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15 DECEMBER 1999

At the start of this morning’s plenary meeting, the General Assembly paid tribute to the memory of the late President of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Franjo Tudjman, who passed away over the weekend. The Assembly observed a minute of silence in his memory. This was followed by tributes by the Chairmen of the regional groups --Cameroon, Bangladesh, Czech Republic, Saint Lucia and Luxembourg -- and the United States as host country. The representative of Croatia responded.

The Assembly then began taking action on draft resolutions dealing with the year 2000 computer problem; the Day of Vesak; strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance; cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; and the situation in Central America. The Assembly will also consider the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, most probably this afternoon, given the time.

As the morning meeting got under way, Lesotho introduced a draft resolution on global implications of the year 2000 date conversion problem of computers (A/54/L.61). After hearing seven speakers on the item, the Assembly adopted, by consensus, a text, as orally revised, in which it requested all Member States to continue their efforts to solve the Y2K problem before the roll-over date of 31 December 1999.

The Assembly then took action on a draft resolution on "International recognition of the Day of Vesak at United Nations Headquarters and other United Nations offices", (A/54/L.59), which was introduced by Sri Lanka. The Assembly resolved that, without cost to the United Nations, appropriate arrangements would be made for international observances of Vesak at UN Headquarters and other UN offices, in consultation with the relevant offices and with permanent missions wishing to be consulted. The Day of Vesak -- the day of the Full Moon in the month of May each year -- is the day most sacred to Buddhists who commemorate the birth of Buddha, his attainment of enlightenment and his passing away.

The Assembly is then expected to take action on seven draft resolutions on strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance, to be introduced by Finland, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Canada and Grenada.

The texts deal with safety and security of humanitarian personnel and protection of United Nations personnel (A/54/L.70); international assistance to and cooperation with the Alliance for the Sustainable Development of Central America (A/54/L.29/Rev.1); humanitarian assistance to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (A/54/L.66); economic assistance to the Eastern European States affected by the developments in the Balkans (A/54/L.67); assistance for humanitarian relief, rehabilitation and development for East Timor (A/54/L.68); emergency assistance to countries affected by hurricanes Jose and Lenny (A/54/L.69); and assistance to the Palestinian people (A/54/L.52).

On UN/OSCE cooperation, the Assembly will have before it a draft resolution (A/54/L.64) and an amendment proposed by Azerbaijan (A/54/L.65). By the draft text, the Assembly would encourage further efforts by the OSCE to foster security and stability in its region through early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation, as well as through the continued promotion of democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms. Other operative paragraphs commend, support or welcome OSCE activities in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Croatia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Central Asia. Azerbaijan’s amendment would have the Assembly fully support the activities of the OSCE to achieve a peaceful solution to the conflict in and around the Nagorny-Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Regarding the situation in Central America, the Assembly will have before it a draft resolution (A/54/L.24/Rev.1), having been informed by the Secretary-General that should it adopt the text, requirements of $187,700 would arise. In the text, the Assembly would commend the efforts of the peoples and the Governments of the Central American countries to re-establish peace and democracy throughout the region and promote sustainable development. It would welcome the progress achieved in implementing the Guatemala Peace Agreements, as well as the efforts of El Salvador to fulfil the commitments set forth in peace accords. The Assembly would request the Secretary-General and other bodies to continue to support and verify in Guatemala the implementation of all the peace agreements signed under United Nations auspices, and would also request him to continue to lend his full support to the initiatives and activities of the Central American Governments to consolidate peace and democracy.

The Assembly will also take action on draft resolution, "Q", on small arms, contained in the report of the First Committee on general and complete disarmament (A/54/563), having been informed by the Secretary-General that should it adopt the text on convening a United Nations conference on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in June/July 2001, it would cost $723,100, plus $448,900 for summary records (A/54/663).

When the Assembly takes up the item on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina this afternoon, it will have before it the comprehensive report of the Secretary-General on the fall of Srebrenica (A/54/549), including an assessment, on the events dating from the establishment of Srebrenica as a safe have area in April 1993 until the endorsement of the Peace Agreement by the Security Council on 15 December 1995. Under a draft resolution on the item (A/54/L.63/Rev.1), the Assembly would, among many provisions, welcome the adoption of the New York Declaration of 15 November 1999 in which the Joint Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina agreed to important steps for moving forward the process of fully implementing the Peace Agreement and demand its full implementation. The Assembly would insist upon the need to surrender all indictees to the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for trial, and would demand that all the parties fulfil their obligations to hand over to the Tribunal all indicted persons in territories under their control and to cooperate with its work.

At two meetings tomorrow, the Assembly will debate Security Council reform. So far, 65 delegations are inscribed on the list of speakers on agenda item 38, entitled "Question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters".

On Friday morning, the Assembly will consider the reports of the Third Committee. Assembly President Theo-Ben Gurirab just announced that on Friday afternoon, the Assembly will take action on a draft resolution on the return and restitution of cultural property to the countries of origin (A/54/L.24/Rev.1), and one on assistance in mine action (A/54/L.71). The Assembly will also consider two items: the situation of democracy and human rights in Haiti, and observer status for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in the General Assembly.

This afternoon, the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) will take action on a draft resolution on international trade and development (A/C.2/54/L.36/Rev.1).

Among a long list of items on the Fifth Committee’s (Administrative and Budgetary) agenda this morning, it is taking action on a draft resolution dealing with the financing of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (A/C.5/54/L.18). By the text, the Assembly would appropriate $427,061,800 gross for the establishment and maintenance of the Mission for the period from 10 June 1999 to 30 June 2000, and would apportion $302,061,800 gross among Member States. The Committee is beginning general discussion on the financing of the peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone and East Timor. It is also taking action on a draft resolution dealing with the reporting procedures, functions, investigations and operational independence of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (A/C.5/54/L.17). Additionally, the Committee is taking action on draft decisions relating to the peacekeeping assessments of the three newest Member States, Kiribati, Nauru and Tonga (A/C.5/54/L.20-L.22).

As to the appointments of Assembly President Theo-Ben Gurirab, this morning he met with the Ambassadors of the succeeding States of the former Yugoslavia, before presiding over the plenary. He will attend a luncheon hosted by Ambassador Joseph Verner Reed in honour of Mr. David Rockefeller. This evening, he will attend a dinner and a special evening with Dr. Billy Graham at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

Question: What is the status of the draft resolution by the former Yugoslav States? Was the meeting the President held with the Ambassador about that?

Answer: The President will inform the Assembly that draft resolution A/54/L.62 is postponed to a future date. That draft deals with the equality of all five successor States to the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. And yes, I believe the meeting this morning was about that subject. The President has met with those delegations on several occasions.

Question: When will the programme budget for the biennium 2000-2001 move from the Fifth Committee to the General Assembly?

Answer: Your guess is as good as mine. I have no idea.

Question: Who are the co-sponsors of the draft resolution on the return or restitution of cultural property to the countries of origin?

Answer: I don’t have the draft with me, but I’ll give you that information later. [The co-sponsors of A/54/L47/Rev.1, which was introduced by Greece on 7 December, are: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chad, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Gabon, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Hungary, Lebanon, Malawi, Mali, Mongolia, Republic of Korea and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.]