ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL COMMITTEE CONCLUDES CURRENT PHASE OF ITS WORK

9 December 1997

Press Release
GA/EF/2808*

ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL COMMITTEE CONCLUDES CURRENT PHASE OF ITS WORK

19971209 Approves Texts on Anti-Desertification, Biodiversity, Climate Change Conventions; Decides Not To Take Action on Business and Development

As it concluded the current phase of its deliberations before suspending its work, the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) this afternoon approved, without a vote, three draft resolutions relating to the Convention to Combat Desertification, Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Also this afternoon, the Committee adopted a motion, introduced by the United Republic of Tanzania, on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, not to take action on a text on business and development, submitted by a Committee Vice-Chairman. Prior to that action, the Committee voted to reject a request of the representative of the European Union to suspend the meeting briefly to verify the position of the group regarding the draft. Following the no-action motion, the representative of the United States introduced and subsequently withdrew an earlier version of the text.

By one of the three drafts approved, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to authorize the Anti-Desertification Convention's interim secretariat to act as the secretariat for the transition period following the first session of the Conference of the Parties until the permanent secretariat begins operating at Bonn by 1 January 1999.

Before approving the draft resolution as a whole, the Committee approved -- by a recorded vote of 145 in favour to 1 against (United States), with 1 abstention (Israel) -- an operative paragraph in which the Assembly would decide to include sessions of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention and its subsidiary bodies in the calendar of conferences and meetings for 1998-1999. (See Annex.)

* Press Release GA/EF/2806 of 9 December should have been numbered GA/EF/2807.

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By the two other texts approved, the Assembly would:

-- Decide to include in the calendar of conferences and meetings for the biennium 1998-1999 the sessions of the Conferences of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; and

-- Call on States Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to settle their arrears and to pay their contributions to ensure continuity in the cash flow required to finance the ongoing work of the Conference of the Parties to that treaty.

Further this afternoon, the Committee approved, without a vote, two draft decisions under which the Assembly would:

-- Decide to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-third session, under the item entitled "Environment and sustainable development", a sub-item entitled "Implementation and follow-up to the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), including the outcome of the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly for the purpose of an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of Agenda 21"; and

-- Decide to continue to review the progress made in implementing the conventions signed at UNCED or as a result of it, as well as other conventions related to sustainable development.

In addition, the Committee approved its draft biennial programme of work for 1998-1999, as orally amended.

In closing remarks, the Committee Chairman, Oscar de Rojas (Venezuela), said he would not read his prepared speech highlighting the Committee's accomplishments. He promised, however, to work in consultation with the President of the General Assembly to achieve consensus on the draft resolutions which had been voted on by the Committee today.

Closing statements were also made by the representatives of the United Republic of Tanzania, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and the United States.

A text approved on 5 December would have the Assembly decide to convene a two-day resumed session of its Second Committee to consider the topic of financing for development.

Committee Work Programme

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

By a draft resolution on the implementation of Agenda 21 and the outcome of the Assembly's nineteenth special session (document A/C.2/52/L.29), sponsored by the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, the Assembly would call on all governments, relevant United Nations actors, the international community, including non-governmental organizations, to implement the programme of action adopted by the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests. Stressing that concerted efforts by all governments would be required to achieve advance results by the next review of the implementation of Agenda 21 in the year 2002, and taking into account the priority areas adopted at the special session, the Assembly would call on the developed countries to fulfil their commitments with respect to financial resources and technology transfer.

The Assembly would invite the Commission on Sustainable Development to establish funding modalities to enable developing countries that were not members to participate in the work of the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests, and urge Governments to contribute to the trust fund for that purpose. Governments would be invited to assist developing countries, particularly the least developed countries, to participate in the follow-up meetings envisaged for the next five years, and to make timely contributions to the trust fund to support the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development. The Assembly would also stress the urgent need to replenish the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to enable it to fulfil its mandate.

By a draft text on the protection of the global climate for present and future generations of mankind (document A/C.2/52/L.55), submitted by Committee Vice-Chairman Hans-Peter Glanzer (Austria), on the basis of informal consultations held on the draft text contained in document A/C.2/52/L.21), the Assembly would decide to include in the calendar of conferences and meetings for the biennium 1998-1999 the sessions of the Conferences of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, entailing eight weeks of conference-servicing facilities envisaged for that biennium. It would also decide to maintain the arrangements regarding personnel and financial matters established in regard to the provision of administrative support to the secretariat of the Convention for the biennium 1998-1999.

By a draft text on the Convention on Biological Diversity (document A/C.2/52/L.56), submitted by Vice-Chairman Mr. Glanzer (Austria), on the basis of informal consultations held on the draft text contained in document A/C.2/52/L.25, the Assembly would call on the States parties to the Convention to urgently settle their arrears and to pay their contributions in full and in a timely manner, in accordance with the decision of the Conference of the Parties regarding the contributions required for the trust fund for the

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Convention to ensure continuity in the cash flow required to finance the ongoing work of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention, its subsidiary bodies and its secretariat. It would also encourage those States that had not yet ratified the Convention to do so as soon as possible. Noting that the first national reports of the States parties to the Convention were due to be submitted to its secretariat no later than 1 January 1998, the Assembly would call upon Member States that are parties to the Convention to meet that requirement as soon as possible. It would also invite the international community to assist developing countries in fulfilling that commitment.

Another draft resolution submitted by Committee Vice-Chairman Mr. Glanzer (Austria) concerns the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (document A/C.2/52/L.57) and is based on informal consultations held on draft resolution A/C.2/52/L.22. By the provisions of that draft text, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to authorize the Convention's interim secretariat to act as the secretariat for the transition period following the first session of the Conference of the Parties until the permanent secretariat begins operating at Bonn, by 1 January 1999. It would also request him to maintain the arrangements within the current programme budget for the interim secretariat to support the Convention until the permanent one begins operating and to maintain the arrangements relating to extrabudgetary funds.

The Secretary-General would be requested to close, on 31 December 1998, the Trust Fund and the Special Voluntary Fund established under the provisions of General Assembly resolution 47/188 and to transfer any amounts remaining in those funds as of 31 December 1998, respectively, to the supplementary fund and to the special fund to be established in accordance with the financial rules. The Assembly would call on all countries, particularly developed countries, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to contribute generously to the trust funds (general, supplementary and special funds) to be established by the Secretary-General on 1 January 1999, to facilitate activities under the Convention and to support the participation of representatives of developing and, in particular, least developed country parties affected by desertification and/or drought, particularly those in Africa.

Stressing the need to advance the full implementation of the Convention, the Assembly would call on governments of affected countries to accelerate the processes of elaboration of national, subregional and regional action programmes. It would also call on the international community, particularly the developed countries, and the United Nations system, and invite the multilateral financial institutions and all other interested actors, to support the efforts of affected developing countries in those processes by providing financial resources and other forms of assistance, in accordance with the relevant articles of the Convention and the decisions of the

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Conference of the Parties. It would decide to include in the calendar of conferences and meetings for 1998-1999 the sessions of the Conference of the Parties and its subsidiary bodies envisaged for that biennium, taking into account the request of the Conference of the Parties.

According to a statement on the financial implications of the above draft resolution (document A/C.2/52/L.54), should the Assembly decide to adopt that draft text, no additional appropriations under section 27E would be required in the 1998-1999 programme budget.

By a draft resolution submitted by Committee Vice-Chairman Adel Abdellatif (Egypt) on business and development (document A/C.2/52/L.59), based on informal consultations held on draft resolution A/C.2/52/L.13, the Assembly would call on the United Nations funds and programmes to continue to strengthen support to the promotion of entrepreneurship and to give due consideration to the role of the private sector in development, while ensuring a gender perspective. In that context, the Assembly would also state that there was a need to assist countries, particularly developing countries and countries with economies in transition, in strengthening their capacity to encourage wide participation of the private sector.

The Assembly would encourage the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to continue to provide a forum for intergovernmental discussions, with the participation of the private sector, concerning issues related to privatization, enterprise development, and international flows of investment. It would invite the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and other relevant United Nations organs to further strengthen their activities, particularly for Africa and the least developed countries, in the promotion of entrepreneurship development, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. It would call on the international community to lend its support to UNIDO in that regard.

Action

The Committee took up the draft resolution on the implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification (document A/C.2/52/L.57).

OSCAR DE ROJAS (Venezuela), Chairman of the Committee, reminded delegations that the representative of the United States had requested a recorded vote on operative paragraph 17 of that text.

[That paragraph reads as follows: "Decides to include in the calendar of conferences and meetings for 1998-1999 the sessions of the Conference of the Parties and its subsidiary bodies envisaged for that biennium, taking into account the request of the Conference of the Parties.]

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The representative of the United Republic of Tanzania, speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said it was regrettable that the paragraph had been put to a vote. The Group of 77 and China would vote to retain the paragraph.

The Committee then approved the paragraph by a recorded vote of 145 in favour to 1 against (United States), with one abstention (Israel). (See Annex.)

The representative of Luxembourg, on behalf of the European Union, said the Union attached great importance to the Desertification Convention. It had voted for paragraph 17 and would vote for the entire resolution. The budgetary aspect of the resolution must be subject to the approval of the General Assembly. It was regrettable that a vote had to be taken.

The Committee then approved the draft resolution as a whole without a vote.

The representative of New Zealand said the adoption of the resolution would establish an institutional linkage close to the one for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. In that context, his Government would like to register the following concerns. The resolution created a situation whereby the secretariat of the Desertification Convention would be institutionally linked to the United Nations but not fully integrated into any particular department or programme. That would result in indirect and direct costs to the Organization and the lack of transparency and accountability. If it was desirable to have a Convention secretariat outside the United Nations, the Convention should cover the costs. Funds should be provided as long as the secretariat was fully accountable for those resources. The financial implications of the draft resolution must now be addressed in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary).

In light of the adoption of draft resolution A/C.2/52/L.57, draft resolution A/C.2/52/L.22 was withdrawn by its sponsors.

HANS-PETER GLANZER (Austria), Vice-Chairman of the Committee, then introduced the draft resolution on protection of global climate for present and future generations of mankind (document A/C.2/52/L.55).

The representative of the United States confirmed that his explanation of position stated in the previous meeting would be recorded in the context of the current resolution.

The Committee then approved the draft resolution without a vote.

In light of the adoption of draft resolution A/C.2/52/L.55, draft resolution A/C.2/52/L.21 was withdrawn by its sponsors.

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Mr. GLANZER (Austria) then introduced the draft resolution on the Convention on Biological Diversity (document A/C.2/52/L.56).

The Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote.

In light of the adoption of draft resolution A/C.2/52/L.56, draft resolution A/C.2/52/L.25 was withdrawn by its sponsors.

The Committee then took up the agenda item on the special session of the Assembly for the purpose of an overall review and appraisal of implementation of Agenda 21, the programme of action adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED).

The CHAIRMAN informed the Committee that the draft resolution contained in document A/C.2/52/L.29 had been withdrawn by its sponsors.

Mr. GLANZER (Austria) then proposed a draft decision which would read as follows:

"The General Assembly,

"Recalling its resolution S/19-2 in which it adopted the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21,

"1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the outcome of the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly;

"2. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-third session under the item entitled, "Environment and sustainable development", a sub-item entitled, "Implementation and follow-up to the outcome of UNCED, including the outcome of the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly for the purpose of an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of Agenda 21."

Mr. GLANZER (Austria) then introduced the second draft decision, which would read:

"The General Assembly,

"Recalling its resolution S/19-2 in which it adopted the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21,

"1. Decides to continue to review the progress made in implementing the conventions signed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) or as a result of it as well as other conventions related to sustainable development bearing in mind section IV A of the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, and in this regard requests the

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Secretary-General to submit to its fifty-third session a report on ways and means of undertaking this review;

"2. Invites, beginning in the year 2000, the Conferences of the Parties to conventions signed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) or as a result of it as well as other conventions related to sustainable development to take all appropriate measures to avoid convening their sessions and those of their subsidiary bodies during the sessions of the General Assembly."

The representative of the United Republic of Tanzania said the two draft decisions were a result of the withdrawal of the draft text contained in document A/C.2/52/L.29. The Group of 77 and China attached great importance to the implementation of Agenda 21. It still believed that the partnership created at Rio would still be valid and hoped that commitments made would be honoured. During negotiations over the draft resolutions there were difficulties in accepting the introduction of several issues that had been agreed upon at Rio. It would appear that the draft text would be a procedural issue. Important issues regarding the Intergovernmental Forum on forests and freshwater were not resolved during the special session, and the Group of 77 thought they could be addressed in the draft resolution. In order to have an item on the Assembly's agenda for the fifty-third session on the implementation of Agenda 21, the Group of 77 supported the adoption of the two draft decisions.

The representative of China said the withdrawal of the draft resolution was a set-back for the development and environment processes. All countries should seriously reflect on the consequences that had led to the withdrawal of the draft text. Effective measures should be taken to further the objectives set forth at the Rio Conference.

The Committee then approved the two draft decisions.

The representative of Papua New Guinea said the United Nations should strengthen and enrich existing arrangements on issues related to international conventions. Papua New Guinea recognized the sensitivities of other delegations to desertification and drought, climate change and biodiversity, particularly the independent processes established by the parties to those instruments. The review process in the United Nations on decisions made by the Conferences of the Parties should be transparent. The Committee's decisions recognized the valuable step towards consensus-building and it should enable the parties to those conventions to fulfil their commitments. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) had shown leadership in that area and should continue to do so.

The Committee then decided to have the General Assembly take note of the report of the Secretary-General on the outcome of the nineteenth special

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session of the General Assembly (document A/52/280), as well as of the report of the Governing Council of UNEP (document A/52/25).

ADEL ABDELLATIF (Egypt), Vice-Chairman of the Committee, introduced the draft text on business and development (document A/C.2/52/L.59), which was the result of consultations on a text contained in document A/C.2/52/L.13.

The representative of the United Republic of Tanzania, speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said they had serious difficulties on the issue at the beginning, but a text was finally accepted in the interest of consensus. The Committee had seen today a series of votes meant to make sustained economic growth irrelevant. The Group was highly disappointed by the way the United States had conducted itself this morning. The Group of 77 would ask that no action be taken on the draft resolution, invoking rule 116 of the rules of procedure.

The representative of the United States said it was his understanding that the draft was a consensus text, and if it was not it should be withdrawn by the Vice-Chairman.

The representative of the United Republic of Tanzania said there had been no consensus.

The CHAIRMAN said he did not know the status of the resolution. He asked if two delegations were willing to speak in favour and against the no-action motion.

The representative of the United States, speaking on a point of order, asked for the exact status of the proposal before the Committee.

ANTHONY MILLER, of the General Legal Division of the Office of Legal Affairs, said that the no-action motion had been proposed under rule 116, and it was clear that there would be no action on the draft contained in document A/C.2/52/L.59 if that motion was carried, and the draft would be put aside. If the motion was not approved, action would be taken on the draft.

The representative of Luxembourg, speaking on a point of order, asked to suspend the meeting briefly to verify the position of the European Union with its member countries.

The CHAIRMAN asked if there was any objection to suspending the meeting.

The representative of the United Republic of Tanzania said the Group of 77 was against the motion to suspend the meeting.

The representative of Syria asked if the Committee would now have to vote on whether it would suspend the meeting.

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The representative of Luxembourg said he was astonished by the statement of the Group of 77, when the Committee had just previously suspended the meeting in order for that Group to hold consultations.

The Committee then took up the motion to suspend the meeting. The motion was rejected by a vote of 87 against to 50 in favour, with 1 abstention (Samoa).

The representative of Costa Rica said, as the former Chairman of the Group of 77, that her delegation supported the motion made by the United Republic of Tanzania.

The representative of Indonesia said, as the future Chairman of the Group of 77, that his delegation also supported the motion made by the United Republic of Tanzania.

The representative of the United States said the no-action motion put forward was a move of extreme hostility by the Group of 77 towards some of its own members. As of last night, there was a consensus on the draft text and that was the reason the draft was put before the Committee. It was also his understanding that if the draft was not a consensus text, the Vice-Chairman would withdraw it. The United States would vote against the motion, so the Vice-Chairman could exercise his prerogative and withdraw the draft resolution if there was no consensus.

The representative of the Russian Federation said his delegation was deeply disappointed by what was going on in the Committee. It had hoped that the resolution would be adopted by consensus. The consensus reached on the draft was being linked to the decision taken this morning. The Russian Federation would vote against the no-action motion.

The Committee then approved the no-action motion by a vote of 90 in favour to 53 against, with no abstentions.

The CHAIRMAN said therefore the Committee would not be taking action on the draft resolution contained in document A/C.2/52/L.59.

The representative of the United States then introduced the draft resolution on business and development contained in document A/C.2/52/L.13/Rev.1.

By the terms of that draft text, sponsored by Argentina, Bulgaria, Côte d'Ivoire, Russian Federation, Turkey, Ukraine, United States and Uruguay, the Assembly would stress the importance of microcredit to people living in poverty, allowing them to undertake micro-enterprises, which in turn generate self-employment and contribute to achieving empowerment, particularly of women. It would call for the strengthening of institutions supportive of micro-financing, including microcredit. It would also call upon the United

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Nations funds and programmes to incorporate support for sustainable development from the private sector in their programmes, country cooperation and development assistance frameworks, as well as promote entrepreneurship.

The Assembly would also ask the Secretary-General and the operational development agencies of the United Nations system to focus analytical work, in implementing the present resolution as well as General Assembly resolutions 48/180 and 50/106, on the role of the private sector, including the informal sector, in sustainable development. It would encourage the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to involve non-governmental organizations actors in its activities in an advisory capacity. It would welcome the "Partners for Development Initiative" of the UNCTAD Secretary- General and the meeting to be held at Lyon, France, in November 1998.

The representative of the United States then withdrew the resolutions contained in documents A/C.2/52/L.13 and A/C.2/52/L.13/Rev.1.

The representative of the Sudan said it was inaccurate to state that the Vice-Chairman, Mr. Abdellatif (Egypt), was being treated in a hostile manner by the Committee. The Vice-Chairman enjoyed the respect of all the Committee members.

The representative of Luxembourg said the European Union would have been prepared to honour the consensus reached yesterday on the draft resolutions. The Union was astonished that the spirit of collaboration emphasized so often at the meeting this morning had been dashed when a group was denied a simple suspension of a meeting.

The representative of Mozambique said if his delegation had been in the room during the meeting this morning, it would have voted in favour of the draft resolution on global financial flows (document A/C.2/52/L.48).

The representative of the United Republic of Tanzania said that the no-action motion should in no way be taken as an act that questioned the work of the Vice-Chairman, Mr. Abdellatif (Egypt). It was taken to protect the interests of the Group of 77 and China. Therefore, he endorsed the statement made by the representative of the Sudan.

The representative of Mauritania said had his delegation been in the room during the meeting this morning, it would have voted in favour of the draft resolution on women in development (document A/C.2/52/L.17/Rev.1).

The representative of Slovenia said had her delegation been in the room during the meeting this morning, it would have voted in favour of the following resolutions: on global financial flows (document A/C.2/52/L.48); industrial development cooperation (document A/C.2/52/L.40); and enhancing international cooperation towards a durable solution to the external debt problem of developing countries (document A/C.2/52/L.58). In addition, it

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would have voted in favour of operative paragraph 17 of the draft text contained in document A/C.2/52/L.57, if it had been present during the recorded vote early this afternoon.

The representative of Bulgaria said if his delegation had been present, it would have voted in favour of the draft resolution on global financial flows (document A/C.2/52/L.48).

The Committee then decided to have the General Assembly take note of the note by the Secretary-General on the outcome of the World Food Summit, including action to be taken to follow up the outcome at all appropriate levels (document A/52/132-E/1997/57).

The representative of the United Republic of Tanzania said that earlier he had opposed suspending the meeting because he had understood that the Committee was in the process of voting. He hoped that the representative of the European Union would not take that action in a negative way.

WILLIAM BUNCH, Chief of the Documentation, Programming and Monitoring Section of the Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services, introduced the draft biennial programme of work of the Second Committee for 1998-1999 (document A/C.2/52/L.45) and made revisions to the text.

The CHAIRMAN said the document would be reissued to reflect the amendments.

The representative of the Philippines said that according to the draft resolution on global partnership for development (document A/C.2/52/L.51), there should be an additional report listed under item 2 (a), "financing of development, including net transfer of resources between developing and developed countries".

Mr. BUNCH said the representative of the Philippines was referring to operative paragraph 5 of that draft text, and the index report mentioned in that paragraph would be added to the list of documentation. There might be additional reports depending on the work requested of the Secretary-General in that paragraph.

The representative of Benin asked if the report listed under item 5 (d), "implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification", would be deleted, as indicated earlier by Mr. Bunch.

Mr. BUNCH said operative paragraph 2 of the resolution on the Convention (document A/C.2/52/L.57) contained an open mandate. It only specified that the Secretary-General would report to the Assembly not later than 31 December 2000. The report could be submitted to the fifty-third session of the Assembly or later.

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The Committee then approved the draft biennial programme of work for 1998-1999, as orally revised, without a vote.

The CHAIRMAN said he had decided not to read his prepared statement, some four pages in length, which reflected on the various positive developments that had occurred during the Committee's session. Instead, he would continue his efforts, in consultation with the President of the General Assembly, to achieve a consensus on some of the resolutions approved today by the Committee. He expressed his appreciation to his colleagues, other officials of the Committee, and the Secretariat for their cooperation.

The representative of the United Republic of Tanzania, speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, thanked the Chairman, Vice-Chairmen and other officials, as well as the Secretariat staff, for their support and cooperation.

The representative of the United States expressed appreciation to the same people and regretted the lack of consensus. The United States would support the efforts of the Chairman to seek consensus on a number of issues dealt with in the Committee.

The CHAIRMAN then declared the session of the Second Committee suspended.

(Annex follows)

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ANNEX

Vote on Operative Paragraph 17

Operative paragraph 17 of the draft resolution of the Convention to Combat Desertification (document A/C.2/52/L.57) was approved by a recorded vote of 145 in favour to 1 against, with 1 abstention, as follows:

In favour: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: United States.

Abstain: Israel.

Absent: Afghanistan, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Federated States of Micronesia, Gabon, Georgia, Grenada, Haiti, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mauritius, Palau, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu.

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