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18 October 1999

The next plenary meeting will be on Wednesday, 20 October, when the Assembly takes up the report of the Security Council (A/54/2). So far, there are 37 speakers inscribed on the list.

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) will hear 11 speakers this afternoon, including Australia, in its capacity as President of the Conference on Disarmament, and Sri Lanka, in its capacity as Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean, as it continues its general debate on all disarmament and international security agenda items. That debate concludes on Wednesday.

Also this afternoon, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) continues its discussion, begun on Friday, of crime prevention and criminal justice, and international drug control. It has before it draft resolutions, recommended by the Economic and Social Council on: the Tenth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (Vienna, 10-17 April 2000) (A/C.3/54/L.3); a “Draft United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the draft protocols thereto” (A/C.3/54/L.4); activities of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of a Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (A/C.3/54/L.5); on action against corruption (A/C.3/54/L.6); and a draft resolution containing an “Action Plan for the Implementation of the Declaration on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction (A/C.3/54/L.7). The Action Plan sets out 16 objectives to guide Member States in implementing the Declaration.

A draft resolution on implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons: towards a society for all in the twenty-first century (A/C.3/54/L.9) will be introduced. Among its provisions, the Assembly would encourage Governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to take concrete measures to further equalize opportunities for persons with disabilities by focusing on accessibility, social services and safety nets, and training and employment in the design and implementation of strategies, policies and programmes to promote a more inclusive society.

As for the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), this morning it began a comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects. It has before it the report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (A/54/87) and one by the Secretary-General on enhancement of African peacekeeping capacity (A/54/63-S/1999/171), as well as a five-Power draft resolution (A/C.4/54/L.2). Opening the discussion, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Bernard Miyet, said recent events had dramatically reaffirmed the central role of United Nations peacekeeping within the international community’s wider efforts to advance peace. There were now 18 peacekeeping operations under way. Approximately 14,000 troops, military observers and civilian police were serving in the field. They were taking on new, often unprecedented tasks. Depending upon the decisions of the international community, he said the deployment of 6,000 peacekeepers in Sierra Leone, of 9,000 to 10,000 troops and civilian police in East Timor and of hundreds of civilian administrators could mean that the total number of peacekeepers would more than double within the next six months. These new operations would draw upon many skills that had not traditionally formed part of peacekeeping operations, including judges and prosecutors, civil engineers and civilian administrators.

Concluding, Mr. Miyet said that as we prepare to enter a new millennium, it was clear that United Nations peacekeeping would continue to be a key element in the international community’s efforts to maintain peace and security. “A strong partnership between the Secretariat and Member States is key, if we are to successfully seize this opportunity. This partnership is crucial to ensuring that mandates are feasible, consistent and fully supported”.

The Special Committee says in its report that peacekeeping operations should not used as a substitute for addressing the root causes of conflict. Rather, those causes should be addressed in a coherent, well-planned, coordinated manner with political, social and developmental instruments. It calls for improved consultations between troop-contributing countries and the Security Council, and recommends measures for enhancing the capacity of the United Nations for peacekeeping in such areas as personnel; organization, planning and coordination; status-of-forces agreements; safety and security of United Nations and associated personnel; training; civilian police; standby arrangements and rapid deployment. The report also comments on cooperation with regional arrangements, and recommends ways to improve the Special Committee’s relationship with the General Assembly.

On enhancing African peacekeeping capacity, the Secretary-General reports that current efforts included close cooperation with the Organization of African Unity and subregional organizations. In addition, the United Nations standby arrangements system had proved to be a useful tool to coordinate needs and resources and facilitate the establishment of partnerships between troop contributors and those countries that provide equipment and other support. The Secretary-General observes that further progress in enhancing African peacekeeping capacity is only possible with the determination of the African States themselves, but adds that support from non-African Member States will continue to play a crucial role. The political will that has been manifested should now be translated into practical action, he says. This would require a readiness to share information and expertise; the strengthening of ongoing political support, which might include support for deployment, when appropriate, of United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa; the strengthening of training for peacekeeping; and the allocation of adequate logistical and financial resources.

Under the draft resolution, the Assembly would endorse the proposals, recommendations and conclusions of the Special Committee, contained in paragraphs 43 to 130 of its report, and would urge their implementation by Member States, the Secretariat and relevant organs of the United Nations.

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) is scheduled, this afternoon, to discuss the pattern of conferences and the scale of assessments for apportioning the expenses of the United Nations. The report of the Committee on Conferences (A/54/32) contains recommendations about the calendar of meetings for 2000-2001, the utilization of conference-servicing resources, documentation, UN Web sites and the optical disk system. It also comments on the various reports prepared by the Secretary-General on the interpretation facilities and services at other United Nations headquarters.

In its report (A/54/11), the Committee on Contributions discusses, in depth, the application of Article 19 of the Charter, under which Member States’ voting privileges are suspended in the General Assembly for non-payment of arrears. Among related topics the Committee is studying are: the possibilities for tightening the application of Article 19; the possible indexing of arrears; and restricting access for Member States in arrears to recruitment and procurement opportunities offered by the Organization.

At two meetings today, the Sixth Committee (Legal) is discussing the Secretary-General’s report on the 1990-1999 United Nations Decade of International Law. An all-day commemorative meeting to mark the conclusion of the Decade will be held on Wednesday, 17 November. Much of the report (A/54/362) is an analytical presentation of information received from Member States and international organizations on activities they have undertaken in connection with the Decade. The report also outlines United Nations activities relating to the progressive development of international law and its codification in the areas of human rights, disarmament, outer space, economic development, international trade, crime prevention and criminal justice, the environment and the law of the sea, as well as the work of United Nations intergovernmental legal bodies. On Wednesday, 20 October, the Committee turns its attention to the item on the establishment of an international criminal court.

As for the appointments of Assembly President Theo-Ben Gurirab, this morning he signed the book of condolence at the Permanent Mission of the United Republic of Tanzania to the United Nations, in memory of the late President Julius K. Nyerere who died on 14 October.