UNDOF/UNIFIL financing – Fifth Cttee debate – Summary record (excerpts)

Fifth Committee

Summary record of the 48th meeting

Held at Headquarters, New York, on Tuesday, 3 May 2005, at 10 a.m. 

 Chairman:  Mr. MacKay ……………………………………………………………..  (New Zealand) 

Contents

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Agenda item 135: Financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East ( continued)

(a)   United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (continued)

(b)   United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (continued)

The meeting was called to order at 10 a.m.

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Agenda item 135: Financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East (continued)

 (a)   United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (continued ) (A/59/625, A/59/653 and Corr.1 and 2 and A/59/736/Add.4)

 (b)   United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (continued ) (A/59/626, A/59/654 and A/59/736/Add.3)

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49.  Ms. Attwooll (United States of America) said that, in order to expedite the Committee’s work, her delegation would make only one statement on peacekeeping issues. She would therefore touch on a number of matters in addition to those on the agenda for the current meeting.

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51.   With regard to individual peacekeeping missions, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) was to be commended on its modernization programme, which had streamlined the Force’s infrastructure and logistics support and improved communications facilities. The experience gained and lessons learned from the programme should be shared with all missions.

52.   Her delegation would appreciate information on the cost to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) of administering staff away on temporary duty assignment to other missions. It also wished to know if there were standard guidelines for determining whether to charge such staff to their parent duty station or to the mission to which they were temporarily assigned.

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55.   On issues of a more overarching nature, the proposal to convert some personnel on special service or individual contractor agreements to national General Service staff was an attempt to establish new posts through the back door. Her delegation welcomed the information provided by the Advisory Committee on the functions of the 64 individual contractors proposed for conversion at the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi (A/59/736/Add.2, annex IV). However, in the interests of transparency, the Secretariat should have provided similar information for UNDOF and UNIFIL.

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96.  Mr. Elji (Syrian Arab Republic) said that UNDOF had been established in response to the occupation of the Golan Heights by Israel, which continued to defy Security Council and General Assembly resolutions calling for a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces. Responsibility for financing UNDOF should therefore fall to the occupying and aggressive Power in accordance with the relevant resolutions.

97.   His delegation approved the Advisory Committee’s recommendation that the Assembly should accept the Secretary-General’s proposal for the financing of UNDOF. It also reiterated the importance of increased dialogue with all peacekeeping partners. His Government had provided UNDOF with every necessary support and appreciated the work being done by the Force and by the Office of the Force Commander. It welcomed cooperation among the parties concerned as well as between the Syrian delegation and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Department of Political Affairs and the Office of the Controller. Lastly, his delegation expressed its appreciation to the countries that contributed troops to UNDOF.

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The meeting rose at 12.25 p.m.

This record is subject to correction. Corrections should be sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned within one week of the date of publication to the Chief of the Official Records Editing Section, room DC2-750, 2 United Nations Plaza, and incorporated in a copy of the record.

Corrections will be issued after the end of the session, in a separate corrigendum for each Committee.

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