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24 November 1998

This morning, the plenary authorized the open-ended working group on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters to meet during the main part of the fifty-third session. It then began discussion of item 38: Oceans and the law of the sea. Two reports of the Secretary-General are before the Assembly, as well as two draft resolutions, which were introduced by Finland (A/53/L.35) and the United States (A/53/L.45). There are 28 other speakers inscribed to address the Assembly on this item. This afternoon, the Assembly is scheduled resume consideration of the United Nations reform. Nineteen speakers still remain to be heard by the Assembly on this issue.

Tomorrow, the plenary will meet in the morning and first take up item 32 -- Zone of peace and cooperation in the South Atlantic. There will be a report of the Secretary-General on this item before the Assembly, and a draft resolution A/53/L.41. The Assembly will also jointly take up items 58 and 60, that is Strengthening of the United Nations system (there is a report of the Secretary-General on this issue A/53/170), as well as item 60: Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly.

As for the work of the main committees, the Second Committee was scheduled to take action this morning on a series of draft resolutions before it, including one on the report of the Economic and Social Council; two on sectoral policy questions; five on sustainable development and international economic cooperation; and one on training and research. The Committee was also briefed this morning by the Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change on the results of the fourth conference of Parties to the Convention recently held in Buenos Aires. The rest of the day, the Second Committee will hold informal consultations on a series of draft resolutions before it. The Fifth Committee is scheduled to complete this morning the general debate on the financing of International Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, and begin the general debate on the application of the Interim Commission for the WTO/GATT withdrawal from the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund. Late in the morning and this afternoon, the Committee will hold informal consultations on several issues before it. The Sixth Committee is expected to take action this afternoon on the remaining three draft resolutions before it, on the measures to eliminate international terrorism, Convention on jurisdictional immunities of States and their property and on the creation of an international criminal court, and thereby complete its work at the current session.