's current financial situation, which stemmed from the lack of mandatory payments in full and on time by some Member States. The Committee on Contributions must be given timely instruction by the Assembly so that the next scale could be prepared.

In the negotiating process on the agenda item, there seemed to be a trend to make certain links between the scale of assessments and the Organization's financial situation, which had impeded progress on the matter, she continued. She could not agree to postponement of the item. She had received instructions from her capital to submit the draft text which would give guidance to the Contributions Committee and which reflected widespread agreement of Member States on a number of issues.

Mr. SENGWE (Zimbabwe), Committee Chairman, said the Committee would act on the draft during the formal meeting on Tuesday.

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TRYGVE GJESDAAL (Norway), coordinator of informal consultations on the scale of assessments on behalf of the Chairman of the Fifth Committee, said there had been some consensus on requests for exemptions from the provisions of Article 19 on the United Nations Charter on the loss of voting rights. However, there had been no consensus on several other paragraphs in the draft resolution. Some delegations had proposed the deferral of the main draft resolution to the resumed session. He was requesting that the main draft resolution on the scale of assessments be deferred to the resumed session, due to lack of consensus agreements on many of its parts.

The part of the main draft resolution relating to Article 19 that had been agreed to would decide that the Comoros should be permitted to vote through the fifty-first session of the Assembly and that any extension requested should be subject to the review of the Committee on Contributions.

NAZARETH INCERA (Costa Rica), also speaking for the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said that the Group had proposed a one- paragraph draft text that would have the Assembly decide to consider the scale of assessments at the first resumed session of the Fifth Committee. It would also have the Assembly approve, no later than 31 March 1997, the methodology that it would ask the Committee on Contributions to recommend to the fifty- second Assembly session on a scale for the period 1998-2000.

PATRICK KELLY (Ireland) said he could support the approval of the draft decision, if that could be achieved without a vote.

Mr. SENGWE (Zimbabwe), the Committee Chairman, said that no action would be taken on any draft resolution on the agenda item on the scale of assessments at today's meeting.

SAM HANSON (Canada) said there would be no harm in taking action as proposed by Ireland, if the draft could be approved without a vote.

FUMIAKI TOYA (Japan) said he was ready to take action, if a consensus could be obtained.

Other Matters

Ms. PENA (Mexico), the coordinator of informal consultations of the financing of the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti (UNSMIH), said she would submit a draft text that could be approved on Tuesday.

Mr. KELLY (Ireland) asked for a clarification on the Committee's programme of work.

Mr. HO (Singapore) sought clarification as to whether the draft resolution on the scale of assessments for the apportionment of expenses of

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the United Nations contained in document A/C.5/51/L.21 and submitted by Mexico would be considered as a budgetary issue, requiring a two-thirds majority vote for adoption.

Mr. ACAKPO-SATCHIVI, the Fifth Committee's Secretary, said that the two- thirds rule did not apply to the Main Committees, but only to the plenary.

IGOR GOUMENNY (Ukraine), Rapporteur of the Fifth Committee, said the operative paragraphs in a forthcoming draft resolution on human resources management had been agreed to. Further informal consultations would be held to finalize discussions on the text.

Mr. ALOM (Bangladesh), the coordinator on behalf of the Committee Chairman of consultations on programme planning, especially the medium-term plan for 1998-2001, said informal consultations would be held at 9:30 p.m. this evening, to discuss programmes 1 (Political affairs), 9 (Trade and development), 19 (Human rights), and priorities and structure. After that, the next course of action would be decided tomorrow morning, hoping consensus would be reached on the outstanding issues.

DENISE ALMAO (New Zealand), the coordinator of informal consultations on the United Nations common and pension systems on behalf of the Committee Chairman, said that there had been some progress and provisional agreement on many parts of a related draft resolution on the pension system. As for a section dealing with the proposed Transfer Agreements between the Russian Federation and the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Board, it had not been agreed upon. As to the common system, a nine-part draft resolution was being prepared. There was broad agreement on the parts but no consensus had been reached yet. A draft text on the common system was available in the conference room for delegations to take and fax to their respective capitals before further consultations on the matter.

PETER MADDENS (Belgium) spoke as the coordinator on behalf of the Committee Chairman, of informal meetings on the administrative and budgetary aspects of the financing of peace-keeping operations, especially on the assessments of the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic and Zambia. He said he was almost ready to present a draft text that would be discussed in a short informal meeting tomorrow, which, he hoped, would lead to the adoption of a text on Tuesday afternoon.

Ms. PENA (Mexico) said the written copies of proposals should be submitted as quickly as possible to enable her to send them to her capital. Even though the coordinator had briefed her on the text, she wanted to have it in written form when she called her capital tomorrow.

Mr. MADDENS said the written copies of the draft would be provided tomorrow to facilitate informal consultations tomorrow evening.

Fifth Committee - 16 - Press Release GA/AB/3130 44th Meeting (PM) 16 December 1996

Ms. PENA (Mexico), as coordinator of the agenda item 137 on the financing of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, said the Committee had reached consensus on a draft text on the matter which would be made available to delegations for their approval. Regarding agenda item 157 on UNSMIH which she was also coordinating, she said a draft text had already been prepared. The United States had submitted an amendment and she had given delegates 24 hours to respond to it and/or submit any amendments. The draft text could now be issued by the Secretariat.

Mr. HANSON (Canada), as coordinator of agenda item 136 on the International Tribunal for Rwanda, said there was consensus on a draft resolution on that issue which could now be presented to the Committee for approval.

MOVSES ABELIAN (Armenia), coordinator of the financing of the United Nations Protection Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNPROFOR), said that a draft text was ready for the Committee's approval.

KLAUS-DIETER STEIN (Germany), as coordinator of agenda item 116, on the 1996-1997 programme budget, and agenda item 112, on review of the Organization's efficiency, particularly the budget outline for the 1998-1999 biennium, reported on progress made in informal consultations on both items. For the 1996-1997 budget, the two reports had to be reviewed in the informal consultations, one on savings and the other on the first performance report. In his view, the Committee was close to reaching consensus on the issue of savings. The consultations on the first performance report should begin tonight since the programme budget implications had been presented. He believed that the Committee was close to a consensus on the budget for the International Seabed Authority.

The core problems of the budget outline, such as the overall amount, the contingency fund and the allocation for special missions had not been taken up yet, he said. A draft text must be agreed on tonight so that delegations could send it to their capitals. A draft resolution could be approved informally tomorrow.

Mr. SENGWE (Zimbabwe), Committee Chairman, reminded the Committee that it had to conclude its work on Tuesday.

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