Sixty-fifth General Assembly

Plenary

2^ndMeeting (AM)

General Assembly Adopts Programme of Work for Sixty-Fifth Session

 

Acting on the recommendations of its General Committee, the United Nations General Assembly this morning adopted the work programme and agenda for its sixty-fifth session, which contains nearly 124 items.

Among the topics to be considered during the session are two new agenda items: “harmony with nature”, to be included under the heading “Promotion of sustained economic growth and sustainable development in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and recent United Nations conferences”; and “financing of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO)”.

The Assembly also decided to include on its agenda the “question of the Comorian island of Mayotte” — under that item’s traditional heading “Maintenance of international peace and security” — but on the understanding that there would be no consideration of the matter until further notice.  It decided to defer consideration of the “question of the Malagasy islands of Glorieuses, Juan de Nova, Europa and Bassas da India” to its sixty-sixth session, and that the item be included in the provisional agenda of that session.

Consideration was postponed to a later date on whether to include the following items on the Assembly’s agenda: “Intergovernmental science-policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services” (item 29); “Compensation for damage caused by colonialism” (item 164); “Verification of the implementation of nuclear disarmament obligations” (item 165); and “Enhancing and expanding the functions and powers of the General Assembly” (item 58).

The Assembly decided not to include on its agenda items on “Investigation into the invasion of Iraq” (item 59); “Investigation into wars that have broken out since the establishment of the United Nations” (item 168); and “Investigation into assassinations carried out since the establishment of the United Nations” (item 169).

In a subsequent exchange, Armenia’s delegate, speaking in a point of order on matters regarding agenda items on “maintenance of international peace and security”, said his Government dissociated itself from consensus on decision to transfer item 39 to the sixty-fifth session.

Responding, also on a point of order, Azerbaijan’s representative said he found that view astonishing, since both Azerbaijan and Armenia, as a result of efforts made in their capitals and at the United Nations, had agreed on the inclusion of that item, “the situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan”.  That had not been the first time that Armenia had not respected its obligations under the United Nations Charter, international law, or even gentlemen’s agreements.

He said Armenia had been silent on the Assembly’s 9 September 2010 decision to include the item in the sixty-fifth session, and thus, formally consented to its inclusion just a few days ago.  Armenia had acknowledged the legitimacy of the item on a number of occasions.  By disassociating itself, Armenia now had taken a contrary position.  In reality, Armenia bore responsibility for initiating war against Azerbaijan and committing some of the most serious international crimes.

Taking the floor a second time, Armenia’s delegate said giving labels to Member States did not represent a procedural statement in a point of order.

Interjecting, General Assembly President Joseph Deiss reminded both delegates that the Assembly was not currently discussing the substance of the agenda items.

With the adoption of its work programme and agenda (document A/65/250), the Assembly decided that its current session would recess on Tuesday, 14 December 2010, and close on Monday, 12 September 2011.  It further decided that its general debate would be held from Thursday, 23 September, and continue to Saturday, 25 September, and from Monday, 27 September, to Thursday, 30 September.

Taking into consideration information in and decisions adopted related to paragraphs 67 through 71 in the report’s section IV, related the work of its six Main Committees, the Assembly allocated all relevant items listed to those Committees.

The Assembly also set the meeting schedule for its Main Committees.  During the main part of the session, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) would complete its work by Monday, 1 November; the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) by Wednesday, 10 November; the Sixth Committee (Legal) by Thursday, 11 November; the Second (Economic and Financial) and Third (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) Committees by Tuesday, 23 November; and the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) by Friday, 10 December.

The General Assembly will reconvene at 9 a.m. on Monday, 20 September, to convene a high-level meeting on the Millennium Development Goals.

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For information media • not an official record