WITH DAY TO SPARE, CHARTER COMMITTEE FINALIZES REPORT TO ASSEMBLY

Press Release
L/2955

WITH DAY TO SPARE, CHARTER COMMITTEE FINALIZES REPORT TO ASSEMBLY

Delegations Maintain Focus on Charter Provisions On Assistance to Sanctions-Impacted Third States

The Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization approved the two remaining chapters of its report to the General Assembly this afternoon, concluding its annual session a full day ahead of schedule.

In one of the two chapters, the Committee recommends that the Assembly continue to consider the results of the ad hoc expert group meeting, convened to develop a methodology for assessing the consequences incurred by third States as a result of sanctions, and to explore innovative and practical measures of international assistance that could be provided to the affected States, taking into account the relevant debate in the Committee at its 2000 session. The Committee also encouraged the Secretary-General to present -- in due time for consideration by the Sixth Committee -- his views on the main findings of the group’s report on the implementation of the provisions of the Charter relating to assistance to third States affected by the application of sanctions.

The second chapter approved this afternoon gives an overview of the Committee’s discussions of those provisions. Delegations stressed that the topic should remain a priority item on the Committee’s agenda. Some delegations expressed their support for targeted sanctions, in particular targeted financial sanctions. Others pointed out that practical and timely assistance to third States affected by sanctions would promote an effective and comprehensive approach to sanctions. The view was expressed that a permanent mechanism should be established that would automatically address the issue of assistance to third States.

In discussing the report of the ad hoc expert group, it was suggested that the Committee formulate recommendations to the General Assembly on those proposals. Some delegations, however, felt that the Committee should consider the Secretary-General’s views on the political, financial and administrative feasibility of the suggestions. Others made the point that the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Committee for Programme and Coordination, as well as the international financial institutions and other international organizations and the United Nations funds and programmes, had a role in addressing the special economic problems of third States. Assistance to

Committee on Charter - 2 - Press Release L/2955 235th Meeting (PM) 19 April 2000

third States should be supplemented by non-financial measures, such as special trade preferences, tariff adjustments, quota allocations, special commodity purchase agreements, the lowering of tariffs, preferential treatment for suppliers, encouragement of the participation of companies from third States in international efforts for post-conflict rehabilitation, and development.

Council sanctions should be imposed according to established criteria and a specific time-frame, some delegates held. The target State should have access to the Council prior to the imposition of sanctions and whenever a review of said sanctions took place. Among the measures suggested for relieving the detrimental effects of sanctions on third States was to channel assistance to those sectors of the third State’s economy that were deeply affected by the sanctions. Additional measures included an early assessment of the effects of sanctions; allowing for exceptions on some items of vital importance to third States; reducing the effects on civilian population of third States; dispatching a special representative of the Secretary-General to undertake a full assessment of the consequences of sanctions upon third States; and dispatching a fact-finding mission to third States.

At the close of today’s meeting, SAEID MIRZAEE-YENGEJEH (Iran), the Chairman, said he was impressed by the high quality of the interventions by delegations and also by the spirit of cooperation that had prevailed in the Committee.

The Charter Committee, which was established in 1974 to examine in detail proposals regarding the Charter, the strengthening of the role of the United Nations in maintaining peace and security, cooperation among nations and promotion of the rule of international law in relations between States, was asked by the Assembly last year to give priority to an examination of the question of assistance to third States affected by Security Council sanctions, as well as to a review of its own working methods.

The other officers of the Committee are: Georg Witschel (Germany), Roberto Lavalle-Valdes (Guatemala), and Juliet Semambo Kalema (Uganda) as Vice-Chairpersons. The Rapporteur is Ioanna Gabriela Stancu (Romania).

The Committee’s current session was scheduled to run from 10 to 20 April.

For further information on the other chapters of the Committee’s report, see Press Release L/2954, issued today.

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