DRAFT TEXT TO INCREASE UN OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS BY ONE DAY INTRODUCED IN FIFTH COMMITTEE
Press Release
GA/AB/3222
DRAFT TEXT TO INCREASE UN OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS BY ONE DAY INTRODUCED IN FIFTH COMMITTEE
19980325 The General Assembly would decide that the United Nations official holidays should be set at 10 days, by a draft decision introduced this morning in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) by the representative of Indonesia, on behalf of the draft's sponsors, the "Group of 77" developing countries and China. Currently, there are nine official holidays.By the draft text, the Assembly would reiterate its resolution 52/214 adopted last December, by which it decides, among others, that the two holidays of Id al-Fitr and Id al-Adha shall be observed as official holidays of the United Nations Headquarters and at other duty stations where applicable. Also by that resolution, it decides that no United Nations meetings shall be held on those days, which in 1998 occur on 29 January and 7 April.
During an "informal informal" meeting, the Committee had considered five ways to address the problem of observing the two holidays, given the constraints of the Organization's nine annual official holidays, said the representative of Singapore, who had coordinated the discussions.
He said it considered increasing the number of official holidays to 10; adding one holiday to the current total while adding an extra half-hour to the workday for 16 days; replacing one existing holiday by the upcoming religious holiday; having eight fixed holidays and one optional day; and maintaining the status quo.
Also this morning, some delegations posed questions and concerns about the Committee's programme of work. The representative of Indonesia, speaking for the Group of 77 and China, said sufficient time should be allocated to enable the Committee to complete its work on procurement reform. Syria's representative, agreeing with that statement, also said the Committee needed time to discuss translation at the Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names and of press releases. The representative of Libya endorsed that statement.
Pakistan's representative asked why documents were not being submitted in accordance with resolution 52/214 B, which specified elements to be included in documents for consideration by legislative bodies. The representative of Morocco, stating that his delegation had received correspondence from the Secretariat in English, said various departments had indicated that they lacked
Fifth Committee - 2 - Press Release GA/AB/3222 57th Meeting (AM) 25 March 1998
the necessary staff to translate correspondence. The Secretariat should explain the situation to the Committee. He also asked for the status of the translation of a report on contingent-owned equipment. The representative of France associated herself with the statement of Morocco.
Cuba's representative said time was needed to consider the question of improving conference rooms and interpretation booths.
The representative of Uganda reiterated questions his delegation had posed at an earlier meeting on the number of posts at the Director (D-2) level and above in 1996 and as of today, by nationality and by gender. Saudi Arabia's representative recalled requests for information which had first been posed during the Assembly's main session. His delegation had asked for the number of employees that had been transferred to the regular budget from the support account and then returned to that account. He had also asked for the number of posts related to developing countries that were to be cut.
VADIM PERFILIEV, Officer-in-Charge for the Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services, said instructions had been issued to the editorial control unit to enforce resolution 52/214, on the necessary elements to be included in reports issued by the Secretariat. The central focal point for documentation was in his Department, which was doing its best to ensure that documents were issued on time and with all necessary elements.
Saudi Arabia's representative asked Mr. Perfiliev to shed light on the question of non-implementation of resolutions. What actions were being taken by that Department to address the situation, and how would it be handled in the future? he asked.
Mr. PERFILIEV assured delegations that the requests for a translation to be sent to delegations were met in every instance. If documents had been received in the wrong language, it was because requests had not been received. The Department was always ready to do everything in its power to get documents out in the right languages.
Regarding the implementation of Assembly resolutions, he said he could only speak on aspects that involved his Department. His Department informed others of their responsibilities regarding resolutions through what was known as implementation memorandums. Questions on the substantive implementation of resolutions should be addressed to the departments concerned. He could not speak on their behalf.
The Fifth Committee is scheduled to meet again at 3 p.m. tomorrow, 26 March, to take action on several draft proposals and on appointing members and alternate members of the United Nations Staff Pension Committee and the United Nations Administrative Tribunal.
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