GENERAL ASSEMBLY DECIDES TO INCLUDE ITEM ON REPRODUCTIVE CLONING IN ITS AGENDA FOR 59TH SESSION IN 2004

Fifty-eighth General Assembly

Plenary

72^nd Meeting (AM)

GENERAL ASSEMBLY DECIDES TO INCLUDE ITEM ON REPRODUCTIVE CLONING

IN ITS AGENDA FOR 59TH SESSION IN 2004

Decisions Taken on 17 Texts Concerning Legal Committee Issues,

Including Terrorism, Protection of UN Workers, International Trade Law

Following intensive negotiations among concerned delegations, the General Assembly this morning decided by consensus not to take action on two proposals before it on the question of an international convention on reproductive human cloning, and instead adopted a consensus agreement to include the item in the agenda of its fifty-ninth session in 2004.

The Assembly took the decision read by its President Julian R. Hunte, as it considered reports of its Sixth Committee (Legal).  Those included 16 draft resolutions covering legal aspects of a wide range of issues such as protection of United Nations staff and humanitarian workers and administration of justice at the United Nations.  The reports also contained the only draft decision approved by the Committee concerning future discussion of the progressive development of the principles and norms of international law relating to the new international economic order.

On the question of human cloning, the Assembly had before it the Committee’s recommendation to adjourn debate on the item until the Assembly’s sixtieth session in 2005.  It also had a draft resolution by advocates of a ban on all forms of human cloning to have the Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee on the subject reconvene during the Assembly’s fifty-ninth session.  The item would have been included in the Assembly’s preliminary agenda as an international convention on human cloning, rather than specifying reproductive cloning.

By that resolution, the Assembly would also have solemnly declared that, pending the adoption of an international convention against human cloning, States would prohibit any research, experiment, development or application in their territories of any technique aimed at human cloning.

Speaking on the item, the United Kingdom representative said his country was “profoundly disappointed” by the actions of those who had sought to overturn the Committee’s vote on 6 November recommending the deferral of debate on the subject for two years.  He said all types of stem cell research, including therapeutic cloning, should be encouraged.  His country would never be party to any convention aimed to introduce a global ban on therapeutic cloning.

Egypt’s representative said he’d gone along with the consensus but had concerns about the plenary’s decision to not follow the Committee’s recommendation.  The decision was procedurally questionable and could set a bad precedent.

In other actions this morning, the Assembly urged States to take all necessary measures to prevent crimes against United Nations staff and humanitarian workers and to ensure that perpetrators were brought to justice.  Acting on a draft resolution relating to the scope of the 1994 Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel, the Assembly urged the Secretary-General and relevant bodies to continue to take practical measures to strengthen protection for those personnel, including locally recruited ones, who were most vulnerable to such attacks.

Adopting a resolution on measures to eliminate international terrorism, the Assembly urged all States to become party to the relevant conventions and protocols, as a matter of priority.  It decided that its Ad Hoc Committee on terrorism should meet from 28 June to 2 July 2004 to continue urgently to elaborate a draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism.  The Committee was also to continue efforts to resolve the outstanding issues related to a draft convention for the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism.

Acting on other texts, the Assembly recommended that States should consider the Model Legislative Provisions on Privately Financed Infrastructure Projects and its Legislative Guide when revising or adopting relevant legislation.  Both had been elaborated by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the body charged with elaborating legal texts.  In one of two drafts on the Commission’s 2003 session, the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to publish the Model Legislative Provisions.  It commended the Commission for approving in principle the draft legislative guide on insolvency law, worked out in close cooperation with other international organizations.

The host country of the United Nations Headquarters (United States) was asked by the Assembly to continue to take all measures to prevent any interference with the functioning of diplomatic missions, by a resolution covering the work of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country.  The Assembly welcomed the Committee’s decision to conduct a detailed review of the implementation of the year-old Parking Programme for Diplomatic Vehicles.  Problems related to the programme dominated the Committee’s agenda during the year.

The representative of Cuba, speaking after the adoption of the resolution, said the host country continued to interfere with the work of her mission by, for example, delaying the issuance of visas for officials to attend sessions of the United Nations and meetings related to the Organization’s activities.

The Assembly, adopting one of two resolutions on the 2003 session of the Special Committee on the Charter and on Strengthening the Role of the Organization, decided that further elaboration of effective measures to implement the Charter provisions on assistance to third States affected by sanctions should be considered within the Committee, or a working group of it, at the Assembly’s next session.

Action on the other draft resolution in that report was postponed to a later date for the Fifth Committee (Administrative, and Budgetary) to review its programme budget implications.  The draft resolution, among other things, would have the Assembly encourage the Secretary-General in efforts to eliminate the backlog in the publication of the Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs and of the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council, including by exploring options involving cooperation with academic institutions to achieve their timely publication.

A text adopted by the Assembly recommended that the International Law Commission should continue work on the topics in its current programme, such as responsibility of international organizations and shared natural resources and diplomatic protection, taking into account the comments of governments.  It reiterated the invitation to governments to provide information on State practice on “unilateral acts” and some other specific topics on the Commission’s agenda.

By a resolution on the newly operational International Criminal Court, the General Assembly called upon States to consider ratifying or acceding without delay to the Rome Statute of the Court.  States were also called upon to consider becoming parties to the Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Court.  The Assembly, by the text, invited the Secretary-General to take steps to ensure the conclusion of a relationship agreement between the United Nations and the Court, based at The Hague.

Explaining its position, the representative of the United States said that, for reasons already stated in the Committee, her country would not be part of the consensus adoption of the resolution.

By a text on the administration of justice at the United Nations, the Assembly decided to amend the Statute of the United Nations Administrative Tribunal with effect from 1 January 2004, to ensure that the Tribunal’s seven members “possess judicial or other relevant legal experience in the field of administrative law or its equivalent within the member’s national jurisdiction”. 

The General Assembly approved guidelines and recommendations on the United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law embodied in a report of the Secretary-General, and authorized him to carry out the activities listed for 2004-2005, including the award of fellowships, scholarships and travel grants.  The Assembly requested him to publicize the Programme and to invite voluntary contributions.

The Assembly also decided that the Ad Hoc Committee on the Convention on jurisdictional immunities of States and their property should be reconvened from 1 to 5 March 2004 with a mandate to formulate a preamble and final clauses of the instrument.  The Ad Hoc Committee completed work on the instrument’s draft articles this year.

By four texts also adopted this morning, the Assembly decided to invite the following organizations to participate in its sessions and work as observers:  the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance; the Eurasian Economic Community (comprising Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation and Tajikistan, with Armenia, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova as observers); GUUAM (comprising Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Uzbekistan); and the East African Community (grouping Kenya, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania).

Speaking on that item, the representative of Sierra Leone said his delegation had not joined an earlier consensus in the Sixth Committee on the request of the Eurasian Economic Community because of lack of information about the organization.  Since then, he had received information and would join the consensus in the plenary.  The representative of Kazakhstan thanked the Assembly for its action and the organization’s Secretary-General also spoke.

Background

The General Assembly met this morning to consider the reports of its Sixth Committee (Legal) containing recommendations on issues ranging from administration of justice at the United Nations to reproductive cloning of human beings.  On the issue of cloning, the Assembly would have before it the Sixth Committee’s recommendation that consideration of the item be deferred for two years until the Assembly’s sixtieth session in 2005, as well as a new draft resolution to be presented today by which the Assembly would, inter alia, request that the Ad Hoc Committee on the topic reconvene for a week during the Assembly’s fifty-ninth session.

The Sixth Committee’s other reports covered topics such as measures to eliminate international terrorism, international trade law, the establishment of the International Criminal Court and the scope of legal protection and safety of United Nations staff on missions and humanitarian workers.

Sixth Committee Reports

By a draft decision on the Progressive development of the principles and norms of international law relating to the new international economic order (document A/58/510), the General Assembly would take note of the item, and would further note that it could be considered in the future.

The Sixth Committee approved the draft decision without a vote on 4 November.

Under the terms of a draft resolution on the United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law (document A/58/511), the General Assembly would approve guidelines and recommendations for the Programme’s implementation in the biennium 2004-2005 specified in a report of the Secretary-General.  The Secretary-General would be asked to publicize the Programme and invite voluntary contributions for its financing.  The Secretary-General would be asked to report on the Programme’s implementation at the Assembly’s sixtieth session.

The Assembly would decide to appoint 25 Member States as members of the Programme’s Advisory Committee for a period of four years beginning on 1 January 2004.

The Sixth Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote on 4 November.

By a draft resolution on the Convention on jurisdictional immunities of States and their property (document A/58/512), the General Assembly would decide that its Ad Hoc Committee on the question should be reconvened from 1 to 5 March 2004 with a mandate to formulate a preamble and final clauses with a view to completing the instrument.

The Ad Hoc Committee, established by the General Assembly in its resolution 55/150 of 12 December 2000, is elaborating an instrument based on the draft articles on jurisdictional immunities of States and their property adopted by the International Law Commission at its forty-third session in 1991.  The Ad Hoc Committee completed work on the 24 draft articles during its session this year.

The Sixth Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote on 4 November.

The Sixth Committee’s report on the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) on the work of its thirty-sixth session (document A/58/513) contains two draft resolutions.

Draft Resolution I

By the terms of the text entitled Report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) on the work of its thirty-sixth session, the General Assembly would, among other things, request the Commission and its secretariat to take the lead in assuring cooperation and coordination with relevant international institutions and organizations in the preparation of international legal texts.

It would request the Secretary-General to keep under review the level of resources available to the Commission to ensure its ability to carry out its mandate.  The Assembly would appeal to governments, the relevant United Nations bodies, organizations, institutions and individuals to support the Commission’s training and legislative technical assistance programme, particularly in the developing countries, and to make voluntary contributions to the relevant trust funds.

It would commend the Commission for its approval in principle of the draft legislative guide on insolvency law, elaborated in close cooperation with other international organizations, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the International Bar Association and the International Federation of Insolvency Professionals.  The Assembly would request that the draft legislative guide be made available for comment to Member States and relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as private sector and regional organizations and individual experts.

Draft Resolution II

Under provisions of the second draft resolution, entitled Model Legislative Provisions on Privately Financed Infrastructure Projects of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, the General Assembly would express its appreciation to the Commission for adopting the instrument.  The Secretary-General would be asked to publish the text which is contained in annex I of the Commission’s report (A/58/17).

The Assembly would recommend that all States give due consideration to the Model Legislative Provisions and the Legislative Guide on Privately Financed Infrastructure Projects adopted by the Commission in 2000 when revising or adopting their relevant legislation.

The Sixth Committee approved the two draft resolutions without a vote on 21 October.

A draft resolution on the International Law Commission on the work of its fifty-fifth session contained in document A/58/514 would have the General Assembly note with appreciation the Commission’s report and recommend that it continue its work on the topics in its current programme, taking into account comments and observations of governments.

The General Assembly would reiterate the invitation to Governments to provide information on State practice on the topic “Unilateral acts of States”.  The Secretary-General would be requested to invite States and international organizations to submit information concerning their practice relevant to the topic “Responsibility of international organizations”, including cases in which States members of an international organization may be regarded as responsible for acts of the organization.

The International Law Commission would be invited to continue to enhance its efficiency and productivity and also to take cost-saving measures at its future sessions.  Furthermore, the General Assembly would approve the Commission’s conclusions regarding its documentation.  It would decide that the Commission’s next split session shall be held at the United Nations Office in Geneva from 3 May to 4 June and from 5 July to 6 August 2004.

The Sixth Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote on 6 November.

A draft resolution on the Report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country contained in the Sixth Committee’s report (document A/58/515) would have the Assembly endorse the Committee’s recommendations and conclusions.  By the draft text, the Assembly would express the view that the maintenance of appropriate conditions for the work of delegations and missions was of great importance.  It would welcome the Host Country Committee’s decision to conduct a detailed review of the implementation of the Parking Programme for Diplomatic Vehicles introduced over a year ago.

The Assembly would note that travel controls imposed on personnel of certain missions as well as United Nations Secretariat staff of certain nationalities remained in effect and that timely issuance of visas to Member State delegates was anticipated. It would express its appreciation for the efforts made by the host country, and would hope that issues raised at meetings of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country would continue to be resolved in a spirit of cooperation and in accordance with international law.

The Sixth Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote on 5 November.

By the terms of a draft resolution on the International Criminal Court contained in document A/58/516, the General Assembly would call upon States to consider ratifying or acceding without delay to the Rome Statute of the Court.  The Assembly would welcome the establishment of the permanent secretariat of the Assembly of States Parties and in that context would recognize the need for an orderly and smooth transition from the Secretariat of the United Nations to the new secretariat.  The Assembly would call upon States to consider becoming parties, without delay, to the Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the International Criminal Court.

By other provisions of the draft, the Secretary-General would be invited to take steps to ensure the conclusion of a relationship agreement between the United Nations and the Court which is based at The Hague, Netherlands.

The Sixth Committee approved the draft resolution on 23 October.

The Sixth Committee’s report on the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization (document A/58/517) contains two draft resolutions.

Draft Resolution I

By the terms of draft resolution I, entitled Report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization, the General Assembly would ask the Special Committee at its next session, from 29 March to 8 April 2004, to continue its consideration of all proposals on the maintenance of international peace and security.  The Special Committee would also be requested to consider, on a priority basis, the question of the implementation of Charter provisions on assistance to third States affected by the application of sanctions under Chapter VII of the Charter.

Furthermore, the Assembly would encourage the Secretary-General in his efforts to reduce the backlog in the Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs and in the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council, including by exploring options for cooperation with academic institutions.

Charter Committee Draft Resolution II

By the provisions of draft resolution II, Implementation of the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations related to assistance to third States affected by the application of sanctions, the General Assembly would, inter alia, decide to consider within the Sixth Committee, or a working group of the Committee, at its fifty-ninth session, further progress in the elaboration of effective measures to implement those provisions.

The Assembly would ask the Secretary-General to ensure that the Secretariat developed the capacity, procedures and guidelines to provide information about international assistance available to the third States.  It would reaffirm the important role of all United Nations organs in addressing their problems.

The Sixth Committee approved the two draft resolutions without a vote on 6 November.

By a draft resolution on Measures to eliminate international terrorism contained in document A/58/518, the General Assembly would urge all States to become party to the relevant conventions and protocols on terrorism, as a matter of priority.

By other terms of the draft, the Assembly would decide that its Ad Hoc Committee on Terrorism would continue to elaborate a draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism, as a matter of urgency, and would also continue its efforts to resolve the outstanding issues relating to a draft convention for the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism.  The Ad Hoc Committee would keep on its agenda the question of the convening of a high-level conference under United Nations auspices to formulate a joint organized response of the international community to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

The Assembly would further decide that the Ad Hoc Committee meet from 28 June to 2 July 2004, and that work would also continue, if necessary, during its fifty-ninth session, within the framework of a working group of the Sixth Committee.

The Sixth Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote on 5 November.

By the terms of a draft resolution on the Scope of legal protection under the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel contained in document A/58/519, the General Assembly would urge States to take all necessary measures to prevent crimes against such personnel and to ensure that perpetrators were brought to justice.  It would recommend that the Secretary-General continue to seek the inclusion of key provisions of the Convention into agreements related to peacekeeping and other operations.

By other provisions of the text, the next meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on the topic, established by General Assembly resolution 56/89, would be held from 12 to 16 April 2004. The Committee’s mandate, as set out in the text, would be to expand the scope of legal protection under the Convention.  It would continue its work during the fifty-ninth session of the General Assembly within the working group of the Sixth Committee.

The Sixth Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote on 4 November.

The Sixth Committee in its report on the item International convention against the reproductive cloning of human beings (document A/58/520) recommended on 6 November that the question should be included in the provisional agenda of the Assembly’s sixtieth session in 2005.  On the same date, a motion to adjourn the debate on the item until the Assembly’s sixtieth session was carried by a recorded vote of 80 votes in favour to 79 against, with 15 abstentions.

A new draft resolution (document A/58/L.37) also entitled International convention against the reproductive cloning of human beings –- to be introduced in the Assembly today -- would have the Assembly request the Ad Hoc Committee on the subject to be reconvened for one week during the Assembly’s fifty-ninth session in 2004 to prepare, as a matter of urgency, the draft text of an international convention against human cloning.  It would be understood that the instrument would not prohibit the use of nuclear transfer or other cloning techniques to produce deoxyribonucleic acid molecules, organs, plants, tissues, cells other than human embryos or animals other than humans.  By the draft text, the Assembly would recommend that the Sixth Committee designate specific dates for the Ad Hoc Committee’s meetings during the fifty-ninth session.

By other provisions of the new text, the Ad Hoc Committee would be requested to consider, in developing the draft convention, the proposals put forward during the fifty-eighth session of the General Assembly.

The Assembly would solemnly declare that, pending the adoption of an international convention against human cloning, States shall prohibit any research, experiment, development or application in their territories or areas under their jurisdiction or control of any technique aimed at human cloning.  States would be called upon to adopt such measures as might be necessary to prohibit those techniques of genetic engineering that might have adverse consequences on the respect for human dignity.

The Assembly would strongly encourage States and other entities to direct funds that might have been used for human cloning technologies to pressing global issues in developing countries such as famine, desertification, infant mortality and diseases, including the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS).

The Assembly would decide to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-ninth session an item entitled “International convention against human cloning”.

Requests for Observer Status

A draft resolution on Observer status for the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance in the General Assembly contained in document A/58/522 would have the Assembly decide to invite the Institute to participate in its sessions and work as an observer.

The Sixth Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote on 9 October.

A draft resolution requesting Observer status for the Eurasian Economic Community contained in document A/58/523 would have the Assembly invite the organization to participate in its sessions and work as an observer.  The organization comprises Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation and Tajikistan, with Armenia, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova as observers.

The Sixth Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote on 9 October.

A draft resolution on a request for Observer status for the GUUAM in the General Assembly contained in document A/58/524 would have the General Assembly invite the organization, comprising Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Uzbekistan to participate in its sessions and work as an observer.

The Sixth Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote on 9 October.

A draft resolution on Observer status for the East African Community in the Assembly contained in document A/58/525 would have the Assembly invite the organization, which comprises, Kenya, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania, to participate in that capacity in its sessions and work.

The Sixth Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote on 9 October.

The report of the Sixth Committee on the Administration of justice at the United Nations is contained in document A/58/521.  A draft resolution on the subject would have the General Assembly decide to amend the Statute of the United Nations Administrative Tribunal with effect from 1 January 2004, as follows:

Article 3, paragraph 1, shall be amended to read:  “The Tribunal shall be composed of seven members, no two of whom may be nationals of the same State.  Members shall possess judicial or other relevant legal experience in the field of administrative law or its equivalent within the member’s national jurisdiction.  Only three members shall sit in any particular case”.

The Sixth Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote on 21 October.

Introduction of Reports

The Committee’s Rapporteur, Metod Spacek (Slovakia), introduced the Committee’s reports.

Action

Taking up the report on progressive development of international law relating to the new international economic order (document A/58/510), the Assembly, without a vote, adopted the single draft decision contained in it.

Next to be taken up was the report on the United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law (document A/58/511).  The single resolution in the report was adopted without a vote.

The report on a Convention on jurisdictional immunities of States and their property (document A/58/512) was taken up next.  The draft resolution contained in it was adopted without a vote.

The Assembly then considered the report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) (document A/58/513) containing two resolutions.  Draft I concerning the report of the Commission’s thirty-sixth session was adopted without a vote.  Draft II on UNCITRAL’s model legislative provisions on privately financed infrastructure projects was also adopted without a vote.

The Committee’s report on the work of the International Law Commission during its fifty-fifth session (document A/58/514) was taken up.  The resolution contained in it was adopted without a vote.

Next, the report on the Committee on Relations with the Host Country was taken up (document A/58/515), and the one resolution it contained was adopted without a vote.

Speaking in explanation of position after action, the representative of Cuba said her country had agreed to adoption of the resolution in order to maintain consensus.  However, the Host Country continued to take actions that interfered in her Mission’s work.  It had prevented the participation of some delegates in the current session of the Assembly and had prevented others from attending a meeting of the Council of the World Environmental Fund in Washington, even though it was a member.

The Assembly then took up the Committee’s report on the International Criminal Court (document A/58/516) and it adopted the resolution contained in it without a vote.

Speaking in explanation of position before action, the representative of the United States said her country did not and could not join consensus on the resolution.

Next taken up was the Committee’s report on the Special Committee on the United Nations Charter on strengthening the Organization’s role (document A/58/517) containing two draft resolutions.

Action on Draft Resolution I regarding the report itself was deferred until receipt of a report by the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) on the resolution’s programme budget implications.

Draft II on implementing provisions of the Charter related to assisting third States affected by sanctions was adopted without a vote.

The Committee’s report on measures to eliminate international terrorism (document A/58/518) was then taken up, and the single resolution contained in it was adopted without a vote.

The report on the scope of legal protection under the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel (document A/58/519) was taken up.  The resolution it contained was adopted without a vote.

Next to be taken up was a report on an international convention against the reproductive cloning of human beings (document A/58/520) containing a single recommendation.

Julian Hunte (Saint Lucia), President of the General Assembly for the fifty-eighth session, announced that no action would be taken on the recommendation.  Instead, the Assembly had agreed to adopt another decision to include the item entitled “International convention against the reproductive cloning of human beings” in the provisional agenda of the Assembly’s fifty-ninth session.

Speaking in explanation of position, the representative of the United Kingdom said his country was profoundly disappointed by the actions of those who had sought to overturn the Committee’s decision on the matter.  Deferring the question for two years was the only practical solution in the face of the polarization of views on the issue.  His country’s opposition to reproductive cloning had been made clear during the Committee’s deliberations but therapeutic cloning was a different matter.  All types of stem cell research should be encouraged, and his country would never be party to any convention aimed at introducing a global ban on therapeutic cloning.  It would not participate in the drafting of such a convention, nor apply it in national law.

Egypt’s representative said he’d gone along with the consensus but the plenary’s decision not to follow the Committee’s recommendation was of concern.  While the plenary had the right to make its own decisions, it was hoped that the action would not set a precedent.  In addition, this decision on the Assembly’s part was procedurally questionable, since documentation should not be offered if the plenary was overturning the Committee’s recommendation and a resolution had been put before the Assembly though no action had been taken on it.

Moving on, the Assembly took up four reports on requests by four organizations for observer status in the General Assembly.  Those were:  The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (document A/58/522); Eurasian Economic Community (document A/58/523); GUAAM group of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Uzbekistan (document A/58/524); and the East African Community (document A/58/524).  Each contained one resolution, and all were adopted without vote.

Speaking in explanation of position before action on the Eurasian Economic Community report, the representative of Sierra Leone said he had not been able to join consensus on the organization in the Committee but could do so now based on information received.

Speaking after adoption of the resolution on the same organization, Kazakhstan’s representative said the regional intergovernmental group could be a major force in implementing post-Doha, post-Monterrey and post-Cancun activities in the region and beyond.  The organization’s participation in the universal and comprehensive work of the United Nations would help it adapt to the rapidly changing global economic environment and thereby increase the upsides of globalization. 

The Secretary-General of the Eurasian Economic Community addressed the Assembly to outline the organization’s objectives.  He said migration and social issues were priority areas, particularly with regard to integrating all States and regions into the global economic environment.

Finally, the Assembly took up the Committee’s report on the Administration of Justice at the United Nations (document A/58/521).  The resolution was adopted without a vote.

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