UNIFIL – Fifth Committee report (Part II)

FINANCING OF THE UNITED NATIONS PEACE-KEEPING FORCES IN THE

MIDDLE EAST:  UNITED NATIONS INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON

Report of the Fifth Committee (Part II)

Rapporteur:  Mr. Peter MADDENS (Belgium)

I.  INTRODUCTION

1. The previous recommendation made by the Fifth Committee to the General Assembly under agenda item 122 (b) appears in the report of the Committee contained in document A/50/824.

2. The Fifth Committee resumed its consideration of the item at its 56th, 64th and resumed 64th meetings, on 6 and 31 May and 3 June 1996.  Statements and observations made in the course of the Committee's consideration of the item are reflected in the relevant summary records (A/C.5/50/SR.56 and 64).

3. For its consideration of the item, the Committee had before it the report of the Secretary-General (A/50/543/Add.1) and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (A/50/694/Add.1).

II.  CONSIDERATION OF DRAFT RESOLUTION A/C.5/50/L.67

4. At the 64th meeting, on 31 May, the representative of Latvia reported on the results of the informal consultations on a draft resolution entitled "Financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon".

5. At the same meeting, the representative of Lebanon introduced a draft resolution entitled "Financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon" (A/C.5/50/L.67), in which operative paragraph 7 was contained in brackets and read:

"[7. Also requests the Secretary-General to include in his next report on the financing of the Force a full evaluation of damages resulting from the incident that occurred at the headquarters of the Force in Qana on 18 April 1996 and the costs thereof]".

6. At the resumed 64th meeting, on 3 June, the Chairman of the Committee made a statement and announced that a separate vote has been requested on operative paragraph 7 of the draft resolution.

7. At the same meeting, the Committee adopted operative paragraph 7 by a recorded vote of 82 to 2, with 2 abstentions.  The voting was as follows:

In favour: Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Zimbabwe.

Against: Israel, United States of America.

Abstaining: Chile, Republic of Korea.

8. Also at the same meeting, the representative of Israel made a statement in explanation of position before the vote (see A/C.5/50/SR.64).

9. At the same meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.5/50/L.67 as a whole, by a recorded vote of 85 to 3, with 1 abstention (see para. 11).  The voting was as follows:

In favour: Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Zimbabwe.

Against: Israel, Syrian Arab Republic, United States of America.

Abstaining: Islamic Republic of Iran.

10. Statements in explanation of position were made by the representatives of the Syrian Arab Republic, Lebanon, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tunisia and the Russian Federation (see A/C.5/50/SR.64).

III.  RECOMMENDATION OF THE FIFTH COMMITTEE

11. The Fifth Committee recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the following draft resolution:

Financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

The General Assembly,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, 1/ and the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, 2/

Bearing in mind Security Council resolution 425 (1978) of 19 March 1978, by which the Council established the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, and the subsequent resolutions by which the Council extended the mandate of the Force, the latest of which was resolution 1039 (1996) of 29 January 1996,

Recalling its resolution S-8/2 of 21 April 1978 on the financing of the Force and its subsequent resolutions and decisions thereon, the latest of which was resolution 50/89 of 19 December 1995,

Reaffirming that the costs of the Force are expenses of the Organization to be borne by Member States in accordance with Article 17, paragraph 2, of the Charter of the United Nations,

Recalling its previous decisions regarding the fact that, in order to meet the expenditures caused by the Force, a different procedure is required from that applied to meet expenditures of the regular budget of the United Nations,

Taking into account the fact that the economically more developed countries are in a position to make relatively larger contributions and that the economically less developed countries have a relatively limited capacity to contribute towards such an operation,

Bearing in mind the special responsibilities of the States permanent members of the Security Council, as indicated in General Assembly resolution 1874 (S-IV) of 27 June 1963, in the financing of such operations,

Mindful of the fact that it is essential to provide the Force with the necessary financial resources to enable it to fulfil its responsibilities under the relevant resolutions of the Security Council,

Recalling its resolution 34/9 E of 17 December 1979 and the subsequent resolutions in which it decided that the provisions of regulations 5.2 (b), 5.2 (d), 4.3 and 4.4 of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations should be suspended, the latest of which was resolution 49/226,

Concerned that the Secretary-General continues to face difficulties in meeting the obligations of the Force on a current basis, including reimbursement to current and former troop-contributing States,

Concerned also that the surplus balances in the Special Account for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon have been used up for meeting expenses of the Force in order to compensate for the lack of income resulting from non-payment and late payment by Member States of their contributions and have consequently been exhausted,

1. Notes the status of contributions to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon as at 21 May 1996, including the contributions unpaid in the amount of 204.4 million United States dollars, representing 8 per cent of the total assessed contributions from the inception of the Force to the period ending 30 April 1996, also notes that some 17.2 per cent of the Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full, and urges all other Member States concerned, in particular those in arrears, to ensure the payment of their outstanding assessed contributions;

2. Expresses concern about the financial situation with regard to peace-keeping activities, in particular as regards the reimbursement of troop contributors, which bear burdens owing to overdue payments by Member States of their assessments;

3. Expresses its appreciation to those Member States which have paid their assessed contributions in full;

4. Urges all other Member States to make every possible effort to ensure payment of their assessed contributions to the Force in full and on time;

5. Endorses the observations and recommendations contained in the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions; 5/

6. Requests the Secretary-General to take all necessary action to ensure that the Force is administered with a maximum of efficiency and economy;

7. Also requests the Secretary-General to include in his next report on the financing of the Force a full evaluation of damages resulting from the incident that occurred at the headquarters of the Force in Qana on 18 April 1996 and the costs thereof;

8. Decides to appropriate to the Special Account for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon the amount of 53,874,000 dollars gross (52,448,000 dollars net) authorized by the General Assembly in paragraph 7 of its resolution 50/89 for the period from 1 February to 30 June 1996;

9. Decides also, as an ad hoc arrangement, taking into account the amount of 32,324,400 dollars gross (31,468,800 dollars net) already apportioned in accordance with General Assembly resolution 50/89, to apportion an additional amount of 21,549,600 dollars gross (20,979,200 dollars net) for the period from 1 May to 30 June 1996 among Member States, in accordance with the composition of groups set out in paragraphs 3 and 4 of General Assembly resolution 43/232 of 1 March 1989, as adjusted by Assembly resolutions 44/192 B of 21 December 1989, 45/269 of 27 August 1991, 46/198 A of 20 December 1991, 47/218 A of 23 December 1992, 49/249 A of 20 July 1995, 49/249 B of 14 September 1995 and 50/224 of 11 April 1996 and its decisions 48/472 A of 23 December 1993 and 50/451 B of 23 December 1995, and taking into account the scale of assessments for the years 1996 and 1997, as set out in its resolution 49/19 B of 23 December 1994 and decision 50/471 A of 23 December 1995;

10. Decides further that, in accordance with the provisions of its resolution 973 (X) of 15 December 1955, there shall be set off against the apportionment among Member States, as provided for in paragraph 9 above, their respective share in the Tax Equalization Fund of the estimated staff assessment income of 567,200 dollars approved for the period from 1 May to 30 June 1996;

11. Decides that there shall be set off against the apportionment among Member States, as provided for in paragraph 9 above, their respective share in the estimated income of 3,200 dollars other than staff assessment income for the period from 1 May to 30 June 1996;

12. Decides also to appropriate to the Special Account for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon an amount of 125,722,800 dollars gross (122,665,800 dollars net) for the maintenance of the Force for the period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997, inclusive of the amount of 2,965,800 dollars for the support account for peace-keeping operations, to be assessed on Member States at a monthly rate of 10,476,900 dollars gross (10,222,150 dollars net) in accordance with the scheme set out in the present resolution, subject to the decision of the Security Council to extend the mandate of the Force beyond 31 July 1996;

13. Decides further that, in accordance with the provisions of its resolution 973 (X) of 15 December 1955, there shall be set off against the apportionment among Member States, as provided for in paragraph 12 above, their respective share in the Tax Equalization Fund of the estimated staff assessment income of 3,037,000 dollars approved for the period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997;

14. Decides that there shall be set off against the apportionment among Member States, as provided for in paragraph 12 above, their respective share in the estimated income of 20,000 dollars other than staff assessment income for the period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997;

15. Invites voluntary contributions to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon in cash and in the form of services and supplies acceptable to the Secretary-General, to be administered, as appropriate, in accordance with the procedure established by the General Assembly in its resolutions 43/230 of 21 December 1988, 44/192 A of 21 December 1989 and 45/258 of 3 May 1991;

16. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-first session the item entitled "Financing of the United Nations peace-keeping forces in the Middle East:  United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon".

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1/ A/50/543/Add.1.

2/ A/50/694/Add.1.