Sixty-fifth General Assembly

Plenary

73^rd Meeting (PM & Night)

As General Assembly Concludes Main Part of Sixty-Fifth Session,

 

President Hails ‘Constructive and Cooperative Spirit’

 

Delegates Pass Text on Memorial to Legacy of Slavery, Transatlantic Slave Trade

Wrapping up the main part of the sixty-fifth session, General Assembly President Joseph Deiss ( Switzerland) hailed the “constructive and cooperative spirit” that had prevailed over three months of critical, and at times challenging, deliberations on a range of issues, from poverty eradication and human rights to sustainable development and disarmament.

Capping days of intense negotiations on outstanding issues, the Assembly took action on a range of draft resolutions contained in the reports of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), two texts postponed by its Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, Cultural), and two plenary-generated draft resolutions, deciding, respectively, to hold a high-level meeting in New York on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases on 19 and 20 September 2011, and welcoming the initiative to erect, at a place of prominence at United Nations Headquarters, a permanent memorial to the legacy of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.

Highlighting key events of the past few months, Mr. Deiss said he had been encouraged by the “strong resonance” that States had given to the theme of the Assembly’s general debate: “reaffirming the central role of the United Nations in global governance”.  He also welcomed the significant new commitments made during the September high-level plenary meeting on the Millennium Development Goals, saying the challenge now was to reflect on how the Assembly could better monitor their implementation.

Looking ahead to 2011, he said a main priority would be preparing for the high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS, to take place from 8 to 10 June.  It would be preceded, no later than April, by an informal interactive hearing with representatives of non-governmental organizations, civil society and the private sector.  The Assembly would also need to move forward decisively on reform issues and on reviewing the work of important United Nations bodies.  Preparations for various high-level meetings in September, notably on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, would also be a focus.

He said that among the other upcoming events scheduled were a 14 January informal plenary meeting featuring a briefing by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on his priorities for 2011, an informal thematic debate on disaster-risk reduction on 9 February, and another in early March, on preparations for the Istanbul Conference on the Least Developed Countries.  A third informal thematic debate, on the broader aspects of global governance, was slated tentatively for 23 June.  “Let us build on this spirit of cooperation and determination to meet the challenges ahead of us,” said Mr. Deiss.

Taking action on its Third Committee texts, the Assembly adopted, by a recorded vote of 104 in favour to 22 against, with 33 abstentions, a resolution on global efforts to eliminate racism, xenophobia and related intolerance.  By its terms, the Assembly decided to hold a one-day high-level meeting — on the second day of its sixty-sixth session — to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the 2001 Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, which together form the most recent world view on race relations and how Member States can address them.

By a text on the situation of human rights in Myanmar — adopted by a recorded vote of 85 in favour to 26 against, with 46 abstentions — the Assembly called on that country to cooperate with the international community to achieve progress on human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as on political processes.  It strongly condemned ongoing systematic violations of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Myanmar and strongly called upon the country’s Government to lift restrictions on the freedom of assembly, association and movement, among others.

Following eleventh-hour negotiations in the Fifth Committee, the Assembly adopted, without a vote, two capstone resolutions aimed at reforming the vast United Nations human resources management system and harmonizing the diverse sets of standards applied to the salaries and benefits of some 52,000 staff in more than 600 duty stations.

By a text on the proposed programme budget for the 2011-2012 biennium, the Assembly authorized the appropriation in the coming year of $643.1 million for 29 special political missions, including everything from the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus to the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

In another consensus action, the Assembly adopted a resolution aimed at ensuring that the newly created UN Women, or the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, was up and running by 1 January.  It approved an additional $430,100 for the 2010-2011 biennium, to be charged against the contingency fund.

Earlier in the evening, the Assembly adopted a draft resolution contained in the report of its Credentials Committee (document A/65/583/Rev.1), by which it approved the credentials of representatives participating in the sixty-fifth session.  Introducing that report, Committees Chairman Vanu Gopala Menon ( Singapore) noted that the body had met in the aftermath of the disputed presidential run-off elections in Côte d’Ivoire.

The General Assembly will reconvene at a time and date to be announced.

Background

The General Assembly met to take action on the reports of its Third (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) and Fifth Committees (Administrative and Budgetary), and on a number of plenary-generated draft resolutions.  (For more information, please see Press Release GA/AB/3980)

Report of Credentials Committee

VANU GOPALA MENON ( Singapore), Chairman of the Credentials Committee, introduced that body’s report (document A/65/583/Rev.1) containing a draft resolution by which the General Assembly approved the credentials of representatives participating in the sixty-fifth session.  He noted that the Committee had met in the aftermath of disputed presidential elections in Côte d’Ivoire.

According to the report, the Secretary-General had submitted to the Committee on 22 December an updated version of the credentials of the representatives of Côte d’Ivoire in the form required under rule 27 of the Assembly’s rules of procedure.  The Committee had met on the same day and taken note of the decision by the African Union, taken on 9 December, to recognize the results proclaimed by the Independent Electoral Commission and Alassane Ouattara as President-elect of Côte d’Ivoire.  The Committee had accepted the updated version of the credentials and confirmed that the resolution adopted in paragraph 8 of its report was understood to apply to the updated version. [That resolution took note of the credentials of the representatives to the sixty-fifth session of the Assembly.]

The representative of Iran said that while his delegation had joined the consensus, it would express reservations to any part of the report containing information which might be construed as recognition of the Israeli regime.

The representative of Nigeria said he had raised his delegation’s flag to request the Assembly to postpone a decision on the matter, but no one had called on him speak.

Assembly President JOSEPH DEISS apologized for the confusion, but said the representative should have placed his name on the list of speakers.

The representative of Namibia said it looked as if confusion over the Assembly’s programme of work had “put pressure on all of us” who might have wished to take the floor.  The Namibian delegation, on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), supported Nigeria’s request for a postponement so as to give all delegations time to reflect on the information in the Credentials Committee’s report.  Having just received the report, he had briefly scanned it and believed the Community would have wished to raise a number of issues.

Assembly President DEISS again apologized, saying he regretted that no request for the floor had been transmitted to the Secretariat, and as a result, the Assembly had taken its decision.

Action on Plenary Texts

The Assembly first took up a draft resolution on the scope, modalities, format and organization of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (document A/65/L.50), adopting it without a vote.

The representative of France called delegation’s attention to the fact that the documents on which delegations would be taking action were not available in all the official languages of the United Nations.

The representative of Trinidad and Tobago, speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said the consensus adoption of the text underscored its recognition of the urgent need for the international community to address the rising incidence and prevalence of those diseases.  She commended the “important partners” that had taken part in the “challenging negotiations”, especially Jamaica and Luxembourg, saying CARICOM would remain committed to ensuring a successful high-level meeting, which would result in the adoption of a concise, action-oriented outcome document.

ANDREA LAVERN MICHELLE WILSON (Jamaica) then introduced, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), a draft resolution on the permanent memorial to and remembrance of the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade (document A/65/L.36), saying “it is our moral obligation and imperative, as members of the international community, to collectively ensure that the world will never again endure another tragedy of such immense proportions”.  As such, the text encouraged States to develop education programmes to inculcate in future generations an understanding of the history and consequences of slavery and the slave trade.  It also included a paragraph requesting the United Nations Office for Partnerships to submit a report to the Assembly on the status of the Trust Fund.

The Assembly adopted that text without a vote.

Action on Third Committee Reports

Turning to the work of the Third Committee, the Assembly took up a report on elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance (document A/65/659), and a related Fifth Committee report containing programme budgetary implications.  The reports concerned a draft resolution titled “Global efforts for the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action”.

The Assembly adopted the text by a recorded vote of 104 in favour to 22 against, with 33 abstentions.  (For details of the vote, see Annex I.)

It then took up another Third Committee report, on human rights and reports promotion and protection of human rights: human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs (document A/65/456/Add.3), and related programme budgetary implications.  The Assembly adopted a related draft on the situation of human rights in Myanmar by a recorded vote of 85 in favour to 25 against, with 46 abstentions.  (Annex II)

Following that action, the representative of Myanmar said his delegation appreciated those that had voted against the text despite the serious pressure and threats imposed by some States.  Still, the “heavy-handed approach” used by some countries had made it difficult for many delegations to vote against the ill-thought-out resolution, he said, pointing out that the text totally ignored the positive events that had taken place in his country over the past two decades.  Myanmar would disassociate itself from the highly politicized text and would not be bound by it.

RUEANNA HAYNES (Trinidad and Tobago) then introduced, on behalf of CARICOM, a draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the Caribbean Community (document A/65/L.54), underscoring that such cooperation aimed to improve the quality of life in the region.  Operative paragraph 11 contained an appeal for stepped-up assistance to regional States as they confronted HIV/AIDS, while operative paragraph 12 expressed profound concern at the harmful effects of drugs, violent crime and illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.

Another objective of the text was to strengthen cooperation in order to make the international development framework more responsive to Caribbean Community States, he said.  Operative paragraph 17 called on the United Nations to assist in the preparatory process for the high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases.

The Assembly adopted that text without a vote.

Action on Fifth Committee Reports

NICOLE ANNE MANNION ( Ireland), Rapporteur of the Fifth Committee, introduced the reports before the Assembly.

The Assembly first took up the Committee’s report on financial reports and audited financial statements of the Board of Auditors (document A/65/594), adopting a similarly titled draft resolution therein without a vote.

Next, the Assembly took up the report of the Fifth Committee on programme planning (document A/64/544), which contained a similarly titled draft resolution. The Assembly adopted it without a vote.

Turning to the Committee’s report on pattern of conferences (document A/65/595), the Assembly adopted the draft resolution contained therein without a vote.

The Assembly then took up the report on scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations (document A/65/492/Add.1), adopting the similarly titled draft resolution contained therein without a vote.

Taking up the report on human resources management (document A/65/647), the Assembly adopted the relevant draft resolution without a vote.

It then turned to the Fifth Committee’s report on the United Nations common system (document A/65/648), and adopted, again without a vote, the draft resolution “United Nations common system: report of the International Civil Service Commission”.

The Assembly then took up the Committee’s report on the United Nations pension system (document A/65/633) and adopted the similarly titled draft resolution without a vote.

Next, delegations took up the report on administrative and budgetary coordination of the specialized agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (document A/65/543) and adopted, without vote, a resolution titled “budgetary and financial situation of the organizations of the United Nations system”.

Taking up the Assembly a report on review of the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations (document A/65/649), the Assembly adopted, without a vote, the draft resolution therein, entitled “Report of the Office of Internal Oversight Services on its activities”.

It then turned to a report on the administration of justice at the United Nations (document A/65/650), adopting the draft resolution therein without a vote.

The Assembly then took up a report entitled “financing of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Genocide and Other Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of Rwanda and Rwandan Citizens Responsible for Genocide and Other Such Violations Committed in the Territory of Neighbouring States between 1 January and 31 December 1994” (document A/65/651), adopting the related draft resolution without a vote.

It then turned to a report titled “financing of the International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia (document A/65/652), adopting the draft resolution contained therein without a vote.

Next, the Assembly took up a report on the financing of the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad, (document A/65/653), adopting a draft resolution contained therein without a vote.

Taking up a report on financing of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and on Financing of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (document A/65/654), the Assembly adopted the relevant draft resolution without a vote.

It then took up a report on financing of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (document A/65/655), adopting the related draft resolution without a vote.

Next, the Assembly took action on a report on financing of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (document A/65/656), adopting a similarly titled draft resolution without a vote.

The Assembly took up the report of the programme budget for the biennium 2010-2011 (document A/65/646), adopting the resolution on “conditions of service and compensation for officials other than Secretariat officials: members of the International Court of Justice and judges and ad litem judges of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda”, contained therein without a vote.

It then turned to a Fifth Committee report (document A/65/646/Add.1) containing two draft resolutions in paragraph 52.

Speaking in explanation of vote on the text “L.22”, the representative of Iran said he could not join the consensus on enforcing sanctions against his own country, emphasizing that Iran regarded Security Council resolution 1929 (2010), among others, as unjust and unlawful.  Such resolutions had been crafted on the basis of misinformation propagated by some Member States, he said, adding that he could not allow consensus on an issue that jeopardized his country’s security.  However, Iran’s “no vote” should not be seen as disagreement with other resolutions adopted by consensus, he stressed.

The representative of Cuba said his vote against section XIII of the text “L.22” referred to his delegation’s position regarding the political framework proposed by the Secretariat, which interpreted the reports as having emanated from legislative mandates.  That was unacceptable, he emphasized, adding that in no resolution of the General Assembly had it been agreed that the Secretary-General’s Special Representative on the Prevention of Genocide was part of the office in question.  There was a danger that the responsibility to protect could be manipulated, he said, adding that no consensus was possible on the notion of the responsibility to protect.  The reality was that there was no clear, universally accepted definition of that responsibility.

The representative of Venezuela said the vote against section XIII had been occasioned solely by concerns about the good offices of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative on the Prevention of Genocide.  Indeed, the Venezuelan delegation continued to express concern about the mandate of that office and believed that such officials should only work on the promotion of objectives agreed upon in intergovernmental forums.  The “responsibility to protect” was not such an agreed objective, she said, adding that some States were trying to impose that principle on others.

The representative of Nicaragua supported the statements by the Cuban and Venezuelan delegations and called attention to her own delegation’s statement on the subject, made earlier the same night in the Fifth Committee. (Press Release GA/AB/3980)

The Assembly then adopted section XIII of the resolution by a recorded vote of 119 in favour to 9 against (Bolivia, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Ecuador, Iran, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Senegal, Venezuela, Zimbabwe), with 7 abstentions (Botswana, Gabon, Japan, Senegal, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Syria).  (Annex III)

It then adopted the text as a whole, by a recorded vote of 142 in favour to 1 against (Iran), with 3 abstentions (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Myanmar, Syria).  (Annex IV)

Following that vote, the representative of Syria said his delegation had abstained due to its concerns about section XIII of the text regarding the budget of the Terje Roed-Larsen, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on the Implementation of Security Council resolution 1559 (2004).  That Envoy had been interfering in matters regarding two sovereign States, Syria and Lebanon, he said, adding that Mr. Roed-Larsen also was blatantly biased towards Israel and had deliberately misled the Security Council and the Secretariat as he had “feverishly” tried to deflect attention from Israel’s illegal activities.  As if that was not enough, he had also made up claims derived from “suspicious” Israeli reports, and ignored information provided by the Lebanese Government that could prove such claims false.  Indeed, he worked assiduously to promote Israel’s aims and tear apart two brotherly countries, Syria and Lebanon.

The representative of Lebanon said the Fifth Committee had considered the budgets of some 29 special political missions, including two in his country.  Lebanon hoped that the adoption of the relevant texts would put an end to all Israeli air, land and maritime violations of its sovereignty.  It was also to be hoped that such actions would lead to Israel’s withdrawal from all lands so as to restore fully Lebanon’s sovereignty and integrity.  They should also lead Israel to turn over all maps and plans on the location of cluster bombs and munitions on Lebanese territories.  None of the Secretary-General’s reports on the implementation of Security Council 1701 (2006) mentioned illegal weapons, he noted, expressing hope that future reports would take into account the efforts undertaken by Syria and Lebanon to promote cooperation.

Turning to draft resolution II contained in document A/C.5/65/L.23 on the “programme budget for the biennium 2010-2011”, the Assembly adopted it without a vote.

It then adopted, without a vote, draft decision I on the United Nations Fund for International Partnerships, and draft decision II on the Capital Master Plan.

The Assembly then turned to agenda item 128 and the report on the review of the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations (document A/65/654), which contained two draft resolutions.

It adopted draft resolution I, on “procurement”, without a vote, before going on to adopt, again without a vote, draft resolution II, contained therein, on the “Proposed programme budget outline for the biennium 2012-2013”.

ANNEX I

Vote on Durban Follow-Up

The draft resolution on follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (document A/65/454) was adopted by a recorded vote of 104 in favour to 22 against, with 33 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Netherlands, Palau, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, United Kingdom, United States.

Abstain:  Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Finland, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Samoa, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Tonga, Ukraine.

Absent:  Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Mozambique, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Suriname, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu.

ANNEX II

Vote on Human Rights in Myanmar

The draft resolution on the situation of human rights in Myanmar (document A/65/456/Add.3) was adopted by a recorded vote of 85 in favour to 26 against, with 46 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bulgaria, Burundi, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Palau, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Samoa, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay.

Against:  Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Libya, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Oman, Russian Federation, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe.

Abstain:  Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Barbados, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Colombia, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Grenada, Haiti, Jordan, Kuwait, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Swaziland, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Zambia.

Absent:  Angola, Bahamas, Benin, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Suriname, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu.

ANNEX III

Vote on Section XIII/Special Political Missions

Section XIII – Special Political Missions ‑ of the draft resolution on questions relating to the programme budget for the biennium 2010-2011 (document A/C.5/65/L.22) was adopted by a recorded vote of 119 in favour to 9 against, with 7 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay, Viet Nam.

Against:  Bolivia, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Ecuador, Iran, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Zimbabwe.

Abstain:  Botswana, Gabon, Japan, Senegal, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Syria.

Absent:  Angola, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominica, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Indonesia, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Madagascar, Mali, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Mozambique, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Russian Federation, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Suriname, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Yemen, Zambia.

ANNEX IV

Vote on Programme Budget 2010-2011

The draft resolution on questions relating to the programme budget for the biennium 2010-2011 (document A/C.5/65/L.22) was adopted by a recorded vote of 142 in favour to 1 against, with 3 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, 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, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Iran.

Abstain:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Myanmar, Syria.

Absent:  Angola, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Mozambique, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Suriname, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu.

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For information media • not an official record