Office of the President of the Millennium Assembly
55th session of the United Nations General Assembly
 
 
 

Statement by
H.E. MR. HARRI HOLKERI
President of the General Assembly

To the Fifth Committee
7 December 2000, 7.30 pm.

I met with some of you this past Friday and expressed my concern about the lack of progress in the scale of negotiations in the light of the imminent recess of the General assembly.

I also paid a visit to the Fifths Committee informals this afternoon to reiterate this concern and to call upon the Committee to redouble its efforts towards substantive negotiated agreement - by consensus. After this afternoon's meeting I sent a note containing my remarks to the Committee to all Permanent Representatives.

Even though some progress has been made, the issue remains unresolved. And even if the question is highly technical and involves fiscal resources of Member Governments, the solution, in the end, will have to be political. Time is of essence as this last week of the main session is about to enter its midpoint.

In reaching such agreement, we all must be guided by the interest of the United Nations. Because if we fail, the Organization will face serious consequences. I again plead to you to make every possible effort to come up with a consensus outcome. We must come to an agreement so as to allow the Organization to go about its business.

I wholeheartedly join the appeal of the Secretary-General.