Committee on NGOs

37^th Meeting (AM)

COMMITTEE ON NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

TAKES NOTE OF TEN PERIODIC REPORTS

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) this morning took note of ten quadrennial reports submitted by NGOs that have general and special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, as it continued its resumed 2001 session.  It deferred two such reports pending clarifications.

The Committee took note this afternoon of the reports of the following organizations:  Inter-American Federation of Touring and Automobile Clubs; Association of Third World Studies (ATWS), International Driving Tests Committee; United Towns Agency for North-South Cooperation; Association for the Prevention of Torture; International Association of Penal Law; Mahila Dakshata Samiti; Associazione Volontari per il Servicio Internazionale; Baptist World Alliance; and the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage.

Requiring further clarifications, the Committee deferred the reports of the following:  World Society of Victimology; and France Libertes:  Foundation Danielle Mitterrand.

Quadrennial reports on activities in support of the United Nations are required from all organizations with general and special consultative status to the Council.  Those organizations have the right to attend meetings of the Council and circulate statements of a certain length; those with general status can, in addition, speak at meetings and propose items for the Council’s agenda.

When the Committee takes note of a report, it signifies that the information contained in it meets quadrennial reporting requirements.  All reports discussed this morning had been deferred from previous sessions.  They are contained in document E/C.2/CRP.6.

As the Committee took note of the report of the Inter-American Federation of Touring and Automobile Clubs and the International Driving Tests Committee this morning, the Chairman suggested that the Secretariat should advise such NGOs to direct their work, and their reports, towards issues of United Nations interest.  That suggestion was supported by the representatives of India, Germany and Ethiopia, among others.

As it took note of the report of the Association of Third World Studies, the representative of India suggested that, in addition to providing more information on its activities in Africa, it should be reminded to avoid remarks that could be construed as offensive.

The representative of China said that the report of the France Libertes: Foundation Danielle Mitterand was shocking, since it made unfounded allegations about China’s relationship with Tibet, which was indisputably, she said, a part of China.  She requested a special report from the organization on the subject of China’s sovereignty over Tibet, to correct the error.

On that matter, the representative of France said that the organization in question had a long-standing, prestigious reputation, and had been involved in supporting United Nations activities in five continents.  However, the representative of China had raised legitimate questions, he said, and the NGO in question should have the opportunity to respond. 

As it deferred that report, the Committee also requested a special report from the NGO on the Tibet issue, pending information on whether or not such a procedure was allowable.

The representatives of Chile, Cuba, Sudan also spoke during the consideration of reports and applications today.

The NGO Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today, to review its methods of work.

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