FIFTH COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THAT GENERAL ASSEMBLY IMPLEMENT CAPITAL MASTER PLAN TO REFURBISH HEADQUARTERS, AS IT APPROVES 22 TEXTS

Fifty-seventh General Assembly

Fifth Committee

37^th Meeting (PM)

FIFTH COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THAT GENERAL ASSEMBLY IMPLEMENT CAPITAL MASTER PLAN

TO REFURBISH HEADQUARTERS, AS IT APPROVES 22 TEXTS

$1.05 Billion Construction Estimated to Begin in October 2004

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) this afternoon recommended that the General Assembly implement the Capital Master Plan for a refurbishment of United Nations Headquarters in New York.  Construction is estimated to begin in October 2004 with a projected budget of some $1.05 billion, plus or minus 10 per cent, depending on the exact timing of the project.

By the terms of the draft resolution on the matter -- one of the 22 texts approved without a vote this afternoon -- the Assembly would express concern over the hazards and deficiencies of the current United Nations complex and endorse construction and lease purchase of a new United Nations building south of       42^nd Street.  In doing so, it would welcome with appreciation the offer of support from the City and State of New York, and acknowledge their efforts to make possible the implementation of the plan.

A text on programme planning would have the Assembly adopt revisions to the current medium-term plan (2002-2005), which serves as the Organization’s principal policy directive. 

[Those changes are being introduced to take account of new decisions by intergovernmental bodies and international conferences, which were taken following the adoption of the medium-term plan, including resolutions on counter-terrorism, follow-up to the Millennium Declaration, and illicit trade in small arms, as well as measures to implement recommendations of the Panel on Peacekeeping.]

Among other provisions of the draft is a request that the Secretary-General submit to the Assembly's next session his proposals for programme revisions to reflect its review of the outcome of the International Conference on Financing for Development (Monterrey, Mexico, 2002), and the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, South Africa, 2002), as well as the final review of the implementation of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s (UN-NADAF) and any other legislative mandates.

By another four-part draft resolution, the Assembly would address the means of strengthening the United Nations common system and improving the conditions of service of United Nations staff, including the issues of salaries, staff mobility, the level of education grants, hazard pay and dependency allowances. 

Having considered the 2002 report of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), which is currently engaged in a review of the pay-and-benefits system, initiated “to reward contributions and validate competencies”, the Fifth Committee recommended that the Assembly take note with appreciation of the concrete progress made by the ICSC in that respect and note that the Commission would also examine the issue of contractual arrangements.

Responding to the need to realign the salaries at the United Nations with those of United States civil servants, the Assembly would, with effect from       1 January 2003, approve a revised scale of gross and net salaries for professional and higher categories of staff, bringing the net remuneration margin to      112.2.  [As pointed out in the ICSC 2002 report, the disproportion in the remuneration levels was greatest at the P-5 through D-2 levels, with the margin there ranging from 101.2 to 107.8.  To correct the imbalance, the revised salary scale shows a 0 per cent increase at the P-1 to P-3 levels, with a 1.3 per cent increase at the P-4 level; 2.6 per cent for P-5; 9.1 per cent for D-1; and 6.3 per cent for D-2.]

The Assembly would note that the net remuneration margin, which measures the relationship between United Nations and Unites States employees, stood at      109.3 for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2002 -– below the desired midpoint of 115.  The Assembly would reaffirm that the 110 to 120 margin range should continue to apply, on the understanding that it would be maintained at the desirable midpoint of 115 over a period of time.  The ICSC would be requested to keep the matter under review, with a view to eventually restoring the margin to its midpoint, and report on the matter at the Assembly’s sixty-second session.

Acting on another draft resolution, the Committee made recommendations to the Assembly on the United Nations pension system, including actuarial matters, financial statements of the Pension Fund, administrative arrangements and longer-term objectives of the Pension Fund, size and composition of the Pension Board and the Standing Committee, as well as investments of the Pension Fund and their diversification.

On the financing of the two International Tribunals, the Committee approved two draft resolutions, by which the Assembly would increase the already approved budget of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for 2002-2003 by $13.73 million (an amount resulting from the recosting and the establishment of one additional trial team) for a total amount of some       $262.65 million gross.  The budget of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) would be adjusted by some $4.66 million gross to provide for recently added ad litem judges, bringing the total amount to $210.78 million.

By a draft decision on the development of the United Nations web site in all official languages, the Assembly would express concern that the Department of Public Information (DPI) had, so far, been unable to identify any resources, including through redeployment, for that priority activity.  It would also request the Secretary-General to proceed with his proposal to strengthen the web site through the redeployment of resources, giving priority to the language posts required, and to report on the status of its implementation at the Assembly's fifty-eighth session.  The Secretary-General would also be requested to submit proposals aimed at achieving full equality among the languages.

Approving a draft resolution on the administrative and budgetary aspects of peacekeeping financing, the Committee made recommendations regarding assessment of new Member States -- Switzerland and Timor-Leste – under the scale for peacekeeping operations.

By the text on the scale of assessments for the regular budget of the United Nations, the Committee recommended that Switzerland be assessed at the rate of 1.274 per cent for 2002 and 2003, and that Timor-Leste be assessed at 0.001 per cent.  The 2002 contributions of those States to the budget and to the two Tribunals should be calculated on the basis of one-twelfth of their relevant rates of assessment for the year 2002 per full calendar month of membership.  Also, as an ad hoc adjustment in response to the difficult situations of Argentina and Afghanistan, the Assembly would fix the 2003 rate of assessment for Afghanistan at 0.001 per cent and for Argentina at 0.969 per cent.  It would decide to consider further, at its next session, the question of former Yugoslavia’s outstanding contributions.

On the financing of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), the Assembly would decide to apportion among Member States the additional amount of $90 million for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003, subject to a decision by the Security Council to extend the mandate of the Mission beyond     31 March 2003.

In other action, the Committee recommended that the Assembly:

-- adopt, effective from 1 January 2003, the Organization’s revised Financial Regulations;

-- approve the request for a subvention of $227,600 from the regular budget of the United Nations to the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research for 2003;

-- approve, as a charge against the contingency fund, an amount of   $230,900 for several posts to strengthen the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the Secretariat;

-- and take note of a report on construction of additional office facilities at the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

Also this afternoon, the Committee took up statements on the programme budget implications of various drafts before the Assembly, including those on the human rights situation in Myanmar; United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA); the situation in Central America; future operations of INSTRAW; Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues; Khmer Rouge Trials; follow-up to the outcome of the International Conference on Financing for Development; and revised estimates arising from decisions of the Economic and Social Council.

The Fifth Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. on Monday, 16 December, to take action on all remaining items.

Action on drafts

Haile Selassie Getachew, Rapporteur of the Committee, introduced a five-part draft resolution on programme planning (document A/C.5/57/L.31), by which the Assembly would note with appreciation the work of the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) at its forty-second session and reaffirm its role as the main subsidiary organ of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for planning, programming and coordination.  It would encourage the CPC to continue its discussions on improving its working methods with a view to further enhancing its effectiveness and continued relevance.  On the programme performance of the Organization for the biennium 2000-2001, the Assembly would take note of the relevant report and endorse the conclusions and recommendations of the CPC on that document.

The Assembly would further adopt the revisions to the Organization’s medium-term plan for 2002-2005, submitted by the Secretary-General, as amended by the relevant CPC recommendations and ECOSOC resolution 2002/39.  While doing so, however, the Assembly would reaffirm the medium-term plan as the principal policy directive of the United Nations, which would serve as the framework for the next programme budget. 

[The revisions have been necessitated by new decisions by intergovernmental bodies and international conferences following the adoption of the medium-term plan.  Among the proposals are changes based on such documents as resolutions on counter-terrorism, follow-up to the Millennium Declaration and illicit trade in small arms, as well as measures to implement recommendations of the Panel on Peacekeeping.]

Also by the text, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to submit, through the CPC, at its fifty-eighth session the proposals for revisions to the economic and social affairs programme to reflect the Assembly's review of the outcome of the International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Monterrey, Mexico, last March, and the World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in August/September.  At the same session, the Secretary-General would be requested to submit proposed changes to relevant programmes to reflect the final review at the fifty-seventh session of the implementation of UN-NADAF and any other legislative mandates.

Stressing the importance of further improving evaluation and integrating it into the cycle of programme planning, budgeting and monitoring, the Assembly would also approve a schedule of in-depth evaluations to be submitted to the CPC in the fled of law of the sea and ocean affairs; public administration, finance and development; and human settlements.  At the same time, it would endorse the CPC conclusions regarding previous evaluations, including those of the subprogrammes of the Assembly and ECOSOC; legal affairs and disarmament programme.

Endorsing the CPC conclusions on the Joint Inspection Unit report entitled “Strengthening the investigations functions of the United Nations system organizations”, the Assembly would further note the recommendation of the JIU that executive heads of organizations should ensure that managers involved in investigations have sufficient training in conducting investigations and request the Secretary-General to ensure that programme managers involved in incidents, crimes or irregularities are not involved, in any way, in conducting investigations.  The Secretary-General would be requested further to review the practice of involving managers in investigative processes to ensure their independence and report on that matter no later than the Assembly's fifty-eighth session.

By other terms of the text, the Assembly would endorse the conclusions of the CPC regarding the annual overview report of the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination for 2001, as well as its recommendations regarding the Secretary-General’s report on the United Nations System-wide Special Initiative on Africa.  It would also request the Secretary-General to submit a report to the CPC at its next session on the future engagement of the United Nations system with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and stress the need to further strengthen inter-agency coordination in the field of management.

The Committee approved the text without a vote.

Eva Silot (Cuba) submitted a draft resolution on the scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations (document A/C.5/57/L.33), by which the Assembly would urge all Member States to pay their assessed contributions in full, on time and without imposing conditions.  Further by that draft, the Assembly would decide to fix the rates of assessment for Afghanistan in 2003 at 0.001 per cent and for Argentina at 0.969 per cent, as ad hoc adjustments.  It would also request the Committee on Contributions to elaborate further on the criteria regarding ad hoc adjustments of the rates of assessment for the Assembly's consideration and approval, so as to facilitate further the consideration of such adjustments.

The Assembly would decide that the rate of assessment for Switzerland should be 1.274 per cent for 2002 and 2003, and 0.001 per cent for Timor-Leste.  It would further decide that the contributions of those two new Member States to the regular budget and the two International Criminal Tribunals for 2002 should be calculated on the basis of one-twelfth of their relevant rates of assessment for the year per full calendar month of membership. 

By other terms of that text, the Assembly would decide that, in accordance with financial regulation 5.8, the advances of Switzerland and Timor-Leste to the Working Capital Fund should be calculated by the application of the rates of assessment for the year 2002 to the authorized level of the Fund and should be added to the Fund, pending their incorporation in a 100 per cent scale for the Fund for the biennium 2004-2005.

Also by the text, the Assembly would decide to consider further the question of the outstanding assesses contributions of the former Yugoslavia at its fifty-eighth session and endorse the recommendation of the Committee on Contributions contained in paragraph 125 of its report concerning the financing of the final budget appropriations for the biennium 2000-2001.

The draft was approved by the Committee without a vote.

Guillermo Kendall (Argentina) submitted a four-part draft resolution on the United Nations Common System (A/C.5/57/L.39).  By its terms, the Assembly would address the conditions of service of United Nations staff and means of strengthening the international civil service. 

Having considered the 2002 report of the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) -– the central body regulating coordination of the conditions of service within the common system -- the Fifth Committee would recommend that the Assembly take note with appreciation of the concrete progress made by the ICSC in the review of the pay and benefits system, and note that the Commission’s would also examine the issue of contractual arrangements.  During its review of the pay and benefits system, the Commission would be requested to conduct a review of grade equivalency between the United Nations and the United States federal civil service, in accordance with a new master standard and to report thereon at the Assembly’s fifty-ninth session. 

With effect from 1 January 2003, the Assembly would approve a revised scale of gross and net salaries for staff in the Professional and higher categories, noting that the net remuneration margin, which measures the relationship between the United Nations and United States federal civil service employees, stood at 109.3 for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2002 -– below the desired midpoint of 115.  The Assembly would reaffirm that the 110 to 120 margin range should continue to apply, on the understanding that it would be maintained at the desirable midpoint of 115 over a period of time.  The ICSC would be requested to keep the matter under review with a view to eventually restoring the margin to its midpoint and report on the matter at the Assembly’s sixty-second session.

Regarding the proposed creation of a Senior Management Service, the Assembly would request the Commission to review its decision contained in paragraph 80 of its report, including the question of whether such a Service should be dealt with in the framework of the review of the pay and benefits system, in view of the intention of the Assembly to consider it during its next session.  It would also note that the proposed Service would not require a special pay and benefits package.

The text also addresses the issues of staff mobility, the level of education grants, hazard pay, dependency allowances and means of strengthening the international civil service.

The draft resolution was approved without a vote.

Bogdan Dragulescu, Vice-Chairman of the Committee, introduced a ten-part draft resolution on the United Nations pension system (document A/C.5/57/L.34), containing sections on actuarial matters, pension adjustment system, financial statements of the Pension Fund and report of the Board of Auditors, administrative arrangements and longer-term objectives of the Pension Fund, Survivors’ benefits, activities relating to former participants from the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, size and composition of the Pension Board and the Standing Committee, other matters, investments of the Pension Fund, and the diversification of investments of the Pension Fund.

By the terms of that draft, the Assembly would approve the changes in the pension adjustment system to apply cost-of-living adjustments to deferred retirement benefits as from age 50, and to apply cost-of-living differential factors to deferred retirement benefits as from the date of separation.  It would also approve the increase in resources under administrative costs for the biennium 2002-2003, from $29.94 million to $30.01 million.

Further, the General Assembly would stress the need to ensure that the importance of the Secretary-General's fiduciary responsibility to take decisions on investment of the assets of the Fund should under no circumstances be compromised.  It would also note the concern expressed by the Board over the reduction in the market value of the Fund’s investments and take note of the intention of the Board of Auditors and Pension Board to follow up on the audit recommendations, review the procedures of the Investment Management Service and to review the terms of reference for an independent external performance review of the Fund's investments.

By a draft resolution on the financing of the ICTY (document A/C.5/57/L.30), submitted by Ann Merchant (Norway), the Assembly would resolve that, for the Tribunal's 2002-2003 budget, a gross amount of some $248.93 million approved by resolution 56/247B would be increased by $13.73 million (an amount resulting from the recosting and the establishment of one additional trial team) for a total gross amount of some $262.65 million.  The additional amount would be drawn from the unencumbered balance available in the Tribunal’s special account, as of      31 December 2001. 

Also by the text, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to prepare for the main part of its fifty-eighth session a comprehensive report on the Tribunal's progress in reforming its legal aid system, particularly with regard to rationalizing the costs of defence counsel and establishing indigence.

The Committee also makes recommendations regarding the preparation of the Tribunal’s budget for the next biennium.  In particular, the Secretary-General would be requested to include detailed reference as to how the requested resources would support the implementation of a sound and realistic completion strategy and the status of implementation of the Board of Auditors’ recommendations.  The budget should also be presented in a results-based format, linking objectives and inputs to expected accomplishments.  The proposed post structure for    2004-2005 should reflect reductions and shifts in requirements owing to the expected completion of investigations by 2004, and where appropriate, any requirements for established posts should be addressed through redeployment. 

By other terms, the Assembly would invite the Tribunal's judges to give due consideration to implementing fully a system of designating defence counsel at random from a list of available lawyers established by the Registrar’s Office.  It would also note with concern that the posts approved for on-site audit and investigative services at the ICTY have not been filled, and call upon the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) to fill those positions without further delay.

The Committee approved the text without a vote.

Ms. Merchant (Norway) also submitted a draft resolution on the financing of the ICTR (document A/C.5/57/l.35), by which the General Assembly would resolve that for the biennium 2002-2003, the gross amount of $197.13 million, approved in its resolution 56/248 B for the Tribunal’s budget, shall be adjusted by some  $4.66 million gross for ad litem judges in respect of Security Council resolution 1431 (2002), for a total amount of $210.78 million.

The Assembly would also authorize the Secretary-General to enter into commitments, where necessary, in an amount not to exceed $2.18 million gross for the resource requirements of the Tribunal to support the re-costing of resources for the biennium 2002-2003, and request the Secretary-General to report on the impact thereof in the context of the second performance report for the biennium.

By further terms, the Assembly would note with concern that the vacancy rate at the Tribunal remained unacceptably high and that by the end of 2002, the posts of Chief of Prosecution and Deputy Prosecutor will have been vacant for more than two years and 19 months.  It would request the Registrar of the Tribunal to ensure that those posts are filled without further delay, and urge the Secretary-General to request OIOS to conduct a management review of the Office of the Prosecutor, and to report thereon to the Assembly at its fifty-eighth session.

Also by the draft, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to present to its at its fifty-eight session the proposed budget for the Tribunal for the biennium 2004-2005, which should include detailed reference as to how the resources requested for the biennium will support the development of a sound and realistic completion strategy and the status of implementation of Board of Auditors recommendations, and revised arrangements for preventing over-expenditures of defence counsel.

The Committee approved the draft without a vote.

Felicity Buchanan (New Zealand) introduced a draft resolution on the administrative and budgetary aspects of the financing of United Nations peacekeeping operations (document A/C.5/57/L.36) by which the General Assembly would decide that, in accordance with the criteria established by its resolution 55/235, Switzerland will be assigned to level B under the system of adjustments used for establishing rates of assessment for peacekeeping operations.  It would also decide that, in accordance with the same criteria, Timor-Leste will be assigned to level I.

The Assembly would further decide that, in the case of appropriations or apportionments approved for the financing of peacekeeping operations, the contributions of Timor-Leste and Switzerland, as determined by their respective levels under the system of adjustments, should be calculated in proportion to the calendar year.  It would also decide that the assessment of the two countries for the year 2002 should be taken into account as miscellaneous income in accordance with regulation 5.2 (c) of the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations. 

The draft was approved without a vote.

Mr. Getachew, the Rapporteur, introduced a text on the financing of the UNAMSIL (document A/C.5/57/L.4), by which the Assembly would decide, taking into account the amount of $532.47 million apportioned under the terms of General Assembly resolution 56/251 B, to apportion among Member States the additional amount of $90 million at a monthly rate of $7.5 million for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003, comprising $67.5 million for the period 1 July 2002 to     31 March 2003, and $22.5 million for the period from 1 April to 30 June 2003.

The Assembly would also decide that there shall be set off against the apportionment among Member States, their respective share in the Tax Equalization Fund of $326,400 for the period from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003, at a monthly rate of $27,200, comprising $244,800 for the period from 1 July 2003 to 31 March 2003, and $81,600 for the period from 1 April to 30 June 2003, in addition to the estimated staff assessment income in the amount of $9.004 million previously approved under the terms of Assembly resolution 56/251 B.

The Fifth Committee approved the text without a vote.

Also approved without a vote was a draft decision on a request for a subvention to the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (document A/C.5/57/L.27), which would have the General Assembly approve the request for a subvention of $227,600 from the regular budget of the United Nations to the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research for 2003.

The Committee also approved without a vote, a revised draft decision on proposed revisions to the Financial Regulations of the United Nations (document A/C.5/57/L.24/Rev.1) by which the Assembly would take note of the related report of the Secretary-General and adopt the revised Financial Regulations therein.  It would also decide that the Revised regulations shall become effective on 1 January 2003.

Michel Tilemans, Vice-Chairman of the Committee, introduced adraft resolution on the capital master plan (document A/C.5/57/L.29), by which the Assembly would take note with concern of the hazards, risks and deficiencies of the current condition of the United Nations Headquarters complex and endorse the Secretary-General’s proposal to complete the negotiations with the City of New York for the construction and lease purchase of a new United Nations building on a section of the Robert Moses Playground.

Welcoming with appreciation the offer of support from the City and State of New York, the Assembly would decide to implement the Capital Master Plan, with a projected construction budget of $1.05 billion, with a variance of plus or minus 10 per cent assuming a construction start date of October 2004, with the project’s duration of five years.  That way, the cost of construction could range from $944.1 million to $1.16 billion.  Should the Assembly approve certain security and contingency design options at its fifty-eighth session, the projected budget should be increased by up to $144 million.

The draft determines management and oversight procedures for the project, in particular requesting the Secretary-General to put in place strict control standards for all phases of the plan, define the precise refurbishment to be done and the technical results to be achieved.  The Assembly would also concur with the Secretary-General’s intention to establish an independent and impartial advisory board for the implementation of the Plan.  Also addressed in the text are such issues as procurement and parking.

To ensure proper funding for the plan, the Fifth Committee recommended that the Assembly establish a special account for the Capital Master Plan and appropriate $25.5 million for the current biennium.  For 2004-2005, it recommended that the Secretary-General enter into commitments of up to $26 million.  The Assembly would also reaffirm the importance of continuing efforts to secure

financial resources from the public and private sectors for upgrading facilities and equipment, including the participation of private companies in infrastructural improvements.

The draft was approved without a vote.

Taking up a draft decision on construction of additional office facilities at the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (document A/C.5/57/L.32), the Committee approved it without a vote.

Eduardo Ramos (Portugal) submitted a draft decision on strengthening the Department of Public Information (document A/C.5/57/L.37),.by which the General Assembly would express concern that the Department was not able to identify at this stage any resources, including through redeployment, for that priority activity.  It would also request the Secretary-General to proceed with the implementation of his proposal on strengthening the web site through the redeployment of resources, giving priority to the language posts required, and to report on the status of its implementation at its fifty-eighth session.  The Secretary-General would also be requested to keep the question of the equality between six official languages on the web site under review, and to submit proposals aimed at achieving full equality between the languages.

The draft was approved without a vote.

Also before the Committee was a three-part draft decision (document A/C.5/57/l.44) submitted by Mr. Tilemans, Vice-Chairman of the Committee.  Section A deals with the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala:  programme budget implications of draft resolution A/57/L.27/Rev.1.  Should the Assembly adopt the aforementioned draft resolution, additional appropriation would be required for the programme budget for 2002-2003.

Section B covers Central America:  programme budget implications of draft resolution A/57/L.20.  Should the Assembly adopt the draft resolution, additional appropriations would be required for the programme budget for 2002-2003 of   $182.9 million under section 3, political affairs, and an amount of $41,400 under section 32, Staff assessment, offset by an amount of $41, 400 under income section 1, income from staff assessment.

Should the Assembly decide to adopt draft resolution A/C.3/57/L.48 contained in section C, on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, additional appropriations would be required for the programme budget for 2002-2003 in an amount of $163, 900 under section 3, Political affairs, and an amount of       $65,200 under section 32, staff assessment, offset by an amount of $65, 200 under income section 1, income from staff assessment.

The Committee then turned to five draft decisions contained in document A/C.5/57/L.46, submitted by Mr. Tilemans, Vice-Chairman of the Committee.  The first draft decision concerned the future operations of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (L.46 I).  Adoption of the text by the Assembly would give rise to additional requirements of $500,000 from the regular budget of the United Nations to finance the core activities of the Institute, so as to give it the same status as other institutes of the system.

The second decision concerned the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues  (L.46 II).  Should the Assembly adopt the draft, there would be financial implications of up to $316,600 arising for the regular budget in the biennium 2002-2003.

The third decision was on the Khmer Rouge trials (L.46 III).  Under the terms of that draft, the General Assembly would request the Secretary-General, if necessary, to send a team of experts to Cambodia as may be required for the preparation of a report.  Should the Assembly adopt the resolution, there would be financial implications of up to $44,800 arising for the regular budget under section 8, legal affairs, in the biennium 2002-2003.

The fourth decision concerned ensuring effective support for sustained follow-up to the outcome of the International Conference on Financing for Development (L.46 IV).  By its terms the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to follow closely issues and policies related to international economic, financial and development cooperation, and to keep under review actions taken at all levels in follow-up to the Conference, as well as within the framework of international economic, financial and development cooperation in general.

      Should the draft resolution be adopted, there would be financial implications of up to $203,200 for the regular budget in the biennium 2002-2003.

The five decisions were approved without a vote

A draft resolution on Strengthening the Terrorism branch of the Secretariat was also submitted.  By its terms, the Assembly would approve, as a charge against the contingency fund, an amount of $230,900 for one D-1, one P-4, one P-3 and two General Service posts under section 14 of the programme budget, and a related amount of $55,600 under section 32, staff assessment, offset by the amount of $55,600 under section 1, income from staff assessment, and decide that the balance of resource requirements as detailed in the annex to the report of the Secretary-General shall be reflected in the proposed programme budget for the biennium  2004-2005.

The Committee decided to approve the draft without a vote.

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