Sixty-sixth General Assembly

Fourth Committee

1^st Meeting (AM)

Fourth Committee Approves Work Programme for Sixty-Sixth Session, Setting Dates

for Deliberations on Broad Range of Items, From Decolonization to Peacekeeping

In a brief organizational meeting, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today approved its work programme for the current session, containing more than a dozen topics for consideration, including a review of peacekeeping operations, assistance in mine action, and the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples.

Committee Chair Simona-Mirela Miculescu then welcomed the Vice-Chairs of the Committee for the sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly, Jim Kelly ( Ireland), Mansor Ciss ( Senegal) and Maria Waleska Vivas Mendoza ( Venezuela), as well as its Rapporteur, Hassan Abdulhasan ( Kuwait).

According to its work programme (document A/C.4/66/L/1), the Committee’s collection of items relating to decolonization would include the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, during a general debate, from 3 to 10 October.

Further, in that regard, an aide-memoire (document 01/11) was circulated in the room today, containing 75requestsfor hearings related to the questions of Gibraltar, Guam, Turks and Caicos, United States Virgin Islands and Western Sahara.  Also included in that document was a request for a hearing under the item on implementation of the decolonization Declaration.  The Chief Minister of Gibraltar and the Vice-President of the Government of New Caledonia would make statements, the Chairperson announced.

The Committee would devote four meetings to considering the peaceful uses of outer space, from 11 to 14 October.  The Committee also agreed, as was its tradition, to establish a working group on outer space, to be chaired again by the delegation of Romania.

During three meetings, from 18 to 20 October, the Committee would consider questions relating to information.  Delegations would also consider the effects of atomic radiation on 21 October, and would hold a comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations, from 24 to 27 October.  On 28 October, the Committee would take up the issue of assistance in mine action.

In addition, the Committee would consider aspects related to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), from 31 October to 2 November.  On 4, 8 and 9 November, it would take up the report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories.

Work was expected to conclude by Thursday, 10 November.

The Fourth Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. on Monday, 3 October, to begin its consideration of the issues relating to the implementation of the decolonization Declaration.

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For information media • not an official record