INFORMATION COMMITTEE CONCLUDES 1997 SESSION, APPROVES REPORT TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Press Release
PI/1039
INFORMATION COMMITTEE CONCLUDES 1997 SESSION, APPROVES REPORT TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY
19971117 The Committee on Information this morning completed the process of approving its annual report to the General Assembly, thus concluding the work of its 1997 session. The report will be transmitted to the Assembly's Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), which this morning begins its consideration of questions relating to information. It was approved as orally revised. The process of approving the draft report began on Friday, 14 November, when the Committee approved major sections of the text, including a two-part draft resolution on information questions. By one of these, the General Assembly would take note that the Committee on Information had been unable, during its 1997 session, to complete its task relating to United Nations public information policies and activities. By a text on information in the service of humanity, the Assembly would urge all countries, United Nations bodies and others concerned to cooperate with a view to reducing disparities in information flows at all levels by increasing assistance for development of the communication infrastructures and capabilities of developing countries. (For additional information, see Press Release PI/1038 of 14 November.) At its meeting today, the Committee considered and approved revisions to its draft report to take account of its discussions on Friday. At that time, several representatives expressed concern at the Committee's inability to complete its work. While one speaker cited a lack of "seriousness" in the conduct of the Committee's work, another, speaking on behalf of a group, said the delay had resulted from external circumstances beyond its control. The Committee had decided to split its annual session this year so it might consider the Secretary-General's proposals on reform of United Nations public information activities. However, despite extensive consultations, it had been unable to provide a detailed response in time for consideration of the issue by the Fourth Committee. Its annual text, which generally provides a detailed public information mandate for the Organization, this year asks the Secretary-General "to continue to implement already mandated activities". Closing the session of the Information Committee, its Chairman, Jose Alberto de Sousa (Portugal), said the Committee had faced a very unusual year as a result of external circumstances. He said it should now focus its attention on next year, because many things were changing -- including the ongoing United Nations reform process. Statements were also made by the representatives of the Russian Federation, Pakistan, Jamaica, Egypt, Algeria and the Netherlands. The representative of Belarus, as Rapporteur, introduced the revisions to the Committee's draft report.Committee Work Programme
The Committee on Information met this morning to complete the process of approving its draft report to the General Assembly, begun on Friday, 14 November, and to conclude its 1997 session. A new version of the draft report (document A/AC/198/1997/L.1/Rev.1) contains revisions to paragraphs 14 and 23 of the original text, as well as new paragraphs 61 through 72, which reflect the discussions in the Committee's meeting on Friday. (For background, see Press Release PI/1038 of 14 November.)
Paragraph 14 of the report concerns the Committee's decision to hold its 1997 session in two segments, to give delegations times for consultations on proposals by the Secretary-General for a reorientation of the United Nations public information activities. The revised paragraph now reflects the process of consultations by the Chairman since the Committee's meetings in September.
Paragraph 23 was revised to include an alphabetical listing of States which spoke during the general debate portion of the Committee's session, from 13 to 19 May.
Action on Draft Report
ALYAKSEI SKRYPKO (Belarus), Rapporteur, introduced the revised draft report. He made the following oral amendments to the report:
-- The second sentence of paragraph 65 should read: "On the proposal of several delegations, the Committee agreed to amend paragraphs 14 and 60 to reflect appropriately in the report the process of consultations by the Chairman since its meeting held in September."
-- The fourth sentence of paragraph 67 should read: "One delegation, speaking on behalf of a group, said that it could not support this approach."
-- Paragraph 68 should read: "All delegations agreed that the work of the Committee this year had been undertaken in exceptional circumstances. Several speakers pointed to the fact that the Committee had not been able to finish its business. One pointed to a lack of seriousness in the conduct of its work at the current session. One delegation, speaking on behalf of a group, said that this was due to external circumstances outside the control of the Committee.
-- Paragraph 70 should read: "Many delegations strongly felt that more preparation, including work on the agenda, was required for the next session of the Committee and believed that an organized process of informal consultations would be productive in this regard."
Committee on Information - 3 - Press Release PI/1039 9th Meeting (AM) 17 November 1997
The Committee approved Sections II ("Organizational questions") and III ("General debate and consideration of substantive questions") of the report and then turned to Section IV ("Preparation and adoption of the report of the Committee to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session").
KIRILL K. SPERANSKIY (Russian Federation) said the full text of item 7 of the Committee's agenda should be reproduced in paragraph 64.
SALMAN A. ABBASY (Pakistan) said the last sentence of paragraph 69 should be replaced by the following: "Some delegations took note of the progress achieved by the open-ended working group on informatics which was mandated by ECOSOC resolution 1997/1 of 18 July 1997 to design an overall information management strategy for the United Nations system and suggested that the Committee on Information should keep in view the progress being made in this area."
WAYNE St. JOHN McCOOK (Jamaica) proposed the following addition to paragraph 66: "One delegation expressed the view that the resolution had been hastily put together and that little opportunity had been afforded for extensive discussion and review at the level of the Committee as a whole."
HOSSAM ZAKI (Egypt) said one paragraph, to be drafted by the Chairman or by his delegation, should be added to the report to reflect the Chairman's summary of the Committee's debate during its meeting on Friday, 14 November.
NACERDINE SAI (Algeria) drew attention to the proposal by Pakistan. He said the phrase "took note" should be replaced by "drew the attention of the Committee".
ROBERT W. ZAAGMAN (Netherlands) asked that the Pakistan amendment be read out again, because he wanted to ensure that the report was an accurate reflection of what had been discussed at the last meeting.
JOSE ALBERTO DE SOUSA (Portugal), Committee Chairman, read out the amendment suggested by the representative of Pakistan. He then suspended the meeting for five minutes to draft a paragraph summarizing his comments of 14 November.
After resumption of the meeting, the Committee adopted the oral amendments proposed by the representatives of the Russian Federation, Pakistan, Jamaica and Algeria.
Mr. DE SOUSA (Portugal) read out the text of a new paragraph, suggested by the representative of Egypt: "At the end of the meeting the Chairman stated that he had taken full note of the deliberations during the meeting."
Committee on Information - 4 - Press Release PI/1039 9th Meeting (AM) 17 November 1997
The Committee then approved Section IV of the report, as orally amended.
Mr. DE SOUSA (Portugal) said the Committee had had a very unusual year of work due to external circumstances. Those unusual circumstances had been reflected in the statements of the Committee members. The Committee should now focus its attention on next year. Many things were changing, including the ongoing reform process of the United Nations. He would continue to broaden consultations on the Committee's work for the next year.
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