FIFTH COMMITTEE AUTHORIZES SECRETARY-GENERAL TO ENTER INTO COMMITMENTS NOT EXCEEDING $200 MILLION TO FINANCE UN MISSION IN KOSOVO

Press Release
GA/AB/3305

FIFTH COMMITTEE AUTHORIZES SECRETARY-GENERAL TO ENTER INTO COMMITMENTS NOT EXCEEDING $200 MILLION TO FINANCE UN MISSION IN KOSOVO

Committee Also Decides to Apportion $125 Million among Member States

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) this afternoon authorized the Secretary-General to enter into commitments in an amount not exceeding $200 million, inclusive of $50 million authorized by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), for the financing of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), with $125 million of that total to be apportioned among Member States, as an ad hoc arrangement.

The Committee took that action as it approved, without a vote, a resolution submitted by its Chairman, Movses Abelian (Armenia), following informal consultations on the financing of UNMIK.

Also by the text, the Committee urged all Member States to make every effort to ensure payment of assessed contributions to the Mission in full and on time. It emphasized that all future peacekeeping missions shall be given equal and non-discriminatory treatment in respect of financial and administrative arrangements. It also emphasized that all peacekeeping missions shall be provided with adequate resources for the effective and efficient discharge of their respective mandates.

By other terms of the text, the Committee emphasized that no peacekeeping mission shall be financed by borrowing money from funds from other active peacekeeping missions. The Secretary- General was requested to submit to the Assembly, as a matter of priority, a comprehensive report on the financing of the Mission, including full budget estimates and information on the utilization of resources at the earliest opportunity.

Speaking after action, the representative of China said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) had blatantly attacked a sovereign State without Security Council authorization. The indiscriminate bombing had caused thousands of casualties, displaced nearly a million refugees and devastated factories, bridges and other civilian facilities. Now others were being asked

Fifth Committee - 1a - Press Release GA/AB/3305 68th Meeting (PM) 22 July 1999

to share responsibility. Legally and morally, that did not hold water. Although not satisfied with the resolution before the Committee, China, in the spirit of taking into account the overall situation, had made a tremendous effort to join the consensus.

The representative of Uganda said while the lack of information from the Secretary-General was regrettable, the mood had been to provide him with as much as he requested, regardless of technical justification. He expressed the hope that the Committee would treat all peacekeeping missions in a similar way, particular those in Africa, by providing similar resources.

The representative of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia said UNMIK was not an ordinary mission -- it was neither peacekeeping nor peacemaking. It was unique and its success would have an important effect on future United Nations operations. Procurement activities by the Mission should utilize the potential of the neighbouring countries. The requested amount in the resolution was very modest and in the fall the Committee would be faced with a more realistic request.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Finland (on behalf of the European Union), Mexico, Canada (also on behalf of Australia and New Zealand), India, Cuba, Kenya, Japan, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Pakistan and Tunisia.

Fifth Committee - 2 - Press Release GA/AB/3305 68th Meeting (PM) 22 July 1999

Committee Work Programme

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) met this afternoon to consider the financing of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). It had before it a draft resolution on that issue and it was expected to take action on it.

By the terms of the draft (document A/C.5/53/L.79), submitted by the Committee Chairman, the Committee would express concern about the financial situation with regard to peacekeeping activities, in particular the reimbursement of troop contributors, which bear additional burdens owing to overdue payments by Member States of their assessments. It would urge all Member States to make every possible effort to ensure payment of their assessed contributions to the Mission in full and on time. It would emphasize that all future peacekeeping missions shall be given equal and non-discriminatory treatment in respect of financial and administrative arrangements. It would also emphasize that all peacekeeping missions shall be provided with adequate resources for the effective and efficient discharge of their respective mandates.

Further by the text, the Committee would decide to authorize the Secretary-General to enter into commitments in an amount not exceeding $200 million, inclusive of the amount of $50 million authorized by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), for the operation of UNMIK under the terms of section IV of Assembly resolution 49/233 A of 23 December. It would also request the Secretary- General to establish a special account for the Mission.

The Committee would also decide, as an ad hoc arrangement, to apportion the amount of $125 million among Member States in accordance with the composition of groups set out in paragraphs 3 and 4 of Assembly resolutions 43/232 of 1 March 1989, as adjusted by the Assembly in its resolutions 44/192 B of 21 December 1989, 45/269 of 27 August 1991, 46/198 A of 20 December 1991, 47/218 A of 23 December 1992, 49/249 A of 20 July 1995, 49/249 B of 14 September 1995, 50/224 of 11 April 1996, 51/218 A to C of 18 December 1996 and 52/230 of 31 March 1998 and its decisions 48/472 A of 23 December 1993 and 50/241 B of 23 December 1995, and taking into account the scale of assessments for the year 1999, as set out in its resolution 52/215 A of 22 December.

Moreover, the Committee would emphasize that no peacekeeping mission shall be financed by borrowing money from funds from other active peacekeeping missions. It would encourage the Secretary-General to continue to take additional measures to ensure the safety and security of all personnel under the auspices of the United Nations participating in the Mission. It would also invite voluntary contributions to the Mission in cash and in the form of services and supplies acceptable to the Secretary-General, to be administered, as appropriate, in accordance with the procedures and practices established by the Assembly.

The Committee would request the Secretary-General to submit to the Assembly, as a matter of priority, a comprehensive report on the financing of the Mission, including full budget estimates and information on the utilization of resources until the time of submission of the report to enable the Assembly to take action on it at the earliest opportunity. The Committee would also note the Secretary-General's intention to submit the full budget to the Assembly by the end of September/early October.

Action

Acting without a vote, the Committee approved the draft resolution on the financing of UNMIK.

Speaking after action, JARMO SAREVA (Finland), on behalf of the European Union, reserved the right to express the Union's views on the resolution in the plenary of the General Assembly.

ERNESTO HERRERA (Mexico) said the issue would have been more easily resolved if there had been more information in the Secretary-General's report. Notwithstanding the budgetary limitations faced by Mexico, it was able to support the amount requested. Mexico supported operative paragraph 12 of the resolution, requesting full budget estimates and information on the financing of UNMIK in the first few days of October.

GABRIELLE DUSCHNER (Canada), speaking on behalf of the CANZ Group -- Canada, Australia and New Zealand -- said the United Nations needed to ensure there were sufficient resources for the Mission to fulfil its mandate. While the Group was sympathetic with the need for UNMIK, full details were required about the costs involved.

MIN QIN SUN (China) said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), led by the United States, had blatantly launched a military attack, without Security Council authorization, on a sovereign State -- the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Indiscriminate bombing had caused thousands of casualties, displaced nearly a million refugees and devastated factories, bridges and other civilian facilities. Now others were being asked to share responsibility. Legally and morally, that did not hold water.

She said that if the Secretary-General could have provided the Committee with sufficient information, its work would have been made much easier. It was hoped that there would be no recurrence in the future. At the same time, it was China's wish that the Committee be even-handed in treating any future or ongoing peacekeeping missions. China was not satisfied with the resolution before the Committee. However, in the spirit of taking into account the overall situation, as well as the concerns of the other delegations, the Chinese delegation had made a tremendous effort to join the consensus. Hopefully, that spirit would be kept alive in the future.

NESTER ODAGA-JALOMAYO (Uganda) said his country had had its share of problems, although they may not have been of the same magnitude as those suffered by the people of Kosovo. Ugandans knew how it was to be forced out of their own country against their will. The Ugandan delegation was pleased that the United Nations was getting involved in Kosovo, particularly in resettling its people in their homes, and supported that wise move. However, Uganda was concerned that the decision had not been based on any empirical justification.

He said Uganda deeply regretted the lack of information from the Secretary-General and noted that the mood had been to provide him with as much as he requested, regardless of technical justification. To cite the delegation of the United Republic of Tanzania, logic was no longer a guideline in international relations. Decisions were being based on emotional rather than technical justification, undermining the Committee's credibility. It was hoped that the Committee would treat all peacekeeping missions in a similar way, particularly those in Africa, by providing similar resources.

RAJAT SAHA (India) said his delegation joined the consensus and looked forward to full details as requested in the resolution. Unlike other occasions when ambiguity had been consented to, operative paragraphs 3 and 9 of the present text were precise and unambiguous, outlining clear directives. The Secretariat should take due note.

DULCE MARIA BUERGO RODRIGUEZ (Cuba) said her delegation deeply regretted that the Committee should have to carry on negotiations on an issue of such enormous political sensitivity without the information to enable it to make an informed decision as required. Cuba was concerned that double standards had been at work in dealing with issues before the Committee and with the particular interests of a number of delegations at stake. It was hoped that would not recur and that each issue would be judged on its own merit.

She said Cuba hoped that through the decision no precedent had been set as to the way resources were set for assessment purposes. The figure put before the Committee by the Secretariat was completely irrational, bereft of logic and without substantiation whatsoever. Cuba wished to lodge its reservations as to the way negotiations on the issue had been conducted. The dynamics had been outside the normal decision-making methods of the Committee.

THOMAS AMOLO (Kenya) said his delegation joined the consensus. UNMIK represented the proper continuation of the Charter-based role of the United Nations in the preservation of international peace and security. Kenya agreed with the delegation of Uganda, speaking on behalf of East Africa cooperation, on the role of peacekeeping missions: all future such missions should be given equal and non-discriminatory treatment in financial and administrative resources.

GORAN STEVCEVSKI (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) said UNMIK was not an ordinary Mission -- it was neither peacekeeping nor peacemaking. It was unique and its success would have an important effect on future United Nations operations. UNMIK should always be aware of the positions of the countries neighbouring Kosovo. Procurement activities by the Mission should utilize the potential of the neighbouring countries. The requested amount in the resolution was very modest and in the fall the Committee would be faced with a more realistic request.

JUICHI TAKAHARA (Japan) said that in deciding whether to grant the Secretary-General a commitment of $200 million and then accepting an assessment of $125 million, he was not sure whether the Committee had fulfilled its political responsibility. Due to a situation where it had to make a decision under political exigencies, it was regrettable that decisions were made quasi- unanimously despite the views of Members States. The current debate, however, had been most instructive and his delegation would bear the experiences in mind for the future.

MANLAN AHOUNOU (Côte d'Ivoire) said his delegation went along with the consensus in the spirit of solidarity. Although the Secretary-General had not submitted a cogent backup for his request, given the urgency of the situation in Kosovo, his delegation supported it. As the Secretary-General had stressed, that was not the first time such a method had been used. He cited Cambodia as another case. He did not want organizations like the Bretton Woods institutions to take similar decisions on African countries in the their offices in cities far removed from the realities on the ground. Intellectual honesty had been demonstrated today and the same should be done in the cases in Africa.

AHMED DARWISH (Egypt) said that although his delegation would have liked more information from the Secretary-General's report, it had gone along with the request due to the complexity of UNMIK and the desire to alleviate the suffering of the people of Kosovo. He would have preferred to have allocated all the necessary funds requested by the Secretary-General. He hoped, however, that the Secretariat would perform its functions in an efficient manner.

AMJAD HUSSAIN SIAL (Pakistan) said his delegation reiterated its full support for UNMIK. It also supported the Secretary- General's proposals because it believed they were in conformity with Assembly resolution 49/233 A (Part 4) on the start-up phases of a peacekeeping mission. He would have preferred the exact figure requested to have been granted and he hoped that the decision by the Committee today would not hamper the functioning of such an important mission. He also hoped a full budget would be submitted as soon as possible to enable the Committee to take decisions that would contribute to the smooth functioning of UNMIK.

RADHIA ACHOURI (Tunisia) said her delegation rallied to the consensus on the resolution with reluctance. She would have liked the amount initially requested by the Secretary-General to have been made available. The amount requested involved a cautionary measure to ensure that the start-up of the Mission would not be hampered or delayed in any way. The $125 million to be assessed among Member States should be effectively assessed and paid as soon as possible so that it could be made available to the Secretary-General.

* *** *