ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, IN RESUMED SESSION, EXTENDS TERMS OF MEMBERS OF COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Press Release
ECOSOC/5741

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, IN RESUMED SESSION, EXTENDS TERMS OF MEMBERS OF COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

At its resumed substantive session this morning, the Economic and Social Council extended the terms of office of the members of the Commission on Sustainable Development, elected six members to the Commission on Science and Technology for Development, and elected four members to the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting.

By a draft decision adopted without a vote, the Council extended the terms of the members of the Commission on Sustainable Development, which were to expire on 31 December, until the conclusion of the Commission's sixth session in 1998. The Council also authorized the Commission to convene an organizational meeting in 1997 for the sole purpose of electing a new Chairman and other members of its Bureau, whose terms of office would begin immediately upon election.

The Council elected the following States by acclamation to the Commission on Science and Technology for Development, for terms of office beginning on 1 January 1998: Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cuba and Romania.

Elected by acclamation to the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting were Brazil, Germany, Lebanon and Pakistan. Brazil and Pakistan were elected to three-year terms beginning on 1 January 1998; Germany and Lebanon were elected to terms beginning on the date of their election and expiring on 31 December 1999.

Also this morning, the Council decided to confirm the names of the following persons, which were submitted by the Secretary-General (document E/1997/L.1/Add 3 and Add.4), as members of three functional commissions. They are: for the Statistical Commission, Johann Hahlen (Germany); for the Commission on the Status of Women: R. Sonia Leonce-Carryl (Saint Lucia), and for the Commission on Human Rights, Carmen Hertz (Chile).

Economic and Social Council - 2 - Press Release ECOSOC/5741 44th Meeting (AM) 8 October 1997

The Council agreed to the Secretary-General's proposal (document E/1997/L.22) to extend the terms of the 24 expert members of the Committee for Development Planning for one year, beginning on 1 January 1998.

In addition, the Council endorsed the Secretary-General's decision (document E/1997/L.19) to approve the application of South Africa for full membership in the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods.

The President of the Council, Vladmir Galuska (Czech Republic) announced that the Council would postpone consideration of a sub-item on the future meetings of the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests until December. Further consultations were needed for the Council to take a decision on the venue and dates for the Forum's second session.

To an inquiry by the representative of the Russian Federation, the Secretary of the Council, Margaret Kelley, said the Secretary-General's comprehensive report on urgent humanitarian assistance would be taken up by the Council next year.

The President of the Council, responding to a question by the representative of the Republic of Korea, said the Council would resume its substantive session in early December, after the Second Committee and Third Committee of the General Assembly concluded their work.

The representative of Romania asked whether the decision to extend the terms of the members of the Commission on Sustainable Development could constitute a precedent with respect to other Commissions of the Council. Council Vice President Anwarul Chowdhury (Bangladesh) said it was possible, but that each body needed to determine what methods worked best for it.

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