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26 October 1998

This morning, the plenary first confirmed the nominations by the Economic and Social Council for new members of the Committee on Programme and Coordination. The new members are Benin and Egypt from the African Group; China, Japan and the Republic of Korea from the Group of Asian States; and Uruguay from the Latin American and Caribbean Group of States.Those countries thereby became members of CPC for a three-year term. The plenary will return to this item after the Economic and Social Council agrees on the two remaining nominations -- one from African and another from the Western European and Other States Group. With regard to the election of a member of the Joint Inspection Unit, the plenary was informed that the Asian Group endorsed the candidacy of Japan to fill this position. Japan will propose a candidate for appointment to the Joint Inspection Unit at a later date and the Assembly will take this issue again in due course.

The plenary then took up item 51 -- Elimination of coercive economic measures as a means of political and economic compulsion. The representative of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya introduced draft resolution A/53/L.7/ Rev.1. The Assembly then proceeded with the debate of this item, with 13 speakers inscribed to address the Assembly on this issue before the formal vote.

The Assembly is also scheduled to take action on three reports of the Fifth Committee, regarding administrative arrangements for the International Trade Centre; support account for peacekeeping operations and gratis personnel.

Finally, this morning, the President of the fifty-third session will announce the tentative schedule of the plenary until the end of the main part of the session, contained in document A/53/INF/3/Add.2.

Tomorrow morning, the plenary will take up the report of the International Court of Justice and consider the progress report of the Secretary-General on the Implementation of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development in Africa in the 1990s, including the measures and recommendations agreed upon at its mid-term review. There are speakers 13 inscribed so far to address the plenary on this item.

As regard the work of the main committees, the First Committee resumed this morning the consideration of items 60 through 80 of its agenda and relevant draft resolution. The Special Political and Decolonization Committee will resume this afternoon the consideration of the international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. After the adjournment of the formal meeting the Committee will be briefed on the Third UN Conference on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III), scheduled to take place in Vienna from 19 to 30 July 1999. The briefing will be given by Amb. Peter Jankowitch, Special Representative and National Coordinator for Austria for the Conference. The Second Committee began this morning with the introduction of the draft resolution the sustainable development and international economic cooperation, specifically on the renewal of the dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership, and then proceed to conclude the general discussion of the issue of environment and sustainable development. At the end of the morning and this afternoon it will also hold informal consultations on operational activities for development. Under the auspices of the Second Committee, there will be an informal presentation today by the Rector of United Nations University -- from 1:15 to 2:45 in Conference room 5. The Third Committee will continue this afternoon the consideration of the elimination of racism and racial discrimination and the right of peoples to self-determination. The Fifth Committee was scheduled to hold informal consultations this morning on the Development account, and this afternoon on the pattern of conferences -- following the formal meeting that is scheduled to consider three requests for exemption from the application of Article 19 of the Charter -- from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Iraq. The Sixth Committee is considering this morning the report of the International Law Commission on the work of its fiftieth session.