ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUDGETARY COMMITTEE CONTINUES DISCUSSING PATTERN OF CONFERENCES
Press Release
GA/AB/3248
ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUDGETARY COMMITTEE CONTINUES DISCUSSING PATTERN OF CONFERENCES
19981021 The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today continued discussing the United Nations pattern of conferences.The Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), Conrad Mselle, introduced that body's report on interpretation and translation issues, a cost-accounting system for conference services and the United Nations optical disk system, which electronically stores and allows access to the Organization's documents.
The ACABQ welcomed the introduction of new technology for interpretation and translation, he said. A number of measures had been or were being implemented, such as staff training and "spot checks" of translation. The Secretary-General should submit a report analysing problems regarding career development in language services, taking into account that the numbers and grade levels of staff should be commensurate with the Organization's needs and the fact that requirements differed between languages and between duty stations.
On the cost-accounting system, the report of the Secretary-General did not contain specific and conclusive information that would enable the ACABQ to recommend rejecting or endorsing the proposal, he said. The objective for cost-accounting must be clearly defined. The ACABQ cautioned against establishing elaborate cost-accounting systems, whose benefit could outweigh the costs. The Secretary-General should refine and resubmit his proposals, taking into account advice from the General Assembly.
The Chairman said that, regarding the optical disk system, any income generated from the proposed paid subscriptions should be used to meet the costs of the system. The quality of service should be maintained, and a system to monitor satisfaction with the optical disk system should be put in place.
(For background on the related Secretariat reports, see Press Release GA/AB/3247 of 19 October.)
The Committee is scheduled to meet again at 10 a.m. on Friday, 23 October, to continue discussing pattern of conferences.
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