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3 DECEMBER 1999

Today is the International Day of Disabled Persons, proclaimed by the General Assembly in 1982 to raise awareness and improve the situation of persons with disabilities and provide them with equal opportunities. The theme of this year’s observance is "Accessibility for all in the new Millennium".

In a message to mark the International Day, the President of the General Assembly, Dr. Theo-Ben Gurirab, said that accessibility issues affect all of us, and are essential to the full and effective exercise of the political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights that are enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and various international human rights instruments. The collective efforts of the international community should be focused on raising awareness and promoting greater understanding of the practical development needs of persons with disabilities, he said, adding: "Let us seize the opportunity of this observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons to reaffirm our resolve to build truly accessible, caring and inclusive societies for all in the new millennium". Copies of the message are available in room 378.

This afternoon, the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) will take action on six draft resolutions, dealing with the Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa; implementation of the commitments and policies agreed upon in the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, and the implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade; implementation of the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II); report of the Commission on Human Settlements; report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme; and implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa.

This morning, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) is considering, in connection with the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2000-2001, the financial implications of four draft resolutions. One report (A/C.5/54/32) indicates that renewal of the mandate for the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala, from 1 January to 31 December 2000 (A/54/L.27) would cost $27,694,300; another report (A/C.5/54/34) states that adoption of the draft on the situation in Central America (A/54/L.24/Rev.1), which calls for United Nations support to various Central American peace initiatives, would entail requirements of $187,700; a third report (A/C.5/54/35) points out that for the International Law Commission to hold its next session at Geneva, in May/June and July/August (A/C.6/54/L.7/Rev.1), it would cost an additional $105,200; and a fourth report (A/C.5/54/31) indicates that preparations for, and convening of, a United Nations conference on illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in June/July 2001 (A/C.1/54/L.42/Rev.1) would require an additional $723,100.

The Credentials Committee is holding its second, closed, meeting this afternoon, to consider the remaining credentials of delegations to the fifty-fourth session, received since October. On 25 October, the Assembly approved the credentials of 133 Member States. (The nine members of the Credentials Committee are: Austria, Bolivia, China, Philippines, Russian Federation, South Africa, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States.)

The next plenary meeting will be Monday morning, 6 December, when the General Assembly will take up three sub-items under item 8, adoption of the agenda and allocation of items. It will consider the third report of the General Committee (A/54/250/Add.2), containing a recommendation to include, in the current agenda, an additional item entitled "International recognition of the Day of Vesak". The Assembly will consider two notes by the Secretary-General (A/54/236), the first one requesting the inclusion of an additional item entitled "Financing of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor", the second one (A/54/624) informing the Assembly of the need to reopen agenda item 15 (c), in order to elect a member to serve the remainder of the term of Judge Stephen Schwebel, President of the International Court of Justice, who has resigned effective 29 February 2000.

Also on Monday morning, the Assembly will take up the item on cooperation between the United Nations and the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (A/54/L.48) and the item on multilingualism (A/54/478, A/54/L.37). On Monday afternoon, it will take action on various reports of the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) (A/54/573-584).

Looking ahead to the rest of next week: on Tuesday, 7 December, the Assembly will take up the item on the return or restitution of cultural property to the countries of origin. On Wednesday, 8 December, it will consider the item entitled "Causes of conflict and promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa". On Thursday, 9 December, it is scheduled to take up the item on the global implications of the year 2000 date conversation problem of computers. On Friday, 10 December, Human Rights Day, the Assembly will take up the item on dialogue among civilizations. It will also consider two items on Afghanistan -- emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan; and the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security. The Second and Fifth Committees will continue their work.

This morning, the Assembly President met with the Permanent Representative of China, Ambassador Qin Huasun, to discuss the President’s trip to Macao to witness the joint hand-over ceremony of the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Portugal.

Question: When will the General Assembly recess?

Answer: The tentative date is 14 December.