GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEFERS FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED TIME LIMITS ON NEW INITIATIVES UNTIL FIFTY-THIRD SESSION

30 July 1998

Press Release
GA/9428

GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEFERS FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED TIME LIMITS ON NEW INITIATIVES UNTIL FIFTY-THIRD SESSION

19980730 Aspect of Secretary-General's July 1997 Programme for Reform Would Make Renewal of 'New' Initiatives Subject to Assembly Review

The General Assembly this afternoon decided to continue its consideration of the Secretary-General's reform proposal on time limits on new initiatives at its fifty-third session.

The Assembly deferred further consideration of the proposal on the basis of an English text that was circulated shortly before the plenary was convened.

Under the Secretary-General's proposal, each initiatives that involves new organizational structures and/or major commitments of funds would be subject to time limits. When presenting the idea of time limits as part of his overall programme of reform of the United Nations in 1997, the Secretary- General had said the purpose of the initiative is to strengthen the role and capacity of the Organization by focusing its efforts only on activities that have continuing relevance, usefulness and effectiveness.

During today's brief plenary meeting, which followed informal consultations on the matter, the representative of Austria said there had been no chance of substantial agreement on the issue, given the position of several delegations. Today's Assembly action had been a political decision taken with full knowledge of the implications. He hoped there would be more substantial discussion of the issue during the next Assembly session.

Some representatives expressed their concern that the General Assembly had not used the last few months to consider the Secretary-General's proposal. The representative of Indonesia said that while he appreciated efforts made today to "bridge the gap" between differing views of the initiative, relevant bodies of the Assembly should have the chance to debate the matter.

The representative of Egypt said that it was regrettable that once again the Assembly had not allowed its competent subsidiary bodies to discuss a

proposal. The representative of Cuba noted that an exceptional procedure had been followed today to arriving at consensus, and hoped that it would not recur in the future.

For its consideration today, the Assembly had before it a note from the Secretary-General in which he elaborates on the time limits proposal (document A/52/851 and Add.1). While recommending in his report that the Assembly endorse the new procedure, the Secretary-General explains that by accepting the provision, Member States and the Secretariat would be required to focus on the results to be achieved within a particular time-frame, after which the new initiative would terminate.

The determination of continuing relevance and usefulness would be undertaken within the context of current procedures for the approval of the medium-term plan and programme budgets, he continues. When the limits are reached, an explicit reaffirmation by the Assembly would be required for the mandates to remain in effect.

He also explained that the term "new", as in "new mandate", denotes a mandate established for the first time. Thus, the future modification of an existing mandate, no matter how extensive, would not make it "new". By "organizational structures" the Secretary-General means any unit that is established in connection with a legislated mandates. The term "major" commitment of funds can be defined at any level that the Assembly chooses, for example it could be operationalized as $1 million per annum or above. The specific time limit would be determined by the Assembly at the outset, in accordance with its normal methods of taking decisions, and could vary in duration depending upon the characteristics of the task at hand.

Also this afternoon, Assembly President Hennadiy Udovenko (Ukraine), speaking on behalf of the members of the Assembly, extended sympathy to the people of Papua New Guinea for the tragic loss of life and extensive material damage which had resulted from the recent tidal wave. The representative of Papua New Guinea expressed thanks to the international community for thinking of Papua New Guinea in its time of need.

Also this afternoon, the President drew attention to a letter dated 30 July from the Secretary-General stating that Cape Verde had made the necessary payment to reduce its arrears below the amount specified in Article 19 of the Charter.

The Assembly will meet again at a date to be announced in the Journal.

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