Concluding Session, Sixth Committee Approves 16 Draft Texts without Vote, as Speakers Debate Terminology, Progress Developing International Law
As the Sixth Committee (Legal) concluded its seventy‑fourth session today by taking action via its tradition of consensus on 12 draft resolutions, 1 draft decision and 3 requests for observer status, several delegates expressed regret over a lack of forward progress in the development of international law, while others distanced themselves from certain provisions in those texts because of terminology or tacit endorsements of certain mechanisms.
One such case was the draft resolution “Responsibility of States for internationally wrongful acts”, which would have the General Assembly acknowledge the importance and usefulness of the draft articles on this topic and invite Governments to submit further written comments on any future action regarding the articles.
The representative of Portugal, also speaking for Argentina, Mexico and Sierra Leone, noted that although he had joined the consensus on the draft resolution, he stressed that the articles, introduced to the General Assembly nearly 20 years ago, still ignore the large number of delegations that support codifying the drafts into an international convention. This signals the Sixth Committee’s uneasiness or, worse, unwillingness to debate difficult and controversial legal questions, he said.
Along those lines, Finland’s delegate, also speaking for the European Union and other States, expressed regret regarding the draft resolution “Criminal accountability of United Nations officials and experts on mission” and the number of proposals on which compromise wording had to be found.
Similar frustration was expressed regarding the draft resolution “Crimes against humanity”, which would see the General Assembly take note of the draft articles on prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity presented by the International Law Commission.
Austria’s delegate, also speaking for 37 other delegations, expressed regret that the Committee was unable to agree on the structure of future deliberations about the Commission’s recommendation that the draft texts be elaborated into a convention. She did, however, express hope that the Committee will be able to reach consensus on how to proceed at its next session.
Several draft resolutions courted more specific disagreement, such as the draft resolution “Report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the strengthening of the role of the Organization”, which would see the General Assembly call on the Special Committee to continue to identify new subjects that would contribute to the revitalization of the United Nations work.
On that matter, the representative of Armenia disassociated himself from paragraph 1 of the draft resolution, objecting to language contained in the Special Committee’s report relating to the Nagorno‑Karabakh conflict. Such language contradicts the official terminology of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and promotes a biased perception of the conflict, he said.
Azerbaijan’s delegate, however, pointed out that the Special Committee’s report was adopted by consensus. It is the sovereign right of States to decide on the content of the documents they adopt or approve within the Organization, he said, adding that those thinking differently should express their positions in proper time. If they fail to do so, they should not undermine the Sixth Committee’s working methods.
Some speakers also took issue with the draft resolution “The rule of law at the national and international levels”, which would have the General Assembly stress the importance of adherence to the rule of law at the national level and the need to strengthen support to Member States — at their request — in the domestic implementation of their respective international obligations through enhanced technical assistance and capacity‑building.
In this regard, the representative of Syria expressed unequivocal reservation regarding paragraph 3 of the resolution based on paragraph 75 of the Secretary‑General’s report, which propagates the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011. He called on Member States to refuse to recognize or cooperate with the Mechanism since it is an illegitimate body and was established without the consent of the country concerned.
The Committee also approved without a vote the draft resolution “Report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country”, which would see the General Assembly urge that country to remove all remaining travel restrictions it imposed on staff of certain missions and staff members of the Secretariat of certain nationalities and expect the prompt issuance of entry visas to such individuals.
The representative of the Russian Federation stated that the Committee had approved an important resolution that contains a direct call for all visas to be issued to Member States participating in United Nations activities and reflects concern over the confiscation of property. This resolution is only a first step, she said, and now it must be fully implemented.
However, Iran’s delegate pointed out, that was unlikely, as past practice indicates that the host country has no intention of honouring its obligations under the Headquarters Agreement even though it joined consensus on the draft resolution. The Secretary‑General has a historic role to play in this matter, he said, and should invoke section 21 of the Agreement to seek a resolution.
Michal Mlynár (Slovakia), Chair of the Sixth Committee for the seventy‑fourth session, remarked that preserving the consensus‑based decision‑making of the Committee may have been more difficult than in previous years. However, consensus is the basic prerequisite for the broad acceptance of and adherence to international law, he noted. Some delegations might wonder if more progress could have been achieved. But members of the Committee know that the development of international law takes time. What may seem like lack of progress or merely an incremental step may be evaluated in hindsight as a crucial moment for the positive development of international law, he said.
Also speaking today were representatives of Germany, France, China, Argentina (also for Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), Brazil, Pakistan, Ghana, Republic of Korea, Colombia, Singapore, South Africa, Ethiopia, Liechtenstein, the Gambia, Canada, Cyprus, Cuba, Venezuela, Togo, Uganda, Rwanda and Egypt.
The Sixth Committee will meet at a later day to be announced.
Action on Draft Resolutions
The representative of Germany reported that the request for observer status for the International Organization of Employers has met some reservations (document A/C.6/74/L.3). However, there is merit in discussing the issue further, she said, asking for a deferral of the request. (For background, see Press Release GA/L/3601.)
The Sixth Committee then decided to defer the request for observer status to the seventy‑fifth session of the General Assembly.
The representative of France said the request for observer status for the International Trade Union Confederation had been met with a great deal of support, with 24 States co‑sponsoring that resolution (document A/C.6/74/L.4). However, three delegations expressed reservations. In order to continue discussions with them, he is requesting a deferral on the request. (For background, see Press Release GA/L/3602.)
The Committee then decided to defer that observer status request to the seventy‑fifth session of the General Assembly.
Turning to the request for observer status for the Boao Forum for Asia, the representative of China thanked all sponsors of the draft text (document A/C.6/74/L.5). Some countries expressed concerns about that request, he noted, adding that “we will continue to communicate with them”. In the spirit of consensus, he proposed a deferral on the request.
The Committee then decided to defer that observer status request to the seventy‑fifth session of the General Assembly.
The Committee then turned to the draft resolution “The law of transboundary aquifers” (document A/C.6/74/L.11), which would have the General Assembly commend to the attention of Governments the draft articles on the law of transboundary aquifers as guidance for bilateral or regional agreements and arrangements for the proper management of such aquifers. The text would also have the Assembly encourage the International Hydrological Programme of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to continue its contribution by providing further scientific and technical assistance upon the consent of the recipient State and within its mandate.
The Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote.
The representative of Argentina, also speaking for Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, expressed his appreciation for the work of the International Law Commission and the Special Rapporteur. Calling attention to the extensive aquifer that falls within the jurisdiction of the four countries for whom he was speaking, he noted that it was intersected by international limits. “We share the approach of the Commission to use the rules as normative proposals,” he said.
The representative of Brazil introduced the draft resolution “Responsibility of States for internationally wrongful acts” (document A/C.6/74/L.16), saying that, despite disagreement regarding the elaboration of an international convention, consensus eventually emerged that allowed for a continued and informed dialogue on the future of the articles. That consensus is represented in the draft resolution. She also pointed out that the text of the draft resolution is generally based on General Assembly resolution 71/133, with certain changes such as technical updates.
The resolution would have the General Assembly acknowledge the importance and usefulness of the articles on responsibility of States for internationally wrongful acts and commend them to the attention of Governments. The text would also have the Assembly request the Secretary‑General to invite Governments to submit further written comments on any future action regarding the articles and to update the compilation of decisions of international courts, tribunals and other bodies referring to the articles.
The Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote.
The representative of Portugal, also speaking for Argentina, Mexico and Sierra Leone, said that, while these delegations join the consensus on this draft resolution, the text perpetuates the status quo. Nearly 20 years after the articles were introduced to the General Assembly, this resolution continues to ignore and fail to reflect the views of a large number of delegations that express support for a convention. The resolution signals the uneasiness or, worse, the unwillingness of the Sixth Committee to openly debate difficult and controversial legal questions, shying away from its role and responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations.
The representative of Pakistan, introducing the draft resolution on “Criminal accountability of United Nations officials and experts on mission” (document A/C.6/74/L.14), said that the current text largely reiterates and further strengthens resolution 73/196. In addition to technical amendments, the draft includes one new preambular paragraph. By the terms of that paragraph, the Assembly would honour the heroic work of tens of thousands of United Nations officials and experts on missions and underscore that the Organization should not let the actions of a few tarnish the achievements of the whole.
The resolution would see the General Assembly express concern with the low rate of response from States to referred allegations of crimes committed by United Nations officials and experts on mission and to requests for information regarding the establishment of jurisdiction over such crimes. The resolution would urge States to take all appropriate measures to ensure that these crimes do not go unpunished and would stress the importance of ensuring that victims of criminal conduct perpetrated by United Nations officials and experts on mission are made aware of available victim assistance and support, including from a gender perspective.
The Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote.
The representative of Finland, speaking for the European Union as well as other States, expressed regret about the number of proposals on which compromise wording had to be found. Informal negotiations provide an opportunity to put forward proposals and discuss them openly in the spirit of consensus.
The representative of Ghana, introducing the draft resolution on “United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law” (document A/C.6/74/L.15), said the text includes necessary technical updates. He noted that operative paragraphs 2, 5, through 7 and 17 would provide the mandate in 2020 for the organization of, and the award of fellowships for, the United Nations regional courses in international law and the International Law Fellowship Programme, as well as for the further development of the Audiovisual Library and the publication and dissemination of legal texts as well as other activities of the Programme.
By the text, the General Assembly would authorize certain activities to be financed from provisions in the regular budget, including the International Law Fellowship Programme, the United Nations regional courses in international law and the United Nations Audiovisual Library in International Law. The resolution would also request the Codification Division to continue to maintain and expand its websites as an invaluable tool for the dissemination of international law materials and for advanced legal research and would decide to appoint 25 Member States as members of the Advisory Committee on the Programme of Assistance for a period of four years.
The Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote.
The representative of the Republic of Korea noted that paragraph 28 of the resolution stipulates that members of the Advisory Committee will serve for a period of four years. According to current practice, non‑members must wait indefinitely to join until their regional groups’ seats are vacated by relinquishing members. If there is any non‑member willing to be newly appointed, such willingness should be given priority on the merit of their interest and contribution or at least considered on an equal basis with sitting members’ intention to be reappointed. The Advisory Committee should strike a balance between continuity and novelty in its composition every four years, he added.
The representative of Colombia, introducing the draft resolution on “Report of the International Law Commission on the work of its seventy‑first session” (document A/C.6/74/L.20), highlighted the constructive spirit that delegations brought to negotiations. While it is largely a reiteration of previous resolutions, he noted that operative paragraph 7 encourages the Commission to take particular note of the comments of States and of its own workload. The text also emphasizes the importance of multilingualism and the need for high‑quality translations of the documents of the Commission.
The resolution would have the General Assembly encourage the International Law Commission to take particular account of the capacity and views of Member States, as well as the Commission’s workload, when including topics in its current programme of work. The text would also stress the desirability of further enhancing the dialogue between the Commission — particularly the Special Rapporteurs — and the Sixth Committee and would encourage the continued practice of informal consultations between the members of the Committee and the Commission throughout the year.
The Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote.
The representative of Singapore introduced draft resolution “Crimes against humanity” (document A/C.6/74/L.21). Seven rounds of informal consultations were held on this text, reflecting the level of interest that the topic has generated amongst delegations. In the end, it was clear that delegations would benefit from more time and that the best course of action was to continue discussions at the next session. He expressed hope that delegations will make good use of the time they have between now and the next session to find even more common ground.
The text would see the General Assembly express its appreciation to the International Law Commission for its continuing contribution to the codification and progressive development of international law and take note of the draft articles on prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity presented by the Commission.
The Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote.
The representative of Austria, also speaking for Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Finland, Gambia, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Uruguay, praised the Commission’s work on crimes against humanity, its adoption of the draft articles and commentaries thereto and its recommendation regarding the elaboration of a convention on the basis of the draft articles. She expressed regret that the Committee was not able to agree on an ambitious and structured approach for future deliberations on the Commission’s recommendation. She expressed hope that the Committee will be able to find consensus on providing efficient guidance going forward on this important issue at its next session.
The representative of South Africa, introducing the draft resolution on “Diplomatic protection” (document A/C.6/74/L.17), noted that Governments continued to prefer a draft resolution deferring consideration of the decision on the final form of the articles on the matter to a future session. The fate of the draft articles on diplomatic protection continues to be linked to that of the draft articles on the responsibility of States for internationally wrongful acts. The current text includes a preambular paragraph which recalls General Assembly resolution 62/67, in which the Assembly commended the articles to the attention of Governments, and to which the articles were attached, he said.
The text would have the General Assembly commend the draft articles on diplomatic protection to the attention of Governments and invite the same to submit in writing to the Secretary‑General any further comments, including comments concerning the International Law Commission’s recommendation to elaborate a convention on the basis of the articles.
The Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote.
The representative of Ethiopia introduced draft resolution “Report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the strengthening of the role of the Organization (document A/C.6/74/L.12). The resolution is based on the language of General Assembly resolution 73/206. It includes necessary technical updates and incorporates the views expressed by delegations during the plenary debate and informal consultations on the item. She added that it also includes the recommendations set forth in the Special Committee’s latest report and reflects, to the greatest possible extent, the agreement among delegations.
The resolution would have the General Assembly decide that the Special Committee shall hold its next session from 18 to 26 February 2020 and invite the Special Committee, at that session, to continue to identify new subjects for consideration in its future work with a view to contributing to the revitalization of the work of the United Nations. The text would also have the Assembly call on the Secretary‑General to continue his efforts towards updating the Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs and the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council and making them available electronically in all respective language versions.
The representative of Armenia, speaking in explanation of position before action, said that the Special Committee should be cautious of some States’ attempts to misuse its platform to propagate one‑sided narratives. He noted his objection to the language contained in paragraph 59 of the Special Committee’s report related to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The reference to the title of the conflict reflected in the report is in total contradiction with the official terminology of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; it was included at the last minute by the suggestion of a single delegation and promotes a biased perception of the conflict. Therefore, he disassociated from consensus on paragraph 1 of the draft resolution, which contains a reference to the report.
The Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote.
The representative of Azerbaijan, speaking in explanation of position after action, spotlighted that the report of the Special Committee was adopted by consensus. In discussing the exchange of information on State practice regarding the use of mediation, the report referred to practical examples, including the mediations concerning the Nagorno‑Karabakh conflict. Highlighting relevant resolutions of the Security Council, he said that it is the sovereign right of States to decide on the content of the documents they adopt or approve within the Organization. It is important that those thinking differently express their positions in proper time. If they fail to do so, they must not undermine the Sixth Committee’s working methods, he added.
The representative of Liechtenstein introduced the draft resolution “The rule of law at the national and international levels” (document A/C.6/74/L.13), stressing that the principle is a fundamental building block of the United Nations. The current text is based on the language of General Assembly resolution 73/207, with necessary technical updates. The only substantive change is found in paragraph 23, which includes a subtopic for the next session, namely “Measures to prevent and combat corruption”.
The text would have the General Assembly stress the importance of adherence to the rule of law at the national level and the need to strengthen support to Member States — at their request — in the domestic implementation of their respective international obligations through enhanced technical assistance and capacity‑building. The resolution would also have the Assembly call upon the Secretary‑General and the United Nations system to systematically address aspects of the rule of law in relevant activities, including the participation of women in such activities, and recognize the importance of restoring confidence in the rule of law as a key element of transitional justice.
The Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote.
The representative of Syria expressed unequivocal reservation regarding paragraph 3 of the resolution and disassociated himself from consensus on this paragraph, which refers to Secretary‑General’s report on the agenda item. He said that his reservation is based on paragraph 75 of that report, as the content of this paragraph presents an unbalanced and inappropriate approach by the Secretariat; it propagates the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011, which was established without the consent of the country concerned. He called on Member States to refuse to recognize or cooperate with the Mechanism since it is an illegitimate body.
The representative of the Russian Federation noted that, during the preparation of the report on this topic, her delegation proposed that the report not include information that was included in separate reports, thereby avoiding duplication. That included the sections on international criminal justice, the International Criminal Court and the so‑called fact‑finding commission in Syria, she added.
The representative of Iran aligned himself with the statement delivered by the delegations of the Russian Federation and Syria.
The representative of the Gambia, introducing the draft resolution on “The scope and application of the principle of universal jurisdiction” (document A/C.6/74/L.6), said it was a technical rollover from last year’s resolution. Highlighting the technical updates, he noted that in operative paragraph 2, the Working Group was again given the mandate to continue its discussions on the topic during the seventy‑fifth session of the General Assembly.
The text would have the General Assembly invite Member States and relevant observers to the General Assembly to submit, before 24 April 2020, information and observations on the scope and application of universal jurisdiction, including information on the relevant applicable international treaties and on their national legal rules and judicial practice. The text would also have the Assembly request the Secretary‑General to prepare and submit a report to the Assembly at its seventy‑fifth session based on such information and observations.
The Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote.
The representative of Canada, introducing the draft resolution “Measures to eliminate international terrorism” (document A/C.6/74/L.18), highlighted technical updates, as well as three new preambular paragraphs, one amended preambular paragraph, one new operative paragraph and one amended operative paragraph. She noted that the new operative paragraph 23 would have the Assembly note the issuance by the Secretariat of the fourth edition of the compendium, International Instruments Related to the Prevention and Suppression of International Terrorism, in English and Russian as well as its continuing efforts to issue the publication in all official languages.
By the text, the General Assembly would express concern at the increase in incidents of kidnapping and hostage‑taking with demands for ransom or political concessions by terrorist groups and over the acute and growing threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters. The Assembly would emphasize the need for States to cooperate against international terrorism by taking speedy and effective measures to eliminate the scourge. It also would call on all States to deny safe haven and bring to justice or extradite the perpetrators of terrorist acts or any person who supports, facilitates or participates or attempts to participate in the financing, planning or preparation of terrorist acts.
The Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote.
The representative of Cyprus introduced draft resolution “Report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country” (document A/C.6/74/L.19), pointing to several additions and changes to the text of the resolution that reflect the recommendations and conclusions, as contained in paragraph 165 of the referenced report. He also thanked delegates for their constructiveness and flexibility that allowed for significant progress despite the challenges at hand.
The resolution would have the General Assembly urge the host country to remove all remaining travel restrictions it imposed on staff of certain missions and staff members of the Secretariat of certain nationalities and express serious concern regarding the non‑issuance of entry visas to certain representatives of certain Member States. The text would also have the Assembly expect the prompt issuance by the host country of entry visas to all representatives of Member States and members of the Secretariat. It would request the Secretary‑General to remain actively engaged in all aspects of the relations of the United Nations with the host country and to more actively engage in the Committee’s work to ensure the representation of the interests concerned.
The Committee approved the draft resolution without a vote.
The representative of Iran said that there would be no need for the Host Country Committee or this agenda item if the host country respected its international obligations. While the host country may have joined the consensus on this resolution, past practice indicates that it has no intention of honouring its obligations. The movement restrictions placed on the missions of Cuba and Iran have seriously affected their normal functions. A dispute exists under the United Nations Headquarters Agreement and the Secretary‑General has a historic role to play in invoking section 21 of that agreement to seek a resolution.
The representative of the Russian Federation said that the Sixth Committee has approved an important resolution that reflects the serious problems that have arisen for delegations over the implementation of the United Nations Headquarters Agreement. Among other things, she pointed out that the resolution contains a direct call for all visas to be issued to Member States who are participating in United Nations activities. It also reflects concern over the confiscation of property and the related violation of the inviolability of the premises of missions. Most importantly, this year the resolution calls on the Secretary‑General to take active measures to implement all of the recommendations. There is a reference in operative paragraph 15 to the fact that, if this does not take place within a reasonable and finite period of time, then section 21 of the Agreement on arbitration will need to be involved. The adoption of this resolution is only a first step. Now, it should be fully implemented, she stressed. The 18 visas not issued to the Russian Federation resulted in members of her delegation not being able to effectively participate in the work of the General Assembly.
The representative of Syria, aligning himself with the statements made by Iran and the Russian Federation, expressed his understanding that the resolution approved today with consensus will begin the process of implementing the recommendations contained in the report of the Host Country Committee. What happened this year regarding the denial of visas to representatives of the permanent missions of the Russian Federation and Iran and the imposition of further movement restrictions on the permanent missions of Iran and Cuba represents negative repercussions that resulted from the Secretariat’s silence on the matter. Despite all of this, he expressed the hope that the host country will announce the removal of all movement restrictions and will grant entry visas for all permanent missions. Hosting the United Nations Headquarters in New York is a duty that imposes political neutrality on the host country, he added.
The representative of Cuba, associating herself with Iran, Russian Federation and Syria, said that she would like to refer to her previous statements on this issue throughout the session. She added that she hoped there would be a fulfilment of what was adopted by consensus today and all pertinent steps would be taken legally to resolve differences and put an end to violations by the host country.
The representative of Venezuela added her support to the statements made by the previous delegations and urged that steps be taken to solve these important problems regarding entry and visa issues.
The Committee then turned to the draft decision “Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly” (document A/C.6/74/L.22). By the terms of that decision, the Sixth Committee prepared a provisional programme of work for the seventy‑fifth session of the General Assembly.
The representative of Togo, speaking before action, asked to what extent the provisional programme takes into account upcoming negotiations relating to a resolution on the Law of the Sea. He said it is important for his delegation that that these negotiations do not conflict with the meetings of the Sixth Committee.
MICHAL MLYNÁR (Slovakia), Chair, responded, noting that he has been informed by the Secretariat that there might be a slight overlap between these negotiations and Sixth Committee meetings.
The Committee approved the draft decision without a vote.
Election of Officers
Mr. MLYNÁR then turned to the item on the election of the officers of the main Committees, saying that the Sixth Committee will meet one more time during the present session of the General Assembly to elect the Bureau for the seventy‑fifth session. He suggested that regional groups hold consultations in due course to ensure that the Committee will be in a position to elect its next Chair, three Vice‑Chairs and a Rapporteur.
The Sixth Committee decided to meet one more time.
Closing Remarks
Mr. MLYNÁR, observing that the Committee was approaching the close of its meeting, said that during the seventy‑fourth session, it discussed 23 substantive agenda items and adopted 17 resolutions and 8 decisions. Preserving the consensus‑based decision‑making of the Committee may have been more difficult at some points than in previous years, he remarked. However, it is worth going the extra mile; consensus is an important element in ensuring that the results achieve the support of all States, which is the basic prerequisite for the broad acceptance of and adherence to international law. Having said that, he noted that consensus makes negotiations more demanding and may leave some delegations wondering if more progress could have been achieved. But members of the Committee know that the development of international law takes time, he said. What may seem like lack of progress or merely an incremental step may be evaluated in hindsight as a crucial moment for the positive development of international law.
He congratulated all delegations for the outcomes of the session and thanked them for their support and cooperation. He also expressed his gratitude to his colleagues in the Bureau and his great appreciation to the Director of the Codification Division, Huw Llewellyn, and his dedicated staff. He also noted that the work of the Committee was greatly facilitated by the interpreters, précis writers, conference officers, document officers, press officers and all technical personnel, to whom he expressed his thanks.
The representative of Uganda asked the Chair if the electronic survey was anonymous. He congratulated the Chair for successfully leading the Committee in their efforts and also for opening up the room. The ambience in this room is wonderful, he said.
Mr. MLYNÁR said that the survey is now electronic and anonymous.
The representative of Iran, speaking for the Non‑Aligned Movement, congratulated the Chair on the work of the Sixth Committee and thanked the members of the Bureau and the Secretariat. Despite all challenges, the Chair led the Committee successfully. He also thanked the press officers, translators and technical officers. He hoped to begin the next session in tranquillity and without any restriction on any Member State, he added.
The representative of Rwanda said that the Committee has been in good hands with the Chair, Bureau, Secretariat and interpreters. In other Committees there are poems at the end of the session, and he thought that colleagues such as Syria would recite a poem about the Host Country Committee. He also proposed a group photo.
The representative of Egypt, speaking for the African Group, thanked the Chair and the members of the Bureau, as well as the support staff and interpreters. As well, he thanked his colleagues for the constructive dialogues on the agenda items.