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10 NOVEMBER 1999

The General Assembly is taking action, this morning, on four items. At the time of the briefing, the Assembly was hearing the last of the 17 speakers inscribed, before voting on a draft resolution entitled "Bethlehem 2000" (A/54/L.20). Introduced by the Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, the draft would have the Assembly welcome the impending arrival of the global, historic celebration in Bethlehem of the birth of Jesus Christ and the onset of the third millennium as a symbol of the shared hope for peace among all peoples of the world. The Assembly would also call on the international community to accelerate assistance and engagement to ensure the success of the Bethlehem 2000 project.

[The resolution was subsequently adopted by consensus, with statements after the vote by Israel and the observer of Palestine.]

The Assembly is then expected to take note of a letter by the Secretary-General (A/54/531), informing it that, pending the completion of consultations for a successor to the current Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services, whose term of office expires on 14 November, he had requested Hans Corell, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, the Legal Counsel, to oversee the Office of Internal Oversight Services.

Also this morning, the Assembly is expected to adopt two resolutions. The text on implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development (A/54/L.16), to be introduced by Chile, emphasizes the need for revitalized economic and social development within a framework that places people at the centre of development and aims to meet human needs rapidly and more effectively. Much of the text deals with next June’s special session to review and appraise implementation of the recommendations of the 1995 World Social Summit, and the preparatory process.

By adopting a resolution on follow-up to the International Year of Older Persons: a society for all ages (A/54/L.6/Rev.1), to be introduced by the Dominican Republic, the Assembly will note with satisfaction the successful celebration of the Year and resolve to maintain the momentum created; urge Governments to take appropriate action to combat discrimination based on age; entrust the Commission for Social Development with revising the International Plan of Action on Ageing and elaborating a long-term strategy based on new developments since 1982; and request the Commission to adopt a recommendation on the desirability and feasibility of convening a second World Assembly on Ageing in 2002.

The Assembly President, Theo-Ben Gurirab, announced that the informal consultations on item 20, on strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance, will take place at 3 p.m. on Friday, 12 November, in Conference Room 9.

Tomorrow, the Assembly will hold a special meeting to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. There will be statements by the Assembly President, the Deputy Secretary-General, the Chairmen of the five regional groups and the United States as host country.

Immediately following the commemoration, a special event will be held in the General Assembly Hall. Chaired by the Assembly President, the participants will be: the Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund, Ms. Carol Bellamy; the Director of the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human rights, Mr. Bacre Waly Ndiaye; the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Mr. Olara Otunnu; the Acting Chair of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Ms. Marilia Sardenberg; and the President of the Economic and Social Council, Mr. Paolo Fulci. All are invited to attend.

Yesterday, as you know, the Assembly adopted a resolution on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba. The vote was 155 in favour to 2 against, with 8 abstentions. However, there was some confusion regarding the votes of the delegations of Cameroon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Saudi Arabia, which said they had voted in favour of the resolution but that this was not reflected in the tally. General Assembly Affairs has informed me that in such situations, the vote stands and that a footnote in the official record will reflect the statements by the delegations concerned.

At two meetings today, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) is continuing its discussion of human rights questions and situations. The discussion concludes on Thursday. The Committee will hear the introduction of a draft resolution on the rights of the child (A/C.3/54/L.49), and will take action on five texts: follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and full implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (A/C.3/54/L.54); preparations for the special session entitled "Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century" (A/C.3/54/L.55); measures to combat contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance (A/C.3/54/L.26); the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination and the convening of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (A/C.3/54/L.28/Rev.1); and torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (A/C.3/54/L.50).

This afternoon, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) takes up the item on the effects of atomic radiation. In the related report (A/54/46), the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation says it is aware of widespread concern about radiation exposures and the possible health consequences of earlier practices or events, such as the testing of nuclear weapons and the Chernobyl accident. It points out that everyone is exposed to radiation from natural background sources, and that when this is understood, useful perspective is gained in viewing exposures to man-made sources. The Committee says it is evaluating all such radiation exposures in detail and will publish, in 2000, a comprehensive review of radiation issues.

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) is continuing its section-by-section discussion of the proposed programme budget for 2000-2001, taking up sections 21 through 27, at two meetings today.

Regarding the appointments of Assembly President Theo-Ben Gurirab, he is presiding over this morning’s plenary meeting. Throughout the day, he will be meeting, separately, with the Chairmen of the Eastern European States, the Asian States and the Arab States, to discuss the Millennium Assembly/Summit as well as Security Council reform. At 3 p.m. today, the President will be in the UNCA Club to present certificates to three scholars of the Dag Hammarskjold Memorial Scholarship Fund. All UNCA members and donors are invited to attend.

Question: Yesterday was the third time that the Assembly adopted a resolution on the need to lift the embargo against Cuba. The representative of the United States said that the embargo would not be repealed. As an African, can the President of the General Assembly issue an appeal?

Answer: As a matter of fact, the Assembly has been adopting resolutions on this question since 1992. I will convey your question to the President.