SCALE OF ASSESSMENTS, PEACEKEEPING FINANCE AMONG ITEMS ADDRESSED, AS FIFTH COMMITTEE CONCLUDES FIRST PART OF RESUMED SESSION

Press Release
GA/AB/3364

SCALE OF ASSESSMENTS, PEACEKEEPING FINANCE AMONG ITEMS ADDRESSED, AS FIFTH COMMITTEE CONCLUDES FIRST PART OF RESUMED SESSION

Committee Will Meet Again 8 May to 2 June

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) approved eight draft resolutions and 10 draft decisions for action by the General Assembly, as it closed the first part of its resumed fifty-fourth session this evening. The three-week session focused on a range of agenda items that had been left outstanding from the Assembly’s main session.

Tonight’s meeting suspended twice to allow for informal consultations on a draft resolution on the scale of assessments –- a means of apportioning the Organization’s expenses among its Member States. In the end, the Committee approved an orally amended text by which the Committee on Contributions would be asked to submit 12 proposals for a scale of assessments for the period 2001-2003. The draft contains specifications for each of those proposals, including proposed ceiling and floor rates, statistical base periods, conversion rates and debt burden adjustments.

According to the text, the Committee on Contributions should also examine consequences of sharply depressed level of primary commodity prices on commodity- dependent economies, the impact on countries whose economies have the burden of hosting refugees, and other aspects of the low per capita income adjustment. The Assembly would also reaffirm the fundamental principle that the Organization’s expenses should be apportioned among Member States based broadly on their capacity to pay.

In action on peacekeeping financing, the Committee approved $350 million gross for the current East Timor mission –- the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) –- to cover the period 1 December 1999 to 30 June 2000. In addition, approximately $26.9 million in additional funds would be approved for the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET), which preceded UNTAET.

By another draft on peacekeeping financing, the Secretary-General would be allowed to enter into commitments of $200 million gross for the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC), to cover expenses from 6 August 1999 to 30 June 2000.

A draft resolution on financing the Third United Nations Conference for Least Developed Countries and the High-level Intergovernmental Event for Financing for Development was also approved. Noting that no extrabudgetary resources have yet been received to defray costs of representation from least developed countries, the

Fifth Committee - 1a - Press Release GA/AB/3364 58th Meeting 31 March 2000

Assembly would ask the Secretary-General to explore ways of providing resources and report back to it at the Committee’s second resumed session.

A decision was approved by which the Assembly would endorse the Secretary- General’s proposed definition of the circumstances when normal procurement procedures are over-ridden by exigency needs. At the same time, it would call for the text to specify that exigency exemptions from normal procurement rules should not come into play as a consequence of bad management.

By other action, the Assembly would endorse a number of Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) recommendations on enhancing the cost-effectiveness of the use of United Nations publications to implement legislative mandates. Those include seeking information for a detailed assessment of publications policies and practices, and calling on the Secretariat to review sales revenues from United Nations publications at least quarterly. According to another endorsed recommendation, the primary criterion for new publications should be specific mandates from intergovernmental bodies, with general publications kept to a minimum.

Among the provisions of another draft approved tonight, the Assembly would endorse the JIU’s reports on improving the working methods of the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC), and endorse the CPC’s comments on evaluation.

Through other texts, the Assembly would note reports from the Office of Internal Oversight Services on matters including the investigation of cases of alleged fraud; and the JIU on the machinery of the Administrative Committee on Coordination, as well as related comments from the Secretary-General. Further, it would take note of reports on strengthening United Nations external oversight mechanisms, progress in implementing the United Nations Integrated Management Information System, and changes to regulations governing budget proposals to ensure they include expressions of expected accomplishments for programmes.

By other action, the Assembly would endorse the Secretary-General’s guidelines for outsourcing United Nations activities, pending a report defining the criteria for their application.

Also tonight, the Committee recommended the appointment of Victor V. Vislykh (Russian Federation) to the United Nations Staff Pension Committee.

It decided to defer consideration of how to improve its working methods to the second part of its resumed fifty-fourth session. Gratis personnel, the activities of the Office of Internal Oversight Services, human resources management and proposed regulations on the rights and duties of the Secretary-General and non- Secretariat officials will be taken up at its fifty-fifth session, the Committee decided.

Drafts were introduced and the status of consultations explained by the representatives of the Netherlands, Poland, Belgium, Cuba, Argentina, Egypt, Iran, India, Ireland and by the Committee Chairman, Penny Wensley (Australia).

The representatives of Cuba, Italy, Syria, Tunisia, Philippines, Russian Federation, Japan, Ethiopia, Portugal (for the European Union), Nigeria (for the “Group of 77” developing countries and China), Argentina, United States, Belarus and Egypt spoke.

The second part of the Committee’s resumed session will take place from 8 May to 2 June.

Fifth Committee - 3 - Press Release GA/AB/3364 58th Meeting (PM) 31 March 2000

Fifth Committee Work Programme

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) met this afternoon to consider draft decisions and resolutions on many of the issues under discussion during its first resumed fifty-fourth session. Several of the texts were not available at the time of the meeting. Also this afternoon, as it closed its three- week session, the Committee was to recommend an appointment to the Staff Pension Committee.

Concerning the appointment, the Committee had before it a note from the Secretary-General (document A/54/106) advising that he has received notice of the resignation of Vladimir V. Kuznetsov (Russian Federation) from the United Nations Staff Pension Committee, and that the General Assembly will therefore be required to appoint someone to complete his term of office, which expires on 31 December 2000.

In a second note (document A/C.5/54/10/Add.1) the Secretary-General informs the Assembly that the Russian Federation has nominated Victor V. Vislykh for appointment to the United Nations Staff Pension Committee for the remainder of the term of office. Appended to the note is Mr. Vislykh's curriculum vitae.

Review of Efficiency

The Committee had before it a draft decision on the definition of exigency needs for the purposes of procurement (document A/C.5/54/L.43). By its terms, the Assembly would endorse the definition of that term proposed by the Secretary- General, but call for the text to specify that exigency exemptions from normal procurement rules should not come into play as a consequence of bad management.

[For background on the definition of exigency for procurement purposes, see Press Release GA/AB/3359 of 21 March.]

By the terms of a draft resolution on the reports of the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) (document A/C.5/54/L.44), the Assembly would, with one exception, take note of a JIU report reviewing the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) and its machinery and related comments from the Secretary-General and the ACC.

It would also endorse part one of the Inspection Unit's recommendations on the United Nations system common services at Geneva, and the comments from the Secretary-General and the ACC on those recommendations. It would stress that pursuit of common services in Geneva should be one of many tools available to organizations and managers to obtain goods and services in the most efficient and effective manner.

By other terms, the Assembly would invite the Inspection Unit to examine common services at other duty stations, where feasible, and to pass their recommendations and observations to the General Assembly. Stressing the importance of using the recent data available in JIU reports, it would call on the Secretary- General and the executive heads of the organizations of the United Nations system to provide timely data.

Also by the draft, the Assembly would call on the Secretary-General to ensure the timely issuance of JIU reports and the related comments from the Secretary- General and the ACC, so that governing bodies could to take prompt action on them. It would also encourage the Secretary-General and the ACC to take concrete steps to enhance common services and invite legislative organs of other organizations to act on the basis of the present resolution.

Further, it would ask the Inspection Unit to continue to improve its reports consistent with the requirements of its follow-up system approved by the Assembly, and ask the Secretary-General to report to the Assembly at its fifty-sixth session on measures taken to enhance common services.

[For background on the JIU's reports on the ACC and on common services in Geneva, see Press Release GA/AB/3359 of 21 March.]

By the terms of a draft resolution on outsourcing practices in the United Nations (document A/C.5/54/L.48), the Assembly would ask the Secretary-General to ensure that programme managers are guided by the basic reasons for outsourcing and its goals. It would endorse the guidelines on outsourcing set out in the Secretary-General's report, pending consideration of a report it would ask for which would define criteria for decisions on which activities should or should not be outsourced. That report would be due at the General Assembly's fifty-fifth session.

[For background on outsourcing, see Press Release GA/AB/3358 of 17 March.]

By a draft decision on strengthening United Nations external oversight mechanisms (document A/C.5/54/L.50), the Assembly would take note of a series of reports. Those are: the Secretary-General's report on the review of the Organization’s administrative and financial efficiency; his note transmitting the comments of the Board of Auditors on the implications of extending the term of office of members of the Board and the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) comments on that; the Secretary-General's note transmitting the views of the Board of Auditors on improving oversight functions; and a note from the Secretary-General transmitting the Joint Inspection Unit's updated and additional views on the strengthening of external oversight mechanisms.

By the terms of a draft resolution on the reports of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (document A/C.5/54/L.55), the Assembly would take note of Oversight Office reports on audits of the commercial insurance programmes, Regional Commissions, the Second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, the United Nations health insurance programme and the conference centres of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and on an investigation into an alleged theft by a staff member of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and on the review of common services (and the related comments of the JIU).

It would also note the reports on: an investigation into the Lebanon field office of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA); the investigation into allegations concerning an UNCTAD electronic commerce project; the procurement of Lysol by the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); and allegations about procurement of aviation services for peacekeeping missions.

The Assembly would further note the Oversight review of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and the related Joint Inspection Unit comments, of its review of programme management in the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division, and of its report on an investigation into an alleged conflict of interest at the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements, and the related Inspection Unit comments. It would ask that in future relevant legislative mandates be included in the Oversight Office's reports.

Programme Budget for 1998-1999

By the terms of a draft decision before the Committee on the Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) (document A/C.5/54/L.45), the Assembly would take note of the Secretary-General's eleventh progress report on IMIS, of the revised completion date for the project and of activities planned up to its completion. It would also endorse comments and recommendations of the ACABQ.

By other terms, it would ask the Secretary-General to submit a comprehensive final report on the system's implementation after its completion, including an analysis of lessons learned and experience gained. That study, due at the Assembly's fifty-sixth session, would also address the issue of long-term strategy for further development of the system.

Programme Planning

Also before the Committee was a draft decision on regulations and rules governing programme planning, the programme aspects of the budget, the monitoring of implementation and the methods of evaluation (document A/C.5/54/L.46). By its terms, the Assembly would note the Secretary-general's proposed amendment to the rules, which would now state that expected accomplishments must be included in each subprogramme's budget proposal, and should be expressed so as to make it possible to judge whether they had been achieved.

The Assembly would also recommend the sentence "Expected accomplishments shall be objective, feasible and pertinent to the nature of, and work carried out by each subprogramme." as an addition to the proposed new rule.

[For background on the new rule for programme managers, see Press Releases GA/AB/3346 of 30 November 1999, and GA/AB/3359 of 21 March.]

By the terms of another draft decision, on programme planning (document A/C.5/54/L.47), the Assembly would endorse the conclusions and recommendations regarding evaluation in the report of the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC). It would endorse JIU reports on improving the working methods and procedures of that Committee, within the framework of its mandate.

The Assembly would also decide to return to its consideration of the budget narrative provided by the electoral assistance programme at a later date.

[For background on the report of the Committee for Programme and Coordination, see Press Release GA/AB/3331 of 3 November 1999.]

Programme Budget for 2000-2001

According to a draft resolution reviewing resource requirements for the High- level Intergovernmental Event for Financing for Development and the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (document A/C.5/54/L.49), the Assembly would takes note of the reports of the Secretary-General1 and the ACABQ on that matter.

It would reaffirm that the Fifth Committee was its appropriate Main Committee entrusted with the responsibility for administrative and budgetary matters and also reaffirm the role of the ACABQ. It would note with concern that no extra-budgetary resources have been received, to date, to defray costs of participation in preparatory meetings or the Conference by representatives from least developed countries.

It would also decide to ask the Secretary-General to explore ways of providing resources for the High-level Intergovernmental Event for Financing for Development and the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries and to report on that at its next resumed session.

It would also reaffirm its December resolve to maintain the special account and the unspent balance until all relevant activities and programmes outlined by the Secretary-General and approved by the Assembly were completed.

[For background on resourcing the Least Developed Countries Conference and the High-level Intergovernmental Meeting, see Press Release GA/AB/3361 of 27 March.]

Pattern of Conferences

By the terms of a draft resolution on enhancing the cost-effectiveness of the use of United Nations publications to implement legislative mandates (document A/C.5/54/L.42), the General Assembly would endorse a number of Joint Inspection Unit recommendations.

Among those is a recommendation seeking information so it can carry out a detailed assessment of publications' policies and practices. Another states that the primary criterion for new publications should be specific mandates from intergovernmental bodies, with general publications kept to a minimum. By a third, the Secretariat would be called on to review sales revenues from United Nations publications at least quarterly.

Several other JIU recommendations -- such as those on strengthening the United Nations Publications Board and recommending cooperative printing programmes between the Secretariat and other entities -- would receive endorsement, subject to qualifications and comments from the CPC and the ACABQ.

The Assembly would endorse a recommendation that there should be increased use of electronic information dissemination, without prejudice to the traditional distribution of printed publications.

Among other terms, the Assembly would regret that an old provision it made regarding the frequency of publication of the United Nations Chronicle has not been implemented and ask that it be implemented as a matter of priority. It would ask for additional effort to improve the linguistic quality and content of United Nations publications in all six official languages concurrently. It would also ask the Secretary-General to report on the implementation of provisions of that resolution to its fifty-sixth session.

Review of Efficiency/Human Resources Management/Gratis Personnel

While the draft was not available at the time of the meeting, the Committee had before it two reports that had been introduced at earlier meetings. The report of the Secretary-General with his proposed regulations governing the status, basic rights and duties of officials other than Secretariat officials and experts on mission (document A/54/695 and Corr.1) concerns officials who perform services for the United Nations on a full-time basis, but are not staff members, and experts who perform assignments for the Organization (experts on mission). The proposed regulations were modelled on article 1 of the Staff Regulations and chapter 1 of the 100 series of Staff Rules. The draft text of the regulations is annexed to the report, and the Secretary-General envisages the Assembly will adopt the Regulations in an annex to a resolution. They would then form part of the contract of employment or terms of appointment of such staff. A booklet explaining the regulations would also be produced to inform those to whom they applied.

The second report from the Secretary-General concerns regulations governing the status, basic rights and duties of the United Nations Secretary-General (document A/54/710). That report states that after review, he concludes that the provisions of the Charter relating to the Secretary-General appropriately address the status, basic rights and duties of that position, with the exception of the oath or declaration of office to be made by the Secretary-General. On the understanding that any Secretary-General will make the declaration currently included in the staff regulations at a formal Assembly meeting, the Secretary- General states that he sees no need for additional regulations and rules.

Financing of United Nations Peacekeeping Operations

By the terms of a draft resolution on financing the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) (document A/C5/54/L.51), the Assembly would decide to appropriate an additional $26.91 million gross (about $26.50 million net) and to apportion about $23.24 gross ($22.83 million dollars net) among Member States. It would also endorse the relevant observations and recommendations of the ACABQ.

The draft resolution on financing the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) (document A/C.5/54/L.52) would have the Assembly decide to appropriate $350 million gross (about $341.08 million net) for the establishment and maintenance of the mission from 1 December 1999 to 30 June 2000, inclusive of the $200 million previously authorized by the Assembly. Among other provisions is an endorsement of the findings and recommendations on the ACABQ on that matter. The Assembly would also take note of the status of contributions as at 24 March, whereby $130.8 million, or 65 per cent, of contributions that had been previously assessed have not been paid. It would express appreciation to those Member States that have paid, and urge others to make every possible effort to ensure payment in full and on time.

The draft resolution on financing the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) (document A/C.5/54/L.53) would have the Assembly authorize the Secretary-General to enter into commitments for no more than $200 million gross ($199.76 million net) for the Mission for 6 August 1999 to 30 June 2000, inclusive of the $41.01 million previously authorized by the ACABQ. It would also ask him to open a special account for the Mission. The ACABQ's comments and recommendations would be endorsed and the Secretary-General would be asked to fully implement them. Among other provisions is a request for a comprehensive report on the financing of MONUC from the Secretary-General to enable action to be taken at the Assembly's fifty-fifth session. The Assembly would also note the Secretary-General's intention to submit a preliminary expenditure report at its second resumed fifty-fourth session.

Action on Texts

The Committee first decided, by acclamation, to recommend to the Assembly the appointment of Victor Vislykh as member of the United Nations Staff Pension Committee.

Turning then to the draft on procurement reform, introduced by MICHIEL CROM (Netherlands), it approved the text without a vote.

Committee Rapporteur JAN PIOTR JAREMCZUK (Poland) introduced the draft on the reports of the Joint Inspection Unit. The Committee approved that draft resolution, again without a vote.

The Committee then turned its attention to outsourcing practices. The draft resolution was introduced by Mr. CROM (Netherlands) and approved without a vote.

It then turned to consideration of strengthening of external oversight mechanisms. The draft resolution was submitted on behalf of the Chairman by LOVEMORE MAZEMO (Zimbabwe).

The Committee then approved the draft without a vote.

Speaking in explanation of position, EVA SILOT BRAVO (Cuba) said the draft had been approved without a vote on the assumption that all matters in the reports were still under review. Taking note of the reports did not mean that any decision had been taken on the substance of the reports.

Consideration of the reports of the Office of Internal Oversight Services was next on the Committee’s agenda. The draft was introduced by PETER VAN DE VELDE (Belgium). The draft resolution was approved without a vote.

Speaking in explanation of position, Ms. SILOT BRAVO (Cuba) said she understood that adopting the resolution was a positive step forward. She stated that the adoption of the resolution was an indication that Member States confirmed the position stated in Assembly resolution 54/244 on the role of the Assembly in the consideration of, and decision-making about, reports from the Oversight Office. In the future, it should be ensured that reports did not take up matters that drew Member States away from substantive consideration of matters.

The Committee’s Rapporteur, Mr. JAREMCZUK (Poland), then introduced the draft on the 1998-1999 programme budget concerning the IMIS.

The Committee approved the text without a vote.

The Chairman, PENNY WENSLEY (Australia), then drew attention to the two draft decisions on programme planning, submitted on her behalf by Manlan Ahounou (Côte d’Ivoire).

Acting without a vote, the Committee approved both texts.

DULCE MARIA BUERGO RODRIGUEZ (Cuba) introduced the draft on the programme budget for 2000-2001. The Committee approved the text without a vote.

RENATA ARCHINI (Italy) announced that her Government had decided to make a voluntary contribution to the trust fund for financing participation at the two meetings of roughly $100,000.

VALERIA MARIA GONZALEZ POSSE (Argentina) then introduced the text on the United Nations pattern of conferences.

ABDOU AL-MOULA NAKKARI (Syria) said he had comments on the Arabic translation of the text which he would submit in writing, pertaining to paragraph 8.

The Committee then approved the draft without a vote.

The Committee then turned its attention to the financing of the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET). The draft resolution was introduced by AHMED H. DARWISH (Egypt).

That draft was approved without a vote.

Mr. DARWISH also introduced a draft resolution on financing the United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor (UNTAET). That draft text was also approved without a vote.

It then turned to the financing of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). A draft resolution was introduced by SEYED MORTEZA MIRMOHAMMAD (Iran), and was approved without a vote.

The Committee then turned its attention to improving the work of the Committee. The Chairman, Ms. WENSLEY (Australia), proposed a decision which would have the General Assembly defer consideration of the question to the second part of its fifty-fourth session. The draft decision was approved without a vote.

The Committee then turned to the report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the Office of Internal Oversight Services. The coordinator of informal consultations, Mr. VAN DE VELDE (Belgium), said that it was not possible for the Committee to conclude its informal consultations on the matter. Nonetheless, considerable progress had been made and there was a good basis for a text. Additional time to continue discussions was needed.

The Chairman, Ms. WENSLEY (Australia), then proposed that the Committee recommend the Assembly defer consideration of the matter. The Committee so decided.

RADHIA ACHOURI (Tunisia) said there had been excellent coordination of informal consultations and the text was not far from a consensus text. It was a pity that a matter that could have been resolved in one meeting would now probably take a week.

RAMESH CHANDRA (India) then reported on the status of informal consultations on the draft on gratis personnel. Discussions had been substantive but inconclusive, and there was no draft to be submitted.

The CHAIRMAN proposed deferring consideration of the item to the second part of its resumed fifty-fourth session. The Committee so decided.

Ms. BUERGO RODRIGUEZ (Cuba) reported on the status of the draft on consultations on proposed regulations governing the status, basic rights and duties of the Secretary-General and officials other than Secretariat officials and experts on mission. The Committee had agreed on the importance of the topic, and affirmed that the Assembly should be well informed before speaking out on the issues. When the Committee took up the item, all the information it had requested should be provided to enable an informed decision.

The CHAIRMAN proposed that the Committee postpone its consideration until the fifty-fifth Assembly session. The Committee agreed.

Ms. ACHOURI (Tunisia) expressed regret that the Committee had not been able to consider all the aspects of the issue due to a lack of time. Her delegation had accepted deferring the item with the greatest reluctance. The Secretariat should take due note of the following concerns. First, it must commence consultations with all heads of intergovernmental bodies, elected by the Assembly, to see what could be resolved from the legal standpoint before presenting reports that were then challenged or questioned by officials who were supposed to be covered by those reports. The Secretariat should also consider and provide material so that the matter could be dealt with, taking into account the need to reserve special consideration to the distinction between officials designated by the Secretary- General and those elected by the Assembly. There was a difference, and there was a difference in their status. That should be reflected in the Secretariat’s study of the matter.

Ms. SILOT BRAVO (Cuba) congratulated her colleague for her work coordinating consultations on the item. Despite the fact that no consensus had been reached due to a lack of time, every effort had been made. Additional information should be provided by the Secretariat when the matter was taken up again, in the form of specific proposals for various categories of personnel. Differences must be taken into account.

Mr. CHANDRA (India) then reported on the status of the draft on human resources management. Consultations had been substantive, but no conclusive decision had been taken. He proposed taking up the matter in the fifty-fifth Assembly session.

MARY JO ARAGON (Philippines) regretted that the Committee had been unable to agree on a draft. Since much work had been done on the draft, the matter should be taken up at the second part of the resumed fifty-fourth session.

KIRILL FEDOROV (Russian Federation) said no consensus had been reached on the draft. Bearing in mind the already heavy schedule for the second part of the resumed fifty-fourth session, the current issue should not be taken up then. He supported the proposal made by the coordinator.

Ms. ACHOURI (Tunisia) said the draft resolution on human resources management had developed, but the fact remained that Member States had concerns and were entitled to express them. It would be logical to defer the matter until the fifty- fifth session, but she had questions about the acquired rights of some staff, and thought it would be appropriate to revisit the item of human resources management. She supported the proposal made by the representative of the Philippines.

The CHAIRMAN appealed to the representative of the Philippines to allow the matter to be considered at the fifty-fifth session. The question of when to resume consideration had been discussed thoroughly in informal consultations. Delegations were aware of the importance of the matter, but the second resumed session had a heavy burden already. In addition, at the next Assembly session, the Committee was scheduled to consider administrative matters.

The Committee then decided to defer the matter until the fifty-fifth session.

KOJI F. YAMAGIWA (Japan) said that his delegation had asked for clarifications on the item more than 100 days ago, but it had received very little from the Secretariat in the way of a response in formal or informal settings, and no official corrigendum had been issued. While a comprehensive review of human resources had not been scheduled for this year, which was the Fifth Committee’s “budget year”, Japan’s delegation noted such delays with great concern. It was the Secretariat’s responsibility to respond to Member States queries. By failing to do so, it impeded the Committee’s ability to take decisions. The Secretariat should ensure that the situation did not recur.

Ms. ARAGON (Philippines) said she regretted that the item was being deferred until the fifty-fifth session. She had continuing reservations about the effect of Assembly resolution 53/221. She would pursue the issue at the fifty-fifth Assembly session.

Ms. SILOT BRAVO (Cuba) said she regretted that once again adoption of a decision on this matter had to be postponed, as it was a question with vitally important sub-items. She was in favour of a more systematic follow-up, but she was also aware that a number of important matters had to be dealt with at the next resumed session, so she had not insisted on its consideration then. She would like Cuba’s concerns to be reflected in the record, largely because of the issue of delegation of authority. Special attention should be paid to the issue when the Committee reverted to the item, as it affected the health and proper climate of United Nations staff.

Mr. FEDOROV (Russian Federation) said that the Secretary-General’s report on the examinations for promotion of staff from the General Service to the Professional level was already available. He added that the Russian Federation would like the Secretariat to adhere strictly to the instructions in resolution 53/221.

AZANAW TADESSE ABREHA (Ethiopia) regretted the deferral of the agenda item to the fifty-fifth regular Assembly session. Last year the “Group of 77” developing countries and China had asked for a report on the implications of Assembly resolution 53/221, and the Secretary-General had pointed out implications that were not positive. Not enough reflection had been done on the issue, he said. The staff of the United Nations needed justice. The Secretary-General should produce a comprehensive review of the resolution for the fifty-fifth Assembly session.

When the Committee turned its attention to the scale of assessment for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations, FRANK SMYTH (Ireland), who had chaired the informal consultations, said it would be necessary to take some additional time to consult, as no consensus had been reached. There was, at present, no agreement on two paragraphs of the draft. His main concern now was paragraph 6 (iii), where there was wide disagreement on how to proceed. He was confident that agreement could be reached quickly on the other paragraph.

It was important that the Committee adopt a resolution on the scale, as the Committee on Contributions needed guidance for the urgent work it must carry out. He proposed an adjournment of the meeting to continue informal consultations. If the positions taken by some Member States at the last informal consultation were maintained, he was not optimistic of a successful outcome. Some positions would need to be moderated if progress was to be made.

The meeting was then suspended.

When the meeting resumed, a draft resolution was circulated. Mr. SMYTH (Ireland) introduced the draft and read out amendments to it.

By its terms, the Assembly would ask the Committee on Contributions to submit to the Assembly’s fifty-fifth session 12 proposals for a scale of assessments for the period 2001-2003. Specifications for each of those proposals are contained in the draft. They include elements such as the ceiling and floor rates, statistical base periods, conversion rates and debt burden adjustments.

By other provisions of the text, the Assembly would also ask the Committee on Contributions to examine and report on the consequence of sharply depressed level of primary commodity prices on commodity-dependent economies and the impact on countries whose economies have the burden of hosting refugees, with a view to improving the current methodology. That Committee would also be asked to: suggest ways to address the combined effects of the loss of the low per capita income adjustment and having to contribute to the adjustments for Member States still below the threshold; suggest ways to deal with the effect of discontinuities relating to movements up and being just above that threshold; and to examine the long-term implications of the present criteria for determining the low per capita adjustment and report on possible alternatives.

It would welcome the agreement of the Committee on Contributions to consider more systematic criteria and approaches to deciding when market exchange rates should be replaced for the purposes of scale preparation.

By other terms, the Assembly would reaffirm the obligation of Member States to bear the expenses of the United Nations as apportioned by the General Assembly, and the fundamental principle that those expenses should be apportioned broadly according to capacity to pay. It would ask the Secretary-General to ensure that Permanent Missions are furnished with copies of the national accounts questionnaire in good time to enable follow-up.

EDUARDO MANUEL DA FONSECA FERNANDES RAMOS (Portugal), speaking on behalf of the European Union, drew attention to two things in the amended text that were not as agreed on in the informal consultations. A redundant phrase in a paragraph orally inserted into the draft should be removed, he said, and the word “recommend” should be replaced by “report on” in the paragraph asking the Contributions Committee to examine the long-term implications of the present criteria for determining the low per capita income threshold and possible alternatives.

Mr. SMYTH (Ireland) said that the comment from the Union on the redundant phrase was accurate and he asked that the text be amended accordingly. On the second matter, he would defer to others.

NIKOLAI V. LOZINSKI (Russian Federation) confirmed that the representative of Portugal’s observations on the two changes to the orally amended draft were accurate.

HASSAN MOHAMMED HASSAN (Nigeria) said he thought that the original version provided by the representative of Ireland was an accurate reflection of what was agreed in the informal consultations. He asked for the opportunity to check with colleagues from the Group.

The Chairman, Ms. WENSLEY (Australia) said she could vouch for the accuracy of the representative of Portugal’s second point.

ANA MARIA MOGLIA (Argentina) asked whether brackets that were in the printed text in the second preambular paragraph should also be removed.

Mr. SMYTH (Ireland) said they should indeed be removed.

The meeting was then suspended again.

When it resumed, Mr. HASSAN (Nigeria) said his colleagues had informed him that the Group of 77 and China had agreed that the paragraph should indeed read “report on”, rather than “recommend”.

The draft resolution was then approved without a vote.

Mr. RAMOS (Portugal), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said he was pleased with the adoption of the resolution. He noted that in that item, as in most of this resumed session, much flexibility was shown by Member States and regional groups. It was a good example of a way of improving the working methods of the Fifth Committee, and he hoped it would continue.

Mr. LOZINSKI (Russian Federation) said the Russian Federation would have preferred that agreement be reached to refer a single set of elements for the scale to the Contributions Committee. He did not object to the draft, which was largely procedural in nature. However, he did not agree with some elements of the draft, which were included at the behest of some Member States and groups of States.

SUZANNE F. NOSSEL (United States) said progress had been made. There was a long road ahead, but the spirit of compromise that had been reached in this session would mean that achievements could be made.

Mr. HASSAN (Nigeria), speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said the current session enabled him to look forward to a positive process at the next resumed session.

ULADZIMIR VANTSEVICH (Belarus) said he had a complex view of the draft that had been approved. He regarded the 12 options not as elements of a future methodology, but only as possible options for discussion at the next Assembly session. He was certain that there would be others that would also be the subject of discussion at the fifty-fifth Assembly.

Other Matters

Mr. ELGAMMAL (Egypt) asked the Secretariat to prepare a detailed paper on all promotions implemented over the past three years in the United Nations security service. The list should include the nationality of those staff that had been promoted, their years of service and the causes for their selection for supervisory positions. His delegation hoped the required paper would be ready for the first week of the second part of the resumed session in May.

Mr. HASSAN (Nigeria), speaking for the Group of 77 and China, said that earlier in the meeting, during the consideration of human resources management, specifically the issue of the G to P examination, a speaker had mentioned that the Group had a position on the item. He wanted to clarify for the record that the Group did not have any position on that item.

Ms. WENSLEY (Australia), Committee Chairman, expressed appreciation to all those who had made the session a success. The past weeks had been a pleasing demonstration of how hard-working and effective the Committee was.

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