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3 December 1998

This morning, the President of the fifty-third session delivered a statement at the annual pledging conference for UNRWA. His statement is available as a press release in English and Spanish. The Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Peter Hansen also delivered a statement. Some copies are available on the side table. There were 27 other speakers. Both the President and Mr. Hansen emphasized the dire financial situation of UNRWA which provides essential services to some 3.5 million Palestinian refugees and needs US$ 322 million in 1999 to continue and in some cases reinstate services that had to be cut in view of shrinking contributions to the Agency. At today's conference some US$ 68.5 million were pledged, representing some 20 per cent of UNRWA's needs for the next year.

Also this morning, the plenary is holding open-ended informal consultations on item 30: United Nations reform: measures and proposals, concentrating on the preparations for the Millennium Assembly. It is a closed meeting.

This afternoon, the plenary will first consider item 18: Implementation of the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. The representative of the Syrian Arab Republic, in his capacity as the Rapporteur of the Special Committee of 24, will introduce the report of the Committee (A/53/23) and the representative of Cuba will introduce draft resolution A/53/L.58 on behalf of its 13 sponsors. This afternoon, the Assembly will also take up the reports of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee.

Tomorrow morning, the plenary will take up the reports of the First Committee.

Also tomorrow, in the afternoon, the Credentials Committee will hold a special meeting to examine the credentials of Cambodia.

The Fifth Committee will continue informal consultations today, with the morning, afternoon and evening meetings scheduled.