General Assembly Adopts 28 Draft Texts on Fourth Committee’s Recommendation

Sixty-fourth General Assembly

Plenary

62^nd Meeting (PM)

GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS 28 DRAFT TEXTS ON FOURTH COMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDATION

Also Approves Text Aimed at Creating Predictable, Equitable Global Response

To Pandemics, Fifth Committee Text in Support of African Union Mission in Somalia

Acting on the recommendations of its Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), the General Assembly this afternoon adopted 25 draft resolutions and three draft decisions covering decolonization, outer space, atomic radiation, information and public outreach, the University for Peace, assistance in mine action, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and Israeli practices in the occupied Arab territories.

As in recent years,the Assembly took recorded votes on more than halfof the Fourth Committee’s draft resolutions during the session.  It also adopted a plenary-generated text on global health and foreign policy, as well as a resolution, recommended by its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) on financing of the activities arising from Security Council resolution 1863 (2009), on the situation in Somalia.

Taking up 10 decolonization texts, the Assembly adopted five by recorded votes, including one related to the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and another to the specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the United Nations (Annexes XIV and XII, respectively).

Once again reaching consensus on a draft resolution on the question of Western Sahara, the Assembly called upon all parties to cooperate fully with the United Nations Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy and with each other, and to cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law.

Also acting without a vote, the Assembly adopted a resolution related to Tokelau, acknowledging General Fono’s decision that consideration of any future act of self-determination by Tokelau would be deferred due to the failure of the referendums in February 2006 and October 2007 to produce a two-thirds majority required to change Tokelau’s status.

The Assembly also passed by consensus a draft decision on the question of Gibraltar, by which it urged the Governments of Spain and the United Kingdom, while listening to the interests and aspirations of Gibraltar, to reach a definitive solution to the question.  It also welcomed the recent successful trilateral ministerial meeting of the Forum for Dialogue in Gibraltar, on 21 July, and the shared commitment to make progress in six new areas of cooperation.

Nine draftresolutions related to the Middle East, with all requiring recorded votes.  One, affirming the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), was adoptedby a recorded vote of167in favour to 6 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 4 abstentions (Cameroon, Canada, Fiji, Vanuatu). (For details of the vote, see Annex III).

Three additional UNRWA-related texts were adopted, on persons displaced as a result of the June 1967 and subsequent hostilities, on assistance to Palestine refugees, and reaffirming that the Palestine refugees were entitled to their property and to the income derived therefrom.

Also by recorded votes, the Assembly adoptedfive draftresolutions on Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian and other peoples in occupied Arab lands.

By one of those texts, adopted by a vote of 92 in favour to 9 against(Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States), with 74 abstentions (Annex V), the Assembly deplored those Israeli policies and practices that violate the human rights of Palestinians and other Arabs of the occupied territories.  It requested that the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories continue to investigate such policies and practices since 1967, especially violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Acting without a vote, the Assembly adopted a draft resolution on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, by urging States that had not yet become parties to the international treaties governing the uses of outer space to consider ratifying or acceding to those treaties in accordance with their domestic law, as well as incorporating them into national legislation.

Also by consensus, the Assembly adopted two draft resolutions and a draft decision relating to information.  By the terms of one draft resolution, the Assembly requested the Department of Public Information to pay particular attention to poverty eradication, conflict prevention, sustainable development, human rights, HIV/AIDS, combating terrorism and the needs of the African continent.

In further action, the Assembly adopted texts on the effects of atomic radiation, the University for Peace, assistance in mine action, and a draft decision on revitalization of the Assembly’s work, all without a vote.  It also took note of the Fourth Committee’s reports on a comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects and programme planning.

Following action on its Fourth Committee texts, the Assembly adopted the resolution on Financing of the activities arising from Security Council resolution 1863.  By its terms, the Assembly appropriated $75.64 million to the Special Account for the support provided to the African Union Mission in Somalia for the 2008/9 period, and $213.58 million for the 2009/10 period, inclusive of $138.80 million previously authorized by the Assembly at the sixty-third session and in addition to $6.10 million previously appropriated, also at the sixty-third session.

The Assembly next held a brief debate on “global health and foreign policy”, adopting a consensus resolution on that issue, by which it underscored that global health was a long-term objective -– local, national, regional and international in scope -– that required sustained commitment and closer international cooperation beyond emergency.  It welcomed the coordinated international response to the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, and acknowledged, with serious concern, that global influenza vaccine production was insufficient to meet anticipated need in pandemic situations, notably in developing countries.

As for follow-up actions, the Assembly, by the text, urged States to consider health issues in the formulation of foreign policy and encouraged both States and academic institutions to increase training of diplomats and health officials, particularly those from developing countries, on global health and foreign policy.  It also requested the Secretary-General, in collaboration with the Director-General of the World Health Organization, to submit a report to the Assembly’s sixty-fifth session, which would examine how foreign and health policy coordination could be strengthened at national, regional and international levels. That report would also make recommendations to the Assembly’s high-level plenary meeting in September 2010.

Introducing the resolution, South Africa’s representative said it underscored the need for stronger coherence at various intergovernmental process levels.  In that context, he stressed the importance of creating a more predictable, equitable global framework to effectively respond to current and future pandemics and to finalizing the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework for the Sharing of Influenza Viruses and Access to Vaccines and other Benefits, under the leadership of WHO’s Director-General. 

In final business, the General Assembly decided to postpone the election of two members of the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission, appointment of members of the Consultative Committee of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and consideration of the report of the Credentials Committee, originally scheduled for Monday, 14 December.

The Rapporteur of the Fourth Committee, Khalid Mohammed Osman Sidahmed Mohammed Ali, of Sudan, introduced that body’s reports.

The representative of Turkey spoke in explanation of position on Fourth Committee texts.

Also speaking during the Assembly’s debate on global health were the representatives of Sweden (on behalf of the European Union), Thailand (on behalf of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN)), Saint Kitts and Nevis (on behalf of Caribbean Community (CARICOM)), China, Japan, United States, Mexico and Bangladesh.

The General Assembly will reconvene at 10 a.m. Friday, 11 December to discuss the role of diamonds in fuelling conflict.

Background

The General Assembly met this afternoon to take up the reports of its Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization).

It also was expected to take up matters related to implementation of the resolutions of the United Nations, as well as a plenary-generated text on global health and foreign policy:  draft resolution A/64/L.16.

It was also set to take up the report of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) on Financing of the activities arising from Security Council resolution 1863 (document A/64/553).  It contains a draft resolution of the same name, which the Committee approved without a vote on 3 December.  (For more information, please see Press Release GA/AB/3933.)

Topics covered in the Fourth Committee include effects of atomic radiation (item 29); international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space (item 30); United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) (item 31); report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (item 32); comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects (item 33); questions relating to information (item 34); University for Peace (item 27); Assistance in mine action (item 28); decolonization issues (items 35-39); revitalization of the work of the General Assembly (item 118); and programme planning (item 133).

Decolonization issues before the Assembly include information from Non-Self-Governing Territories transmitted under Article 73 e of the United Nations Charter (item 35); economic and other activities which affect the interest of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories (item 36); implementation of the   Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations (item 37); offers by Member States of study and training facilities for inhabitants of Non-Self-Governing Territories (item 38); and implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (item 39).

Committee Reports

The Assembly had before it a report on the University for Peace (document A/64/401) containing a draft resolution, by which the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to consider ways to further strengthen cooperation between the United Nations and the University, as well as consider either reviving an existing trust fund or alternatively establishing a new trust fund for peace to facilitate receipt of voluntary contributions for the University.

The Committee approved the text without a vote on 12 October.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/427.)

The Assembly also had before it a report on assistance in mine action (document A/64/402) containing a draft resolution, by which the Assembly would stress the pressing need to urge non-State actors to halt immediately and unconditionally new deployments of mines and other associated explosive devices. It would also call for States to continue to foster the establishment and development of national mine-action capacities in countries in which mines and explosive remnants of war constituted a serious threat to the safety, health and lives of the local civilian population, or where it impeded social and economic development.

By further provisions, the Assembly would urge all mine-affected States to identify all areas under their jurisdiction or control containing mines and other explosive remnants of war in the most efficient manner possible, and to employ land release techniques, including non-technical survey, technical survey and clearance when appropriate.

The Committee approved that draft resolutionwithout a vote on 30 October.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/440.)

Also before the Assembly was a report on the effects of atomic radiation (document A/64/403)containing a draft resolution of the same name, by which it wouldemphasize the vital need for sustainable, appropriate and predictable resourcing, as well as efficient management, of the Secretariat’s work to arrange the annual sessions and coordinate the development of documents based on scientific reviews from Member States of the sources of ionizing radiation and its effects on human health and the environment.

Also by the terms of the draft resolution, the Assembly would reaffirm the decision to maintain the present functions and independent role of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation.  The Assembly would also request the Scientific Committee to continue its work, including its important activities to increase knowledge of the levels, effects and risks of ionizing radiation from all sources.

By other provisions, the Assembly would request the Scientific Committee to continue the review of the important questions in the field of ionizing radiation at its next session, and to report on that to the Assembly at its sixty-fifth session.

Further, the Assembly would request the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to continue providing support for the effective conduct of the Scientific Committee’s work and for the dissemination of its findings to the Assembly, the scientific community and the public.

Also by the text, the Assembly would urge UNEP to continue to review and strengthen the funding of the Scientific Committee, and to continue to seek out and consider temporary funding mechanisms to complement existing ones, and, in that context, encourage Member States to consider making voluntary contributions to the general trust fund established by the UNEP Executive Director to receive and manage voluntary contributions to support the Committee’s work.

The Committee approved that text on 22 October without a vote.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/434.)

Also before the Assembly was a report on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space(document A/64/404).  By the resolution contained therein, the Assembly would urge States that had not yet become parties to the international treaties governing the uses of outer space to consider ratifying or acceding to those treaties in accordance with their domestic law, as well as incorporating them into national legislation.

Also according to that text, the Assembly would consider it essential that Member States pay more attention to the problem of collisions of space objects, including those with nuclear power sources, with space debris, and other aspects of space debris.  By further terms, it would urge all States, in particular those with major space capabilities, to contribute actively to the goal of preventing an arms race in outer space as an essential condition for the promotion of international cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes.

The Assembly would, by other terms, emphasize that regional and interregional cooperation in the field of space activities would be essential to strengthen the peaceful uses of outer space, assist States in the development of their space capabilities and contribute to the achievement of the goals of the United Nations Millennium Declaration.  It would further emphasize the need to increase the benefits of space technology and its applications and to contribute to an orderly growth of space activities favourable to sustained economic growth and sustainable development, including mitigation of the consequences of disasters, in particular in the developing countries.

The Assembly would, by other terms, urge all Member States to continue to contribute to the Trust Fund for the United Nations Programme on Space Applications.

The Committee approved the draft resolution without a voteon 19 November.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/445.)

The report on United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) (document A/64/405) contains four draft resolutions, all of which were approved by a recorded vote on 19 November.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/445.)

Draft I, on assistance to Palestine refugees, would have the Assembly affirm the need to continue the Agency’s work, as well as the importance of its unimpeded operation, pending the resolution of the question of the Palestine refugees.  It would have the Assembly call on all donors to continue to make the most generous efforts possible to meet the Agency’s anticipated needs, including with increased expenditures arising from the continuing deterioration of the socio-economic and humanitarian situation in the region.

The draft was approved by a vote of 169 in favour to 1 against ( Israel), with 7 abstentions ( Cameroon, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States).

By the terms of draft II, on persons displaced as a result of the June 1967 and subsequent hostilities, the Assembly would reaffirm the right of all persons displaced as a result of the June 1967 and subsequent hostilities to return to their homes or former places of residence in the territories occupied by Israel since 1967.  It would endorse the efforts of the Commissioner-General of UNRWA to provide humanitarian assistance on an emergency basis, and as a temporary measure to persons in the area who are currently displaced and in serious need of continued assistance.  Further, it would have the Assembly strongly appeal to all Governments, organizations and individuals to contribute generously to the Agency, and to other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations concerned.

The text was approved by a vote of 167 in favour to 7 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States,), with 3 abstentions (Cameroon, Canada, Fiji).

By draft III, on operations of UNRWA, the Assembly would reaffirm that the Agency’s functioning remains essential in all fields of operation and ask the Secretary-General to support the Agency’s institutional strengthening through the provision of sufficient resources from the United Nations regular budget.

By further provisions, it would call on Israel to comply fully with the provisions of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, and to abide by Articles 100, 104 and 105 of the United Nations Charter and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.   Israel would be urged to speedily compensate the Agency for damages to its property and facilities, including as a result of the military operations in the Gaza Strip between December 2008 and January 2009, and to reimburse all transit charges and financial losses incurred as a result of delays and restrictions on movement and access it imposed.

The text was approved by a recorded vote of 167 in favour to 6 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 3 abstentions (Cameroon, Canada, Fiji).

Draft IV, on Palestine refugees’ properties and their revenues, would have the Assembly reaffirm that the Palestine refugees were entitled to their property and to the income derived therefrom.  It would also request the Secretary-General to take all appropriate steps, in consultation with the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine, for the protection of Arab property, assets and property rights in Israel.  It would also urge the Palestinian and Israeli sides, as agreed between them, to deal with the important issue of Palestine refugees’ properties and revenues within the framework of the final status negotiations of the Middle East peace process.

The text was approved by a vote of 169 in favour to 6 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 2 abstentions (Cameroon, Fiji).

The Committee’s report on the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (document A/64/406) contains five draft resolutions, all of which were approved by recorded vote on 19 November.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/445.)

By draft I, entitled Work of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories,the Assembly would reiterate its demand that Israel cooperate with the Special Committee in implementing its mandate, and deplores those policies and practices of Israel that violate the human rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the occupied territories.  It would request the Special Committee to continue to investigate Israeli policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967, especially violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention.  It would also have the Special Committee consult with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as appropriate.

The text was approved by a recorded vote of 91 in favour to 9 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States), with 72 abstentions.

By the terms of draft II, on the Applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories,the Assembly would demand that Israel accept the de jure applicability of the Convention in the occupied Arab territories and that it comply scrupulously with that Convention’s provisions.

The text was approved by a vote of 166 in favour to 6 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 3 abstentions (Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Fiji).

By draft III, on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan, the Assembly would call on Israel to comply strictly with its obligations under international law, with respect to the alteration of the character and status of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.  It would reiterate its demand for the immediate and complete cessation of all Israeli settlement activity, and demand that Israel comply with its legal obligations as set by the International Court of Justice.  Further, it would reiterate its call for the prevention of all acts of violence and harassment by Israeli settlers, especially against Palestinian civilians and their properties and agricultural lands.

The text was approved by a vote of 166 in favour to 7 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States), with 2 abstentions (Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire).

Draft IV, on Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, would have the Assembly reiterate that all measures and actions taken by Israel that violated the relevant provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and were contrary to the relevant Security Council resolutions, were illegal and had no validity.  It would condemn all acts of violence, especially the excessive use of force by the Israeli occupying forces against Palestinian civilians.  Expressing grave concern at the firing of rockets against Israeli civilian areas resulting in loss of life and injury, it would also urge Member States to continue to provide emergency assistance to the Palestinian people to alleviate the financial crisis and dire socio-economic and humanitarian situations they faced, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

The draft text was approved by a vote of 160 in favour to 9 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States), with 5 abstentions (Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Fiji, Republic of Korea, Liberia).

According to draft V, on the occupied Syrian Golan, the Assembly would call upon Israel to comply with the relevant resolutions on the occupied Syrian Golan, in particular Security Council resolution 497 (1981).  It would also call on Israel to desist from changing the physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan and, in particular, to desist from the establishment of settlements.   Israel would further be called on to desist from imposing Israeli citizenship and Israeli identity cards on the Syrian citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan and from its repressive measures against the population of the occupied Syrian Golan.  It would call on Member States to not recognize any of the legislative or administrative measures and actions referred to above.

That text was approved by a recorded vote of 165 in favour to 1 against ( Israel), with 10 abstentions ( Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, Tonga, United States).

Also before the Assembly was the Fourth Committee’s report on the Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects (document A/64/407).

The report on questions relating to information (document A/64/408) contains two draft resolutions and a draft decision, which were approved, without a vote, on 15 October.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/430.)

By the terms of draft I, Information in the service of humanity, the Assembly would urge all countries, organizations of the United Nations system as a whole and all others concerned to heed the call for what has been termed, in the United Nations and at various international forums, a “new world information and communication order.”  Towards that goal, it would have them cooperate and interact to reduce existing disparities in information flows at all levels, by increasing assistance for the development of communications infrastructures and capabilities in developing countries, to enable them to develop their own information and communication policies freely and independently, and increase the participation of media and individuals in the communication process.

Also by the text, those countries and other entities would be urged to ensure for journalists the free and effective performance of their professional tasks, and to resolutely condemn all attacks against them; provide support for the continuation and strengthening of practical training programmes for broadcasters and journalists from all media in developing countries; enhance regional efforts and cooperation among developing countries, and between developed and developing countries, to strengthen communication capacities and improve the media infrastructure and communication technology; and aim at providing all possible support and assistance to the developing countries and their media, with due regard to their needs in the field of information, and to action already adopted within the United Nations system.

By the terms of draft II United Nations public information policies and activities, the Assembly would reaffirm that the Organization remained the indispensable foundation of a peaceful world, and that its voice should be heard in a clear and effective manner.  In that context, it would emphasize the essential role of the Department of Public Information.

The Assembly would request the Department to pay particular attention to such major issues as poverty eradication, conflict prevention, sustainable development, human rights, HIV/AIDS, combating terrorism and the needs of the African continent.  It would also request that particular attention be paid to implementing the internationally agreed-upon development goals, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration, and raising public awareness of climate change, especially in the context of the forthcoming sessions of the Conference of the Parties and of the meetings of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, held in Poznan, Poland, in December 2008, and to be held in Copenhagen in December 2009.

Also by the text, the Assembly would request the Department, acknowledging its commitment to a culture of evaluation, to continue to evaluate its products and activities, with the objective of improving their effectiveness, and to continue to cooperate and coordinate with Member States and the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS).

The Assembly would note both the Department’s continued efforts to publicize the work and decisions of the Assembly, and its efforts in issuing daily press releases, and request the Department and content-providing offices of the Secretariat to ensure that United Nations publications are produced in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner and to continue to coordinate closely with all other entities, in order to avoid duplication.

The Committee would also have the Assembly welcome the Department’s ongoing efforts to enhance multilingualism in all its activities, and stress the importance of ensuring that the texts of all new public documents in all six official languages and information materials of the United Nations are made available daily through the United Nations website and are accessible to Member States, without delay.

As for bridging the digital divide, the Assembly would call upon the Department to contribute to raising the international community’s awareness of the importance of the implementation of the outcome document of the World Summit on the Information Society.

Further to that draft, the Assembly would emphasize the importance of the network of United Nations Information Centres in enhancing the public image of the United Nations and in disseminating messages on the Organization to local populations, especially in developing countries.

The Assembly would stress the importance of rationalizing the Information Centres’ network, and reaffirm that such rationalization must be carried out on a case-by-case basis in consultation with all Member States concerned, taking into consideration the distinctive characteristics of each region.

By further provisions, the Assembly would reaffirm the role of the strategic communications services in devising and disseminating United Nations messages, by developing communications strategies, in close collaboration with the substantive departments, United Nations funds and programmes, and the specialized agencies.

The Assembly would, by the text, express appreciation for the Information Department’s work in promoting, through its campaigns, issues of importance to the international community, and stress the need to continue the renewed emphasis in support of Africa’s development, to promote awareness in the international community of the nature of the continent’s critical economic and social situation.

A section of the text on the Department of Public Information’s role in peacekeeping would have the Assembly request the Secretariat to ensure the Information Department’s role in every stage of future peacekeeping operations.

In a related provision, the Assembly would also emphasize the importance of the peacekeeping gateway on the United Nations website, and request the Department to continue its efforts in supporting the peacekeeping missions to further develop their websites.  It would also request the Information Department and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to continue cooperating in raising awareness of the new realities, successes and challenges faced by peacekeeping operations, and in implementing an effective outreach programme to explain the Organization’s zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual exploitation and abuse, and to inform the public on the outcome of all such cases involving peacekeeping personnel.

In a section on the Information Department’s news services, the draft would have the Assembly stress, as their central objective, the timely delivery of accurate, objective, and balanced news and information emanating from the United Nations system in print, radio, television and the Internet, and reiterate its request to the Department to ensure that all news-breaking stories and news alerts are accurate, impartial and free of bias.

Regarding traditional means of communication, the Assembly would welcome the initiative of United Nations radio, which remained one of the most effective and far-reaching traditional media available to the Information Department, to enhance its live radio broadcasting service by making more frequently updated reports in all six official languages and features available to broadcasters on a daily basis on all United Nations activities.  It would also request the Secretary-General to continue to make every effort to achieve parity in the six official languages in United Nations radio productions.

The Assembly would reaffirm that the United Nations website was an essential tool for the media, non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, Member States and the general public, and in that regard, reiterate the continued need for the Department to maintain and improve it.

By the text, the Assembly would also request the Secretary-General to continue to take full advantage of new developments in information technology in order to improve, in a cost-effective manner, the expeditious dissemination of information on the United Nations.  It would also encourage the Department to consult with the Information Technology Services Division of the Department of Management and to explore ways of upgrading the technical capabilities of the service and providing it in all official languages.

In a section on library services, the Assembly would call upon the Information Department to continue leading the Steering Committee for the Modernization and Integrated Management of United Nations Libraries.  It would also call upon the Department to continue to examine its policies and activities regarding the durable preservation of its radio, television and photographic archives, and to take action within existing resources in ensuring that such archives are preserved and are accessible.

Further, the Assembly would reiterate the need to maintain a multilingual collection of books, periodicals and other material in hard copy, and ensure that the library continues to be a broadly accessible resource.

By other terms, the Committee would have the Assembly request the Information Department to strengthen its role as a focal point for two-way interaction with civil society, relating to those priorities and concerns of the Organization, identified by Member States.  It would also commend, in a spirit of cooperation, the United Nations Correspondents Association for its ongoing activities and for its Dag Hammarskjöld Memorial Scholarship Fund, and encourage the international community to continue its financial support for the Fund.

According to further provisions of the text, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to report to the Committee on Information at its thirty-second session, and to the General Assembly at it sixty-fifth session, on the activities of the Information Department and on the implementation of all recommendations and requests contained in the present resolution.

Further, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to make every effort to ensure that the level of services provided by the Information Department was maintained throughout the period of the implementation of the capital master plan.

By the terms of a draft decision, also contained in the report and entitled “Increase in the membership of the Committee on Information”, the Assembly would decide to increase the membership of the Committee on Information from 112 to 113, and to appoint Sierra Leone as a member.

The Fourth Committee’s report on Information from Non-Self-Governing Territories transmitted under Article 73 e of the United Nations Charter (document A/64/409) contains a resolution of the same name, by which the Assembly would request the administrating Powers concerned to transmit, or continue to transmit, regularly to the Secretary-General information relating to economic, social and educational conditions in the Territories, as well as the fullest possible information on political and constitutional developments in the Territories concerned.

The Committee approved that text by a recorded vote of 140 in favour to none against, with 4 abstentions ( France, Israel, United Kingdom, United States), on 12 October.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/427.)

The Fourth Committee’s report economic and other activities which affect the interests of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories (document A/64/410) contains a draft resolution of the same name, by which the Assembly wouldreaffirm the right of peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories to self-determination in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations and with the Declaration on decolonization, as well as their right to enjoy and dispose of their natural resources in their best interest.

By further provisions, the Assembly would call once again on all Governments that have not yet done so to take legislative, administrative or other measures to put an end to enterprises in the Territories that are detrimental to the interests of the inhabitants.  It would also call upon the administrating Powers to ensure that the exploitation of the marine and other natural resources in the Territories is not in violation of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations and does not adversely affect the interests of the peoples of those Territories, and that no discriminatory working conditions prevail.

The Committee approved the text by a recorded vote of 146 in favour to 2 against ( Israel, United States), with 2 abstentions ( France, United Kingdom), on 12 October.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/427.)

Also before the Assembly was the Committee’s report on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations (document A/64/411), which contains a resolution of the same name, by which the Assemblyrequests the specialized agencies and other organizations to examine and review conditions in each Territory so as to take appropriate measures to accelerate progress in the economic and social sectors, and urge those specialized agencies and other organizations that have not yet provided assistance to Non-Self-Governing Territories to do so as soon as possible.

Also by the text, the Assembly would recommend that the executive heads of the specialized agencies and other organizations formulate, with the active cooperation of the regional organizations concerned, concrete proposals for the full implementation of the relevant United Nations resolutions and submit the proposals to their governing and legislative organs.

The Committee approved that draft text by a recorded vote of 98 in favour to none against, with 50 abstentions, on 12 October.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/427.)

The report on offers by Member States of study and training facilities for inhabitants of Non-Self-Governing Territories (document A/64/412) contains one draft resolution, by which the Assembly would urge the administering Powers to take effective measures to ensure the widespread and continuous dissemination in the Territories under their administration of information relating to offers of study and training facilities made by States, and to provide all the necessary facilities to enable students to avail themselves of such offers.

The draft was approved without a vote on 12 October.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/427.)

The report on implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (document A/64/413)contains six draft resolutions and one draft decision.

By the terms of draft resolution I, on the Question of Western Sahara, the Assembly would call upon all the parties and States of the region to cooperate fully with the United Nations Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy and with each other.  It would also call upon the parties to cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law.

The Committee approved that resolution without a vote on 14 October.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/429.)

By draft II, on the Question of New Caledonia,the Assembly would urge all the parties involved to maintain, in the framework of the Nouméa Accord, their dialogue in a spirit of harmony.  It would also call upon the administering Power to continue to transmit to the Secretary-General information as required under 73 e of the United Nations Charter, and welcome all measures taken to strengthen and diversify the New Caledonian economy in all fields.  By further provisions of that text, it would decide to keep under continuous review the process unfolding in New Caledonia as a result of the signing of the Nouméa Accord.

The Committee approved that text without a vote on 12 October.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/427.)

By the terms of draft III, on the Question of Tokelau, the Assembly would acknowledge General Fono’s decision that consideration of any future act of self-determination by Tokelau would be deferred due to the failure of the referendums in February 2006 and October 2007 to produce a two-thirds majority required to change Tokelau’s status.  It would further note that Tokelau and New Zealand remain firmly committed to the ongoing development of Tokelau for the long-term benefit of the people of Tokelau, with particular emphasis on the further development of facilities on each atoll that meet their current requirements.

By further provisions, the Assembly would acknowledge Tokelau’s need for the international community’s continued support, and recall with satisfaction the establishment and operation of the Tokelau International Trust Fund to support that Territory’s ongoing needs.  It would also call upon Member States and international and regional agencies to contribute to the Fund so as to assist this emerging country in overcoming the problems of smallness, isolation and lack of resources.

The Committee approved the text without a vote on 12 October.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/427.)

Draft IV, which concerns the Questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands, is divided into two sections.

Part A would have the Assembly reaffirm the inalienable right of the peoples of the Territories to self-determination and that, in the process of decolonization, there is no alternative to the principle of self-determination, which is also a fundamental human right.

It would also stress the importance of implementing the plan of action for the Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism, particularly by expediting the application of the decolonization work programme of each Territory on a case-by-case basis.

Part B of the text takes up the question of the 11 specific Territories.

The Committee approved the two-part text as a whole by consensus on 12 October.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/427.)

According to draft V, on dissemination of information on decolonization, the Assembly wouldapprove the activities of the Departments of Public Information and Political Affairs for disseminating decolonization information, particularly the leaflet entitled “What the UN Can Do to Assist Non-Self-Governing Territories”, which was updated in March 2009.  It would ask the Secretary-General to enhance the information provided on the United Nations decolonization website, by including the full series of reports, statements and papers from the regional decolonization seminars, as well as the full series of the Special Committee’s reports.

Also by that text, the Assembly would request that the Departments of Political Affairs and Public Information continue to publicize the Organization’s decolonization work through all available media, including publications, radio, television, and the Internet.  It would also request all States, including the administering Powers, to accelerate dissemination of decolonization information.

The Committee approved the text by a vote of 150 in favour to 3 against ( Israel, United Kingdom, United States), with 1 abstention ( France), on 12 October.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/427.)

By the terms of draft VI, on the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, the Assembly would reaffirm that the existence of colonialism in any form or manifestation, including economic exploitation, is incompatible with the United Nations Charter, the Declaration on decolonization and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  It would also affirm its support for the aspirations of peoples under colonial rule to exercise their right to self-determination, including independence.

By further provisions, the Assembly would call on administering Powers to cooperate fully with the Special Committee to finalize, before the end of the Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism, a constructive programme of work to facilitate the implementation of the Special Committee’s mandate and relevant decolonization resolutions, on a case-by-case basis, including those on specific Territories.

The Committee approved the text by a vote of 152 in favour to 3 against ( Israel, United Kingdom, United States), with 2 abstentions ( Belgium, France), on 12 October.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/427.)

By the draft decision on the question of Gibraltar, the Assembly would urge the Governments of Spain and the United Kingdom, while listening to the interests and aspirations of Gibraltar, to reach a definitive solution to the question, in the light of relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and applicable principles, and in the spirit of the United Nations Charter.  It would also welcome the recent successful trilateral ministerial meeting of the Forum for Dialogue in Gibraltar on 21 July and the shared commitment to make progress in six new areas of cooperation.

The Committee approved the text without a vote on 14 October.  (See Press Release GA/SPD/429.)

Also before the Assembly was the Fourth Committee’s report on the revitalization of the work of the General Assembly (document A/64/414) containing a draft decision, by which the Assembly would approve the programme of work and timetable of the Committee for the Assembly’s sixty-fifth session.

The Fourth Committee’s report on programme planning (document A/64/415) says there had been no need for the Committee to take up the item on that topic during the main part of the sixty-fourth session.

Action on Fourth Committee Texts

KHALID MOHAMMED OSMAN SIDAHMED MOHAMMED ALI ( Sudan), Rapporteur, introduced the reports for the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization).

The Assembly first took up the report on the University of Peace (document A/64/401), adopting the draft resolution contained therein without a vote.

Next, the Assembly took up the report assistance in mine action (document A/64/402), adopting the draft resolution contained therein without a vote.

Explaining his position after adoption, the representative of Turkey said his Government shared the vision of a world free of anti-personnel landmines and was committed to fulfilling its obligations stemming from the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (Mine-Ban Convention) and Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects (Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons).

He said that Turkey joined consensus on the draft today, but wished to reiterate its position on preambular paragraph 9.  When engagement with non-State actors was contemplated, countries concerned should be informed and their consent should be acquired, as the obligations of the Mine-Ban Convention and Nairobi Action Plan applied to State parties only.  Engagement with non-State actors in the scope of implementation of the Mine-Ban Convention should not serve terrorists’ purposes.  A clear line should be drawn between activities serving humanity and publicity given to terrorist organizations.  It was incumbent on all States to take measures to prevent the transfer and use of mines by non-State actors and to make such transfers or use illegal.

The Assembly then considered the report on the effects of atomic radiation (document A/64/403), and adopted the draft resolution contained therein without a vote.

Turning to the report on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space(document A/64/404), the Assembly adopted the draft text contained therein, also without a vote.

The Assembly next turned to the report on United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) (document A/64/405).

It adopted draft resolution I, on assistance to Palestine refugees, by a recorded vote of 168 in favour to 1 against ( Israel), with 7 abstentions ( Cameroon, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, United States, Vanuatu).  (For details of the vote, please see Annex I).

Next, it adopted draft resolution II, on persons displaced as a result of the June 1967 and subsequent hostilities, by a recorded vote of 166in favour to 7 against(Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States), with 4 abstentions (Cameroon, Canada, Fiji, Vanuatu).  (See Annex II).

After that, the Assembly adopted draft resolution III, on UNRWA’s operations, by a recorded vote of 167in favour to 6 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 4 abstentions (Cameroon, Canada, Fiji, Vanuatu) (Annex III).

The Assembly then adopted draft resolution IV, on Palestine refugees’ properties and their revenues, by recorded vote of 168 in favour to 6 against(Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 3 abstentions (Cameroon, Fiji, Vanuatu) (Annex IV).

Continuing, the Assembly turned its attention to the report on the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (document A/64/406), adopting draft resolution I, on the work of the Special Committee, by a recorded vote of 92 in favour to 9 against(Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States), with 74 abstentions (Annex V).

It then adopted draft resolution II, on the applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories, by a recorded vote of 168 in favour to 6 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, United States), with 4 abstentions (Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Fiji, Vanuatu) (Annex VI).

Turning next to draft III, on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan, the Assembly adopted that text by a recorded vote of167 in favour to 7 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States), with 3 abstentions (Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Vanuatu) (Annex VII).

Draft IV, on Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, was adopted by a recorded vote of 162 in favour to 9 against(Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States), with 5 abstentions (Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Fiji, Liberia, Vanuatu) (Annex VIII).

Draft V, on the occupied Syrian Golan, was also adopted, by a recorded vote of 166 in favour to 1 against ( Israel), with 11 abstentions (Annex IX).

The Assembly then took note of the report on the Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects (document A/64/407).

Next, the Assembly took up the report on questions relating to information (document A/64/408), adopting its draft resolution I, on Information in the service of humanity, draft resolution II, on United Nations public information policies and activities, and a draft decision on Increase in the membership of the Committee on Information, without a vote.

Turning to the report on Information from Non-Self-Governing Territories transmitted under Article 73 e of the United Nations Charter (document A/64/409), the Assembly adopted the resolution of the same name contained therein by a recorded vote of 171 in favour to none against, with 4 abstentions(France, Israel, United Kingdom, United States) (Annex X).

The Assembly, taking up the report economic and other activities which affect the interests of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories (document A/64/410), adopted a draft resolution of the same name, by a recorded vote of 173 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 2 abstentions (France, United Kingdom) (Annex XI).

The Assembly then took up the report on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations(document A/64/411), adopting the draft resolution of the same name by a recorded vote of 123 in favour to none against, with 53 abstentions (Annex XII).

The Assembly then turned to the report on offers by Member States of study and training facilities for inhabitants of Non-Self-Governing Territories(document A/64/412), adopting the draft resolution contained therein, without a vote.

Next, the Assembly took up the report on implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples(document A/64/413), which contained six draft resolutions and one draft decision.

The Assembly adopted, without a vote, draft resolution I, on the Question of Western Sahara, draft resolution II, on the Question of New Caledonia, draft resolution III, on the Question of Tokelau, and a two-part draft resolution IV, on the Questions of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands.

The Assembly adopted draft resolution V, on the dissemination of information on decolonization, by a recorded vote of 173 in favour to 3 against(Israel, United Kingdom, United States), with 1 abstention (France) (Annex XIII).

The Assembly then adopted draft resolution VI, on implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, by a recorded vote of 172 in favour to 3 against(Israel, United Kingdom, United States), with 2 abstentions (Belgium, France) (Annex XIV).

Acting without a vote, the Assembly adopted the draft decision on the Question of Gibraltar.

Turning next to the report on the revitalization of the work of the General Assembly (document A/64/414), it adopted the draft decision contained therein, also without a vote.

Finally, the Assembly took note of the report on programme planning (document A/64/415).

Having thus concluded its consideration of the reports of the Fourth Committee, the Assembly then turned its attention to matters related to implementation of the resolutions of the United Nations.

Fifth Committee Report

Next, acting on the recommendation of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), the Assembly adopted without a vote a resolution on Financing of the activities arising from Security Council resolution 1863 (2009), contained in a report of the same name (document A/64/553).

By its terms, the Assembly recalled Security Council resolution 1863 (2009), which expressed the Council’s intent to establish a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Somalia as a follow-up force to the African Union Mission in Somalia. It appropriated $75.64 million to the Special Account for the support provided to the African Union Mission in Somalia for the 2008/9 period, and $213.58 million for the 2009/10 period, inclusive of $138.80 million previously authorized by the Assembly at the sixty-third session and in addition to $6.10 million previously appropriated, also at the sixty-third session.

Plenary debate on global health

The General Assembly then turned its attention to its agenda item on global health and foreign policy.

Introduction of Draft Resolution

BASO SANGQU (South Africa), speaking on behalf of the seven founding members of the Foreign Policy and Global Health Initiative, including Brazil, France, Indonesia, Norway, Senegal, South Africa and Thailand, introduced a draft on global health and foreign policy (document A/64/L.16).  The text was divided into sections on control of infectious diseases and foreign policy; human resources for health and foreign policy; and follow-up actions.  It aimed to provide general political guidance, especially on non-health issues that impacted health without any prescription.  The salient point was the need for policy coherence and stronger coherence and coordination at various intergovernmental process levels.  It requested that the Secretary-General provide recommendations that would contribute to the 2010 High-level Plenary Meeting and provide an overview of progress in achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals, as well as new, emerging challenges impacting health, such as the financial crisis.

He stressed the importance of creating a more predictable, equitable global framework to effectively respond to current and future pandemics and finalizing the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework for the Sharing of Influenza Viruses and Access to Vaccines and other Benefits, under the leadership of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Director-General.  Foreign policy should support approaches to enhance access to medicines and production capacity for essential products and technologies, including better distribution of manufacturing capacity across regions and in developing countries, and efforts to strengthen Member States’ risk assessment and response capacity to influenza.  Together with the WHO, the Initiative would engage with foreign policymakers to identify where to add critical value for achieving a permanent, fair, efficient, transparent and more predictable global framework.

The capacity to deal with pandemics depended on skilled, equipped health workers on the ground, he said.  Global shortages of such workers and access to them, among other obstacles, must be overcome through enabling international policies, including finalization of the WHO Code of Practice on international recruitment.  Functional access to health workers and information to inform policies on how to close the gaps and achieve results should be a targeted aspect of international health cooperation.  Future drafts would continue to be based on substantive engagement on the 10 priority themes of the Oslo Ministerial Declaration “Global Health:  a pressing foreign policy of our time.”  The Initiative would consult from now until the Assembly’s sixty-fifth session with co-sponsors on the two new themes.

PER ÖRNÉUS ( Sweden) speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the discussion on global health and foreign policy tackled various critical issues, including ways and means of implementing targeted policies towards the achievement of the health-related Millennium Development Goals.  “Further, we have to combat disease and ill-health as they form a part of overall efforts to achieve peace and security.  Diseases know no boarders,” he added.  The European Union encouraged all States to engage in regional and bilateral cooperation on health policy matters.  All States were urged to fully acknowledge the links between various areas, including the links between health and global warming, food security, and poverty.

While the international community and the United Nations had played key roles in the area, it was clear that individual countries should take the lead in dealing with health and foreign policy matters.  He said it was essential to address existing dramatic gaps in health and life expectancy both within countries and regions.  That was true of the European Union, as it was for other regions.  It was also necessary to address the gender aspects of health.

For instance, he said that violence against women, in times of peace as well as during armed conflict, was a serious impediment to their attainment of physical and mental health.  He also urged States to boost their cooperation and partnership initiatives, including with civil society, to address health issues. The European Union would actively participate in discussions on global health and foreign policy and hoped it had the opportunity to participate in, and contribute to, discussions and initiatives that would be held in the future.

NORACHIT SINHASENI (Thailand), speaking on behalf of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), said that ASEAN member States had been confronted with health issues that posed threats to economic stability, development and even national security.  They had taken many concerted regional and international efforts to stem such pandemics as HIV/AIDS, SARS, avian influenza and H1N1 influenza.  ASEAN, moreover, had institutionalized regional cooperation on health, for instance through convening a Special Meeting of Health Ministers to coordinate regional efforts and discuss the possibility of regional production of vaccines and antiviral drugs.

He said that ASEAN had benefited from recognizing the link between global health and foreign policy and taking action based on that premise.  That model could be replicated in other regions and the broader international community.  Because viruses knew no boundaries and did not care for politics, politics must be put at the service of the domestic and international public health community in times of crisis.  In that context, he underlined the importance of the ongoing intensive discussion at the WHO on ways to effectively address the problem of insufficient global capacity for vaccine production.

Although in-depth discussions were best left to competent health professionals, he said that the positive and even catalytic political support for those discussions and framing them in the right manner must come from the General Assembly.  Ultimately, the Assembly should help in the finalization of the remaining elements of a Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework for the sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and speed up the process for achieving a fair, transparent and equitable framework for an effective response to future influenza pandemics.

DELANO F. BART (St. Kitts and Nevis), speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), fully supported placing health on the international agenda as a foreign policy issue, noting that health issues already comprised a major part of CARICOM’s interactions in the international arena.  He said it was imperative that the United Nations and its specialized agencies, in coordination with Member States, pursue ways to address critical health problems and to strengthen health systems to deal with them, given the limited resources of many developing countries.

Health, he said, had to be at the forefront of foreign policy, because international events and decisions impacted heavily on the health sector.  The global financial crisis, for example, has severely affected access to medication and health care providers.  Health also affected development, and CARICOM member states were placing the issue of climate change within the sphere of global health, since sea rise and pollution affected the Caribbean’s food and water supply and increased the possibility of epidemics.

He supported the view of the Secretary-General that the problems associated with non-communicable diseases must be addressed.  He said that they should be included in global discussions on development and monitoring of the Millennium Development Goals.  Describing the results of the CARICOM summit on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in 2007, he noted that the Community intended to table a resolution for a world summit on the topic in the not too distant future.

LIU ZHENMIN ( China) opened with the observation that, over the past year, the international financial and economic crisis had posed grave challenges to global public health, which had left the health departments of many countries facing a host of difficulties, such as budget cuts and increasing imbalance between supply and demand.  In the meantime, the H1N1 influenza continued to spread around the world, posing a direct threat to public health and social and economic development of all countries.

Faced with such a complex situation, he highlighted three points he believed were needed as the international community debated “global health and foreign policy”.  First, strengthening cooperation in responding to the global public health crisis; second, increasing support to the health sector of the developing countries; and, third, establishing a sound public health system.  Stressing that the Chinese Government attached great importance to public health, he said that, in addressing the negative impact of the international financial crisis, the Government had set, as a priority, the reform of the medical and health system, with a view to increasing domestic demand and improving the well-being of the people.

China had actively participated in health-related international cooperation and had established broad multichannel and multifaceted contact with other countries and relevant international organizations, he said.  Since the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza, the Chinese Government had responded seriously and taken a series of vigorous, orderly and effective steps in prevention and control, thus containing the spread of the disease to the maximum extent possible.  China would continue that unrelenting effort, he pledged, while at the same time taking measures to raise public awareness of the importance of prevention and making adequate preparations for any possible changes of the pandemic, so as to ensure public health and smooth and sound economic development.

SHOJI MIYAGAWA (Japan), saying his Government considered global health to be one of the important pillars of its foreign policy, pointed out that in 2008 both the Tokyo International Conference on African Development and the Group of Eight Hokkaido Toyako Summit focused on global health and the strengthening of assistance to Africa.  But, while substantial progress had been made in some areas of health related to the Millennium Development Goals, the determination of the international community on global health needed to be further strengthened in order to achieve all the health-related Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

For instance, essential elements of the Millennium Development Goals, such as child and maternal health and water and sanitation, needed to be further addressed in order for real progress to be made on those goals, he said.  He observed that emerging economies, as well as more developed countries, faced a higher increase in the number of cases of non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as injuries due to road safety.  Those problems required further strengthening of social protection and health systems, as well as international collaboration through exchanges of information based on lessons learned.  Governments and the international community needed to ensure that the negative impacts of the financial, economic and food crises on the health and well-being of the most vulnerable populations were minimized by appropriate and timely responses.

He further observed that even developed countries were enduring the ravages of the H1N1 virus and other emerging communicable diseases.  The concerted efforts of the international community were needed in order to deal with those diseases.  And, to that end, Japan would continue to deepen the discussion of global health and foreign policy, along with its partners in the General Assembly.

RICK BARTON ( United States) said achieving global health for all was a top priority for the United States.  His country recognized that, despite the international community’s best efforts, much remained to be done to ensure that all people achieved better health.  With that in mind, the United States would work with others to expand access to health care, reduce health disparities and build a more just world.  He said that millions of children died each day from preventable illnesses, millions more suffered from HIV/AIDS, while others lacked access to basic medical care.

Only by acting together could global health goals be met, he declared, stressing that the United States wished to bolster partnerships with all nations to advance a new era where disease was not tackled in isolation by a few, but within an equitable and beneficial global framework of many.  With that aim, President Barack Obama would soon launch a global health initiative that would total some $63 billion over the next six years in support of a new global health model.  That initiative would be women-centred and focused on families.  It would help reduce child mortality and support a full range of maternal health initiatives.  It would also emphasize disease prevention and confront the conditions that allowed diseases to thrive.

Continuing, he said the United States’ plan would also promote country ownership by bolstering improvements in the global health system that could be driven by local mechanisms and actors.  The United States would consistently seek out the advice and expertise of other countries and overall would aim for strategic integration, coordination, international partnerships and cooperation. Together with others, the United Nations wished to tackle decades-old challenges that continued to plague the planet.  He reminded the Assembly that pandemics that started in one nation could travel easily and freely across borders.  Thus, the global combat against disease should promote and engender mutual trust that elevated the well-being of all.

CLAUDE HELLER (Mexico) said that for his country, health issues were cross-cutting and went beyond the scope of the Ministry of Health and the WHO itself, necessitating that such entities coordinate and share information with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that the Foreign Affairs Ministry, in turn, include public health on its agenda.  Mexico’s responsible, transparent and immediate response to the H1N1 influenza crisis was made possible through the successful coordination between its foreign affairs and health ministries, as well as its smooth communication with WHO.

Among other things, he said, Mexico’s experience highlighted how governmental and social actors must work in coordination.  Action should also be taken under the principle of international cooperation and should not be limited to emergencies.  Such cooperation was essential in sharing information on the emergence of new viruses to address potential threats to global public health.  In that regard, he recalled that Mexico shared the H1N1 virus strain for the development of a vaccine, contributed to prevention and avoided a serious health problem that could create difficulties for human development.  He also recalled the support and continued cooperation of the WHO, which had promoted coordination guidelines for a strategic response to the pandemic.

He expressed concern that, by considering how large-scale migration had increased the frequency and number of new and re-emerging health threats, the Secretary-General’s report on global health and foreign policy addressed the question of migrants in a partial manner that could negatively impact the perception of migrants and exacerbate xenophobic tendencies.  Migration should not be viewed as a health threat, even if the conditions for population movements rendered migrants vulnerable to disease.  Noting that the draft resolution, among other things, offered concrete policy guidelines for addressing the H1N1 influenza pandemic, he said Mexico had decided to co-sponsor it.

ABULKALAM ABDUL MOMEN ( Bangladesh) said public health systems remained “precarious” in many developing countries.  The recent H1N1 virus reminded States of the fragility of the global response to such large-scale pandemics.  Increased migration, urbanization and conflict also contributed to the potential onset of disease.  Bangladesh was deeply concerned at slow progress in achieving health-related Millennium Development Goals, due, in part, to a lack of resources and capacities in developing countries.  Welcoming the Economic and Social Council’s 2009 Ministerial Declaration on implementing internationally agreed goals in regard to global public health, he urged States to fully implement resolutions 58/3 (2003), 59/27 (2004) and 60/35 (2005).

He was deeply concerned at the lack of health workers, particularly in developing countries, and strongly emphasized the importance of national and international efforts to address challenges in retaining skilled health personnel. He strongly urged developed nations to train more health workers, and encouraged greater international cooperation programmes in that regard, including South-South, North-South and triangular cooperation.  For its part, Bangladesh pursued the principle of universal health coverage and placed special emphasis on the most vulnerable groups.  The Government also had adopted a national policy on health emergency management to cope with the adverse public health impacts of natural disaster and emergencies.  Such policies had helped Bangladesh improve its human development indicators.  In that context, he cited the Government’s partnerships with civil society, targeted resource transfer, extended health programmes and improved access to health services for women.  Innovative domestic measures were needed to address global public health.

Action

The General Assembly then adopted by consensus the resolution “global health and foreign policy”.

It then decided to defer, to its sixty-fifth session, consideration of its agenda item on “Implementation of the resolutions of the United Nations” and to include it on the provisional agenda of that session.

ANNEX I

Vote on Assistance to Palestine Refugees

Draft resolution I on Assistance to Palestine Refugees (document A/64/405) was adopted by a recorded vote of 168 in favour to 1 against, with 7 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Israel.

Abstain:  Cameroon, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, United States, Vanuatu.

Absent:  Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Haiti, Kiribati, Palau, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Somalia, Tuvalu, Uganda.

ANNEX II

Vote on Persons Displaced from June 1967, Subsequent Hostilities

Draft resolution II on Persons displaced as a result of the June 1967 and subsequent hostilities (document A/64/405) was adopted by a recorded vote of 166 in favour to 7 against, with 4 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States.

Abstain:  Cameroon, Canada, Fiji, Vanuatu.

Absent:  Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Haiti, Kiribati, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Somalia, Tuvalu, Uganda.

ANNEX III

Vote on UNRWA’s Operations

Draft resolution III on Operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (document A/64/405) was adopted by a recorded vote of 167 in favour to 6 against, with 4 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, United States.

Abstain:  Cameroon, Canada, Fiji, Vanuatu.

Absent:  Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Haiti, Kiribati, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Somalia, Tuvalu, Uganda.

ANNEX IV

Vote on Palestine Refugees’ Properties, Revenues

Draft resolution IV on Palestine Refugees’ Properties and their Revenues (document A/64/405) was adopted by a recorded vote of 168 in favour to 6 against, with 3 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, United States.

Abstain:  Cameroon, Fiji, Vanuatu.

Absent:  Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Haiti, Kiribati, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, Uganda.

ANNEX V

Vote on Work of Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices

Draft resolution I on the Work of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (document A/64/406) was adopted by a recorded vote of 92 in favour to 9 against, with 74 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, China, Comoros, Congo, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States.

Abstain:  Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cameroon, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu.

Absent:  Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Haiti, Kiribati, Madagascar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Tuvalu, Uganda.

ANNEX VI

Vote on Applicability of Geneva Convention to Occupied Palestinian Territory

Draft resolution II on Applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories (document A/64/406) was adopted by a recorded vote of 168 in favour to 6 against, with 4 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, United States.

Abstain:  Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Fiji, Vanuatu.

Absent:  Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Haiti, Kiribati, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Tuvalu, Uganda.

ANNEX VII

Vote on Israeli Settlements

Draft resolution III on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan (document A/64/406) was adopted by a recorded vote of 167 in favour to 7 against, with 3 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States.

Abstain:  Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Vanuatu.

Absent:  Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Haiti, Kiribati, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda.

ANNEX VIII

Vote on Israeli Practices Affecting Human Rights of Palestinian People

Draft resolution IV on Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem

(document A/64/406) was adopted by a recorded vote of 162 in favour to 9 against, with 5 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Australia, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Panama, United States.

Abstain:  Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Fiji, Liberia, Vanuatu.

Absent:  Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Haiti, Kiribati, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda.

ANNEX IX

Vote on Occupied Syrian Golan

Draft resolution V on Occupied Syrian Golan (document A/64/406) was adopted by a recorded vote of 166 in favour to 1 against, with 11 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Israel.

Abstain:  Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Panama, Tonga, United States, Vanuatu.

Absent:  Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Haiti, Kiribati, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Tuvalu, Uganda.

ANNEX X

Vote on Information from Non-Self-Governing Territories

The draft resolution on Information from Non-Self-Governing Territories transmitted under Article 73 e of the United Nations Charter (document A/64/409) was adopted by a recorded vote of 171 in favour to none against, with 4 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia (Federated States of), Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  None.

Abstain:  France, Israel, United Kingdom, United States.

Absent:  Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Haiti, Kiribati, Liberia, Monaco, Namibia, Nauru, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Tuvalu.

ANNEX XI

Vote on Economic Activities Affecting Non-Self-Governing Territories

The draft resolution on Economic and other activities which affect the interests of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories (document A/64/410) was adopted by a recorded vote of 173 in favour to 2 against, with 2 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia (Federated States of), Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Israel, United States.

Abstain:  France, United Kingdom.

Absent:  Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Haiti, Kiribati, Monaco, Namibia, Nauru, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Tuvalu.

ANNEX XII

Vote on Implementation of Decolonization Declaration

The draft resolution on Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations (document A/64/411) was adopted by a recorded vote of 123 in favour to none against, with 53 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  None.

Abstain:  Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.

Absent:  Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Haiti, Kiribati, Namibia, Nauru, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu.

ANNEX XIII

Vote on Dissemination of Information on Decolonization

The draft resolution on Dissemination of information on decolonization (document A/64/413) was adopted by a recorded vote of 173 in favour to 3 against, with 1 abstention, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Israel, United Kingdom, United States.

Abstain:  France.

Absent:  Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Haiti, Kiribati, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Tuvalu.

ANNEX XIV

Vote on Implementation of Decolonization Declaration

The draft resolution on Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (document A/64/413) was adopted by a recorded vote of 172 in favour to 3 against, with 2 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Israel, United Kingdom, United States.

Abstain:  Belgium, France.

Absent:  Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Haiti, Kiribati, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Tuvalu.

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For information media • not an official record