UN Palestine Commission – Provisional rules of procedure approved – Working paper

UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

PROVISIONAL RULES OF PROCEDURE

(Provisionally approved by the Commission at its
Fifth and Sixth Meetings on 14  January. 1948)

I. MEETINGS

Rule 1

The United Nations Palestine Commission (hereinafter called “the Commission”) shall meet as and when it deems necessary for the conduct of its business. Meetings shall be held in pursuance of a decision of the Commission at a previous meeting, or if convened by the Chairman or at the request of any Member.

Rule 2

The date and place of each meeting, if not decided on at the previous meeting of the Commission, shall be notified to the members of the Commission by the Secretariat whenever possible not less than twenty-four hours in advance.

II. AGENDA

Rule 3

The provisional agenda for each meeting of the Commission shall be drawn up' by the Secretariat, in consultation With the Chairman and shall be communicated, to the members of the Commission as early as practicable before they opening of the meeting.

Rule 4

The provisional agenda shall include:

1. Items proposed by the Commission at any previous meeting; 2. Items proposed by any member of the Commission;

3. Items proposed by any organ of the United Nations having relations with the Commission; and

4. All items, communications, or reports which the Chairman or the Secretariat may deem necessary to put before the Commission

III. OFFICERS OF THE COMMISSION

Rule 5

The Commission shall elect from among its members a Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

Rule 6

In the absence of the Chairman during a meeting or any part thereof, the Vice-Chairman shall take his place. The Vice-Chairman acting as Chairman shall have the same powers and duties as the Chairman.

Rule 7

The Chairman shall declare the opening and closing of each meeting of the Commission, shall direct its discussions, ensure observance of these Rules) accord the right to speak, put questions and announce decisions. He shall rule on points of order and, subject to these Rules, shall have complete control of the proceedings of the Commission and, over the maintenance of order at its meetings.

III. SECRETARIAT

Rule 8

The Secretary-General shall act in that capacity in all meetings of the Commission and such subsidiary bodies as it may establish. He may designate a member of the staff to act in his place at these meetings.

Rule 9

The Secretary-General shall provide and direct the staff required by the Commission and such subsidiary bodies as it may establish.

Rule 10

The Secretariat shall receive, translate, and distribute the documents of the Commission and its subsidiary bodies; prepare working papers; interpret speeches made at the meetings as necessary, prepare and circulate the records of the meetings; have the custody and proper preservation of the documents; publish the reports of the meetings; and generally shall be responsible for all the necessary arrangements for meetings and other activities of the Commission, and its subsidiary bodies.

Rule 11

No decision involving expenditures shall be voted by the Commission until see the Secretariat has had an opportunity of stating the effect of the proposal upon the budget estimates of the Commission.

V. LANGUAGE RECORDS

Rule 12

The Commission will conduct its work in English and French except when it may agree that the interpretation may be dispensed with.

Rule 13

Persons who are unable to employ any of the official languages of the United Nations shall as a rule provide their own interpreters. If a person who appears at the instance of the Commission is unable to employ any of the official languages and provide his own interpreter, the Secretariat shall provide for the interpretation.

Rule 14

As a general rule, only summary records of meetings shall be drawn up, unless the necessity for verbatim records in respect of a specific meeting or part of a meeting is recognized by the Commission. The records shall be made available as soon as possible to the members.

The members shall inform the Secretariat, not later than twenty-four hours after receipt of the records, of any corrections they wish to have made.

Rule 15

The records in which no corrections have been requested, or which have been corrected in accordance with Rule 14 shall be considered as the official records of the Commission.

VI. PUBLICITY or MEETINGS

Rule 16

The Commission shall decide in each instance which of its meetings are to be open to the public. Persons other than members of the Commission and its official staff shall attend its closed meetings only on the express invitation of the Commission.

Rule 17

Press releases will be issued as a rule following each closed meeting, in such form as circumstances may require.

VII. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

Rule 18

A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum,

Rule 19

During the discussion of any matter, a member may rise to a point of order and the point of order shall be immediately decided by the Chairman in accordance with the Rules of Procedure. A member may appeal against the ruling of the Chairman. The appeal shall immediately be put to the vote, and the Chairman’s ruling shall stand unless over ruled by a majority of the members present and voting.

Rule 20

The Secretary General, or a member of the Secretariat designated by him as the representative, may make to the Commission or any of subsidiary bodies any oral or written statement.

Rule 21

During the discussion of any matter, a member may move the suspension or the adjournment of the meeting. Such motion shall be immediately put to the vote.

Rule 22

Subject to Rule 19, the following motions shall have precedence in the following order over all other proposals or motions before the meeting

(a) to suspend the meeting;

(b) to adjourn the meeting;

(c) to adjourn consideration of the item under discussion;

(d) for the closure of the consideration of the item under discussion.

Rule 23

Proposals and amendments should normally be introduced in writing and handed to the Secretariat, which shall circulate copies to the members.

Rule 24

Subject to Rule 22, any motion calling for a decision on the competence of the Commission to adopt a proposal submitted to it shall be put to the vote immediately before a vote is taken on the proposal in question.

VIII. VOTING

Rule 25

Each member of the Commission shall have one vote,

Rule 26

Decisions in the Commission shall be taken by a majority of members present and voting,

Rule 27

For the purposes, of these rules, the phrase “members present and voting” means members casting an affirmative or negative vote. Members who abstain from voting are considered as not voting.

Rule 28

Parts of a proposal shall be voted on separately if a representative requests that the proposal be divided. The resulting proposal shall be put to the vote in its entirety.

Rule 29

When an amendment is moved to a proposal, the amendment shall be voted on first. When two or more amendments are moved to a proposal, the Commission shall first vote on the amendment furthest removed in substance from the original proposal and then on the amendment next furthest removed therefrom, and so on, until all the amendments have been put to a vote. If one or more amendments are adopted, the amended proposal shall be then voted upon. A motion is considered an amendment if it merely adds to, deletes from or revises part of a proposal.

Rule 30

If, when only one person or member is to be elected, no candidate obtains in the first ballot the majority required, a second ballot shall be taken, which shall be restricted to the two candidates obtaining the largest number of votes. If in the second ballot, the votes are equally divided, and a majority is required, the Chairman shall decide between the candidates by drawing lots.

Rule 31

If a vote is equally divided on matters other than elections the proposal shall be regarded as rejected.

IX. SUBSIDIARY BODIES

Rule 32

The Commission may set up such subsidiary bodies as it deems necessary.

Rule 33

Unless otherwise decided by the Commission, each subsidiary body shall elect its own officers.

Rule 34

The rules of procedure of the Commission shall apply to the proceedings of its subsidiary bodies in so far as they are applicable.

X. REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MANDATORY AND RECOGNIZED LOCAL BODIES

Rule 35

The Mandatory Power, and, until the establishment of the Provisional Council of Government of the Arab or Jewish State, the Arab Higher Committee, and the Jewish Agency for Palestine may, on the invitation of the Commission, designate representatives to the Commission who shall supply such information or render such other assistance as the Commission may require. Such representatives, on being invited by the Commission to attend a meeting, may speak only when called upon by the Chairman. These representatives may on their own motion present at the discretion of the Commission such information as they may think advisable,

XI, ORAL AND WRITTEN STATEMENTS

Rule 36

The Commission may at its discretion invite representatives of Governments or organizations or private individuals to submit oral or written statements.

XII. TECHNICAL EXPERTS

Rule 37

The Commission may seek the advice of individual technical experts or establish advisory commissions of technical experts, chosen for their competence and integrity.

XIII. JOINT MEETINGS

Rule 38

The Commission may call joint meetings with representatives of the Provisional Councils of Government of the Arab or Jewish States, as it may deem necessary. Such representatives may participate in the proceedings without the right to vote.

XIV. REGULATIONS

Rule 39

In the discharge of its administrative responsibilities the Commission shall issue necessary regulations. These regulations shall not enter into force before the publication in the Official Gazette of the Commission. The publications shall be made in English, Arabic and Hebrew.

XV. REPORTS

Rule 40

1. The Commission shall render periodic monthly progress reports, or more frequently if desired, to the Security Council.

2. The Commission shall make its final report to the net regular session of the General Assembly and to the Security Council simultaneously.

XVI. AMENDMENTS AND SUSPENSIONS

Rule 41

These rules of procedure may be amended or suspended by decision of the Commission taken by a majority of the members present and voting.