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18 NOVEMBER 1999

The General Assembly this morning heard 16 speakers as it considered the situation in Central America, as well as the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala. After hearing statements, the Assembly is expected to adopt a resolution on the University for Peace, based in Costa Rica. However, it will postpone action on two drafts relating to Central America to allow time for the review of their programme budget implications.

By the draft resolution on Central America (A/54/L.24/Rev.1), which was introduced by Colombia, the Assembly would commend the efforts of the peoples and the Governments of the countries in the region to re-establish peace and democracy and promote sustainable development; recognize the need to continue to follow closely the situation there in order to support national and regional efforts to overcome the underlying causes that have led to armed conflicts, avoid setbacks and consolidate peace and democratization in the area; welcome the progress made by Guatemala and El Salvador in implementing their respective peace accords; and would encourage Central American Governments to continue to carry out their historic responsibilities by fully implementing the commitments which they had assumed under various agreements. The Secretary-General’s report on the item is A/54/311.

Under the draft resolution on MINUGUA (A/54/L.27), introduced by Mexico, the Assembly would authorize the renewal of the mandate of the Mission from 1 January to 31 December 2000; underscore that key reforms remain outstanding in Guatemala, including the fiscal, judicial, military and electoral reforms; and would stress the critical importance of continued compliance with the peace agreements in 2000. Further, the Assembly would encourage all sectors of Guatemalan society to continue efforts to achieve the goals of the peace agreements, in particular the observance of human rights, including the rights of indigenous peoples, equitable development, participation and national reconciliation. The Secretary-General’s report on MINUGUA is A/54/355.

By adopting draft resolution A/54/L.30, to be introduced by Costa Rica, on the University for Peace, the Assembly will request the Secretary-General to consider using the services of the University in his conflict-resolution and peace-building efforts, and invite Member States to accede to the Agreement establishing the University, thereby demonstrating their support for an educational institution devoted to the promotion of a universal culture of peace. The Secretary-General’s report is A/54/312.

This afternoon, the Assembly will take up the item on assistance in mine action, with 21 speakers inscribed. The report of the Secretary-General (A/54/445) provides information on the activities of the United Nations system and other organizations doing similar work in mine action. Mine action programmes in afflicted countries such as Afghanistan, Angola, Cambodia and Croatia are cited, as are very recent activities now being undertaken in Chad, Kosovo, Nicaragua and Somalia.

Tomorrow, the Assembly takes up agenda item 20, on strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance.

At a morning meeting, the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) is hearing the introduction of seven draft resolutions on financing for development (A/C.2/54/L.38), trade and development (A/C.2/54/L.36, L.37, L.40), business and development (A/C.2/54/L.34, L.35) and implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the 1990s (A/C.2/54/L.39). The Committee is also taking action on three texts: one on the report of the Economic and Social Council (A/C.2/54/L.24), and two on preparations for the special session of the General Assembly for an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of the Habitat Agenda (A/C.2/54/L.12 and L.33).

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural), at two meetings today, is taking action on 14 draft texts, and hearing the introduction of nine others, relating to women, refugees, human rights questions and situations.

As you know, yesterday afternoon the Committee Chairman told delegations that he had been informed by sponsors of draft resolution A/C.3/54/L.8/Rev.1, question of the death penalty, and by sponsors of the amendments thereto, that they did not intend to pursue their initiatives at the fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly. The Committee then decided not to consider the text.

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) will conclude debate this afternoon on questions relating to information, and take action on the draft texts contained in the report of the Committee on Information (A/54/21 and Add.1) on information in the service of humanity, United Nations public information policies and activities, and increase in the membership of the Committee on Information to 95.

This morning, the Sixth Committee (Legal) is voting on draft texts dealing with the report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country (A/C.6/54/L.17), review of the Statute of the United Nations Administrative Tribunal (A/C.6/54/L.20), nationality of natural persons in relation to the succession of States (A/C.6/54/L.6) and the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (A/C.6/54/L.16).

I was asked yesterday about the work of the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary). The Committee will meet tomorrow to consider the item on human resources management. In early December, it will take up the financing of the UN missions in Kosovo and Sierra Leone. A document expected out shortly, A/C.5/54/L.1/Rev.1, will outline the rest of the Committee’s work programme. Two priorities are the approval of the proposed programme budget for the 2000-2001 biennium and of the scale of assessments for apportioning the expenses of the Organization.

This morning, Assembly President Theo-Ben Gurirab addressed the opening of the Fourth Annual World Television Forum, the theme of which is the impact of television on peace and development. The President told the participants that, for the vast majority of the world’s population living in abject poverty, even the thought of owning a television set bordered virtually on madness. Given this reality, how could television programming positively and continuously impact on war, peace and development in places where there was no television? he asked. The best television programming in the world could not impact on people who would never see it. Television programming would not mean much, if the people who needed them the most lacked the necessary equipment and logistics. One television set per village, together with the programming to instruct and train the people, could work miracles. Advanced media enterprises could, in conjunction with Governments and local authorities, help people acquire the know-how and experience to be contributors to their societies. Copies of this statement are available in room 378.

The President then chaired the meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee of the General Assembly for the Announcement of Voluntary Contributions to the year 2000 Programmes of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Observing that next year will mark UNHCR’s fiftieth anniversary, he said it was a sobering thought that an organization created in the wake of the Second World War for a mandate that was initially intended to be of limited duration, should now need close to $1 billion for basic protection and assistance to refugees and others of concern, who now numbered well over 20 million worldwide. Such needs could only be met through concerted efforts. For the year 2000, he said, UNHCR would require some $933 million in order to meet minimum standards of protection and assistance. The contributions of Member States would help create a solid financial base for these activities, and demonstrate solidarity with efforts to assist victims of persecution and violence worldwide. Copies of this statement are also available in room 378.

This afternoon, the President meets with the Permanent Representatives of Egypt and Lebanon and the Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States, known as the Troika; with representatives of Haiti, Argentina and Canada concerning Haiti; with the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation; and with the President of the Council of Presidents of the General Assembly, Ambassador Samir Shihabi, who presided over the forty-sixth session.

Question: The President of the General Assembly has been talking this morning about the need for television sets and programming for the developing world. Is this an issue he will discuss with the Secretary-General or is it all just talk?

Answer: Once again, Serge, I will draw your question to the President’s attention. As Fred just informed you, the Secretary-General is presently in Istanbul for the OSCE conference. However, I’m sure that the issue the President addressed is among many that he discusses with the Secretary-General.

Question: When is the General Assembly expected to conclude.

Answer: The tentative date is 14 December, but I’m not sure we’ll meet that deadline.