GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT REVIEWS WORK OF SESSION AT LUNCHEON WITH CHAIRMEN OF MAIN COMMITTEES

Press Release
GA/SM/132

GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT REVIEWS WORK OF SESSION AT LUNCHEON WITH CHAIRMEN OF MAIN COMMITTEES

Timetable is Set for Plenary Consideration of Reports; Aim is to Complete Work During Week Beginning 13 December

This is the text of a statement by the President of the General Assembly, Theo Ben-Gurirab (Namibia), at his third working luncheon for Chairmen of the Assembly’s main committees and senior United Nations officials, held on 24 November:

I welcome you to this third and final working luncheon. Since our second luncheon, the Assembly elected 18 members of the Economic and Social Council, five judges to the International Court of Justice and selected Austria, Burkina Faso, Germany and Romania to nominate members to the Joint Inspection Unit.

The Assembly considered, among others, the reports of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

The item concerning the necessity of ending the embargo against Cuba was also considered. And the Assembly heard a progress report on the preparations for Bethlehem 2000.

The Assembly held a meeting to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Convention of the Rights of the Child, and held two meetings to mark the end of the United Nations International Law Decade.

The debate on the humanitarian and disaster relief assistance item was concluded, but so far only one resolution entitled “Emergency response to disasters” has been adopted. The remaining resolutions on the item will be taken up in December.

The Assembly has considered most of the cooperation items on its agenda and the remaining ones, namely, the Organization of African Unity, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Economic Cooperation Organization, will be considered during the first week of December.

Several reports of the Fifth Committee on appointments were also considered.

- 2 - Press Release GA/SM/132 26 November 1999

The debate on assistance in mine action was concluded and the related resolution will be taken up as soon as the consultations are concluded.

Last Monday, the Assembly considered the item entitled “Oceans and the Law of the Sea” and, after the conclusion of the debate this morning, adopted the following three resolutions: law of the sea; Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982, relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks; and results of the review by the Commission on Sustainable Development of the sectoral theme of “oceans and seas”.

This afternoon, the resolution on the item entitled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal” which is co-sponsored by 180 Member States, will be adopted. The Assembly will also consider Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic and take up the relevant resolution on this item.

The General Committee met this morning and, after considering the request to include the item “International recognition of the Day of Vesak”, recommended its inclusion on the agenda of the fifty-fourth session. This will be the 173rd item on the Assembly’s agenda.

So far, the Assembly has held 62 plenary meetings and adopted 39 resolutions. The work of the Assembly is progressing well.

I have been informed that the First, Third, Fourth and Sixth Committees have concluded their work. You will be confirming that to me in due course.

The Second Committee, I understand, expects to conclude its work next week. I hope that is true.

Shortly, we will be informed about the status of work of the Fifth Committee by its Chairperson.

The reports of the Main Committees will be considered in the plenary meetings in the following order:

· Wednesday, 1 December -- First Committee reports · Monday, 6 December -- Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) reports · Thursday, 9 November -- Sixth Committee reports

The scheduling of the consideration of the reports of the Second, Third and Fifth Committees will be decided on the basis of the availability of their reports. I have been assured that every effort is being made to have their reports submitted and issued as speedily as possible.

- 3 - Press Release GA/SM/132 26 November 1999

As you know, the recommended date to recess this session is Tuesday, 14 December. I am hoping to recess the session during that week.

I shall now call on the Committee Chairpersons to give us their views on the work of their respective Committees, highlighting special issues or difficulties.

[The following persons then reported on the work of the Main Committees: Kestutis Sadaukas (Lithuania), Vice-Chairman, First Committee; Sotirios Zacheos (Cyprus), Chairman, Special Political and Decolonization (Fourth) Committee; Roble Olhaye (Djibouti), Chairman, Second Committee; Valdimir Galuska (Czech Republic), Chairman, Third Committee; Penny Wensley (Australia), Chairman, Fifth Committee; Phakiso Mochochoko (Lesotho), Chairman, Sixth Committee; and Conrad Mselle (United Republic of Tanzania), Chairman, Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions. The Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and Legal Counsel, Mr. Hans Corell, also spoke.]

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