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12 NOVEMBER 1999

At its next meeting, on Monday, the General Assembly will take up the item on cooperation between the United Nations and the International Organization of la Francophonie. It will have before it the report of the Secretary-General on the subject (A/54/397), as well as a draft resolution (A/54/L.25). The Assembly will also take action on a draft text on the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (A/54/L.21/Rev.1).

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) completed its work yesterday, after approving, by consensus, a draft resolution on the question of Antarctica (A/C.1/54/L.58). The Assembly will take action on some 22 reports of the Committee on 1 December.

At two meetings today, the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) is discussing trade and development issues. A draft decision on the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development (A/C.2/54/L.31) was introduced, as were five draft resolutions dealing with: the Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa (A/C.2/54/L.27); successor arrangements to the International Decade of Natural Disaster Reduction (A/C.2/54/L.28); international cooperation to reduce the impact of the El Nino phenomenon (A/C.2/54/L.29); the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (A/C.2/54/L.30); and permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources (A/C.2/54/L.32).

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) is holding a dialogue with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Mrs. Sadako Ogata, as it takes up her report, and questions relating to refugees, returnees and displaced persons and humanitarian questions. In her statement this morning, Mrs. Ogata said this has been a year charged with fresh conflicts and grave refugee crises. Civilians in many parts of the world continue to be forced to flee, mostly by internal wars. As the world has seen in places as diverse as Kosovo, East Timor, Sierra Leone and the Great Lakes region of Africa, the root causes of conflict and displacement very often lie in the failure to give recognition to the aspirations and rights of ethnic minorities, or various social groups. Copies of her statement are available at the documents counter.

Debate on refugee questions continues this afternoon and next week. I have been told that there will be one omnibus draft resolution on this item, to be submitted by Denmark.

This morning, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) is discussing the programme budget for the 1998-1999 biennium, the proposed 2000-2001 programme budget and administrative expenses of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund.

The Sixth Committee (Legal), this morning, is discussing two items: the United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Study, Teaching, Dissemination and Wide Appreciation of International Law (A/54/515); and the convention on jurisdictional immunities of States and their property. It was also expected to vote on a draft resolution on implementation of the provisions of the Charter related to assistance to third States affected by the application of sanctions (A/C.6/54/L.3/Rev.1). That text would have the Assembly renew its invitation to the Security Council to consider establishing further mechanisms or procedures for consultations with third States which are or may be confronted with special economic problems arising from the carrying out preventive or enforcement measures imposed by the Council under Chapter VII of the Charter, with regard to a solution to those problems.

This afternoon, the Committee takes up the item on the elimination of international terrorism. Among the documents is the report of the Working Group on the subject (A/C.6/54/L.2), which contains a draft international convention for the suppression of the financing of terrorism that is being recommended to the Assembly for its adoption.

Regarding the appointments of Assembly President Theo-Ben Gurirab, he held separate meetings this morning with the Chairmen of the Western European and other States and the African States, in the ongoing discussions of the Millennium Assembly/Summit and Security Council reform. He also met with Mr. Hedi Annabi, Assistant Secretary-General for Operations in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. This evening, the President will attend an Ambassadors’ Ball, hosted by the Hospitality Committee of the United Nations. The President departs, tomorrow, for Recife, Brazil, to address the Third Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa.

Looking ahead to next week: on Tuesday, the Assembly takes up the item on the University for Peace. It holds a commemorative meeting on 17 November to mark the end of the United Nations Decade of International Law. On 18 November, the Assembly will discuss the situation in Central America and assistance in mine action. On Friday, it takes up the item on strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance.

On Monday, the Second Committee will discuss the sub-item on financing for development, including net transfer of resources between developing and developed countries. The Third Committee continues its general discussion, begun today, on the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and refugee and related questions. The Committee concludes its work on Friday.

The Fourth Committee will be discussing questions relating to information on the afternoon of Tuesday, 16 November. Also on Tuesday, 16 November, the Fifth Committee takes up the financing of the International Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda. The Sixth Committee concludes its work next week.

On 18 and 19 November, the Fourth Annual World Television Forum, organized by the Department of Public Information, will take place at Headquarters. The focus of the Forum will be the impact of television programming on peace and development. The Assembly President will address the opening meeting.