DISARMAMENT COMMITTEE ADOPTS WORK PROGRAMME

Press Release
GA/DIS/3105

DISARMAMENT COMMITTEE ADOPTS WORK PROGRAMME

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security), in an organizational meeting this afternoon, approved its programme of work for the current session and elected three Vice-Chairmen to its Bureau.

The following representatives will serve as officers of the Committee: Akmaral kh. Arystanbekova (Kazakhstan); Raimundo Gonzalez (Chile); and Aleg Laptsenak (Belarus). They are, respectively, from the Group of Asian States, Latin America and Caribbean States and Eastern European States.

Consultations continue within the African Group of States concerning the election of the Rapporteur.

The Committee approved the following programme of work (document A/C.1/53/CRP.1): general debate on disarmament and international security items, 12 to 21 October; exchange of views on the rationalization of work and reform of the Committee's agenda, 21 October; thematic discussion of specific disarmament and international security items and consideration of all draft resolutions submitted under those items, 23 October to 2 November; and action on all draft resolutions, 3 to 13 November.

It took that action in accordance with a decision taken by the General Assembly at a resumed meeting of its fifty-second session on 8 September concerning the rationalization of the First Committee's work (document A/52/612/Add.1).

By the terms of that decision, the Committee will now conduct its work in three phases, rather than four, as follows: general debate; thematic discussion of all disarmament and international security items and introduction of draft resolutions; and action on all draft resolutions. The thematic discussion of specific subjects will now be combined with its consideration of all draft resolutions, provided that sufficient time is allowed for informal consultations and discussions on those drafts.

Also under the terms of that decision, the Committee will make every effort to conduct and conclude its substantive work in not less than 30 meetings and in a time-frame not exceeding five weeks. It was also decided that the Committee Chairman will continue consultations on revitalizing and streamlining that body's work, and report to the Assembly during its fifty-third session.

The First Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. Monday, 12 October, to begin its general exchange of views.

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