ASSEMBLY ADOPTS 37 RESOLUTIONS CONTAINED IN SECOND COMMITTEE REPORTS

Press Release
GA/9694

ASSEMBLY ADOPTS 37 RESOLUTIONS CONTAINED IN SECOND COMMITTEE REPORTS

Texts Adopted on International Trade and Development,

Unilateral Economic Measures and Financing for Development

The General Assembly deplored any attempt to bypass or undermine multilaterally agreed procedures on the conduct of international trade by unilateral actions inconsistent with multilateral trade rules and regulations, by the terms of a draft resolution adopted without a vote this morning on the recommendation of the Assembly’s Second Committee (Economic and Financial). It was among 37 resolutions contained in Second Committee reports adopted by the Assembly.

By that text, on international trade and development, the Assembly also invited members of the international community to consider the interests of non- members of the World Trade Organization (WTO)in the context of trade liberalization.

A text on unilateral economic measures as a means of political and economic coercion against developing countries was among three texts adopted by recorded vote this morning. By that text, the Assembly urged the international community to adopt urgent and effective measures to eliminate the use of unilateral coercive measures against developing countries that are not authorized by relevant organs of the United Nations, or are inconsistent with the principles of international law as set forth in the Charter, and that contravene the basic principles of the multilateral trading system.

The resolution was adopted by a vote of 107 in favour to three against (Germany, Marshall Islands and United States) with 46 abstentions. (See Annex II for details)

[Subsequently, the representative of Germany noted that he had voted to abstain, and the representative of Yemen noted that he had voted in favour of the resolution.]

In another recorded vote, the Assembly called for the renewal of national, regional and international efforts to promote the greater involvement of the private sector in the prevention and resolution of financial crises. The text entitled “towards a stable international financial system, responsive to the challenges of development, especially in the developing countries” was adopted by a

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vote of 155 in favour to one against (United States) with no abstentions. (See Annex I for details)

By the other text adopted by a recorded vote, the Assembly called on Israel not to exploit, to cause loss or depletion of, or to endanger the natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan. Adopting the text by a vote of 145 in favour to three against (Israel, Marshall Islands and United States) with six abstentions (Australia, Cameroon, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Zambia), the Assembly reaffirmed the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and the population of the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources, including land and water. (See voting Annex III for details.)

Subsequently, Australia's representative said that his vote had been erroneously registered as abstained. He had voted in favour of the resolution.

By the terms of a resolution approved without a vote, the Assembly decided to convene a high-level intergovernmental event of political decision makers on financing for development in 2001, which will address national, international and systemic issues relating to the issue in a holistic manner in the context of globalization and interdependence.

The Assembly also decided to establish an intergovernmental Preparatory Committee open to all States to carry out substantive preparations for the event; to constitute a Bureau of the Preparatory Committee of representatives of Member States of 15 members with equitable geographical representation, to be presided over by two Co-Chairs; and that the first organizational session of the Preparatory Committee should be held no later than January 2000 to elect the Bureau.

By other texts adopted regarding macroeconomic policy questions, the Assembly:

-- called on landlocked developing countries and their transit neighbours to implement measures to further strengthen their cooperative and collaborative efforts to deal with transit transport issues;

-- requested the Secretary-General to convene in 2001 another meeting of governmental experts from landlocked and transit developing countries and representatives of donor countries and financial and development institutions;

-- invited the United Nations system to provide assistance and promote cooperation in the area of partnership and networking, biotechnology, information and communication technologies;

-- called for safe biotechnology that would foster crop reproduction and enhance the development of developing countries; and

-- called for concerted national and international action to address debt problems of middle-income developing countries.

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On the subject of sectoral policy questions, the Assembly adopted three resolutions. In the text on the Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa, the Assembly called on the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to strengthen its close working relationship with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other relevant multilateral institutions for the provision of technical assistance to African countries.

By the other texts, the Assembly condemned corruption, bribery, money- laundering and the illegal transfer of funds, as well as called on the United Nations system to assist Member States in implementing national programmes to create an enabling environment for business, investment and development.

The Assembly adopted eight resolutions with regard to sustainable development and international economic cooperation. By one of the texts, the Assembly called on all the relevant United Nations organizations to take initiatives and continue with their specific actions towards the implementation of the Habitat Agenda. In the context of the preparations for the Assembly's special session for an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, the Assembly endorsed the decisions of the Preparatory Committee, in particular regarding its rules of procedure and the dates, venue and provisional agenda for its first substantive session.

By the text on implementation of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) the Assembly called on all countries to ensure the provision of sufficient financial resources for the successful implementation of the work programme for the biennium 2000-2001. It also requested the Secretary-General to ensure that the staffing of the new organizational structure is completed according to the principle of equitable geographical representation and gender balance, including improving the status of women in the Secretariat.

The Assembly also adopted a text on the follow-up to the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II).

Adopting the text on women in development, the Assembly called for the accelerated and effective implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and hoped that the Assembly’s special session entitled "Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century", to be held from 5 to 9 June 2000, can take tangible and significant steps to enhance the effective participation of women in development.

The Assembly, in adopting a text on developing human resources for development, called on developing countries, with the support of the international community, to establish information, communication and electronic community centres, where appropriate and in cooperation with the private sector, to provide connectivity and access to information and knowledge.

In other actions related to sustainable development and international economic cooperation, the Assembly:

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-- urged Member States and the United Nations system to strengthen international cooperation in the area of international migration and development; and

--decided that the theme of the second high-level dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership will be “Responding to globalization: facilitating the integration of developing countries into the world economy in the twenty-first century”.

Also adopted was a text on the implementation of the commitments and policies agreed upon in the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, and implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade, which would give further impetus to international cooperation for development and to monitoring long-term trends in the global economy.

On the topic of environment and sustainable development, the Assembly adopted 12 resolutions. In addition to deciding to maintain the observance of the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction on the second Wednesday of October, the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to establish a trust fund, from voluntary contributions, for disaster reduction to enable the funding of the inter- agency secretariat for disaster reduction, as well as to transfer all assets of the Trust Fund for the International Decade to the new trust fund for disaster reduction, with effect on 1 January 2000.

In another text, the Assembly called on the Secretary-General, the relevant United Nations organizations and the international community to take necessary measures towards the establishment of the international research centre on El Niño at Guayaquil, Ecuador, and invite the international community to provide financial, technical and scientific assistance and cooperation for this purpose.

In separate texts on environment and sustainable development, the Assembly also:

-- called on the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) to continue to complement and provide interlinkages to the work of other United Nations organs, organizations and bodies active in the field of sustainable development;

-- called on all stakeholders, in particular local communities, non- governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector, to take the action necessary for the further implementation and effective follow-up of the Barbados Programme of Action (adopted at the 1994 Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States);

-- called on the Caribbean countries to develop further an integrated management approach to the Caribbean Sea area, and

-- called on all countries to ensure the provision of sufficient, stable and predictable financial resources for the successful implementation of the work

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programme of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for the biennium 2000-2001.

Texts were also adopted regarding: the Convention on Biological Diversity; conservation and sustainable development of Central African forest ecosystems; protection of global climate for present and future generations of mankind; enhancing complementarities among international instruments related to environment and sustainable development; World Solar Programme 1996-2005; and implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa.

On the subject of operational activities for development, the Assembly adopted two resolutions. By the first, the Assembly called on all governments, relevant United Nations organizations and multilateral and regional financial institutions to consider increasing allocations of financial resources for economic and technical cooperation among developing countries, and to strengthen funding modalities to promote South-South cooperation.

By the second text, the Assembly called on the international community to consider supporting the creation of special economic zones and development corridors in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), with active participation of the private sector.

In the context of training and research, the Assembly adopted two resolutions. By the first, it requested the Secretary-General to consult with the Administrative Committee on Coordination and relevant United Nations agencies and to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session a report on the Staff College, based on a full and independent evaluation of the implementation and completion of the activities undertaken by the College.

By the second text, the Assembly requested the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) to continue to attract experts from developing countries, and countries with economies in transition, for the preparation of the relevant training materials for the programmes and activities of the Institute.

The Assembly also adopted a text on the role of the United Nations in promoting development in the context of globalization and interdependence, by which it called on all countries, particularly the major developed economies, to enhance coherence among their financial, trade and development cooperation policies, with a view to creating an enabling international economic environment supportive of development, particularly of developing countries.

In adopting a resolution on the implementation of the first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty, the Assembly called on all countries to formulate and implement outcome-oriented national strategies and programmes, including setting time-bound targets for poverty reduction.

The Assembly adopted four decisions related to the report of the Economic and Social Council. It decided to adopt the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection (as expanded in 1999), and took note of the report of the Economic and

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Social Council for 1999 and of the report of the Executive Director of the United Nations Populations Fund on the United Nations Population Award. Further, it took note of Economic and Social Council decision 1999/277 of 28 July 1999 on the report of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development and requested the Commission on Sustainable Development to consider, at its eighth session, those parts of the report that are relevant to its agreed programme of work for 2000.

The Assembly also approved the biennial programme of work of the Second Committee for 2000-2001, and adopted six other draft decisions on various topics which took note of reports before the Committee throughout the session.

The representatives of the United States, Lao People's Democratic Republic (speaking on behalf of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries), Russian Federation, Ecuador and Finland (speaking on behalf of the European Union) spoke in explanation of vote on the Second Committee reports.

In other business the Assembly adopted, without a vote, a resolution asking the Secretary-General to make all the necessary arrangements to continue mobilizing and coordinating humanitarian assistance from the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to support the efforts of the Government of Venezuela following the devastating floods and landslides in that country.

In adopting a text on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa, again without a vote, the Assembly asked Governments, intergovernmental organizations and NGOs to work towards the implementation of the agreed conclusion of the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 1999. Those conclusions address the coordination of the policies and activities of the specialized agencies of the United Nations system related to the theme “Development of Africa”. The Assembly also stressed the importance for the final review and appraisal of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990's to be held in 2002.

The Assembly also adopted, without a vote, a draft resolution on international cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters.

The representatives of Guyana (speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China), Venezuela, Antigua and Barbuda, Uruguay, Marshall Islands and Cameroon spoke on those issues.

The General Assembly will meet again Thursday at 10 a.m. to consider the reports of the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary).

Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this morning to consider the reports of its Second Committee (Economic and Financial). The reports concern the following topics: macroeconomic policy questions; sectoral policy questions; sustainable development and international economic cooperation; environment and sustainable development; operational activities for development; training and research; permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their resources; globalization and interdependence; implementation of the First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty; and the report of the Economic and Social Council.

In other action, the Assembly would take up draft resolutions on: assistance to Venezuela following the devastating floods and landslides; the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa; and international cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters from relief to development.

Macroeconomic Policy Questions

The Committee's report on "macroeconomic policy questions" (document A/54/585) is submitted in six parts.

Part II of the report (document A/54/585/Add.1) contains one draft resolution.

Approved without a vote on 16 December, the text on high-level international intergovernmental consideration of financing for development would have the Assembly decide to convene a high-level intergovernmental event of political decision makers, at least at the ministerial level, in the year 2001. The event will address national, international and systemic issues relating to financing for development in a holistic manner in the context of globalization and interdependence. The event should also address the mobilization of financial resources for the full implementation of the outcome of major conferences and summits organized during the 1990s by the United Nations and of the Agenda for Development for poverty eradication.

It would also decide to establish an intergovernmental Preparatory Committee open-ended to all States, to consider innovative ways and mechanisms to facilitate the active involvement of all relevant stakeholders in both the preparatory process and in the event. Further, the Assembly would decide to constitute a Bureau of the Preparatory Committee of representatives of Member States to the United Nations of 15 members with equitable geographical representation, to be presided over by two Co-Chairs. With the first organizational session of the Preparatory Committee to be held no later than the end of January 2000 and the resumed organizational session no later than March 2000.

Part III of the report (document A/54/585/Add.2) contains one draft resolution.

The draft resolution entitled towards a stable international financial system, responsive to the challenges of development, especially in the developing countries, was approved on 14 December by a vote of 120 in favour to one against (United States) with no abstentions. The Assembly would call for the renewal of national, regional and international efforts to promote the greater involvement of the private sector in the prevention and resolution of financial crisis. In that context, it would underscore the importance of a more equitable distribution of the cost of adjustments between the public and private sectors, and between debtors, creditors and investors.

The Assembly would request the Secretary-General to support the ongoing work on identification of measures that will contribute to a more stable and predictable international financial system responsive to the challenges of development, in particular of developing countries. It would also request the Assembly President to transmit the present resolution to the Boards of Executive Directors of the World Bank and the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Part IV of the report (document A/54/585/Add.3) contains three draft resolutions and one draft decision.

Draft resolution I, approved without a vote on 15 December, is on international trade and development. It would have the Assembly deplore any attempt to bypass or undermine multilaterally agreed procedures on the conduct of international trade by unilateral actions inconsistent with the multilateral trade rules and regulations, including those agreed upon in the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations.

The Assembly would invite members of the international community to consider the interests of non-members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in the context of trade liberalization. It would also invite the international financial institutions to ensure that, in their development cooperation activities with developing countries, the obligations of the latter with regard to their development policies, strategies and programmes in trade and trade-related areas should be consistent with their commitments under the framework of rules agreed within the multilateral trading system.

It would also request the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to continue to identify and analyze the implications for development of issues relevant to investment, as well as to identify ways and means to promote foreign direct and portfolio investment to all developing countries, taking into account their interests, particularly to those most in need, as well as to those countries with economies in transition with similar needs.

Draft resolution II, on specific actions related to the particular needs and problems of landlocked developing countries, was approved without a vote on 1 December. The draft would have the Assembly call on the landlocked developing countries and their transit neighbours to implement measures to further strengthen their efforts to deal with transit transport issues. It would appeal once again to all States, international organizations and financial institutions to implement the specific actions related to the particular needs and problems of landlocked developing countries.

The Assembly would also request the Secretary-General to convene in 2001 another meeting of governmental experts from landlocked and transit developing countries and representatives of donor countries and financial and development institutions.

Draft resolution III, on unilateral economic measures as a means of political and economic coercion against developing countries, was approved on 24 November by a vote of 94 in favour to 2 against (Marshall Islands and United States) with 43 abstentions. By the text, the Assembly would urge the international community to adopt urgent and effective measures to eliminate the use of unilateral coercive measures against developing countries that are not authorized by relevant United Nations organs, or are inconsistent with the principles of international law as set forth in the Charter, and that contravene the basic principles of the multilateral trading system.

A draft decision, approved without a vote on 15 December, would have the Assembly take note of the reports of the Trade and Development Board on its nineteenth, twentieth, twenty-first and twenty-second executive sessions.

Part V of the report (document A/54/585/Add.4) contains one draft resolution.

The draft, on science and technology for development, was approved without a vote on 1 December. The draft would have the Assembly invite the relevant bodies of the United Nations system to provide assistance and promote cooperation in the area of partnership and networking, biotechnology, information and communication technologies, including in the design and implementation of national strategies on such technologies or mechanisms. Also, the Assembly would call for safe biotechnology that will foster crop reproduction and enhance the development of developing countries.

Part VI of the report (document A/54/585/Add.5) contains one draft resolution. The draft resolution on enhancing international cooperation towards a durable solution to the external debt problem of developing countries was approved on 9 December. By its terms, the Assembly would call for concerted national and international action to address debt problems of middle-income developing countries, with a view to resolving their potential long-term debt sustainability problems through various debt treatment measures. Those would include orderly mechanisms for debt reduction. The Assembly would also encourage all creditor and debtor countries to utilize to the fullest extent possible, all existing mechanisms for debt reduction.

Sectoral policy questions

The Committee’s report on “sectoral policy questions” (document A/54/586) contains three draft resolutions.

Draft resolution I, entitled Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa, was approved without a vote on 3 December. It would have the Assembly call on the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to strengthen its close working relationship with the WTO and other relevant multilateral institutions, with the participation of their secretariats and of Member States and Observer States of the United Nations, for the provision of technical assistance to African countries, particularly the least developed among them. Such assistance would be aimed at enhancing the capacity of such countries to overcome technical barriers to trade in industrial and other products and to promote industrial competitiveness in order to enable them to fully integrate into the world economy.

Draft resolution II, on business and development, was approved on 9 December. By its terms, the Assembly would call upon the United Nations funds and programmes to continue to strengthen support for the promotion of entrepreneurship and to give due consideration to the role of the business sector in development, while ensuring a gender perspective. Further, the Assembly would call upon the relevant bodies of the United Nations system to continue to assist Member States in implementing national programmes to create an enabling environment for business, investment and development.

Draft resolution III, approved without a vote on 7 December, on prevention of corrupt practices and illegal transfer of funds, would have the Assembly condemn corruption, bribery, money-laundering and the illegal transfer of funds, and call for further international and national measures to combat corrupt practices and bribery in international transactions. The Assembly would also call for increased international cooperation to devise ways of preventing and addressing illegal transfers, as well as repatriating illegally transferred funds to countries of origin. It would request the international community to support countries' efforts aimed at strengthening institutional capacity for preventing corruption, bribery, money-laundering and the illegal transfer of funds.

Sustainable development and international economic cooperation

The Committee's report on "sustainable development and international economic cooperation" (document A/54/587) is submitted in nine parts.

Part II of the report (document A/54/587/Add.1) contains one draft resolution.

The draft resolution, implementation of the commitments and policies agreed upon in the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, and implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade, was approved without a vote on 3 December. It would have the Assembly request the Secretary-General, in collaboration with all concerned United Nations system organizations, in particular the Committee on Development Policy, to submit to the Assembly, through the Economic and Social Council, a draft text on an international development strategy for the first decade of the new millennium, with the aim of giving further impetus to international cooperation for development and attaining internationally agreed targets.

Part III of the report (document A/54/587/Add.2) contains three draft resolutions.

Approved without a vote on 18 November, draft resolution I on preparations for the special session of the General Assembly for an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the Habitat Agenda would have the Assembly endorse the decisions of the Preparatory Committee, in particular regarding its rules of procedure and the dates, venue and provisional agenda for its first substantive session.

Approved without a vote on 7 December, draft resolution II is on implementation of the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II). By its terms, the Assembly would call on all countries to ensure the provision of sufficient financial resources, on a stable and predictable basis, for the successful implementation of the work programme for the biennium 2000-2001. It would reiterate the recognition by the Commission on Human Settlements at its seventeenth session that such implementation will require substantial additional funding, and would reiterate its request to the Executive Director of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements to raise more funds from all sources and to broaden the donor base.

The Assembly would request the Secretary-General to ensure that the staffing of the new organizational structure is completed as a matter of urgency, in accordance with the principle of equitable geographical representation and gender balance, and bearing in mind the need for recruitment of qualified staff in accordance with the relevant United Nations rules and regulations. It would request the Secretary-General to appoint a full-time Executive Director for the Centre, and to provide it with the necessary resources from the regular budget for the biennium 2000-2001. It would stress the importance of strengthening the United Nations Office at Nairobi as the only United Nations headquarters located in a developing country.

Draft resolution III, on follow-up to the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), was approved without a vote on 3 December. By its terms, the Assembly would call on all the relevant United Nations organizations and specialized agencies to continue with their specific actions towards implementation of the Habitat Agenda. It would also call on relevant United Nations organizations and specialized agencies that have not yet done so to identify initiatives and actions to be undertaken in preparation for the Assembly's special session for an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the Habitat Agenda.

Part IV of the report (document A/54/587/Add.3) contains one draft resolution and one draft decision.

The draft decision would have the Assembly take note of the report of the Joint Inspection Unit entitled “An evaluation of the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women” and the comments of the Secretary-General thereon. The draft decision was approved without a vote on 1 December.

Also approved without a vote on 1 December, the draft resolution on women in development would have the Assembly call for the accelerated implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the relevant provisions contained in the outcomes of all other major United Nations conferences and summits. In this regard, it would express the hope that the Assembly’s special session entitled "Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century", to be held from 5 to 9 June 2000, can take tangible and significant steps to enhance the effective participation of women in development. It would call on Governments to promote family-friendly and gender-sensitive work environments, and also to promote the facilitation of breastfeeding for working mothers.

Part V of the report (document A/54/587/Add.4) contains one draft resolution.

Approved without a vote on 1 December, the draft on developing human resources for development, would have the Assembly call on developing countries, with the support of the international community, to establish information, communication and electronic community centres, in cooperation with the private sector, to provide connectivity and access to information and knowledge. It would also call on the developed countries and the United Nations system to increase support to programmes and activities of developing countries for human resources development and capacity-building, particularly those geared towards harnessing information and communication technologies. Also, the Assembly would urge increased investments in all aspects of human development, such as education and training, health and nutrition, to achieve universal coverage and the well-being of all.

Part VI of the report (document A/54/587/Add.5) contains one draft resolution.

The draft, on international migration and development, was approved without a vote on 1 December. It would have the Assembly call on the international community to seek to make the option of remaining in one’s country viable for all people, to which end efforts to achieve sustainable economic and social development, ensuring a better economic balance between developed and developing countries, should be strengthened. Also, the Assembly would urge Member States and the United Nations system to strengthen international cooperation in the area of international migration and development to address the root causes of migration, especially those related to poverty, and to maximize the benefits of international migration to those concerned.

Part VII of the report (document A/54/587/Add.6) contains one draft decision and one draft resolution.

Approved without a vote on 14 December, the draft decision would have the Assembly take note of the report of the Secretary-General on the state of preparations for the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, and the report of the Secretary-General on progress in the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries.

The draft resolution, on implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the 1990s, was approved without a vote on 14 December. By its terms, the Assembly would decide: that the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries will be held in Brussels; that the meeting of the intergovernmental preparatory committee envisaged in paragraph 4 of its resolution 53/182 will be organized in New York in two parts, in the third quarter of 2000 and the first quarter of 2001, each for five working days; that the Secretary-General of the Conference will organize the three expert-level preparatory meetings provided in paragraph 4 of its resolution 53/182 at venues and for durations deemed most appropriate in consultation with Member States; and to defray the cost of participation of two government representatives from each Least Developed Country in the preparatory committee meetings and the Conference itself, through the use of unspent balances from the United Nations programme budget of the United Nations for the biennium 1998-1999.

Part VIII of the report (document A/54/587/Add.7) contains one draft resolution and one draft decision.

The draft resolution, on renewal of the dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership, was approved without a vote on 24 November. The draft would have the Assembly decide that the theme of the second high-level dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership will be “Responding to globalization: facilitating the integration of developing countries into the world economy in the twenty-first century”. It would also decide to defer the holding of the second two-day high-level dialogue to its fifty-sixth session.

The draft decision would have the Assembly take note of the note by the Secretary-General on the themes for the second high-level dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership. The draft decision was approved without a vote on 24 November.

Part IX of the report (document A/54/587/Add.8) contains one draft decision.

The draft decision, approved on 15 December, would have the General Assembly take note of the report of the Secretary-General on the twenty-first special session of the General Assembly for an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development.

Environment and sustainable development

The Committee's report on "environment and sustainable development" (document A/54/588) is submitted in eight parts.

Part II of the report (document A/54/588/Add.1) contains one draft decision and one draft resolution.

The draft decision would have the Assembly take note of the report of the Secretary-General on measures taken in the United Nations system to accelerate progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21. The draft decision was approved without a vote on 1 December.

Also approved without a vote on 1 December, the draft resolution on implementation of and follow-up to the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly would have the Assembly call on the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) to continue to complement and provide interlinkages to the work of other United Nations organs, organizations and bodies active in the field of sustainable development. The CSD would be called on to play its role in assessing the opportunities and challenges of globalization as they relate to sustainable development, and to perform its functions in coordination with other subsidiary bodies of the Economic and Social Council and with related organizations and institutions, including making recommendations to the Council, bearing in mind the interrelated outcomes of recent United Nations conferences.

The Assembly would further renew its request to the CSD’s secretariat to invite governments to submit proposals on how to improve the guidelines on the elaboration of national reports and, based on the information received, to prepare a report to be submitted to the Commission as part of the preparations for the comprehensive review of the implementation of Agenda 21. It would invite the relevant functional commissions, to provide reports, through the Economic and Social Council on how their activities are contributing to the implementation of Agenda 21, and the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, for the consideration of the Assembly at its fifty-fifth session.

Part III of the report (document A/54/588/Add.2) contains two draft resolutions.

Approved without a vote on 24 November, draft resolution I, on the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction: successor arrangements, would have the Assembly decide to maintain the observance of the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction on the second Wednesday of October. The Assembly would call on governments to continue to coordinate their efforts with the Secretary- General and the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations system, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other partners, to implement and further develop a comprehensive strategy to maximize international cooperation in the field of natural disasters. It would request the Secretary- General to establish a trust fund from voluntary contributions for disaster reduction, to enable the funding of the inter-agency secretariat for disaster reduction, and to transfer all assets of the Trust Fund for the International Decade to the new trust fund for disaster reduction, with effect on 1 January 2000.

Draft resolution II, approved without a vote on 24 November, is on international cooperation to reduce the impact of the El Niño phenomenon. It would have the Assembly call on the Secretary-General, the relevant United Nations organizations and the international community to take necessary measures towards the establishment of the international research centre on El Niño at Guayaquil, Ecuador, and invite the international community to provide financial, technical and scientific assistance and cooperation for this purpose.

Part IV of the report (document A/54/588/Add.3) contains one draft resolution.

Approved without a vote on 1 December, the draft resolution on the entitled Convention on Biological Diversity, would have the Assembly call on Governments, in cooperation with the Conference of the Parties, to use science-based analysis to study and monitor the evolution of new technologies to prevent possible adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, which might have an impact on farmers and local communities. The Assembly would also call on States parties to settle any arrears and to pay their contributions in full and in a timely manner, so as to ensure continuity in the cash flows required to finance the ongoing work of the Conference of the Parties, the subsidiary bodies and the Convention secretariat.

Part V of the report (document A/54/588/Add.4) contains one draft resolution.

The draft, on protection of global climate for present and future generations of mankind, was approved without a vote on 1 December. By its terms, the Assembly would decide to include in the calendar of conferences and meetings for the biennium 2000-2001 the sessions of the Conference of the Parties and its subsidiary bodies envisaged for that biennium, in accordance with the decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties. Also, all States parties would be called on to continue to take effective steps to implement their commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.

Part VI of the report (document A/54/588/Add.5) contains one draft resolution.

The draft resolution, on implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa, was approved without a vote on 3 December. The text would have the Assembly decide to include in the calendar of conferences and meetings for the biennium 2000-2001 the sessions of the Conference of Parties and its subsidiary bodies, including the fourth and fifth ordinary sessions of the Conference of the Parties. It would call on governments, multilateral financial institutions, regional development banks, regional economic integration organizations and all other interested organizations to contribute generously to the General Fund, the Supplementary Fund and the Special Fund. It would also call on the international community, particularly the developed countries and the United Nations system, and invite the multilateral financial institutions, the private sector and all other interested actors, to support the efforts of affected developing countries in the processes of elaborating and implementing action programmes to combat desertification.

Part VII of the report (document A/54/588/Add.6) contains two draft resolutions.

Draft resolution I, on implementation of the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, was approved without a vote on 1 December. By the draft, the Assembly would call on governments, the regional commissions and organizations and other intergovernmental organizations to take into account those areas identified in the review document for priority action, and urge them to take the action necessary for the further implementation and effective follow-up of the Barbados Programme of Action. It would also call on UNCTAD to give substantive consideration in its work to the Declaration and review document adopted by the Assembly at its twenty-second special session, for the review and appraisal of the implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action, including in its preparations for the tenth Ministerial Meeting of UNCTAD.

The Assembly would urge all relevant organizations to finalize, preferably before the end of the year 2000, the work on the development of a vulnerability index, in particular for the small island developing States, which would assist in defining the vulnerability of those States and in identifying the challenges to their sustainable development, for consideration by the Economic and Social Council and the Assembly.

Approved without a vote on 1 December, draft resolution II is on promoting an integrated management approach to the Caribbean Sea area in the context of sustainable development. It would have the Assembly call on: the Caribbean countries to develop further an integrated management approach to the Caribbean Sea area in the context of sustainable development; the international community and the United Nations system, particularly the relevant agencies, to support efforts to develop further and implement the above-mentioned approach; and Member States to give priority to improving their emergency response capabilities and to increasing their participation in existing mechanisms, so as to allow for a timely, effective and coordinated response to natural disasters, and for the containment of environmental damage in the Caribbean Sea area in the event of an accident or incident relating to maritime transport. Further, the Assembly would invite all parties concerned to take action to address land-based sources of marine pollution.

Part VIII of the report (document A/54/588/Add.7) contains four draft resolutions.

Draft resolution I, approved without a vote on 1 December, is on conservation and sustainable development of Central African forest ecosystems. The text would have the Assembly invite the international community to support the countries of Central Africa in these efforts, including through the provision of financial and technical assistance on a regional basis. The international community, including the Global Environment Facility and the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests, would be encouraged, when considering ways and means of achieving the conservation and sustainable management of all types of forests, to take into account the forests of the Central African subregion.

Approved without a vote on 1 December, draft resolution II, on the World Solar Programme 1996-2005, would have the Assembly call on all relevant funding institutions and bilateral and multilateral donors, as well as regional funding institutions and NGOs, to support efforts to develop the renewable energy sector in developing countries, based on environmentally friendly renewable sources of energy of demonstrated viability, while taking fully into account the development structure of energy-based economies of developing countries, and to assist in the attainment of the investments necessary to expand energy supplies beyond urban areas.

Also, all governments would be invited to encourage the involvement of all relevant stakeholders, including the private sector, in the promotion of research on and development of renewable sources of energy, particularly within the context of the implementation of the World Solar Programme 1996-2005.

Approved without a vote on 3 December, draft resolution III, on report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), would have the Assembly call on all countries to ensure the provision of sufficient, stable and predictable financial resources for the successful implementation of the work programme for the biennium 2000-2001. Also, the Secretary-General would be requested to provide the necessary resources from the regular budget to UNEP for the biennium 2000-2001 to consider ways to further support UNEP’s revitalization.

Draft resolution IV, approved without a vote on 1 December, is on enhancing complementarities among international instruments related to environment and sustainable development. The text would have the Assembly encourage the Conferences of the Parties to and permanent secretariats of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa, to further examine measures to strengthen their complementarities and to improve scientific assessments of ecological linkages among the three conventions. Also, the Assembly would stress the need for the integrated consideration of linkages, both among sectors and between sectoral and cross-sectoral aspects of Agenda 21.

Operational activities for development

The Committee's report on "operational activities for development" (document A/54/589) contains one draft decision and two draft resolutions.

The draft decision would have the Assembly take note of the report of the High-level Committee on the Review of Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries on its eleventh session, and the report of the United Nations Development Fund for Women on its activities prepared pursuant to General Assembly resolution 39/125. The draft decision was approved without a vote on 1 December.

Approved on 24 November also without a vote, draft resolution I, on economic and technical cooperation among developing countries, would have the Assembly call on all governments, relevant United Nations organizations and multilateral and regional financial institutions to consider increasing allocations of financial resources for economic and technical cooperation among developing countries, and to strengthen funding modalities to promote South-South cooperation, such as triangular cooperation and private sector funding.

The Assembly would request the United Nations system to take appropriate measures to improve the effective incorporation of technical cooperation among developing countries (TCDC) into its programmes and projects, and to intensify efforts towards mainstreaming the modality of TCDC, including through support to the activities of the Special Unit for TCDC, and encourage other relevant international institutions to undertake similar measures. It would reiterate its request to the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to ensure that the separate identity of the Special Unit is maintained and supported to fully implement its mandate and system-wide responsibilities in promoting, monitoring and coordinating TCDC.

Draft resolution II, on cooperation between the United Nations and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), was approved without a vote on 1 December. The text would have the Assembly call on States Members of the United Nations and organs, organizations and bodies of the United Nations system that have not yet established contact and relationships with the Community to explore the possibility of doing so. It would call on the international community, in particular the United Nations, to continue to contribute to the promotion of peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to assist in its rehabilitation and economic reconstruction.

The Assembly would also call on the international community to consider supporting the creation of special economic zones and development corridors in the Community, with active participation of the private sector, while recognizing the responsibilities and the ongoing efforts of the countries concerned to create the necessary environment, including the appropriate legal and economic framework for such activities. Also, the international community would be called on to support the Community’s efforts to address the consequences, new challenges and opportunities presented to the region’s economies by the process of globalization and liberalization.

Training and Research

The Committee's report on "training and research" (document A/54/590) contains two draft resolutions.

Draft resolution I, on the United Nations Staff College in Turin, Italy, was approved without a vote on 24 November. By its terms, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to consult with the Administrative Committee on Coordination and relevant United Nations agencies and to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session a report on the Staff college, based on a full and independent evaluation of the implementation and completion of the activities undertaken by the College (incorporating the College's corporate plan and programme of action) and including recommendation on the future status, funding and operations of the College after the conclusion of its pilot phase in December 2000.

Approved without a vote on 24 November, draft resolution II, on the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), would have the Assembly request the Board of Trustees to continue to attract experts from developing countries, and countries with economies in transition, for the preparation of the relevant training materials for the programmes and activities of the Institute, and stress that the Institute’s courses should primarily focus on development issues.

The Assembly would renew its call to the Secretary-General to continue to explore all possible ways and means to provide additional facilities to the Institute for maintaining its offices and for conducting programmes and training courses that are provided at no cost to States and to their representatives accredited to United Nations Offices in New York, Nairobi, Geneva and Vienna. It would also renew its appeal to all governments, particularly those of developed countries, and to private institutions that have not yet contributed financially or otherwise to the Institute, to give it their generous financial and other support, and urge the States that interrupted their voluntary contributions to consider resuming them.

Permanent Sovereignty of the Palestinian People

The Committee's report on "permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources" (document A/54/591) contains one draft resolution.

The draft resolution on the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources, was approved by a vote of 132 in favour to 3 against (Israel, Marshall Islands and United States) with 5 abstentions (Cameroon, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Zambia) on 24 November. It would have the Assembly call on Israel, the occupying Power, not to exploit, to cause loss or depletion of or to endanger the natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan. Also, the Assembly would reaffirm the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and the population of the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources, including land and water.

Further, the Assembly would recognize the right of the Palestinian people to claim restitution as a result of any exploitation, loss or depletion of, or danger to, their natural resources, and express the hope that this issue will be dealt with in the framework of the final status negotiation between the Palestinian and Israeli sides.

Globalization and interdependence

The Committee's report on "globalization and interdependence" (document A/54/592) contains one draft resolution.

The draft, approved without a vote on 16 December, is on the role of the United Nations in promoting development in the context of globalization and interdependence. By the terms of the draft, the Assembly would call for increased international cooperation to address the challenges of globalization through the enhanced participation of developing countries in the international economic policy decision-making process; integrated consideration of trade, finance, technology transfer and development issues by the relevant international institutions; and continuation of a wide range of reforms of the international financial system.

The Assembly would call upon all countries, in particular the major developed countries, to enhance coherence among their financial, trade and development cooperation policies, with a view to creating an enabling international economic environment supportive of development, in particular, of developing countries. It would urge the international community to promote international development cooperation aimed at enhancing the participation of developing countries in the globalizing world economy. It would also urge the international community to adopt policies that promote equity in finance, trade and transfer of technology, and address the problems of developing countries in the areas of external debt and transfer of resources, financial vulnerability, declining terms of trade and market access.

Implementation of the first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006)

The Committee's report on "implementation of the first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty" (document A/54/593) contains one draft resolution.

The draft resolution, approved without a vote on 9 December, is on implementation of the first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty. By the terms of the draft, the Assembly would call on all governments to incorporate the recommendations made by the Secretary-General for possible action and initiatives for poverty eradication in the design and implementation of their national poverty alleviation strategies. It would also call on all countries to formulate and implement outcome-oriented national strategies and programmes, including setting time-bound targets for poverty reduction.

The Assembly would call on the developed countries to strengthen their efforts to achieve the agreed target of 0.7 per cent of their gross national product for overall official development assistance and within that target to earmark 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of their gross national product for the least developed countries. Further, the developed countries would be called upon, by means of intensified and effective cooperation with developing countries, to promote capacity-building and to facilitate access to and transfer of technologies and corresponding knowledge, particularly to developing countries, on favourable terms, taking into account the need to protect intellectual property rights, as well as the special needs of developing countries, by identifying and implementing practical steps to ensure the achievement of progress and to assist developing countries in their efforts to eradicate poverty in an era influenced in large measure by technology.

Report of Economic and Social Council

The Committee's report on "the report of the Economic and Social Council" (document A/54/594) contains four draft decisions. Draft decision I would have the Assembly adopt the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection (as expanded in 1999 to include sustainable consumption). The draft, which contains guidelines which should apply both to home-produced goods and services and imports, was approved on 18 November.

Draft decision II, on the report of the Economic and Social Council, was approved without a vote on 24 November. The draft would have the Assembly take note of Council decision 1999/277 of 28 July on the report of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development, to be transmitted to the Commission on Sustainable Development. Also, the Assembly would request the Commission to consider, at its eighth session, those parts of the Committee's report that are relevant to its agreed programme of work for 2000.

Draft decision III would have the Assembly take note of the relevant chapters of the report of the Economic and Social Council for 1999, and of the report of the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on the United Nations Population Award.

Draft decision IV would have the Assembly approve the biennial programme of work of the Second Committee for 2000-2001.

Also before the Assembly was a draft resolution on Assistance to Venezuela following the devastating floods and landslides (document A/54/L.76).

By the terms of the text, sponsored by Venezuela, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to make all the necessary arrangements to continue mobilizing and coordinating humanitarian assistance from the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system with a view to supporting the efforts of the Government of Venezuela. It would also appeal to all Member States, the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, as well as to international financing institutions and NGOs, to respond urgently and provide generous assistance to Venezuela in its relief and rehabilitation efforts and programmes following this calamity.

The Assembly was also to consider a draft resolution on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa (document A/54/L.75).

By the terms of the text, the Assembly would request all governments, intergovernmental organizations and NGOs to work towards the implementation of the agreed conclusion of the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 1999. Those conclusions address the coordination of the policies and activities of the specialized agencies of the United Nations system related to the theme "Development of Africa: implementation and coordinated follow-up by the United Nations system of initiatives on African Development", and Council decision 1999/270.

The Assembly would request the President to establish the ad hoc open-ended working group to monitor the implementation of the recommendations made by the Secretary-General, in his report to the General Assembly and the Security Council, on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa (documents A/52/871 S/1998/318), to prepare for discussion at its fifty-fifth session. It would request that the open-ended working group also monitor the implementation of the agreed conclusions adopted by the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 1999, Council decision 1999/270, as well as poverty eradication, debt relief, HIV/AIDS and support to countries in post-conflict situations.

The Assembly would also request that the President, at its fifty-fourth session, establish and serve as the ex-officio chairman of the ad hoc working group, and to designate, in close consultations with Member States, two vice- chairpersons and convene an organizational meeting of the working group no later than March 2000 to decide on its modalities and to develop arrangements for its effective functioning. The Assembly would further request the Secretary-General to provide the working group with all necessary assistance in the accomplishment of its mandate, and to report to the fifty-fifth session of the Assembly on the implementation of the current resolution.

The Assembly would stress the paramount importance for the final review and appraisal of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990's, to be held in 2002. And the Assembly would decide to consider at its fifty-sixth session the modalities for undertaking the final review and appraisal of the New Agenda, taking into account the mid-term review of the New Agenda and the agreed conclusion of the Economic and Social Council.

The text was sponsored by Algeria, Cameroon, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Senegal, Swaziland and the United States.

Before the Assembly was also a draft resolution on international cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters from relief to development (document A/54/L.74).

By the terms of the text, sponsored by China, Cuba, Guyana, India, Mexico and South Africa, the General Assembly would express deep concern at the increasing number and scale of natural disasters and would call upon States to adopt and continue to implement necessary measures to mitigate the effects of natural disasters, inter alia, by disaster prevention and preparedness, and capacity- building in disaster response. It would also request the international community to continue to assist developing countries where appropriate.

The Assembly would stress that humanitarian assistance for natural disasters should be provided in accordance with the guiding principles contained in the annex to General Assembly resolution 46/182, and should be determined on the basis of the human dimension and needs arising out of the particular disaster. It would also stress the need to strengthen, at all levels, including domestic levels, to improve natural disaster awareness, prevention, preparedness and early warning systems. It would also stress international cooperation in response to emergencies from relief to rehabilitation and development.

The Assembly would also stress the need to continue to provide adequate funds and to release funds quickly for natural disasters, in order to contribute to a comprehensive recovery in the shortest time possible. It would stress that contributions for humanitarian assistance for natural disasters should be provided in a way that is not to the detriment of resources made available for international cooperation for development or complex humanitarian emergencies.

The Assembly would also stress that particular international cooperation efforts should be undertaken to further enhance and broaden the utilization of national and local capacities, and where appropriate the regional or subregional capacities of developing countries for disaster response. It would encourage further efforts by the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Inter-Agency Standing Committee members and other members of the United Nations system in promoting preparedness for response to natural disasters at the international, regional and national levels.

It would also encourage the further efforts of these agencies to strengthen the mobilization and coordination of humanitarian assistance of the United Nations system through effective deployment world wide, as well as the expansion of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination roster to appropriately include more representatives from Africa, Asia and the Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean. The Assembly would further encourage efforts by the UNDP, taking due account of the evolving comprehensive strategy to maximize international cooperation in the field of natural disasters.

The Assembly would encourage governments, relevant organizations of the United Nations system and NGOs to continue to cooperate with the Secretary-General and the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator to maximize the effectiveness of the international response to natural disasters, based among other things on humanitarian need, from relief to development. The Assembly would recall its request to the Secretary-General to solicit the required inputs to further optimize and disseminate listings of organizations of civil protection and emergency response at all levels. It would invite the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and other concerned organizations to strengthen their support to the United Nations disaster management teams.

The Assembly would invite the Economic and Social Council, at its substantive session of 2000, to consider ways to further enhance the effectiveness of international cooperation and coordination in respect of the provision of timely and adequate humanitarian assistance in response to natural disasters.

It would invite the Secretary-General to further consider innovative means for timely and adequate natural disaster response, including by such means as the mobilization of further resources from the private sector. It would invite the Secretary-General to continue to consider innovative mechanisms to improve international response to natural disasters and other emergencies, through addressing any geographical and sectoral imbalances in such a response where they exist, as well as more effective use of national emergency response agencies. It would invite the Secretary-General to report thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session, under the item entitled "Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance", with a view to contributing towards the comprehensive report on the implementation of the international Strategy for Disaster Reduction, to be submitted to the Assembly at its fifty-fifth session under the item entitled "Environment and sustainable development".

Action on Second Committee Reports

HUSSAM EDIN A'ALA (Syria), the rapporteur of the Second Committee, introduced the Committee's reports. The Second Committee had approved 38 draft resolutions, three by recorded vote, and 11 draft decisions.

The representatives of Guyana and Suriname drew attention to minor corrections in the reports.

AHMED AMAZIANE (Morocco) said that, had his delegation been present at the vote on draft resolution A/C.2/54/L.72, it would have voted in favour of the draft. That information had not been mentioned in the report.

The Assembly took up the Committee's report on macroeconomic policy questions (document A/54/585, Add. 1-5).

The Assembly first took up the draft resolution entitled "high-level international intergovernmental consideration of financing for development".

MICHAEL GALLAGHER (United States), speaking in explanation of position before the vote, said his country was pleased to join the consensus on the resolution. It was noteworthy that Member States had recognized in the resolution that the IMF and the World Bank were key stakeholders in development finance issues. Those institutions and the regional development banks played a pre-eminent role in financing sustainable development. The United States therefore encouraged their participation in the preparatory process and the final event itself.

The United States remained concerned about the form and agenda of the final event. Developing countries would be best served if the outcome of the event was not a political document, but rather practical guidelines on the effective mobilization, prioritization and utilization of resources in support of national efforts to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development. In advocating a final event form that favoured substance over style, he said the form should also not soak up developing country or donor funds that could be put to more directly beneficial uses.

The inclusion of the topic of the full implementation of the 1990s conferences and summits and the Agenda for Development in the agenda should not be interpreted as conveying any new or expanded funding obligations, he said. The governance of the IMF, the World Bank or the regional development banks, and issues related to the international financial architecture could be addressed only by the relevant international forums.

The Assembly then adopted the resolution without a vote.

A draft resolution entitled "towards a stable international financial system, responsive to the challenges of development, especially in the developing countries", was then adopted by a vote of 155 in favour to 1 against (United States) with 0 abstentions (see Annex I).

Without a vote, the Assembly then adopted draft resolution I, entitled "international trade and development", and draft resolution II, entitled "specific actions related to the particular needs and problems of landlocked developing countries".

Draft resolution III, entitled "unilateral economic measures as a means of political and economic coercion against developing countries" was approved by a vote of 107 in favour to three against (Germany, Marshall Islands and United States) with 46 abstentions (see Annex II).

ALOUNKEO KITTIKHOUN (Lao People's Democratic Republic), speaking on behalf of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries, said the General Assembly had considered the particular needs of the landlocked developing countries every two years. Landlocked developing countries were among the poorest countries among the developing countries. He hoped that the adoption by consensus of the resolution would pave the way to full implementation of the conclusions and recommendations of the Fourth Meeting of Governmental Experts from Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries and Representatives of Donor Countries and Financial and Development Institutions, held last August in New York. He looked forward to the fifth meeting. He hoped that his Group would continue to receive more support and financial assistance on the most concessional terms. The development of an efficient and self-reliant transit transport system required due priority consideration on the part of the international community.

NIKOLAI V. TCHOULKOV (Russian Federation) said that there had been a frequent use of unilateral coercive measures. Adoption of the resolution should help to take urgent measures to stop such actions against all States. He was concerned by sanctions taken against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. That was incompatible with the Charter of the United Nations. According to the report of the Secretary- General, there was a need to oppose the use of unilateral measures. In voting in support of the resolution, the Russian Federation stressed its position of principle on the inadmissibility of unilateral measures against any country.

WALTER J. STEINHOFF (Germany) said that his delegation had voted to abstain, not against draft resolution III.

ALI AHMED MOHAMED AL-DAILMI (Yemen) said that his delegation had voted in favour of the resolution, it had not abstained.

The Assembly also adopted, without a vote, a draft decision taking note of the reports of the Trade and Development Board on its nineteenth, twentieth, twenty-first and twenty-second executive sessions.

The Assembly then adopted, without a vote, draft resolutions on "science and technology for development" and on "enhancing international cooperation towards a durable solution to the external debt problem of developing countries".

The Assembly then took up the Second Committee’s report on sectoral policy questions (document A/54/586)

Draft resolution I, entitled "Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa", was adopted without a vote, as were draft resolution II, entitled "business and development", and draft resolution III, entitled "prevention of corrupt practices and illegal transfer of funds".

Next, the Assembly considered the report on sustainable development and international economic cooperation (document A/54/587, Add.1-8)

Without a vote, it adopted a draft resolution entitled "implementation of the commitments and policies agreed upon in the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, and implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade".

Also without a vote, the Assembly adopted: draft resolution I, entitled "preparations for the special session of the General Assembly for an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the Habitat Agenda"; draft resolution II, entitled "implementation of the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II)"; and draft resolution III, entitled "follow-up to the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II)".

The Assembly also adopted a draft resolution entitled "women in development" without a vote.

The Assembly then adopted a draft decision which would have it take note of the report of the Joint Inspection Unit entitled "an evaluation of the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women" and the Secretary-General's comments thereon.

Without a vote, the Assembly then adopted draft resolutions on: "developing human resources for development" and "international migration and development".

The Assembly then postponed action on a draft resolution entitled "implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the 1990s", because of the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) consideration of the programme budget implications for that text.

Without a vote, the Assembly the adopted a draft resolution entitled "renewal of the dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership".

It then took note of the Secretary-General’s note on the themes for the second high-level dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership.

The Assembly then took up consideration of the report on environment and sustainable development (document a/54/588, Add. 1-7)

Without a vote, the Assembly adopted draft resolution I, entitled, "conservation and sustainable development of Central African forest ecosystems", draft resolution II, entitled "World Solar Programme 1996-2005", draft resolution III, entitled "report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)", and draft resolution IV, entitled "enhancing complementarities among international instruments related to environment and sustainable development".

It also adopted, without a vote, a draft resolution entitled "implementation of and follow-up to the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and the nineteenth special session of the General Assembly".

Next, adopting a draft decision, the Assembly took note of the report of the Secretary-General on measures taken in the United Nations system to accelerate progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 and the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21.

The Assembly then adopted without a vote draft resolution I, entitled "International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction: successor arrangements", and draft resolution II, entitled "international cooperation to reduce the impact of the El Niño phenomenon".

MARIO ALEMAN (Ecuador), speaking in explanation of position after the vote, said with the adoption of the resolution on the El Niño phenomenon, that the international community had taken an important step toward applying a cross- sectoral, multidisciplinary approach to the study of El Niño. The Assembly had adopted practical and constructive measures to better understand the El Niño phenomenon. The gathering of numerous experts, including 450 scientists from around the world and the publication of scientific documents on the phenomenon were clear examples of the positive actions being taken by the Organization on the El Niño phenomenon.

The support for an international centre in Guayaquil, Ecuador, to investigate the phenomenon was a further example, he continued. The centre would allow for much closer observation and the gathered information could be shared with others, in particular with the world atmospheric organizations.

Turning to the Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, he said the international community would now have an agreed-upon strategy that could act as a guide and serve as a basic platform for managing disaster reduction. In 2000, a task force would be established and an institutional secretariat would be provided. He expressed the hope that it would be possible to benefit from the experience gained during the Decade as well as the expertise and knowledge of those in the Secretariat who had been involved with the Decade.

AIRA PAIVOKE (Finland), speaking on behalf of the European Union in explanation of position after the vote, supported the statement of Ecuador on the two resolutions just adopted, in particular the one on the Decade. The European Union shared the interests of Ecuador and attached great importance to the matter. The European Union was assured that the arrangements and the implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction would honour the letter and the spirit of the resolution and would fully utilize the experiences gained and the lessons learned during the Decade.

Also without a vote, the Assembly adopted draft resolutions entitled "Convention on Biological Diversity", "protection of global climate for present and future generations of mankind", and "implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa".

Draft resolution I, entitled "implementation of the outcome of the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States", was adopted without a vote, as was draft resolution II, entitled "promoting an integrated management approach to the Caribbean Sea area in the context of sustainable development".

The Assembly also adopted the draft decision listed in the report on sustainable development in which it took note of the report of the Secretary- General on the twenty-first session of the General Assembly for an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and development.

Next, the Assembly took the Committee’s report on operational activities for development (document A/54/589).

Draft resolution I, entitled "economic and technical cooperation among developing countries" was approved without a vote, as was draft resolution II, entitled "cooperation between the United Nations and the Southern African Development Community (SADC)".

A draft decision, adopted without a vote, had the Assembly take note of: the report of the High-Level Committee on the Review of Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries on its eleventh session (1 to 4 June 1999); and the report of the United Nations Development Fund for Women on its activities prepared pursuant to General Assembly resolution 39/125.

Taking up the Committee’s report on training and research (document A/54/590), the Assembly adopted, without a vote, draft resolution I, entitled "the United Nations Staff College in Turin, Italy".

It also adopted without a vote draft resolution II entitled "the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)".

Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian People

The Assembly then turned to the report on permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian People (document A/54/591).

The draft resolution entitled "permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources" was adopted with 145 Member States voting in favour of the draft resolution, three Member States voting against (Israel, Marshall Islands and the United States), and six Member States abstaining (Australia, Cameroon, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Zambia) (See Annex III).

ALAN MARCH (Australia) said that his vote had been wrongly registered. He had not abstained, but had voted in favour.

The Assembly then considered the Committee's report on globalization and interdependence (document A/54/592), and approved, without a vote, the draft resolution entitled "role of the United Nations in promoting development in the context of globalization and interdependence".

MICHAEL GALLAGHER (United States), speaking in explanation of position after the vote, said his country had joined consensus on the resolution because it believed the text represented on balance, a step forward in a number of areas. On the issue of good governance, part of the way forward was to strengthen the support of the international community to developing countries so that they could develop the capacity, skills and institutions necessary to confront globalization. But just as important was a fundamental understanding of the need for governments to effectively manage their own development.

He said the Assembly had helped to move the debate forward by recognizing that good governance was governance that was “responsive to the needs of the people based on efficient, participatory, transparent and accountable public service, policy-making processes and administration”. That was an excellent working definition that could be strengthened by further developing concepts such as democracy and civil society.

Over the past several years, there had been widespread recognition that good governance was essential to sustainable development, he continued. The significance of good governance had also become prominent among both member countries of the international financial institutions and management of those institutions. Bilaterally, donor countries had in place numerous programmes to help countries overcome governance problems. Nationally, many countries were talking openly about good governance as being critical to economic growth and development.

MICHEL ORLANDO KERPENS (Surinam) said that where the phrase "small island developing States" was mentioned, it should be spelled with initial capitals, and “(SIDS)” should be added.

Taking up the Committee's report, Implementation of the First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006) (A/54/593) the Assembly adopted, without a vote, a draft resolution entitled "implementation of the first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty".

The Assembly then took up consideration of the report of the Economic and Social Council (A/54/594).

In draft decision I, the Assembly adopted, without a vote, the United Nations "Guidelines for Consumer Protection" (as expanded in 1999).

Also without a vote, the Assembly adopted draft decision II, taking note of the Economic and Social Council decision 1999/277 of 28 July 1999 on the report of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development, and draft decision III, taking note of the relevant chapters of the report of the Economic and Social Council for 1999, and of the report of the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund on the United Nations Population Award.

Finally, in adopting draft decision IV, the Assembly approved the biennial programme of work of the Second Committee for 2000-2001.

Action on General Assembly draft resolutions

GEORGE TALBOT (Guyana), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, introduced the draft resolution on "International cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters from relief to development" (document A/54/L.74). He said humanitarian emergencies had wrought immeasurable suffering, not to mention severe socioeconomic dislocation. Not only had there been the need to wrestle with the increased onslaught resulting from natural disasters, but the world community had had to face a growing incidence of complex humanitarian emergencies, which afflicted the lives of millions across the globe, resulting in untold suffering and death.

He said the world was once again witnessing the telling fury of nature which had wrought death and destruction on thousands of people in Venezuela. The final toll of the disastrous flooding and mudslides that struck that country in recent days was yet to be fully reckoned. The text represented a timely response and necessary, albeit modest, step towards more concerted international action to address the humanitarian impact of natural disasters. It was the result of open- ended informal consultations based on an initial draft which was put forward by the Group and Mexico.

It was the first such initiative to be proposed by the Group in over eight years, he continued. The resolution contained a number of provisions to maximize the effectiveness of the response to natural disasters, at both national and international levels, through enhanced international cooperation. The agreed conclusions on the theme of international cooperation and coordinated responses to the humanitarian emergencies, which were adopted by the Economic and Social Council at its July 1999 Substantive session, provided an important building block for further action in that regard.

He said the following countries had also become co-sponsors of the text: Algeria; Argentina; Australia; Benin; Bolivia; Botswana; Brazil; Burkina Faso; Cambodia; Cape Verde; Chile; Colombia; Costa Rica; Cyprus; Djibouti; Dominican Republic; Gabon; Guatemala; Indonesia; Iran; Libya; Madagascar; Malaysia; Marshall Islands; Mauritius; Mongolia; Nicaragua; Pakistan; Papua New Guinea; Peru; Philippines; Solomon Islands; Sudan; Tunisia; Uruguay; Venezuela; Bangladesh; Ecuador; Fiji; Haiti; Seychelles; and Togo.

CARLOS BIVERO (Venezuela), who introduced the draft resolution A/54/L76 on assistance to Venezuela, appealed for its unanimous adoption by the Assembly. Venezuela was in mourning because of the recent catastrophe; massive landslides and floods had occurred with great loss of life. He expressed gratitude for the many messages of condolence and solidarity his country had received. He also expressed gratitude for the generous aid from Member States and the United Nations.

PATRICK LEWIS (Antigua and Barbuda), speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), described the situation in Venezuela as a sad and disastrous moment. The disasters visited upon Venezuela and other countries in the Americas had led to reflection on the changes the planet was experiencing. One had to wonder if there had been any region affected as much as the Latin American and the Caribbean area. From an environmental perspective there had been earthquakes, volcanoes and two late season hurricanes in the last year. Those trends caused much concern for the future. In conclusion, he appealed for the unanimous adoption of the resolution.

JORGE PEREZ OTERMIN (Uruguay), in supporting the resolution, said his region, in particular the subregion of the Caribbean and Central America, had been enduring one of the most damaging periods of natural disasters. While international cooperation and solidarity could not compensate the loss of human lives, it could help to mitigate the consequences of the physical destruction and damage wrought by the disasters. Natural disasters always seemed to strike the poorest populations and regions the hardest and the cost of their recuperation was greater, as a result. In light of that, international efforts should be directed towards preventive measures and post disaster development.

He said the damage to Venezuela from the flooding was incalculable and worse yet, the actual number of lives lost might never be known. In response to the call for solidarity, Uruguay was sending out its first relief flight from its capital, with a second flight to follow in January. JACKEO RELANG (Marshall Islands) speaking on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum States (Australia, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Marshall Islands) said, as countries of a subregion that were particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, they were committed to supporting the role played by the United Nations and its response system in providing much needed relief assistance. The text before the Assembly affirmed the fundamental importance of the collective efforts to strengthen international cooperation according to the principles of neutrality, humanity and impartiality.

He said the assistance given by the United Nations should be determined on the basis of the human needs that arose from the adverse impact of natural disasters. The Organization should make optimum use of national and regional mechanisms, since those on the ground were usually the first to respond and were more attuned to understanding the socio-cultural sensitivities of the communities in and around the disaster areas. Recent natural disasters around the world were stiff reminders that prevention and preparedness at the national level of developing countries could never be fully sufficient.

He stressed the importance of maintaining support for natural disaster funding in the face of declining official development assistance (ODA). The Forum also strongly stressed the need for increased attention to disaster preparedness, including funds from international cooperation in natural disasters. A critical component of an effective response system was to have simple and less bureaucratic procedures to release funds for that purpose. He emphasized that contributions made for humanitarian assistance in times of natural disasters should not be to the detriment of resources earmarked for international development assistance or complex humanitarian emergencies.

The following co-sponsors were announced for the draft resolution on assistance to Venezuela: Bangladesh, Commoros, Fiji, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Namibia, Sudan, Syria, Togo, Uganda and Yemen.

The Assembly adopted both resolutions without a vote.

MARTIN BELINGA EBOUTOU (Cameroon), speaking on behalf of the African Group, introduced the resolution on the causes of conflict and promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa (document A/54/L.75). He expressed condolences to the people of Venezuela and assured them of the African Group’s solidarity. He appealed for the adoption of the resolution by consensus. In conclusion, he said that Africa was waiting on the international community to join it in its renaissance in the twenty-first century and the new millennium.

The Assembly adopted the resolution without a vote.

In other action, the Assembly withdrew two draft resolutions on the code of democratic conduct from consideration (documents A/54/L.23 and A/54/L.46).

The Assembly will meet next tomorrow, Thursday, 23 December at 10 a.m to take up the reports of the Fifth Committee.

(annexes follow)

ANNEX I

Vote on Stable International Financial System

The draft resolution entitled towards a stable international financial system, responsive to the challenges of development, especially in the developing countries (document A/54/585/Add.2) was adopted by a recorded vote of 155 in favour to 1 against, with 0 abstentions:

In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: United States.

Abstain: None.

Absent: Albania, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Federated States of Micronesia, Gambia, Honduras, Kiribati, Malawi, Nauru, Nicaragua, Palau, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sierra Leone, Tonga.

(END OF ANNEX I) ANNEX II

Vote on Unilateral Coercive Economic Measures

The draft resolution on unilateral economic measures as a means of political and economic coercion against developing countries (document A/54/585/Add.3-III) was adopted by a recorded vote of 107 in favour to 3 against, with 46 abstentions:

In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: Germany, Marshall Islands, United States.

Abstain: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monacco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan.

Absent: Albania, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Federated States of Micronesia, Gambia, Honduras, Kiribati, Malawi, Nauru, Palau, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Tonga.

(END OF ANNEX II) ANNEX III

Vote on Permanent Sovereignty of Palestinian People

The draft resolution on permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources (document A/54/591) was adopted by a recorded vote of 145 in favour to 3 against with 6 abstentions:

In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe.

Against: Israel, Marshall Islands, United States.

Abstain: Australia, Cameroon, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Zambia.

Absent: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Guatemala, Honduras, Kiribati, Malawi, Nauru, Nicaragua, Palau, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Tonga, Turkmenistan.

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