A/31/PV.98 General Assembly

Before taking up the first item on our agenda for this afternoon I should like to draw the Assembly's attention to resolution 31/70, which was adopted by the Assembly at its 96th plenary meeting on the report of the First Committee on agenda item 43 [A/31/380/. In the edited version of the report contained in document A/31/380 of 8 December 1976, the Assembly will note that the second preambular paragraph of the draft resolution in paragraph 7 of that document reads as follows: "Recalling further resolution 3472 A(XXX) of 11 December 1975 ...". The letter "A" should not have appeared in the report, since the original text of the draft resolution adopted by the FirstCommittee, which had been submitted by Finland in document A/C. I/31 /L.B, made reference to resolution 3472(XXX) in general and not to resolution 3472 A (XXX) specifically. Consequently the final text of resolution 31/70 should read as follows: "Recalling further resolution 3472(XXX) ...". This is to my mind an editorial change in the original text as it was adopted in the FirstCommittee, and I takeit that there will be no objection to the amendment.

Mr. President, I do not intend to oppose your decision. If any mistake has been made it should be corrected. But the sponsors of the draft resolution adopted last Friday should have pointed out the error at the beginning of the meeting. Unfortunately, they may not have read carefully the document submitted by the Rapporteur. My delegation, however, not only read very carefully the text of the report of the First Committee on the question under consideration, but it was in the light of that text and of its reference to resolution 3472 A (XXX) that my delegation voted in favour of the draft resolution. 3. I should like to recaJl that lastyearmydelegation voted against resolution 3472 B (XXX). Without wishing to question your decision in any way, Mr. President. I should therefore like to request that in all documents where the • Resumedfrom the 96th meeting.

I thank the representative of France. First of all, I wish to make it clear that I did not take a decision. I was putting a proposal to the Assembly and it was for the Assembly to decide. However, Jappreciate the point made by the representative of France and a note to the effect desired by him will, I think, certainly appear in the verbatim record of this meeting. Jtake it therefore,that in view of the observations made by the representative of France, and if no other delegations have any objection to the omission, we should delete the offending capital "A" from resolution 31/70.

A request has been made that the General Assembly defer until Friday the consideration of agenda item 49, "General and complete disarmament", and agenda item 40, "World Disarmament Conference". If there is no objection I shall take it that the General Assembly agrees to accede to this request.

I now call ('~I the Rapporteurof the First Committee to present the remaining reports of that Committee appearing on the agenda for thisafternoon. 7. Mr. SHRESTHA (Nepal), Rapporteur of the First Committee: I have the honour to present to the General Assembly the report of the FirstCommittee on agenda item 33 {A/31/414/. The Committee considered this item during the period of 6 to 10 December. At the conclusion of its deliberations it adopted two draft resolutions which appear as the recommendations of the Committee in paragraph 12of the report. 8. I have now the honour to introduce to the General Assembly the report of the four agenda items on disarmament, items34,39,47 and 50. Along with the other agenda items on disarmament, the First Committee took up these items together during the period of 1 November to 3 December. At the conclusion of its deliberations, the Committee adopted four resolutions contained in the reports to which I shall now refer. The report on agenda item 34 appears in document A/31/3?!, and the relevant recommendation of the Committee is in paragraph 7 of the report. Document A/31/376 contains the report on agenda item 39; the recommendation of the Committee is contained in paragraph 8 of the report. Document A/31/384 contains the report on agenda item 47 and paragraph 7 of the report contains the recommendation of the Committee. The report on agenda item 50 appears in document A/31/387, paragraph 8 of which contains the relevant recommendation of the Committee. 9. On behalf of the First Committee it is my pleasure to commend to the General Assembly the resolutions to which I have just referred. Pursuant to rule 66 of the rules of procedure. it was decided not to discuss the reports of the First Committee. 11. Accordingly, the Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution entitled "Reduction of military budgets" recommended by the First Committee in paragraph 8 of its report on agenda item 34 [A/31/3711. The report of the Fifth Committee on the administrative and financial implications of the draft resolution is to be found in document A/31/42]. A recorded vote has been requested.

The Assembly will now turn to the report of the First Committee on agenda item 39 [A/ 31/3761. We shall now take a decision on the draft resolution entitled "Implementation of the Declaration of the Indian Ocean asa Zone of Peace" recommended by the First Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. The report of the Fifth Committee on the administrative and financial implications of the draft resolution is to be found in document A/31/422. A recorded vote has been requested.

We come now to the report of the First Committee on agenda item 47 [A/31/3841. We shall now vote on the draft resolution entitled "Conclusion of a treaty on the complete and general prohibition of nuclear weapon tests" contained in paragraph 7 of that report. The report of the Fifth Committee on the administrative and financial implications of the draft resolution appear in document A/31/425. A recorded vote has been requested.

The Assembly will now turn to the report of the First Committee on agenda item 50 IAI 31/387/. The draft resolution entitled "Strengthening of the role of the United Nations in the field of disarmament" recommended by the First Committee is contained in paragraph 8 of that document. The report of the Fifth Committee on the administrative and financial Implications of the draft resolution is in document A/31/426. The First Committee adopted this draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to do likewise? AsI hear no objection,it isso decided.

I understand that we are not yet ready to proceed to the other items on our agenda for this afternoon .as not all of the necessary documents are available. Unless there is an objection, I propose to suspend this meeting for an hour and a half in the hope that the documents will then be ready.

We turn now to the report of the First Committee on item 33 of the agenda, entitled "Implementationof the Declaration on the Strengthening of International Security" IAI 31/414/. There are two draft resolutions recommended by the First Committee in paragraph 12of its report. 17. I shall call on the delegations of Australia and Albania, which have asked to be allowed to explain their votes before the vote.

The Australian delegation abstained in the vote on draft resolution A/C.I/31/L,41, now draft resolution I, when it was voted upon in the First Committee on 10 December. The Australian Government has now further closely examined the text of draft resolution I and has decided that its subject-matter warrants Australia's support in the Assembly. The Australian Government believes that the principles set out in the draft resolution are ones which all States should apply in the 19. Operative paragraph 5 of the draft resolution calls upon all States, in accordance with the purposes and prinbiples of the Charter of the United Nations, to undertake necessary measures in order to prevent any hostile act or activity taking place within theirterritory and directed against the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of another State. Australia supports the sentiments underlying this paragraph hut has some hesitations about the formulation of it. Australia can accept the paragraph on the basis that it be read in the lightof the personal freedoms of speech and action to which every person in Australia is entitled. The exercise of these freedoms must, of course, take place within the framework of the law and, where appropriate evidence of breaches of the law is available, the necessary prosecutions will follow. The Australian delegation is therefore able to vote for draft resolution I on non-interference in internal affairs of States. 20" Mr. BALETA (Albania) (interpretation from French): At the time of the vote in the First Committee on draft resolution A/C.l/31/L.42, now draft resolution 11, the delegation of Albania stated that it did not endorse certain parts of that draft, particularly the fifth preambular paragraph dealing with the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe and operative paragraph 8 on the Mediterranean. The Albanian delegation would like to emphasize that the first anniversary of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe has gone by without any particular glory. 21. As was to be expected, what was decided at this Conference was not given any practical effect and will not be implemented, because everything in fact was hatched outside the facts of European life. After Helsinki, the clangers for the national independence and security of the European peoples have not diminished, but on the contrary have increased. In these circumstances it would not be realistic to believe that the so-called results of the Helsinki Conference can help to convert the Mediterranean into a zone of peace and tranquillity as the Mediterranean peoples wish. 21,. The Albanian delegation believes that, in order to take concrete steps along these lines, it is necessary for every country in the Mediterranean region to be resolutely opposed to the aggressive policies of the two imperialist super-Powers, the United States of America and the Soviet Union, and therefore the countrieswhere these two Powers have their military bases should dismantle them and they should not grant any port facilities to the Soviet or American navies. For these reasons the Albanian dclcg1tioll does not agree with the fifth preambular paragraph of draft resolution 11 or operative paragraph 8 of the same draft resolution. Consequently, the Albanian delegation doesnot intend to participatein the: vote. 23. The PRESIDENT (interpretation from Spanish) We shall now vote on the two draft resolutions in paragraph 12 of document Al31/414. beginning with draft resolution I. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Burundi, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Yemen, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, Gambia, German Democratic Republic, Guatemala, Guinea-Blssau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, .Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Surinam, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Cameroun, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire. Against: None. Abstaining: Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Federal Republic of, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Turkey, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of Amerlca.s

Since one of the reports of the Fifth Committee' relating to an item remaining on the agenda for this afternoon is not yet available in all languages, I propose to suspend the meeting for about an hour. Against: United Statesof America.• The meeting was suspended at 5.35 p.m. and resumed at 6.25 p.m; Abstaining: Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Federal Republic of, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway.

Before considering agenda items 93, 96 and 100, we will hear explanations of vote on the First Committee items which we have already votedon. 27. Rev. Robert C. HUPP (United States of America): May I beg an apology of the General Assembly'! My delegation would like to correct its vote on draft resolu tions I and II in document A/31/414. It was our intention to abstain in the voteon the former and to voteagainst the latter. We would appreciate it if the record could be corrected to indicate no negative votes on draft resolution I and one less abstention on draft resolution II, with a negative vote on that draft resolution.

We shall now vote on draft resolution 11, entitled "Implementation of 'the Declaration on the Strengthening of InternationalSecurity". A recorded vote has been requested.

Dueto circumstances beyondits control, the delegation of Brazil did not register itsvote on draft resolution 11 in documentA/31/414on item 33 of the agenda. The Brazilian delegation wishes to put on the record that it had intended to vote in favour of that draft resolution, as well as of draft resolution I, as it did in the FirstComrilttee. 3 The delegation of the United States of America subsequently stated (see below, para. 26) that it wished to have its voterecorded ashavig been against the draft resolution. 4 The delegations of Argentina. Cuba, Guinea, Greece, Madagascar and Sweden subsequently Informed the Secretariat that they wished to have their votes recorded as having been In favour of the draft resolution, The delegation of Brazil subsequently stated (see below, para. 27) that it wished to have its vote recorded as having beenIn favour of the draft resolution. The delegations of Denmark and the United Kingdom subsequently statcd (see 99th meeting, paras. 3 and 2 respcctivcly) that they wished to have theirvotesrecorded as abstentions. I The delegation of the United States of America subsequently stated (see below. para. 27) that it wished to have its voterecorded asan abstention. 2 The delegations of Argentina. Bcnln, Cuba, Egypt. Greece, Guinea and Madagascar SUbsequently Informed the Secretariat that they wished to have their votes recorded ashaving been in favour of the draft resolution. The delegations of Denmark and the United Kingdom subsequently i'ltated (see 99th meeting. paras. 3 and 2 respectively) that they wished to have their votes recorded as abstentions. REPORT OF THE FIFTH COMMITTEE (A/31/400)

Now we shall take up the report of the Pifth Committee on item 96 fA/31/401/. The Assembly will take a decision on the three draft resolutions entitled"Administrative and budgetary co-ordination of the United Nations with the specialized agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency" recommended by the Flfth Committee in paragraph 22 of its report. The Fifth Committee adopted draft resolutions A, Band C by consensus. May I takeit that the General Assembly wishes to do likewise? Pursuant to rule 66 of the rules of procedure, it was decided not to discuss the reports of the Fifth Committee.

We shall consider first the report of the Fifth Committee on item 93 in document A/31/400. We shall now take a decision on the draft resolution entitled "Medium-term Draft resolutions A, B and C were adopted (resolutions 31/94 A, Band Cl. '" Resumed from the 4th meeting.

The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution as a whole. The Fifth Committee adopted its draft by consensus. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise? The draft resolution, as a whole, was adopted (resolution 31/93). 38. First, weshallvote on draft resolution I A. A recorded vote has been requested.

I caU on the representative of Cuba who wishes to speak il. explanation of vote. Against: None. Abstaining: Philippines, Poland,Singapore, Thailand.

We shall now vote on draft resolution I B. A recorded vote has been requested'on this draft resolution also.

We shall now vote on draft resolution I C. Asthere hasbeen no request for a vote may I take it that the Assembly adopts it by consensus? Draftresolution I Cwasadopted(resolution 31/95 B).

We shall now take up draft resolution Il entitled "Enlargement of the Committee on Contributions: amendment to rule 158 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly". May I take it that the General Assembly adopts this draft resolution without objection? Draftresolution 11 was adopted(resolution 31/96).

My delegation has had the opportunity to explain its position on this issue during the debate in the Fifth Committee and consequently we shaU not now explain our vote in detail. I simply wanted to placeon record that, had the draft resolution C on the scale of assessments been put to the vote, my delegation wouldhave abstained. 44. We did not request this draft to be put to the vote because the majority interest of delegations wasobvious in approving it and approving it with somewhat peculiar urgency. These are the reasons why we did not press for a vote but we did wish to place on record that our delegation would not have participated in any way in the consensus aimed at adopting it. 5 The delegations of Algeria and Yugoslavia subsequently in- formed the Secretariat that they Wished to havetheir votes recorded as abstentions.