THIRD COMMITTEE, ACTING ON HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES, SEEKS ASSEMBLY APPEAL FOR OBSERVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL COVENANTS

14 November 1997

Press Release
GA/SHC/3448

THIRD COMMITTEE, ACTING ON HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES, SEEKS ASSEMBLY APPEAL FOR OBSERVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL COVENANTS

19971114 Texts Against Mercenary Activity, Supporting UNHCR, on Conditions of Rural Women and Migrant Workers, Decade against Racism also Approved

The General Assembly would urge all States to take appropriate legislative measures to ensure that their territories and other territories under their control, as well as their nationals, are not used for the recruitment, assembly, financing, training and transit of mercenaries, by the terms of one of 12 draft resolutions approved by the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) this afternoon.

By other terms of the draft text on the use of mercenaries, approved by a vote of 91 in favour to 16 against with 41 abstentions, the Assembly would also urge States not to use mercenaries for planning activities designed to destabilize or overthrow governments or to threaten the territorial integrity and political unity of sovereign States, or to promote secession or fight the national liberation movements struggling against colonial or other forms of alien domination or occupation. The representatives of New Zealand, Iraq and Australia spoke in explanation of position.

Approved by acclamation, another draft text would have the Assembly decide to continue the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for a further period of five years, from 1 January 1999.

A second draft resolution on the Office of the High Commissioner would have the Assembly condemn all acts that pose a threat to the personal security of refugees and asylum-seekers and call upon States of refuge, with international organizations, to take measures to ensure that the civilian and humanitarian character of refugee camps and settlements is maintained. The representatives of Singapore and the United Republic of Tanzania expressed reservations on the resolution.

The other draft resolutions were approved by the Committee without a vote.

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By a draft on the situation of rural women, the Assembly would invite Member States to attach greater importance to improving the situation, including for older women, in their national development strategies.

The representatives of Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Morocco, Iran, Gabon, Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Mauritania, Djibouti, Pakistan, Senegal, Qatar, Jordan, Zambia, Oman and Libya spoke on the draft resolution on rural women. All except Zambia expressed reservations on the reference to rights of women regarding inheritance. The representative of Zambia expressed concern about the lack of consensus.

The provisions of a draft resolution on the girl child would stress the need for full and urgent implementation of the rights of the girl child, as guaranteed under all human rights instruments, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The representative of Malta expressed reservations on the text.

Another draft, on assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa, would have the Assembly call upon governments, United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations and the international community as a whole to strengthen the emergency response capacity of the United Nations system on the basis of the experience of the emergency in the Great Lakes region.

By another draft resolution, the Assembly would urge international financial and other institutions to contribute to the financing of projects and programmes within the framework of the Programme of Action adopted by the 1996 Regional Conference on refugees and displaced persons in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and relevant neighbouring States. The representatives of the Ukraine and Azerbaijan expressed reservations.

Another draft resolution would have the Assembly encourage the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to continue to contribute fully to the implementation of the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination and its revised Programme of Action.

Another text would reaffirm that the universal realization of the rights of all peoples to self-determination, including those under colonial, foreign and alien domination, is a fundamental condition for the effective guarantee and observance of human rights. It would declare its firm opposition to acts of foreign military intervention, aggression and occupation.

By the terms of a draft resolution on the Convention for the protection of migrant workers, the Assembly would express deep concern at growing manifestations of racism, xenophobia and other forms of discrimination and inhuman and degrading treatment directed against migrant workers in different parts of the world.

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The Assembly would decide to continue giving priority consideration to the conclusions and recommendations of the meetings of persons chairing human rights treaty bodies, in light of the deliberations of the Commission on Human Rights, by the terms of a draft text on the implementation on human rights instruments.

By a draft resolution on the international covenants on human rights, the Assembly would appeal strongly to all States to become parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as to accede to the Optional Protocols to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and to make the declaration provided for in its article 41.

Action on the draft resolution on the rights of the child was postponed to allow more time for negotiations.

Also this afternoon, as the Third Committee continued its consideration of human rights questions, the representative of China said hegemonism and power politics, along with the unfair international economic order, remained the major threats to world peace and stability. The representatives of the United States and the European Union had made unwarranted accusations against a host of developing countries and had not said a word about their own human rights problems. Selectivity and double standards ran counter to the purpose of international cooperation.

The representative of Indonesia said the approach of some countries to promote and protect human rights was narrow and one-sided, and a denial of the human right to development. The World Conference on Human Rights had called upon the international community to make all efforts to help alleviate the external debt burden of developing countries, he said.

The Chairman of the Working Group of the Third Committee presented his Committee's report.

The representatives of Sudan and Cuba also made statements.

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) will meet again at 10 a.m. on Monday, 17 November, to continue its consideration of human rights questions, including reports of Special Rapporteurs and Special Representatives.

Committee Work Programme

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this afternoon to hear the introduction of two draft resolutions and to adopt a number of others. The Committee will also continue its consideration of human rights questions.

Introduction of Draft Texts

By a draft resolution on the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People 1994-2004 (document A/C.3/52/L.40 and Corr.1), the Assembly would decide to appoint the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as Coordinator for the International Decade and would encourage governments to support the Decade. The corrigendum to the resolution replaces the last paragraph. The new paragraph would request the Secretary-General to submit to the Assembly's fifty-third session a report on the programme of activities of the Decade. The existing operative paragraph would be renumbered as paragraph 14.

A draft resolution on the implementation of human rights instruments (document A/C.3/52/L.36) would have the Assembly decide to continue giving priority consideration to the conclusions and recommendations of the meetings of persons chairing human rights treaty bodies, in light of the deliberations of the Commission on Human Rights.

Drafts for Action

The Committee is to take action on draft texts on the advancement for women, report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), promotion and protection of the rights of the child, elimination of racism and racism discrimination, rights of peoples to self-determination, and human rights questions.

Advancement of Women

By a 34-Power draft resolution on improving the situation of women in rural areas (document A/C.3/52/L.15/Rev.1), the Assembly would invite Member States to attach greater importance to improving the situation of rural women, including older women, in their national development strategies, paying special attention both to their practical and strategic needs in efforts to implement the outcome of recent United Nations international conferences. Member States would be invited to integrate the concerns of rural women into national development policies and programmes, in particular by placing a higher priority on budgetary allocations relating to the interests of rural women.

In addition, Member States would be invited to design and revise laws to give women equal access to and control over land to end land rights discrimination. Land reform programmes should begin by acknowledging the equality of women's rights to land and take other measures to increase land availability to poor women and men.

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The draft is sponsored by Bangladesh, Belgium, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Guinea, Haiti, Indonesia, Ireland, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Portugal, San Marino, Senegal and Turkey.

Report of the UNHCR

By a draft resolution on assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa (document A/C.3/52/L.27), sponsored by Lesotho on behalf of the Group of African States, the Assembly would call upon governments, United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations and the international community as a whole to strengthen the emergency response capacity of the United Nations system on the basis of the experience of the emergency in the Great Lakes region. It would call upon them to continue to provide needed resources and operational support to refugees and countries of asylum in Africa until a permanent solution can be found.

The Office of the High Commissioner and other concerned entities would be called on to intensify protection activities by such measures as supporting the efforts of African governments through appropriate capacity-building activities. The Assembly would appeal to governments, the United Nations, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and the international community to create conditions to facilitate the voluntary return and early rehabilitation and reintegration of refugees.

By other terms of the text, the governments of the Great Lakes and west African regions and of the Horn of Africa, along with the Office of the High Commissioner, would be commended for their initiatives to promote repatriation within the framework of tripartite agreements on voluntary repatriation of refugees in the regions. The international donor community would be called on to provide material and financial assistance for the implementation of programmes intended for the rehabilitation of the environment and infrastructure in areas affected by refugees in countries of asylum.

By terms of an 18-Power draft resolution on follow-up to the 1996 Regional Conference on refugees and displaced persons in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and relevant neighbouring States (document A/C.3/52/L.28), the Assembly would urge international financial and other institutions to contribute to the financing of projects and programmes within the framework of the Programme of Action adopted by the CIS Regional Conference. It would also urge the UNHCR to take into account relevant elements of the Programme, in coordination with the Office of the High Commissioner, the International Organization for Migration and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

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The draft is sponsored by Armenia, Belarus, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Russian Federation, Sweden, Tajikistan and the United States.

By the terms of a 71-Power draft resolution on the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (document A/C.3/52/L.29), the Assembly would condemn all acts that pose a threat to the personal security of refugees and asylum-seekers. It would call upon States of refuge, with international organizations where appropriate, to take all necessary measures to ensure that the civilian and humanitarian character of refugee camps and settlements is maintained. It would call upon States to take all measures necessary to ensure respect for the principles of refugee protection, including the humane treatment of asylum-seekers, in accordance with internationally recognized human rights and humanitarian norms.

The Assembly would stress the importance of international solidarity and burden-sharing in reinforcing the international protection of refugees, and urge all States and relevant non-governmental and other organizations, in conjunction with the Office of the High Commissioner, to cooperate in efforts to lighten the burden borne by those States that have received large numbers of asylum-seekers and refugees.

Other terms of the draft text would call upon States and all concerned parties to refrain from any actions that could prevent or obstruct the High Commissioner's staff and other humanitarian personnel in the performance of their functions.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mali, Malta, Monaco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

By a 71-Power draft resolution on continuation of the Office of the High Commissioner (document A/C.3/52/L.30), the Assembly would decide to continue the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for a further period of five years, from 1 January 1999. It would also decide to review, not later than at its fifty-seventh session, the arrangements for that Office, to determine whether it should be continued beyond 31 December 2003.

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The draft resolution is sponsored by Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mali, Malta, Monaco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Promotion and Protection on the Rights of the Child

By a 76-Power draft resolution on the girl child (document A/C.3/52/L.24), the Assembly would stress the need for full and urgent implementation of the rights of the girl child as guaranteed under all human rights instruments, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The Assembly would urge all States to enact and enforce legislation protecting girls from all forms of violence, including female infanticide, prenatal sex selection, female genital mutilation, incest, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, child prostitution and child pornography. It would also urge them to develop age-appropriate, safe and confidential programmes, as well as medical, social and psychological support services to assist girls who are subjected to violence.

The Assembly would call on States to generate social support for the enforcement of laws on the minimum legal age for marriage, in particular by providing educational opportunities for girls, giving attention to the rights and needs of adolescent girls through special action for their protection from sexual and economic exploitation and abuse, harmful traditional and cultural practices, teenage pregnancy and vulnerability to sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. They should also take measures to increase awareness of the potential of the girl child and to promote gender-sensitive socialization of boys and girls from early childhood.

States parties would also be urged to fulfil the obligations they have undertaken under the child rights Convention and the women's anti- discrimination Convention to protect women and girls from all forms of violence, including domestic violence, sexual trafficking and child prostitution. The Secretary-General, as Chairman of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC), would be asked to ensure that all United Nations bodies take the rights and the particular needs of the girl child into account -- especially in education, health and nutrition -- and eliminate

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negative cultural attitudes and practices against the girl child in the implementation of the outcome of all recent global conferences.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Afghanistan, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Haiti, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Monaco, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Sweden, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The 59-Power text on the rights of the child (documents A/C.3/52/L.25 and A/C.3/52/L.39) comprises eight parts. By Part I, on implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Assembly would again urge all States that have not yet done so to become party to the Convention as a matter of priority, with a view to reaching the goal of universal adherence. States parties would be called on to implement the Convention fully. Part II of the draft, on children with disabilities, would have the Assembly call upon all States to promote for children with disabilities a full and decent life, in conditions which ensure dignity, promote self-reliance, and facilitate the child's active participation in the community.

Part III of the draft concerns preventing and eradicating the sale of children and their sexual exploitation, including child prostitution and child pornography. Amendments introduced to Part IV of the draft text -- children affected by armed conflict -- are proposed by the United States (document A/C.3/52/L.39). By that Part, the Assembly would express grave concern at the damaging effects of armed conflicts on children. It would urge States and all other parties to armed conflict to adopt measures to end the use of children as soldiers in violation of the law of armed conflict and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and to ensure their demobilization and reintegration into society, including through adequate education and training. It would urgently ask that appropriate measures be taken by Member States and United Nations agencies to ensure humanitarian access to children affected by armed conflict.

As part of the amendments, by a replacement for paragraph 14, the Assembly would reaffirm its support for its previous recommendations and those of the Commission on Human Rights and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Red Crescent, concerning the assessment and monitoring of the consequences of sanctions upon children, as well as those concerning humanitarian relief.

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By Part V of the text, on refugee and internally displaced children, the Assembly would urge governments to pay particular attention to the situation of such children. It would call upon all States and United Nations bodies to ensure the early identification and registration of unaccompanied refugee and internally displaced children, to give priority to programmes for family tracing and reunification, and to continue monitoring the care arrangements for them. Part VI, on child labour, would have the Assembly urge States, as a matter of priority, to eliminate all extreme forms of child labour, such as forced labour, bonded labour and other forms of slavery. They would be called on to set specific target dates for eliminating all forms of child labour that are contrary to accepted international standards.

Part VII of the draft text, on street children, would have the Assembly express grave concern at the large number of children living and/or working on the streets, and at the worldwide increase in reports of such children being affected by crime, drug trafficking, abuse, violence and prostitution. It would call upon governments to seek comprehensive solutions by helping to alleviate the poverty of such children and their families, and take certain steps on their behalf. It would call on all governments to take urgent measures to prevent the killing of such children, and to combat torture and violence against them.

Part VIII of the text contains a draft decision by which the Assembly would ask the Secretary-General to submit a report on the rights of the child to the Assembly's next session, including relevant information on children in situations of armed conflict.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom and Venezuela.

By a draft resolution on the rights of the child (document A/C.3/52/L.25, as amended by document A/C.3/52/L.39), the General Assembly

would express profound concern that the situation of children in many parts of the world remains critical. It would cite such causes as inadequate social and economic conditions, poverty, natural disasters, armed conflicts, displacement, exploitation, racism and intolerance, unemployment, rural-to-urban migration, illiteracy, hunger, disability and drug abuse. It would recommend that all relevant human rights mechanisms and United Nations

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bodies pay attention to the situation of children in danger and whose rights were violated.

The Assembly would also urge all States to sign, ratify or accede to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, with a view to reaching the goal of universal adherence.

The draft is sponsored by Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom and Venezuela.

Elimination of Racism and Racial Discrimination

By a two-part draft resolution on the report of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (document A/C.3/52/L.32), the Assembly would encourage the Committee to continue to contribute fully to the implementation of the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination and its revised Programme of Action, including by continuing to collaborate with the Subcommission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and by cooperating with the Special Rapporteur on Contemporary forms of racism.

Addressing the financial situation of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Assembly would express profound concern that a number of States parties to the Convention have still not fulfilled their financial obligations, and would strongly appeal to them to do so.

The draft is sponsored by the following Member States: Austria, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Monaco, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sweden and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Right of Peoples to Self-determination

By a draft resolution on the use of mercenaries (document A/C.3/52/L.33), the Assembly would call upon all States that have not yet done so to consider taking action to sign or ratify the International Convention against the

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Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries. It would ask the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, as a matter of priority, to make proposals on a clearer legal definition of mercenaries. The High Commissioner would also be asked to publicize the adverse effects of mercenary activities on the right to self-determination and, when requested and where necessary, to render advisory service to States affected by the activities of mercenaries.

The text is sponsored by Cuba, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo.

By a draft resolution on the universal realization of the rights of peoples to self-determination (document A/C.3/52/L.34), the Assembly would reaffirm that the universal realization of the rights of all peoples to self-determination, including those under colonial, foreign and alien domination, is a fundamental condition for the effective guarantee and observance of human rights. It would declare its firm opposition to acts of foreign military intervention, aggression and occupation.

The Assembly would deplore the plight of millions of refugees and displaced persons uprooted due to such acts and reaffirm their right to return to their homes voluntarily in safety and honour.

The draft is sponsored by Albania, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Egypt, El Salvador, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, Togo and United Arab Emirates.

Human Rights Questions

A draft resolution on the Convention for the protection of migrant workers (document A/C.3/52/L.35) would have the Assembly express deep concern at the growing manifestations of racism, xenophobia and other forms of discrimination and inhuman and degrading treatment directed against migrant workers in different parts of the world. It would call upon all Member States to sign, ratify or accede to the Convention.

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

By a draft resolution on the international covenants on human rights (document A/C.3/52/L.37), the Assembly would appeal strongly to all States to become parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as to accede to the Optional Protocols to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and to make the declaration provided for in its article

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41. By other terms of the text, the Assembly would urge States parties to fulfil in good time their reporting obligations under the international covenants on human rights, and in their reports to use gender-desegregated data and to take into account observations made at the conclusion of the consideration of their reports.

The draft is sponsored by Canada, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Venezuela.

Action on Draft Texts

The Chairman of the Committee, ALESSANDRO BUSACCA (Italy), referring to the draft resolution on improving the situation of women in rural areas (document A/C.3/52/L.15/Rev.1), said the draft contained no programme budget implications.

KATE NEWELL, Committee Secretary, read the revisions to the draft text as made when the draft text was introduced (on 19 November).

The Chairman reminded delegations that the following sponsors had been added when the draft was introduced on 10 November: Canada, Côte d'Ivoire, Germany, Finland, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Sweden, Thailand, United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia.

The following co-sponsors were then added: Botswana, India, Tajikistan, Solomon Islands, Israel, Italy, Guyana, Mali, Viet Nam, Iceland, Benin, Barbados and Malawi. Pakistan and Mauritius withdrew as co-sponsors of the resolution.

The representative of Saudi Arabia said he had reservations on sub- paragraph (e) of operative paragraph 2, having to do with equality between men and women. He said that was against Islamic law and he would like that recorded.

Operative paragraph 2 (e):

"(e) Designing and revising laws to ensure that women have equal access to and control over land, unmediated by male relatives, in order to end land rights discrimination; according women secure use rights and full representation in the decision-making bodies that allocate land and other forms of property, credit, information and new technologies; and in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, according women full and equal rights to own land and other property, inter alia, through inheritance; land reform programmes should begin by acknowledging the equality of women's

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rights to land and take other measures to increase land availability to poor women and men."

The representative of Sudan said she had joined consensus on the draft resolution on rural women because most paragraphs clearly focused on preserving and protecting the rights of rural women as well as on improving their status so they could be active members of society.

She had a few reservations on operative paragraph 2 (e), and, therefore, could not support that paragraph. The paragraph distanced itself from the wording of the international instruments, mainly the Beijing plan, by introducing unacceptable ambivalence. Sudan rejected any language in contradiction with Islamic law.

The representative of Morocco said his country gave great importance to the rights of women, especially rural women. They had special priority in all programmes. Morocco paid attention to women and had co-sponsored resolutions on rural women. The draft was entirely acceptable as it had read, particularly with regard to aspects of inheritance. The original wording had been in accordance with shariah law. However, the draft was amended and a new paragraph gave room for confusion.

The representatives of Iran, Gabon and Kuwait said they also had reservations to paragraph 2(e).

The representative of Iraq said others had spelled out their views and he would not repeat the point, but he endorsed their positions and joined in the consensus on the draft, but the language was ambiguous and ambivalent and might run counter to Islamic law.

The representative of Bahrain said the language in the future might be interpreted as running counter to Islamic law. Islamic law was a fixed language and not open to discussion. Islam guaranteed full rights to women, including the right to inherit.

The representatives of the United Arab Emirates and Oman said they had reservations on the language for the reasons already stated by others.

The representative of Mauritania said he had co-sponsored the draft but would not do so any longer, because of the changes. Subparagraph (e) had been worded in an ambiguous way which would imply there was no equality, which ran counter to Islamic law and so he withdrew his name. He said he hoped for better next year.

The representative of Djibouti registered a reservation about paragraph 2(e).

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The representative of Pakistan said he had co-sponsored the draft and went with the consensus on paragraph 2(e). Where sensitive issues were involved, he hoped more consideration would be shown, particularly in regard to religion.

The representative of Senegal said he had co-sponsored, but the initial draft was changed. Paragaraph 2(e) was ambiguous.

The representative of Qatar said some might interpret the wording as running counter to Islamic law.

The representative of Jordan registered a reservation about the paragraph.

The representative of Zambia said she was profoundly disappointed.

The representative of Morocco, on a point of order, said Zambia was a sponsor and had no right to speak during explanation of vote. The Chairman said they were in the process of making statements, not in explanation of vote.

The representative of Sudan said she would withdraw and resubmit her statement as an explanation of vote. The Chairman asked Zambia to wait and make her statement later.

The representative of Zambia said she was entitled to make a general statement. Nothing stopped a co-sponsor from making a statement.

The meeting was suspended for consultation with Legal Counsel on the issue, and it resumed with the decision that the voting procedure had not begun and that all statements were statements made in connection with the draft before the vote. However, delegates could verbally indicate they were applying their previous statement to the explanation of vote.

The representative of Sudan said he reserved the right to explain his vote in plenary and wanted the Chairman to say that to the Assembly President.

The representative of Zambia said the language was a result of delicate and strenuous negotiation that had taken place in the Commission on Women. Zambia had joined the sponsors with the understanding that consensus language would be used. What was the meaning of consensus? To Zambia, it meant you may not be happy but you agree to adopt the text. All delegations present had agreed to adopt the text. She did not understand how they could now claim it went against their religion or beliefs. There was no consensus and Zambia reserved the right to revisit the issue.

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The representative of Morocco said that, when a text was accepted by the Economic and Social Council, the way the wording appeared could not be said to be applicable everywhere. In the lengthy report, experts had an opportunity to explain their positions but to reproduce that sentence and take it out of context could lead to misinterpretation, and the text could now run counter to Islamic law. These were not just beliefs but clear-cut, binding rules. Morocco was one of the first co-sponsors of the draft and was surprised to see some delegations imposing language after having accepted other consensus wording.

The representative of Oman asked if delegations had to speak again. The Chairman explained and Oman said the statement he had made was applicable as an explanation of vote.

The representative of South Africa said she had co-sponsored the draft two years ago, but could not do so now. Rural women were impoverished because they did not get equal inheritance. The equal inheritance wording had not been able to be put into the text, because of the shariah law. It was disappointing to have those very nations putting up objections on whose behalf the language had been worked out. She supported Zambia on there being no consensus.

The representative of Bahrain said he reserved the right to explain his vote in plenary.

The draft resolution was approved without a vote.

The representative of Morocco said he wanted his reservations noted formally. The Commission on the Status of Women should take up the issue next year, keeping in mind the existence of national legislation based on the Muslim religion, which was based on inheritance rights that could not be altered.

The representative of Oman said his previous statement was an explanation of vote and he reiterated his reservations.

The representative of Mauritania said his reservations should be entered, otherwise he was part of the consensus on the draft.

The representative of Iran asked that her statement be entered as an explanation of vote and be made a record of the committee, as did the representatives of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

The representative of Pakistan said his previous statement should be entered as an explanation of vote, along with an explanation for why the country had withdrawn as a sponsor.

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The representative of the United Arab Emirates said his previous statement applied as an explanation of vote and he wanted his reservations entered, as did the representatives of Djibouti, Qatar and Jordan. The representative of Sudan said she reserved the right to explain her vote in plenary and wanted that entered.

The representative of the Libya said that, given the controversy that had arisen, he wanted to explain his understanding of the language in paragraph 2(e). The right to inheritance was guaranteed in his country, which was Islamic, and that right had been guaranteed 1400 years before. Inheritance in Islamic law was not based on gender. Shariah could not be changed. The law of God could not be changed by humans. His understanding was that the paragraph affirmed the right to inherit, but the percentage of the inheritance varied from country to country.

The Committee then took note of the following reports: the report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women; the reports of the Secretary-General on the Status of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and on activities of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW). It concluded its consideration of the agenda item on advancement for women.

Mr. BUSACCA (Italy), Committee Chairman, referring to the draft resolution on assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa (document A/C.3/52/L.27), said the draft resolution contained no programme budget implications.

Ms. NEWELL, Committee Secretary, read out revisions made to the draft text when it was introduced on 10 November.

LUPIO MOTEETEE (Lesotho), the main sponsor of the draft text, made the following revisions:

Operative paragraph 14 was revised to read as follows: "Encourages the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to continue to cooperate with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights within their respective mandates in the promotion and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms in emergency humanitarian situations in Africa."

Operative paragraph 19 was amended as follows: in the last line the word "permanent" was replaced by the word "durable".

The draft resolution was approved, as orally revised, without a vote.

Mr. BUSACCA (Italy), Committee Chairman, referring to the draft resolution on follow-up to the 1996 Regional Conference on refugees and

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displaced persons in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and relevant neighbouring States (document A/C.3/52/L.28), said the draft text contained no programme budget implications. He reminded the Committee that Japan and Turkmenistan had joined the list of co-sponsors when the draft resolution was introduced (on 11 November).

Additional co-sponsors were added as follows: the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Iceland and Austria.

The representative of Ukraine, speaking in explanation of vote, said his country supported the principles of the programme of action of the regional conference, in which Ukraine had taken an active part. The final outcome was a solid basis for cooperation of the parties concerned. He was ready to continue to work towards the full implementation of the programme of action, but regretted he was unable to join the sponsorship of the draft resolution since the text contained a number of paragraphs whose interpretation was different from what was agreed on in the regional conference.

The draft resolution was approved by the Committee without a vote.

The representative of Azerbaijan said his country attached great importance to the follow-up to the regional conference. There was still much suffering in the CIS region. He referred to the aggression of Armenia towards Azerbaijan, the emergency nature of which situation had been reflected in a 1993 General Assembly resolution. Measures were needed to allow affected persons to return to their homes. He called on the UNHCR to assist the refugees.

It was difficult for him to accept the draft resolution, since he had reservations on some parts of it, including the reference to populations in paragraph 6 as being the responsibility of the affected countries. That position did not correspond to the situation in the CIS countries. Population displacement was the responsibility of the aggressor state. He called for assistance for the refugees. The specific situations of each country should be taken into account in the provision of humanitarian assistance. He asked that his reservation be recorded.

The Committee then took up the draft resolution on the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (document A/C.3/52/L.29).

Mr BUSACCA (Italy), Committee Chairman, said the draft resolution contained no programme budget implications. He reminded the Committee that the following delegations had been announced as co-sponsors when the draft resolution was introduced (on November 11): Afghanistan, Albania, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Guatemala, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Republic of Korea, Romania, Suriname, Turkmenistan and Uganda.

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IRMELI MUSTONEN (Finland), the main sponsor of the draft text, amended the draft resolution by inserting a new paragraph after operative paragraph 9 as follows:

"Acknowledges the desirability of comprehensive approaches by the international community to the problems of refugees and displaced persons, including addressing root causes, strengthening emergency preparedness and response, providing effective protection and achieving durable solutions." The paragraph would be number 10 and all subsequent paragraphs would be renumbered.

The following Member States were added to the list of co-sponsors: Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, Burundi, Chad, Gabon, Marshall Islands, Nigeria, Tajikistan, Guinea, Israel, Ukraine, Niger, Turkmenistan, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Cameroon, Colombia, Paraguay, Republic of the Congo, Samoa, The Federated States of Micronesia.

The draft resolution was approved, as orally revised, without a vote.

The representative of Singapore, in explanation of vote, said he supported the general thrust of the draft text. However, he wanted to place on record his reservations on operative paragraph 5, which reaffirmed everyone's right to seek, and enjoy in other countries, asylum from persecution. Such an unqualified and categorical statement was unacceptable for two reasons: Singapore had never recognized an unrestricted or automatic right to asylum; and the paragraph did not accurately reflect contemporary international practice on the right to asylum. It was better to acknowledge the reality of changing international practice than to pretend that the reality had not changed.

The representative of the United Republic of Tanzania said she had gone along with the consensus but had differed with the views expressed in operative paragraph 7 (which referred, among other things, to the need for States of refuge to ensure the civilian and humanitarian character of refugee camps and settlements). It was ambiguous. Tanzania, as a host country to refugees, would not engage in activities that might compromise the humanitarian character of refugee camps.

The Committee then took up the draft resolution on the continuation of the Office of the High Commissioner.

The Chairman reminded the Committee that the following Member States had been added as co-sponsors, when the draft text was introduced (10 November): Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Guatemala, Croatia, Guinea Bissau, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Suriname, and Uganda.

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The following Member States were then added as co-sponsors: Albania, Angola, Argentina, Belarus, Botswana, Brazil, Burundi, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Republic of Korea, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay, Zambia, Israel, Mauritania, San Marino, Guinea, Andorra, Samoa, Iraq, Ukraine, Turkmenistan, Tunisia, Trinidad and Tobago, Niger, Sudan, Senegal, the Federated States of Micronesia, Cameroon and Togo.

The representative of the Netherlands said, due to the large number of delegations supporting the draft text, the Committee should consider adopting it by acclamation.

The Committee approved the draft resolution by acclamation.

The Committee then took up the draft resolution on the girl child.

The Chairman, Mr BUSACCA (Italy), reminded the Committee that the following delegations had been added to the list of co-sponsors when the draft text was introduced: Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Austria, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Niger, San Marino, Spain, Suriname, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

Ms. NEWELL, Committee Secretary, then read out revisions made to the draft text when it was introduced (6 November).

Additional co-sponsors were then added as follows: Australia, Jamaica, Panama, Canada, Tajikistan, Guyana, Liechtenstein, Antigua and Barbuda, Malaysia, Mali, Turkmenistan, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Cameroon, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Belarus and Nepal.

The draft resolution was approved, as orally revised, without a vote.

The representative of Malta, speaking in explanation of position, said she reaffirmed and recognized the responsibility of parents and legal guardians for their children. However, she reserved her position on operative paragraph 4(g) which made reference to reproductive health.

The Committee then took up the draft resolution on the rights of the child.

The representative of the United Kingdom asked for a delay in taking action on the text to allow delegations to consider taking action on it without a vote.

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The Committee agreed to postpone action on the draft resolution until Monday, 17 November.

Draft on Racial Discrimination

The Committee then took up the draft resolution on the report of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

The Chairman said the draft resolution had no programme budget implications. He reminded the Committee that the following co-sponsors had been added when the draft text was introduced (on 13 November): Belgium, Croatia, El Salvador, Portugal, and Turkmenistan.

The representative of Slovenia, as the main sponsor of the draft text, made the following amendment to operative paragraph 7: the words "the communications of the Committee" were deleted. The last part of the paragraph would then read "as well as with the General Assembly and the States parties".

Additional co-sponsors were added as follows: Spain, Australia, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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

Draft on Use of Mercenaries

The Committee then took up the draft resolution on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the rights of peoples to self-determination.

The Chairman reminded the Committee that Algeria had been added to the list of co-sponsors when the draft text was introduced.

Ms. NEWELL, Committee Secretary, read revisions that had been made to the text when it was introduced.

SAM OTUYELU (Nigeria) made an amendment to the text as follows: the words: "to make proposals toward a clearer legal definition of mercenaries

and" were deleted from operative paragraph 6. That paragraph had requested the High Commissioner to make such proposals.

The following paragraph was then added as a new paragraph 7: "Further requests the Secretary-General to invite governments to make proposals toward

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a clearer legal definition of mercenaries." The last two paragraphs would be renumbered.

Mr. OTUYELU said the co-sponsors thought it was more appropriate to make such a request to the Secretary-General. He, therefore, hoped the amendments would allow the draft resolution to be approved without a vote.

The following Member States were added to the list of co-sponsors: Guinea, Ethiopia, India, Iraq, Niger, Mali, Uganda, Egypt and Sudan.

The Chairman said a recorded vote had been requested on the draft resolution.

In an explanation of position, the representative of New Zealand, said that he would abstain on the resolution but he was opposed to the use of mercenaries.

The draft resolution, as orally revised, was approved by a recorded vote of vote of 91 in favour, 16 against, with 41 abstentions (See Annex).

There were some technical problems with the voting machine, but the Committee Secretary later informed the Committee that the votes were properly recorded. However, a number of representatives stated their positions -- Moldova abstained; the Republic of Korea abstained; Qatar voted in favour; Portugal abstained; Poland abstained; the Philippines voted in favour; the Russian Federation voted in favour; The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia abstained; and Nepal abstained; Romania abstained.

The representative of Iraq, speaking after the vote, said that under article 19 he was not allowed to vote (reference to arrears in that country's assessment). If he had the right to vote he would have voted in favour of the draft resolution.

The representative of Australia said she was unable to support the resolution as a whole because of the language used in the text. The representative of Cuba asked for the final result. He also asked if measures would be taken to avoid the technical difficulties being experienced in the conference room.

Draft on Rights to Self-determination

The Committee then took up the draft resolution on the universal realization of the rights of peoples to self-determination.

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The Chairman said the draft text had no programme budget implications.

The representative of Pakistan, noting that a similar draft resolution had been adopted by consensus last year, hoped the same would be the case this year.

Additional cosponsors were added: Iraq, Mali and Republic of the Congo.

The draft resolution was approved without a vote.

The representative of Pakistan, speaking after the vote, said he hoped that the resolution would be adopted without a vote by the Assembly.

Draft on Migrant Workers

The Committee then took up the draft resolution on the Convention for the protection of migrant workers.

The Chairman said the draft resolution contained no programme budget implications. He reminded the Committee that the following were announced as co-sponsors when the draft text was introduced: Cape Verde, Guatemala, Guyana, Nigeria and Yemen. The Dominican Republic was also added to the list of co-sponsors.

The draft resolution was approved without a vote.

Draft on International Covenants

The Committee then took up the draft resolution on the international covenants on human rights.

Ms. NEWELL, Committee Secretary, then read out the revisions made to the draft text when it was introduced.

Mr. BUSACCA, Committee Chairman, reminded the Committee that the following had joined the list of co-sponsors when the draft resolution was introduced: Australia, Hungary, New Zealand, Monaco, Panama, and Portugal.

Additional co-sponsors were added as follows: Austria, Belarus, Greece, Lithuania, Malta, San Marino, Israel, Spain, El Salvador and Poland.

The draft resolution, as revised, was approved without a vote.

Human Rights Statements

DANILO TURK (Slovenia), Chairman of the Working Group of the Third Committee, said the Group had met four times to consider questions of

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implementing recommendations of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.

They had formulated a "non-paper" in the form of a resolution around three aspects of the issue. The first was adapting the United Nations machinery to current and future needs in promoting and protecting all human rights. The second was promoting and protecting human rights within the framework of a balanced and sustainable development for all people. The third was improvement of coordination, efficiency and effectiveness of the United Nations Human Rights organs.

Detailing the work of the meetings, he said many of the issues discussed were currently subjects of system-wide consideration, and the Working Group should continue its activities beyond the current session of the Assembly. A concise text containing the core ideas already commanding broad agreement should be prepared with a view toward early adoption.

RODOLFO REYES RODRIGUEZ (Cuba) said it was important for the Working Group to continue. A decision had to be made during this present session.

QIN HUASUN (China) said it was normal for countries to have differences on questions of human rights. What was important was how to deal with the differences. China was not in favour of practising power politics, exerting political or economic pressure on countries with different views, or imposing one's own ideology and values on others in the field of human rights. China was pleased to see more and more countries handling the question of human rights through dialogue.

The international community should take practical and effective measures to remove at the earliest possible date various unfair and irrational phenomena in the international field of human rights. Cold war thinking still existed. Hegemonism and power politics remained the major threat to world peace and stability, along with the unfair international economic order. Current United Nations human rights activities failed to focus on removing the root cause of human rights violations, which was the pursuit of human rights as a political instrument, selectively and by double standards, to grossly interfere in internal affairs of developing countries.

He said China had taken prosperity, democracy and cultural advancement as its objective in a comprehensive development. During the Eighth Five-Year Plan from 1992 to 1996, basic living conditions had improved remarkably. The annual per capita income increased 7.2 per cent among the urban population and 5.7 percent in the rural. The rural poverty-stricken population was reduced by 32 million. At the same time, China had strengthened democracy and improved its legal system. It had taken new measures to promote and protect individual human rights.

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However, the representatives of the United States and the European Union, in disregard of these facts, made unwarranted attacks against China in their statements, as they had done against a host of developing countries. They said not a word about human rights problems in their own countries or group. Selectivity and double standards ran counter to the purpose of international cooperation in the field of human rights. The United States and the European Union should review the basic norms of international law and stop interfering in other countries' internal affairs.

ARIZAL EFFENDI (Indonesia) said poverty inhibited enjoyment of rights by the marginalized, and denied them opportunities and choices for healthy and decent standards of living, as well as a genuine expression of their civil and political rights.

The world had undergone considerable transformation, but absolute poverty had increased. As there was forward movement to promote and protect one set of human rights, too little was being done to promote the rights of the poorest. The approach of some countries to promote and protect human rights from a narrow and one-sided conditionality for development cooperation was counter-productive and a blatant denial of the human right to development.

The World Conference on Human Rights had called upon the international community to make all efforts to help alleviate the external debt burden of developing countries, he continued. Indonesia had become a party to the Convention on Protection of Migrant Workers and was strengthening its national human rights programme. It had an independent and active National Commission on Human Rights and it had established technical cooperation in the field of human rights with several countries.

SHAHIRA WAHBI (Sudan) said Uganda had exercised its right of reply in response to Sudan's answer to the Special Rapporteur. Sudan was shocked to have been attacked by Uganda and did not understand what Uganda had been referring to. Sudan condemned the Lord Resistance Army (LRA) and any other parties involved in acts of violence against children. Uganda could not deny that Ugandan security forces had visited Sudan and the refugee camps in the south. Furthermore, Uganda seemed to be denying that the presidents of the two countries had met to discuss the matter at a meeting also attended by other African leaders in South Africa at the beginning of last September.

She said that meeting was the background to the presentation of the resolution on assistance to unaccompanied refugee minors. Sudan had asked Uganda to co-sponsor the draft, and it would not. Sudan completely refused to let Uganda draw it into Uganda's internal affairs; it condemned Uganda for turning the international community against Sudan.

Sudan was trying to normalize relations with Uganda, she concluded. It had asked Uganda to establish a monitoring team at the border with a third

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party agreed to by both countries, but had received no reply from Uganda. Sudan was concerned about abductions of children; using children in war was a crime and Sudan condemned any acts that made children suffer.

(Annex follows)

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Third Committee Press Release GA/SHC/3448 37th Meeting (PM) 14 November 1997

ANNEX

Vote on Use of Mercenaries

The draft resolution on the use of mercenaries (document A/C.3/52/L.34) was approved by a recorded vote of 91 in favour to 16 against, with 41 abstentions, as follows:

In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe.

Against: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, United Kingdom, United States.

Abstain: Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bahamas, Belarus, Bulgaria, Congo, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Georgia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Marshall Islands, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Samoa, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine.

Absent: Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Chad, Comoros, Dominica Equatorial Guinea, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Monaco, Palau, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Zambia.

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