Office of Legal Affairs Codification Division

The fourth session of the Ad Hoc Committee established by the General Assembly by its resolution 51/210 of 17 December 1996 was convened in accordance with paragraphs 12 and 13 of Assembly resolution 54/110 of 9 December 1999. The Committee met at Headquarters from 14 to 18 February 2000.

In accordance with paragraph 9 of General Assembly resolution 51/210, the Ad Hoc Committee was open to all States Members of the United Nations or members of specialized agencies or of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

On behalf of the Secretary-General, the Director of the Codification Division, Mr. Vaclav Mikulka, opened the fourth sesson of the Ad Hoc Committee.

At its 12 meeting, on 14 February, the Committee elected Mr. Rohan Perera (Sri Lanka) as Chairman. It was also generally agreed that the other members of the Bureau would remain the same as at the previous session, with the exception of one Vice-Chairperson and the Rapporteur. The Bureau was thus constituted as follows:

Chairman:

Mr. Rohan Perera (Sri Lanka)

Vice-Chairpersons:

Mr. Carlos Fernando Diaz Paniagua (Costa Rica)
Mr. Mohammed Mahmoud Gomaa (Egypt)
Ms. Cate Steains (Australia)

Rapporteur:

Mr. Ivo Janda (Czech Republic)

Mr. Vaclav Mikulka acted as Secretary of the Ad Hoc Committee, assisted by Ms. Sachiko Kuwabara-Yamamoto (Deputy Secretary).

At the same meeting, the Ad Hoc Committee adopted the following agenda (document A/AC.252/L.8):

1. Opening of the session.

2. Election of officers.

3. Adoption of the agenda.

4. Organization of work.

5. Consideration of the relevant questions referred to in paragraphs 12 and 13 of General Assembly resolution 54/110 of 9 December 1999,¹ in accordance with the mandate of the Ad Hoc Committee as set out in that resolution.

6. Adoption of the Report

The Ad Hoc Committee had before it the revised text of a draft international convention for the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism proposed by the Friends of the Chairman (A/C.6/53/L.4, annex I)

At its 17th and 18th meetings on 18 February, the Ad Hoc Committee adopted the report of its fourth session (A/55/37 - forthcoming). 

"12. Decides that the Ad Hoc Committee established by General Assembly resolution 51/210 of 17 December 1996 shall continue to elaborate a draft international convention for the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism with a view to completing the instrument, shall address means of further developing a comprehensive legal framework of conventions dealing with international terrorism, including considering the elaboration of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism, and shall address the question of convening a high-level conference under the auspices of the United Nations to formulate a joint organized response of the international community to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations;

13. Decides also that the Ad Hoc Committee shall meet from 14 to 18 February 2000, devoting appropriate time to the consideration of the outstanding issues relating to the elaboration of a draft international convention for the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism, and that it shall address the question of convening a high-level conference under the auspices of the United Nations to formulate a joint organized response of the international community to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and that the work shall continue, including beginning consideration with a view to the elaboration of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism within a comprehensive legal framework of conventions dealing with international terrorism, during the fifty-fifth session of the General Assembly from 25 September to 6 October 2000, within the framework of a working group of the Sixth Committee, and that the Ad Hoc Committee shall be convened in 2001 to continue its work;"

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