Fifty-sixth General Assembly

Fifth Committee

60^th Meeting (AM)

FIFTH COMMITTEE, CONCLUDING SECOND RESUMED SESSION, RECOMMENDS

$2.6 BILLION FOR 12 PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS FOR 2002-2003

Committee Favours Concept of Strategic Deployment Stocks Proposed

By Secretary-General to Allow for Rapid Deployment of Peacekeeping Operations

As it concluded its second resumed session this morning, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) recommended a budget of some $2.6 billion for the functioning of 12 active United Nations peacekeeping missions for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003, including some $100.9 million for the maintenance of the peacekeeping support account and $12.09 million for the United Nations Logistics Base (UNLB) in Brindisi, Italy.

In comparison, for the current 2001/2002 peacekeeping budget, the Assembly had, by the beginning of the second resumed session, approved some $2.8 billion, including prorated provision of $7.9 million for the UNLB; and prorated provision of $91.9 million for the support account.  [The support account allows the Secretariat to plan and deploy peacekeeping operations in a coordinated manner and is financed through assessments on all active missions, according to their size, as is the UNLB.]

The financial year of peacekeeping operations runs from 1 July to 30 June, and their costs are assessed among Member States on the basis of a special peacekeeping scale.  Unlike the regular budget, the budgets of peacekeeping missions are less amenable to forward planning, because they are subject to decisions of the Security Council that may be taken at any time during the year, depending on the world situation.  For the same reason, the total cost of United Nations peacekeeping is subject to considerable fluctuations from year to year.

In total, the Committee adopted 30 draft resolutions and four draft decisions today, most of them are related to the administrative and budgetary aspects of peacekeeping.  All texts but one were adopted without a vote.

Acting on the strategic deployment stocks (SDS) –- one of the most complex issues during the current session -- the Committee approved a brand new concept which is expected to enhance the Organization’s rapid-deployment capacity.  The stocks are being introduced to enhance the United Nations materiel readiness for deployment within 30 to 90 days, envisaging the expansion of the role of the UNLB, which should take on new responsibilities as an operational arm for the SDS; a training and conference centre; and a support base for air operations.

By the terms of the draft resolution adopted today, taking into account the reserve at the UNLB as of 30 April 2002, the Assembly would approve some

$141.55 million for the implementation of the strategic deployment stocks, which would allow the Organization to deploy one complex mission per year.  To fund the strategic deployment stocks, on an exceptional and ad hoc basis, it would decide to credit Member States their respective shares of the cash balances from several closed missions, giving them a choice of the manner in which they wish to make those payments, including any combination of the cash balances and/or new funds to cover their assessed share of the $141.55 million.

The draft resolution on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was approved following two votes.  The text as a whole was adopted by a vote of 110 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with no abstentions (see

Annex II).

Prior to that, voting on a request by the representative of the United States, the Committee decided to retain in the text preambular 4 and operative paragraphs 3, 4 and 13 of the draft, by 74 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 36 abstentions (see Annex I).  [Those paragraphs refer to several previous General Assembly resolutions, by whose terms Israel should pay some  $1.28 million for the damage resulting from the 1996 incident at Qana, Lebanon.]

The representative of the United States spoke on the text.  Representatives of Venezuela (on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China), Spain (on behalf of the European Union and associated States), Australia (also on behalf of Canada and New Zealand), Japan, Lebanon and Pakistan spoke in explanation of their votes on the draft.

All other drafts were approved without a vote.  For the 2002/2003 budget cycle, the Committee approved the following amounts for various individual missions

Mission       Amount         Support           UNLB        Total

            (in millions)     Account

UNOMIG      $ 31.71           $  1.28           $ 0.15      $ 33.14

UNMIBH      $ 78.54           $  3.18           $ 0.38      $ 82.11

UNMIK       $330.0            $ 13.36           $ 1.6       $344.97

UNFICYP     $ 43.65           $  1.77           $ 0.21      $ 45.63

UNDOF       $ 38.99           $  1.58           $ 0.19      $ 40.76

UNIFIL      $112.04           $  4.54           $ 0.54      $117.12

UNIKOM      $ 50.57           $  2.05           $ 0.25      $ 52.87

UNMISET     $292.00           $ 11.83           $ 1.42      $305.24

MINURSO     $ 41.53           $  1.68           $ 0.20      $ 43.41

UNAMSIL     $669.48           $ 27.11           $ 3.25      $699.84

MONUC       $581.93           $ 23.57           $ 2.82      $608.32

UNMEE       $220.83           $  8.94           $ 1.07      $230.85

TOTAL       $2.49 billion     $100.9            $12.09      $2.6 billion

(page 1b follows)

The 12 missions are:  United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG); United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH); United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK); United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP); United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF); United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL); United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM); United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET); United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO); United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL); United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC); and United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE).

Another text approved this morning deals with the implementation of General Assembly resolution 56/242 on the pattern of conferences.  By the draft, the Assembly would note with concern the negative impact of recently announced cutbacks in services, and reaffirm its request that adequate conference services be provided to regional group meetings.  To finance such services, the draft resolution proposes several options, including absorption of the additional workload within the capacity of the Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services and the Department of Management; use of savings resulting from the implementation of the calendar of conferences and meetings; and delay in the implementation of certain non-substantive activities within the two Departments.

Acting on another draft resolution, the Fifth Committee recommended that provision of conference and support services to the Counter-Terrorism Committee should not adversely affect other conference services.  Further conference and support servicing requirements of the Counter-Terrorism Committee would be considered in the context of the first performance report on the current budget.

In other action this morning, the Committee recommended that the Assembly appropriate some $57.79 million to strengthen the safety and security of United Nations premises and made recommendations to the Assembly regarding the financial report, the report of the Board of Auditors and other documents relating to the United Nations peacekeeping operations for the 2000-2001 budget cycle, conditions of service and compensation of other than Secretariat officials, including members of the International Court of Justice and judges of the International Tribunals, as well as ad litem judges of the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Background

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) was expected to take action on all outstanding issues for its second resumed session today.  It had the following drafts before it:

The first was a draft resolution on the conditions of service and compensation of other than Secretariat officials, including members of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and judges of the International Tribunals, as well as ad litem judges of the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (document A/C.5/56/L.62). 

By the terms of the text, the Assembly would endorse the observations and recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) on the matter, without prejudice to the existing rules governing the conditions of service of the judges of the Tribunals.  It would also decide that the conditions of service and remuneration for those officials would next be reviewed at its fifty-ninth session.

[The Advisory Committee commented on such issues as those officials’ emoluments, pensions, grants and other conditions of service, recommending, in particular, not to change the floor/ceiling mechanisms following the introduction of the euro; and to increase their education grants to the same level as the amount applicable to the Professional and higher categories of staff.  The ACABQ did not support the proposals of the Secretary-General to increase the level of the special allowance for the President and Vice-President of the Court, and reiterated its view that the members of the ICJ should themselves cover the cost of their participation in health insurance plans.  Also not recommended was any change in the current pension arrangements for judges of the two Tribunals.]

By the draft resolution on the relationship between the treatment of perennial activities in the programme budget and the use of the contingency fund (document A/C.5/56/L.63), the Assembly would take note of the Secretary-General’s and Advisory Committee’s reports on the matter (documents A/C.5/52/42 and A/53/7/Add.9).

Having considered the financial report, the report of the Board of Auditors and other documents relating to United Nations peacekeeping operations for the 2000-2001 budget cycle, by the terms of draft resolution A/C.5/56/L.64, the Fifth Committee recommends that the Assembly accept the audited peacekeeping financial statements for the period from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001 and endorse the recommendations of the Board of Auditors and the ACABQ in that regard.

Further by the text, the Assembly would also take note of the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of the Board of Directors recommendations for the period ending on 30 June 2001, and request the Secretary-General to improve internal control in peacekeeping missions, in particular, with respect to reconciliation of bank accounts and procurement activities.  The Secretary-General would also be requested to ensure prompt and timely implementation of the recommendations of the auditors and the Advisory Committee.

The draft resolution on financing of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) (document A/C.5/56/L.65) would have the Assembly decide to appropriate $330 million for the maintenance of the Mission from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003, exclusive of the amounts needed for the support account and the United Nations Logistics Base (UNLB) at Brindisi, Italy.

As with other missions which had an unencumbered balance left, as well as other income, for those Member States that had fulfilled their financial obligations to the Mission, their respective shares of those amounts would be set off against the apportionment for 2002/2003.  For those countries that had not paid their dues for the Mission, their shares would be set off against their

debt.  For the Kosovo Mission, the amount of the unencumbered balance is some $66.54 million, plus some $29.04 million of other income.

Further, the Assembly would decide that the decrease in the staff assessment income of some $5.17 million shall be set off against the credits from the unencumbered balance referred to above, in respect of the financial period ended 30 June 2001.

On financing of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), the Committee had before it draft resolution A/C.5/56/L.66, by which it would take note of the financial performance report of the Mission for the 2000/2001 budget cycle and decide to approve, on an exceptional basis, special arrangements with regard to several articles of the financial regulations of the United Nations in order to retain longer appropriations required to honour obligations owed to governments providing contingents and logistical support to the Mission.

For the maintenance of the Mission for the period from 1 July 2002 to

30 June 2003, the Assembly would appropriate $220.83 million, exclusive of the amount needed for the support account and the UNLB.  It would also decide that for Member States that have fulfilled their financial obligations to the force, their respective shares of the unencumbered balance of $25.08 million and income of $858,000 for 2000/2001 would be set off against their apportionment for 2002/2003.  The shares of Member States that have not fulfilled their financial obligations to the Mission would be set off against their outstanding dues.

On financing of the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM), the Committee had before it draft resolution A/C.5/56/L.67, by whose terms the Assembly would appropriate some $50.57 million for the maintenance of the Mission in 2002-2003, exclusive of the amounts needed for the maintenance of the support account and the UNLB.  Noting with appreciation that two thirds of the appropriation related to the Mission would be funded through voluntary contributions from the Government of Kuwait, it would apportion the remaining amount among Member States.

Taking into account the unencumbered balance of some $2.64 million and other income of $3.95 million, it would also decide that for Member States that have fulfilled their financial obligations to the force, their respective shares of those amounts would be set off against their apportionment for 2002/2003.  The shares of Member States that have not fulfilled their financial obligations to the Mission would be set off against their outstanding dues.

By the terms of the draft resolution on financing of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) (document A/C.5/56/L.68), the Assembly would decide to reduce the appropriation authorized for the Mission for the period from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001 from some $577.67 million to some $541.04 million,  the amount apportioned among Member States in respect of the same period.  The Assembly would also decide to approve the increase in the estimated staff assessment income for that same period from some $7.34 million to some

$7.6 million.

Also, the Assembly would decide to appropriate for the maintenance of the Mission an amount of $669.48 million for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003, exclusive of the amounts needed for the support account and the UNLB.

As with other missions which had an unencumbered balance left, for those Member States that had fulfilled their financial obligations to the Mission, their respective shares of those amounts would be set off against the apportionment for 2002/2003.  For those countries that had not paid their dues for the Mission, their shares would be set off against their debt.  For the Mission in Sierra Leone, the amount of the unencumbered balance is some $20.30 million, with some $14.65 million in other income.

By its draft resolution contained in document A/C.5/56/L.69, the Committee would make recommendations to the Assembly regarding the financing of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).  By the draft, the Assembly would take note of the financial performance report for the Force for the 2000/2001 budget cycle and decide to appropriate some $45.65 million for the maintenance of the mission for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003, exclusive of the requirements for the support account and the UNLB.

Deciding on the financing of that appropriation, the Assembly would note with appreciation that one third of the amount would be funded through voluntary contributions from the Government of Cyprus, and that $6.5 million would come from the Government of Greece.  As for the unencumbered balance of some $1.06 million and other income of $1.68 million for the financial period ended on 30 June 2001, for Member States that have fulfilled their financial obligations to the Force, their respective shares of those amounts would be set off against their apportionment for 2002/2003.  The shares of those States that have not fulfilled their financial obligations to the Force would be set off against their outstanding obligations.  One third of the unencumbered balance and other income would be returned to the Government of Cyprus.  Greece’s respective share would also be returned to that country.

The draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was first introduced to the Committee on 20 May (document A/C.5/56/L.70), with the total amount to be appropriated for the maintenance of the mission remaining blank.  By the terms of the text, the Assembly would decide that Member States that have fulfilled their financial obligations to the Force should receive their respective shares of the unencumbered balance of some

$23.34 million and other income of over $12.48 million for the period ended on

30 June 2001.  The share of Member States that have not fulfilled their financial obligations to the mission shall be set off against their outstanding obligations.  The decrease in the staff assessment income of $420,200 shall be set off against the credits from the unencumbered balance.

Emphasizing that no peacekeeping mission shall be financed by borrowing funds from other active missions, the Assembly would also encourage the Secretary-General to continue to take additional measures to ensure the safety and security of all personnel participating in the Force, under the auspices of the United Nations.

By other terms of the text, the Assembly, expressing its deep concern that Israel did not comply with several previous resolutions on the matter, the latest of which is resolution 56/214 of 21 December 2001, would stress that that country should strictly abide by them.

By another draft resolution (document A/C.5/56/L.71), the Assembly would take note of the financial performance report for 2000/2001 of the United

Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) and appropriate the amount of some $31.71 million for the maintenance of the Mission for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003, exclusive of the requirements for the support account and the UNLB.

Also by the text, the Assembly would dispose of the unencumbered balance ($4.05 million), and other income ($1.72 million) in a manner similar to the procedure followed with other missions.

Regarding the financing of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), the Committee had before it a draft resolution contained in document A/C.5/56/L.72.  By the terms of the text, concerned that the surplus balances in the Force’s special account have been used to meet expenses of the Force in order to compensate for non-payment and late payment of contributions by Member States, the Assembly would take note of the status as of 30 April, including the outstanding amount of $15.7 million, and note with concern that only 51 countries had made their payments in full.  The Secretary-General would be requested to continue his productive and fruitful dialogue with local staff and report on its results.

Further by the text, the Assembly would take note of the financial performance report of the Force for the 2000/2001 budget cycle, and decide to appropriate some $38.99 million for the maintenance of the Force for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003, exclusive of the amounts needed for the support account and the UNLB.  It would also decide that for Member States that have fulfilled their financial obligations to the Force, their respective shares of the unencumbered balance of $575,100 and income of $2.26 million for 2000/2001 would be set off against their apportionment for 2002/2003.  The shares of Member States that have not fulfilled their financial obligations to the Mission would be set off against their outstanding dues.

On financing of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), the Committee had before it a draft resolution (document A/C.5/56/L.73), by whose terms it would take note of the Mission’s financial performance report for 2000/2001 and decide to appropriate an amount of some $78.54 million for the maintenance and liquidation of the Mission for the period from 1 July 2002 to    30 June 2003, exclusive of the requirements for the support account and the UNLB.

The unencumbered balance of the Mission for the 2000/2001 budget cycle amounts to some $12.49 million; and the total amount of other income for the same period is $5.58 million.  By the terms of the text, the Assembly would dispose of them in a manner similar to other missions.

The draft resolution on financing of the United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH)) (document A/C.5/56/L.74) would have the Assembly decide that the unencumbered balance of some $39.56 million and interest income in the amount of some $6.06 million shall be credited to Member States.  The Assembly would also decide that the decrease in the staff assessment income of some $2.14 million shall be set off against the credits from the unencumbered balance referred to above

The Committee also had before it a draft resolution on financing of the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti, the United Nations Transition Mission in Haiti and the United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti (document A/C.5/56/L.75).  By its terms, the Assembly would decide to suspend for the immediate future the provisions of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations in respect of the surplus of some $4 million in the light of the cash shortage of the Missions, and request the Secretary-General to provide an updated report in one year.  The Assembly would also decide to defer consideration of the treatment of the decrease in staff assessment income of $21,300 in respect of the surplus referred to above.

By the draft on the financing of the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi, Italy (document A/C.5/56/L.76), the Assembly would reiterate the need to implement, as a matter of priority, an effective inventory management standard, especially in respect of peacekeeping operations involving high inventory value.  It would take note of the Secretary-General’s reports on the matter and endorse the recommendations of the Advisory Committee in this regard, approving the cost estimates for the UNLB in the amount of $12.09 million for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003.

It would also decide to apply the unencumbered balance of some $1.56 million and other income of $643,000 to the resources required for the 2002/2003 budget cycle.  The decrease in the staff assessment income of $148,200 would be set off against the unencumbered balance in respect of the 2000/2001 financial period, and the balance of some $12.09 million would be prorated among individual active peacekeeping operation budgets to meet the requirements for 2002/2003.

The draft resolution on progress in the implementation of the field assets control system: a module of the field mission logistics system (document A/C.5/56/L.77) would have the Assembly request the Secretary-General to provide an update on the implementation of the field assets control system at its fifty-seventh session.  The Assembly would also take note of the Secretary-General’s report on the issue and endorse the observations of the ACABQ contained in its reports.

By the draft resolution on the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) and the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) (document A/C.5/56/L.78), the Assembly would take note of UNTAET’s financial performance report for 2000/2001 and of the Secretary-General’s report on the final disposition of the assets of the Transitional Administration, approving the donation of assets to the Government of newly independent East Timor.

It would decide that the expenditure for the period from 21 May to 30 June 2002 for the transitional financing of UNMISET would be met from the appropriation of $455 million for the Transitional Administration for 2001/2002, provided in resolution 56/249.  To be apportioned among Member States would be the amount of $80.1 million for the period from 1 January to 30 June 2002, representing the balance of previous appropriations.

Regarding the budget estimates for the Support Mission for 2002-2003, the Assembly would decide to appropriate some $292 million for the establishment and maintenance of the Mission, exclusive of the requirements for the support account and the UNLB.

The draft resolution on financing of the United Nations Operation in

Somalia (UNOSOM II) (document A/C.5/56/L.79) would have the Assembly decide to suspend for the immediate future the provisions of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations in respect of the remaining surplus of some $21.32 million to allow for the reimbursement of troop contributors and in the light of the cash shortage of the Operation, and request the Secretary-General to provide an updated report in one year. The Assembly would also decide to defer consideration of the treatment of the increase in staff assessment income of $950,300 in respect of the surplus referred to above.

In addition, the Assembly would authorize the Secretary-General to retain

an amount of some $19.62 million from the balance of appropriations of some

$40.94 million to meet the cost of outstanding government claims.

By the terms of a draft decision on financing of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission and the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (document A/C.5/56/L.80), the Assembly would approve the donation of assets, with total inventory value of $235,800 and corresponding residual value of $81,700, to various United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations, as detailed in annex IV to the Secretary-General’s report.

Also, the Assembly would take note of the report of the Secretary-General on the final disposition of assets of the Observer Mission and the related report of the ACABQ.

The draft resolution on financing of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) (document A/C.5/56/L.81) would have the Assembly decide to appropriate for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003 the amount of some $41.53 million for the maintenance of the Mission, exclusive of the requirements for the support account and the UNLB.

As with other missions which had an unencumbered balance left, as well as other income, for those Member States that had fulfilled their financial obligations to the Mission, their respective shares of those amounts would be set off against the apportionment for 2002/2003.  For those countries that had not paid their dues for the Mission, their shares would be set off against their debt.  For the MINURSO, the amount of the unencumbered balance is some $3.33 million, with some $2.49 million in other income.

Further, the Assembly would decide that the decrease in the staff assessment income of $465,500 during the financial period ending on 30 June 2001 shall be set off against the credits from the unencumbered balance referred to above.

By the draft on the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) (document A/C.5/56/L.82), the Assembly would take note of several reports, including one by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) relating to the airfield services contract for the Mission, and request the Secretary-General to report further on that situation at its fifty-seventh session.  It would also approve, on an exceptional basis, the special arrangements regarding reimbursing the troop- and equipment-contributing States.

In connection with the 2000/2001 budget cycle, the Assembly would take note of the financial performance report of the Mission for that period and decide to appropriate the amount of $41 million, as previously authorized and apportioned under the terms of resolution 55/275 of 14 June 2001.

For the 2002/2003 budget, it would appropriate some $581.93 million for the maintenance of the Mission, exclusive of the support account and the UNLB.

Under the agenda item on the estimates in respect of matters of which the Security Council is seized, the Committee had before it a draft resolution (document A/C.5/56/L.83) on the financing of the newly authorized United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the United Nations Tajikistan Office of Peace-building.  By this text, the Assembly would take note of the Secretary-General’s reports and concur with the observations of the ACABQ on the matter,  and approve the charge of some $34.3 million for the biennium 2002-2003 for the Afghanistan Mission against the balance remaining of the provision for special political missions within the framework of the Organization’s regular budget for the current biennium.

It would also approve an additional appropriation of some $10.56 million under the procedures provided for in resolution 41/213, which sets out guidelines for revised estimates arising from the impact of extraordinary circumstances, including those relating to the maintenance of peace and security.  That amount would comprise $8.71 million for the UNAMA and $1.86 million for the Tajikistan mission.  Yet another appropriation of some $4.17 million ($3.93 million for UNAMA and $236,300 for the Tajikistan mission) would be appropriated under section 32, Staff Assessment, of the programme budget, to be offset by a corresponding amount under income from staff assessment.

Also before the Committee is a draft resolution on instances for which the United Nations is entitled to restitution as the result of non-compliance with status-of-forces or other agreements (document A/C.5/56/L.84).  It would have the Assembly take note of the information contained in the Secretary-General’s report and request him to report further to the Assembly on the issues raised in the report relating to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Regarding action taken on certain items, the Committee had before it a draft decision (document A/C.5/56/L.85) by whose terms the Assembly would decide to defer consideration of several agenda items to its fifty-seventh session.  Those items include, under the 2002-2003 programme budget, concrete proposals on strengthening the Department of Public Information (DPI) to support and enhance the United Nations Web site in all official languages.  Issues deferred under the item on the pattern of conferences include improving conference facilities at the United Nations Office in Nairobi and the simultaneous availability of parliamentary documentation in all six official languages on the United Nations Web site.

By further terms of the text, the Assembly would defer consideration of several human resources issues, including:  the list of United Nations Secretariat staff; the employment of retirees; consultants and individual contractors; and a monitoring capacity of the Office for Human Resources Management of all relevant activities in the Secretariat.  The Assembly would also decide to defer consideration of several OIOS reports, including the report on the inspection of programme management and administrative practices at the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention and the inspection of allegations of refugee smuggling at the Nairobi Branch of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Also according to the text, the Assembly would defer consideration of the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the recommendations of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations and the report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping.  Other peacekeeping matters deferred include the audit of the procedures and policies for recruiting staff for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations; the audit and management of mission subsistence allowance rates; and the reform of procedures for determining reimbursement to Member States for contingent-owned equipment.  The Assembly would also defer consideration of the report of the Secretary-General on the administration of justice at the United Nations.

The draft resolution on strengthening the security and safety of United Nations premises (document A/C.5/56/L.86) would have the Assembly decide to appropriate an amount of some $57.79 million for the implementation of the measures contained in the report of the Secretary-General, under various sections of the programme budget for the biennium 2002-2003, including some $9.14 million under the Office of Central Support Services, and some $41.83 million under Construction, alteration, improvement and major maintenance.

The Assembly would also affirm that those appropriations include one-time requirements for upgrading the physical and security infrastructure.  Also, it would request the Secretary-General to take all possible measures to ensure that the work within the projects approved for Headquarters be integrated with the capital master plan to the extent possible, once the further decisions on the plan are taken by the Assembly.

[According to the Secretary-General’s report, those costs represent additional requirements over and above those already approved for that purpose in the programme budget for the current biennium, and are deemed to be covered by the provisions of paragraph 11 of Annex I of Assembly resolution 41/213 concerning extraordinary expenses, as well as by paragraph (b) (ii) of section A of the annex to Assembly resolution 42/211 concerning unforeseen obstacles to be treated on an ad hoc basis.  Accordingly, the provisions sought fall outside the scope of the contingency fund.

The long-term safety and security proposals for United Nations Headquarters in New York would require $36.65 million; for the Office in Geneva,$16.65 million; for the Office at Vienna, $1.62 million; for the Office at Nairobi, $862,200; for the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), $1.01 million; for the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), $691,400; for the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), $502,400; and for the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), $1.05 million.]

On the concept of strategic deployment stocks and its implementation, the Committee had before it draft resolution A/C.5/56/L.87.  By the terms of the text, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General, in implementing the resolution, to consider the provisions of its resolution 55/247 of April 2001 on procurement reform.  The Secretary-General would be requested to report annually to the Assembly on the award of contracts for procurement for the strategic deployment stocks to all Member States, in particular to developing, least developed, African countries and countries with economies in transition.

Endorsing the concept and implementation of the strategic deployment stocks for one complex mission, and the recommendations contained in the related report of the Advisory Committee, the Assembly would approve $141.55 million for the strategic deployment stocks, taking into account the reserve at the UNLB at Brindisi as of 30 April 2002 that meets the requirements of the strategic deployment stocks.  To fund the strategic deployment stocks, it would decide to credit Member States their respective share of the cash balance of $95.98 million from the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), the United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia (UNCRO), the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP), and the United Nations Peace Forces Headquarters, and

$45.57 million from the United Nations Mission in Haiti.

By the terms of the text, the Assembly would decide on an exceptional

and ad hoc basis that unless notified by a Member State within 45 days of the notification by the Secretary-General of the apportionment of the respective shares of the above-mentioned cash balances, to transfer the cash balances to

the account of the Brindisi Logistics Base to finance the strategic deployment stocks.  In the same manner, the Assembly would decide that if a Member State

did not select that option, it would be assessed its respective share of the $141.55 million as a one-time requirement.  Payment would be made in a manner of the Member State's choosing to include any combination of the cash balances and/or new funds to cover its assessed share of the $141.55 million.  The Assembly would decide that the same provisions would apply to Member States with no share in any of the unspent balances.  It would decide thatin the absence of a direct transfer to the strategic deployment stocks, the respective share of the credits from the liquidated missions would be credited to those Member States once their assessed contribution was received.

Following the application of the Member States’ cash transfers, the Assembly would authorize the Secretary-General, again on an exceptional and ad hoc basis, to transfer a portion of the interest income from the Peacekeeping Reserve Fund, taking into account the provisions of General Assembly resolution 51/218 E of June 1997, so as to make available to the UNLB account a total of $141.55 million, inclusive of Member States’ contributions to establish the strategic deployment stocks programme.  The Secretary-General would be requested to report to the Assembly at its fifty-seventh session on the expenses incurred in implementing the stocks.  The Assembly would decide to review the financing arrangements after considering the Secretary-General's report.

[In paragraph 124 of his report on the implementation of the recommendations of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations (document A/55/977), the Secretary-General had proposed a modest up-front procurement of a medium strategic reserve for Brindisi, which would allow deployment of operations within 30 to 90 days.  The budget for the strategic reserve stocks was estimated at $179.7 million.  In view of the fund balances from the closed missions, it was proposed that those balances be transferred to the account of the Brindisi Logistics Base to cover those needs.]  Today, the Committee had before it several texts relating to those closed missions.

By the text on the United Nations Preventive Force (document A/C.5/56/L.88), the Assembly would decide to reduce the appropriation of $183,730 ($166,330 net) provided in its resolution 53/20 B of 8 June 1999 for the liquidation of the Force for the period from 1 July to 15 October 1999 to the amount of $172,000 gross ($76,000 net).  As an ad hoc arrangement, it would also decide to apportion that amount among Member States and offset that apportionment against the unencumbered balance of some $7.06 million gross.

While the Secretary-General in his report on the matter (document A/56/842) suggested that Member States waive their respective shares in the cash balance of some $18.21 million to finance the strategic deployment stocks, the Fifth Committee recommendation contained in the draft resolution is that the amount of $18.24 million should be credited to Member States.

Regarding financing of several other closed peacekeeping missions:  UNPROFOR, UNCRO, UNPREDEP, and the United Nations Peace Forces headquarters, the Committee had before it a draft resolution contained in document A/C.5/56/L.89). The draft would have the Assembly credit to Member States the amount of some $95.98 million, subject to the pending resolution on strategic deployment stocks.  The remaining cash balance of some $39.29 million would also be credited to Member States.  The Assembly would suspend several financial regulations in respect of the remaining surplus of some $61.22 million in order to allow for reimbursements to troop contributors, and in the light of the cash shortage of the combined Force, request the Secretary-General to provide an updated report in a year. Consideration of the treatment of the increase in staff assessment income of $776,343 in  respect of the surplus would be deferred.

[Action initially proposed by the Secretary-General included:  a decision that Member States shall waive their respective shares in the amount of

$125.64 million from the balance of appropriations of some $196.48 million gross, to be applied to the financing of the strategic deployment stocks; a decision to credit the remaining cash balance of some $8.29 million to Member States; and a decision to continue to suspend temporarily the provisions of financial regulations in respect of the remaining surplus of some $62.54 million gross in light of the cash shortage of the combined forces.]

The Committee also had before it a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) and the Civilian Police Support Group (document A/C.5/56/L.90).  By the terms of the text, the Assembly would decide to credit Member States some $35.8 million.  [The Secretary-General originally proposed

that Member States waive their respective shares in the cash balance of some

$35.8 million to be applied to the financing of the strategic deployment stocks.]  The Assembly would also request the Secretary-General to provide an updated report on the financial position of the Transitional Administration and the Support Group in one year.

Making recommendations on the support account for peacekeeping operations, the Fifth Committee had before it draft resolution A/C.5/56/L.91, by whose terms the Assembly would affirm the need for adequate funding for the backstopping of peacekeeping operations, as well as the need for justification for such funding in support account budget submissions.  Taking note of the Secretary-General’s reports on the matter, the Assembly would note with appreciation the introduction of results-based budgeting and request that further improvements be made in that respect.

For the period of 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001, the Assembly would approve the additional requirements of some $2.24 million and decide to apply against that amount other income of some $2.26 million, interest income of $1.7 million and other savings and income amounts.  In respect of income from staff assessment for 2000/2001, the Assembly would approve an increase of $741,000.

As for the budget estimates for 2002-2003, the Assembly would approve the requirements of some $100.9 million gross, including 687 continuing and 15 new temporary posts.  In respect of income from staff assessment, it would approve an estimate of some $13.74 million.

It would further decide that for 2002-2003, the support account would be financed as follows:  the balance of $127,800 between the additional requirements and actual expenses for the 2000-2001 period would be applied to the total amount of $100.9 million, and the balance of $100.77 million would be prorated among the budgets of active peacekeeping operations for the 2002-2003 budget cycle.

Further by the text, the Secretary-General would be requested to develop a coherent departmental level policy within the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) on gender mainstreaming in all peacekeeping activities and submit, if necessary, a request on that issue, reporting thereon at the fifty-seventh session.  At the same session, it would review the proposal for a D-1 Chief of the Communications and Technology Service.  The Assembly would approve the request for two information officer posts at the P-4 level, however.

Noting with concern the high level of resources for consultants and travel, especially in view of the large number of new posts proposed, the Secretary-General would be requested to ensure full and efficient use of “in-house” United Nations expertise before projecting resource needs for consultants within the support account submission.   The Assembly would decide to review, at the resumed fifty-eighth session, the existing posts already approved since 2000 in order to consider their justification, taking into account the ongoing evaluation of the OIOS of the impact of recent restructuring of the DPKO.  It would also take note of the status of recruitment of the 91 additional posts approved for the DPKO in its resolution 56/241, and request an update at the fifty-seventh session.

For the 2002/2003 budget period, the Assembly would decide to maintain the support account funding mechanism, which was used in the current budget.  It would further reiterate its concern over the imbalance in geographical representation of the Member States within the DPKO and urge the Secretary-General to take immediate measures to improve the representation of unrepresented and under-represented countries.  As recommended by the ACABQ, the Assembly would also reiterate the need to develop a methodology and monitoring system to evaluate the results of training in peacekeeping and related areas.

Under the agenda item on the 2002-2003 programme budget, the Committee had before it a draft resolution (document A/C.5/56/L.92) on the implementation of the provisions of Assembly resolution 56/242.  [By the terms of resolution 56/242 of December 2001 on the pattern of conferences, the Assembly approved the Organization's calendar of meetings for 2002-2003; emphasized the importance of providing adequate conference-servicing resources to all United Nations conference centres; and decided to include all necessary resources in the budget for the 2002-2003 biennium to provide interpretation services for meetings of regional

and other major groupings of Member States, on an ad hoc basis.  Following the

$75 million reduction in the real level of resources under the budget for 2002-2003, however, the Secretariat announced cuts in services available to Member States in such areas as servicing night and weekend meetings other than those of the Security Council and the Assembly plenary.]

According to the draft text before the Committee, the Assembly would reaffirm its resolution 56/242 and resolution 56/254 D of 27 March 2002.  [By

the terms of that resolution, the Assembly noted with concern the implementation of the economy measures outlined in the Secretary-General’s note verbale of

28 February and information circular ST/IC/2002/13.  It requested the Secretary-General to implement the budget resolutions in a way that does not adversely affect the services provided to Member States, and to minimize the adverse effect of any changes in the established practice resulting from the announced cutbacks.]

By the terms of the draft, the Assembly, noting with concern the negative impact on some aspects of the smooth functioning of the United Nations following the cutbacks, would reaffirm its request that the Secretary-General provide adequate conference services to regional group meetings in accordance with resolution 56/242 by using several options, including absorbing the additional workload within the capacity of the Department of General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services and the Department of Management.  Other options include: using the savings generated as a result of the implementation of the calendar of conferences and meetings as approved in General Assembly resolution 56/242; delaying the implementation of certain non-substantive activities within the two Departments; and proposals for reprogramming the conference and support service activities of the two Departments for the Assembly's approval.

By its draft resolution on conference and support services extended to the Counter-Terrorism Committee (document A/C.5/56/L.93), the Fifth Committee recommends that the Assembly request the Secretary-General to ensure the provision of services to the Counter-Terrorism Committee without adversely affecting other conference services.  The Security Council would be invited to ensure that the proceedings of that and other subsidiary bodies of the Council are conducted with due regard to the most efficient use of conference-servicing resources and to consider the merits of establishing appropriate guidelines for the format and volume of communications that all States are requested to submit for consideration by the Counter-Terrorism Committee.

Further by the text, the Secretary-General would be requested to report to the Assembly at the main part of its fifty-seventh session on the expenditures and programme impacts incurred in supporting the Counter-Terrorism Committee.  The Assembly would decide to consider further conference and support servicing requirements of the Counter-Terrorism Committee in the context of the first performance report on the current budget.

The Committee also had before it a draft decision on the write-off of contingent-owned equipment at liquidated missions (document A/C.5/56/L.94).  By the terms of the text, having considered the Secretary-General's progress report on the issue, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to continue his efforts to finalize the write-off claims in liquidated missions by December 2002, and to submit a report to the Assembly at its resumed fifty-seventh session.

Also before the Committee was a draft decision on the administrative and budgetary aspects of the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations (document A/C.5.56.L.95).  According to the terms of the text, the Assembly would decide to request the Secretary-General to suggest measures that would better streamline the policy guidelines related to the temporary duty assignment of staff in peacekeeping missions and to report thereon at its next session.

Action on Texts

The Committee first took up the draft resolution on the financial reports, audited statements and reports of the Board of Auditors (document A/C.5/56/L.64).

Acting without a vote, the Committee approved the draft resolution.

The Committee then took up a draft decision (document A/C.5/56/L.85) on action taken on certain items.

Committee Chairman NANA EFFAH-APENTENG (Ghana) said the draft decision was of a purely procedural nature.

The Committee approved the draft decision without a vote.

The Committee then turned to the draft resolution on the treatment of perennial activities in the programme budget and the use of the contingency fund (document A/C.5/56/L.63).

The Committee approved the text without a vote.

      The next text before the Committee was a draft resolution on the conditions of service and compensation for officials other than Secretariat officials: members of the International Court of Justice and judges of the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the Former Yugoslavia (document A/C.5/56/L.62).

BEN KANDANGA (Namibia) introduced the draft resolution, which the Committee approved without a vote.

The Committee then took up draft resolution A/C.5/56/L.83 on estimates in respect of matters of which the Security Council is seized.

MICHEL TILEMANS (Belgium) introduced the draft.

The Committee approved the draft without a vote.

      The Committee next turned to the draft resolution on the safety and security of United Nations premises (document A/C.5./56/L.86), which the Committee approved without a vote.

      It then turned to a draft resolution on the implementation of the provisions of General Assembly resolution 56/242 (document A/C.5/56/L.92).

GERARD HO (Singapore) introduced the draft.

The draft was then approved without a vote.

The representative of Syria said the nature of the resolution called for a follow-up, especially in that it placed certain demands on the Secretariat.  Regarding a delay in the implementation of certain non-core activities, he hoped that the administration would be ready to respond to that paragraph of the text during the main part of the fifty-seventh session.  He also expected the Secretariat to report on proposals to reprogramme certain activities during the main part of the fifty-seventh session.  The resolution was expected to be a solution to the deterioration of conference services provided to Member States, and he awaited the Secretariat’s proposals.

      The Committee then turned its attention to a draft resolution on the services extended to the Counter-Terrorism Committee (document A/C.5/56/L.93.

OLEKSII IVASHCHENKO (Ukraine) introduced the draft.

The Committee approved the draft without a vote.

The Assistant Secretary-General for Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts and United Nations Controller, JEAN-PIERRE HALBWACHS, said that when the Committee had approved the text during informal consultations, the Secretariat had provided an explanation of how the resolution would be implemented.  He wished to repeat that in the formal meeting.

He said operative paragraph 2 requested that the Secretary-General ensure the provision of conference services to the Counter-Terrorism Committee without adversely affecting other conference services.  Operative paragraph 5 requested the Secretary-General to report to the main part of the fifty-seventh session on expenditures and programmatic impacts incurred in supporting the Committee.  As the draft resolution requested the provision of services, it was anticipated that additional costs would run above the existing appropriation and would need to be incurred before the end of the calendar year.  It was the intention of the Secretariat to encumber the funds by drawing on provisions for meetings in 2003.  That would be reflected in the first performance report at the fifty-seventh session. The draft resolution would be treated as a de facto commitment authority.

Next on the agenda was a draft resolution on the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi (document A/C.5/56/L.76).

RAMESH CHANDRA (India) introduced the draft, which was then approved without a vote.

The Committee then took up a draft resolution on the field assets control system:  a module of the field mission logistics system (document A/C.5/56/L.77).

The draft was introduced by DURGA BHATTARAI (Nepal).

The Committee then approved the text without a vote.

The Committee next took up a draft resolution on entitlement to restitution as a result of non-compliance with status-of-forces or other agreements (document A/C.5/56/L.84).

JOHN ORR (Canada) introduced the draft.

The Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote.

The Committee then took up a draft resolution on the concept of strategic deployment of stocks and its implementation (document A/C.5/56/L.87).

Mr. CHANDRA (India) introduced the draft, thanking the Committee for entrusting the item to him, as it had been one of the most complex issues before the Committee during the current session.

The Committee then approved the draft without a vote.

The Committee next turned to the draft resolution on the support account for peacekeeping operations (document A/C.5/56/L.91).

Mr. ORR (Canada) introduced the draft, thanking the staff of the Office of Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations for their assistance during the coordination of the item.

Acting without a vote, the Committee approved the draft resolution.

The Committee then turned its attention to document A/C.5/56/45 on the support account for peacekeeping operations and the financing of the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi.

Mr. HALBWACHS said it was the usual report on the support account.  In the individual resolutions on the various peacekeeping missions, there were a number of blanks.  Those blanks would be replaced by the amounts provided in the document.

The Committee then took note of the information provided in that report.

The representative of Syria said that from the resolution, by using the term “take note” it was understood that the General Assembly was approving the contents of the report.  He expected the Secretariat to take into consideration the Committee’s previous decision not to use the phrase “take note”.  “Take note” did not mean approval.  He called on the Secretariat not to use the term “take note”.

The Committee then turned to the draft decision contained in document A/C.5/56/L.94 on write-off of contingent-owned equipment at liquidated missions.

The CHAIRMAN said the draft decision was purely of a procedural nature.  The Committee approved the draft decision without a vote.

The Committee then turned to the draft decision on the administrative and budgetary aspects of the financing of United Nations peacekeeping operations (document A/C.5/56/L.95).

      Mr. ORR (Canada) introduced the draft decision, which was approved without a vote.

The Committee then took up the financing of peacekeeping forces in the Middle East.

The Committee first took up the draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) (document A C.5/56/L.72).

Mr. BHATTARAI (Nepal) introduced the draft. 

The Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote.

The representative of Syria thanked all delegations for the flexibility they had shown in approving the draft.  He attached great importance to the draft and the question of improving the conditions of service of local staff.  He recalled that the Secretariat had mentioned that the implementation of the resolution, in particular the compensation referred to in paragraph 10 of the draft, would be in effect as of the beginning of June 2002.  He wished to place on record that had not been the case.  He drew the Secretariat’s attention to the importance of fulfilling its commitments without delay.

Next, the Committee took up the draft resolution (document A/C.5/56/L.70) on the financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

The representative of the United States expressed his appreciation to the coordinator of the item who had worked towards achieving consensus on the text.  Certain aspects of the language were unacceptable to the United States, however, because it violated the idea of collective responsibility for the financing of peacekeeping operations and the idea that the Fifth Committee attempted to reach consensus on the items before it.  The draft contained paragraphs that the United States could not agree to, in particular preambular paragraph 4 and operative paragraphs 3, 4 and 13.  He requested that a single vote be taken on those paragraphs.

The Committee decided to retain preambular paragraph 4 and operative paragraphs 3, 4 and 13 by a vote of 74 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States) with 36 abstentions.  (See Annex I)

The representative of the United States said that his delegation was not in a position to support the resolution because of objectionable paragraphs.  He requested that a recorded vote be taken on the draft resolution as a whole.

The Committee then approved the draft resolution as a whole by a vote of 110 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with no abstentions.  (Annex II)

Speaking in explanation of vote after the vote, the representative of Venezuela (on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China) expressed his support for the mission’s mandate.  He thanked the delegations for supporting the resolution.  The Group hoped that the provisions of the resolution would be implemented.

The representative of Spain, speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States, recalled its position on the financial aspects of the costs of the Qana incident.  The costs resulting from the incident were specific in nature.  A call to pay through voluntary contributions would be welcome.  Costs should be kept within the budget, and the financing of peacekeeping operations should be a collective responsibility.  The broader political aspects of the events had been discussed in the General Assembly in April 1996.  At that time, the Union had expressed its position on the political aspects very clearly.  He would have hoped that the consultations in the Fifth Committee could have been limited to budgetary aspects of peacekeeping operations.

The representative of Australia, speaking also on behalf of New Zealand and Canada, regretted that a consensus text had not been possible.  He was concerned that the voted paragraphs contained political elements inappropriate for a financing resolution, which was why they had abstained from voting on them.  He noted that, as of 30 April 2002, only 27 Member States had fulfilled their financial obligations and had paid assessed contributions to UNIFIL in full.

The representative of Japan said that his delegation had decided to vote in favour of the draft as a whole from the viewpoint of assuming its financial responsibility.  He expressed deep regret, however, that the draft had not been reached by consensus.

The representative of Lebanon thanked the delegations who voted in favour of the draft on the financing of UNIFIL, including the paragraph that required Israel to pay compensation for damages incurred from the incident at Qana, in particular the damage to the United Nations Centre.  The United Nations had a principle that Member States must discharge their financial responsibility.  That principle must be applied.  Regarding the Qana incident, the aggression had been carried out by an occupying force.  It had been carried out in a deliberate manner, as confirmed by the investigation following the incident.  Israel must assume its responsibility.  Lebanon could not tolerate such acts to the detriment of the staff working under the United Nations flag.  He thanked the mission for its self-sacrifice in the protection of Lebanese civilians from Israeli aggression.

The representative of Pakistan said his delegation had arrived late and had been unable to participate in the vote.  Pakistan had always voted in favour of the resolution.  He requested that Pakistan’s vote in favour of the draft resolution be reflected in the official vote.

The Committee then turned to the financing of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) (document A/C.5/56/L.65).

DEWI SAVITRI WAHAB (Indonesia) introduced the draft.

The Committee then approved it without a vote.

Turning to the financing of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor/United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor, GUILLERMO KENDALL (Argentina) introduced the draft.

The Committee approved the draft without a vote.

Next, it took up a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE). 

Mr. KENDALL (Argentina) introduced the draft, which was also approved without a vote.

The Committee then turned its attention to financing of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission and the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (document A/C.5/56/L.80).

ALEXANDRE PEIXOTO (Brazil) introduced the draft.

The draft decision was then approved by the Committee without a vote.

Next on the agenda was a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) (document A/C.5/L.67).

ABDELMALEK BOUHEDDOU (Algeria) introduced the draft.

Acting without a vote, the Committee approved the draft resolution.

The Committee then took up the financing of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) (document A/C.5/56/L.68).

SANTIAGO WINS (Uruguay) introduced the draft, which was approved by the Committee without a vote.

The representative of Japan, speaking in explanation of position, said that with regard to the payment of assessments for the peacekeeping budget, the Assembly should express its appreciation to all Member States that had paid their assessed contributions regardless of the timing of the payment.  Some draft resolutions mentioned that payments were made on time and in full, while others did not.  Japan agreed to the present text on the understanding that operative paragraph two of the text devalued the payments by all other Member States.

Next, the Committee took up a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) (document A/C.5/56/L.81).

MARIA ROSARIO AGUINALDO (Philippines) introduced the draft text.

The Committee approved the draft without a vote.

The Committee then took up the financing of the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (document A/C.5/56/L.88).

HENRY FOX (Australia) introduced the draft resolution, which the Committee approved without a vote.

The Committee next considered the draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Protection Force, the United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia, the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force and the United Nations Peace Forces Headquarters (document A/C.5/56/L.89).

Mr. FOX (Australia) introduced the draft resolution.

The Committee approved the text without a vote.

The Committee turned to the draft resolution on the financing of United Nations Operations in Somalia II (document A/C.5/56/L.79).

Mr. FOX (Australia) introduced the draft, which the Committee approved without a vote. 

The Committee next took up the financing of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) (document A/C.5/56/L.69).

BEATA BARANSKA (Poland) introduced the draft resolution.

The Committee approved the draft without a vote.

Next, the Committee turned to a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) (document A/C.5/56/L.71).

Ms. BARANSKA (Poland) introduced the draft, which was approved by the Committee without a vote.

The Committee then took up the financing of the United Nations Mission in Haiti (document A/C.5/56/L.74). 

The draft was introduced by Mr. TILEMANS (Belgium).  The Committee, acting without a vote, approved the draft resolution.

The Committee turned its attention to a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) (document A/C.5/56/L.73).

Mr. FOX (Australia) introduced the draft resolution, which the Committee approved without a vote.

The Committee then took up a draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) (document A/C.5/56/L.90).

Mr. FOX (Australia) introduced the draft, which the Committee approved without a vote.

Next on the agenda was a draft resolution on the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti (UNSMIH), the United Nations Transition Mission in Haiti and the United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti (document A/C.5/L.75).

The draft, which was introduced by Mr. TILEMANS (Belgium), was approved without a vote.

The Committee then took up the financing of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) (document A/C.5/56/L.82).

Mr. WINS (Uruguay) introduced the draft resolution.

Acting without a vote, the Committee approved the draft text.

In concluding remarks to the Committee, the CHAIRMAN expressed his gratitude for the Committee’s hard work.  While he believed that the Committee could have conducted its work in a more efficient manner, he hoped there would be improvements in the working methods of the Committee.  He also expressed his gratitude to the Bureau for its invaluable support, to the delegations for their coordination of the various items and to the Secretariat for its support and encouragement.

(annexes follow)

ANNEX I

Vote on Preambular Paragraph 4 and Operative Paragraphs 3, 4, and 13

of the Draft Resolution on the Financing of United Nations Interim Force

in Lebanon (UNIFIL)

The relevant paragraphs of the draft text (document A/C.5/56/L.70) were approved by a recorded vote of 74 in favour to 2 against, with 36 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Israel, United States.

Abstaining:  Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay.

Absent:  Albania, Belarus, Bhutan, Cape Verde, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Ecuador, Federated States of Micronesia, Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Iceland, Kenya, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Mozambique, Nauru, Netherlands, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Swaziland, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda.

(END OF ANNEX I)

ANNEX II

Vote on Draft Resolution on the Financing of United Nations Interim Force

in Lebanon (UNIFIL)

The draft text (document A/C.5/56/L.70) was approved by a recorded vote of 110 in favour to 2 against, with no abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Israel, United States.

Abstaining:  None.

Absent:  Albania, Belarus, Bhutan, Cape Verde, Comoros, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Federated States of Micronesia, Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Iceland, Iran, Kenya, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Mozambique, Nauru, Netherlands, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Swaziland, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda.

* *** *