A/33/PV.2 General Assembly
THIRTY·THIRD SESSION
OfJicial Records
6. Electionof the Vice·Presidents of the GeneralAssembly 1. The PRESIDENT (interpretation from Spanisn]: Pur- suant to rule 31 of the rules of procedure, we shall now proceed to the election of the 17 Vice-Presldents of the General Assembly who are to be chosen in such a manner as to ensure the representative character of the General Committee. 2. All members of the General Assembly are eligible in this election except those already represented in the General Committee-namely, those countries whose representatives have been elected to the chairmanships of the Main Com- mittees and to the presidency of the General Assembly. 3. Furthermore, under resolution 1990 (XVIII) the elec- tion of the President has the effect of reducing by one the number of vice-presidencies allocated to the region from which the President has been elected. Therefore, only two representatives of Latin American States-that is, from Group C, as indicated in foot-note 14 to rule 31 of the rules of procedure-may be elected Vice-Presidents. 4. Under rule 92 of the rules of procedure, all elections shall be held by secret ballot and there shall be no nominations. 5. However, after consultations with the regional groups, I understand that it is the wish of the Assembly to waive rule 92 in this particular election and dispense with the balloting procedure. In other words, whenever the number of candidates in a given group corresponds to the number of seats to be filled in that group, those candidates will be declared elected. May I take it that the Assembly agrees to proceed to the election on that basis?
It was so decided.
I call on the Chairman of the Group of African States.
I have the honour and privilege, on behalf of the African group of States, to propose the names of the four great African countries of Burundi,
NEW YORK
Kenya, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya and Senegal for the four posts of Vice-President of the thirty-third session of the General Assembly open to Africa. These candidatures have been fully endorsed by the African group in New York and also by the Council ofMinisters of the Organization of African Unity /OAUj at its thirty-first session, held at Khartoum from 7 to 18 July 1978. Thus we are presenting them here for election under the supreme mandate of the OAU. The fact that they have been fully endorsed by the OAU to represent Africa attests to their high qualities and to their commitment not only to the ideals of the OAU but, in this particular context, to those of the United Nations' as well. Their contribution to the work of the United Nations has been very vigorous and, indeed, very exemplary. We have full confidence in these sister countries and can assure this Assembly that they will execute to your satisfaction the tasks assigned to them as members of the General Committee. Mr. President, I am quite sure that you win find the representatives of these countries, when the names are decided, colleagues worthy to work with you in your General Committee.
8. I now formally present the aforementioned African candidates for election. The African group hopes that the Assembly will not find it difficult to elect unanimously these four worthy countries as Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly.
I now call on the Chairman of the group of Asian States.
As Chairman of the Asian group and on behalf of that group, I have the honour to nominate for vice-presidencies three of our members: Bhutan, Fiji and Qatar,These states have allbeen unanimously endorsed as the group's candidates for the three posts of Vice- President earmarked for the Asian group.
1I. The PRESIDENT (interpretation from Spanish): I now call on the Chairman of the group of Eastern European States.
At the request of the group of Eastern European States I have the honour and privilege to nominate in this Assembly for a post of Vice-President of the thirty-third session of the General Assembly the Polish People's Republic, a country with which we are linked by the most friendly relations. Poland is one of the founding Members of our Organization, and representatives are aware of the active and constructive co-operation that the Polish People's Republic has always extended in the accomplish- ment of the important goals and tasks of the United Nations. On behalf of the group of Eastern European States, I nominate the Polish People's Republic fora post
It is my honour and privilege, on behalf of the Latin American group, to nominate for two of the vice-presidencies of this thirty-third session of the General Assembly the following States: the Republic of El Salvador, and Trinidad and Tobago. .
I call on the Chairman of the group of Western European and other States.
As Chairman of the group of Western European and other States, I have the honour to confirm to you that this group has supported and unanimously endorsed the candidacies of Canada and Spain to the posts of Vice-
11,e representatives of the following Member States were elected bv acclamation Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly: Bhutan, Burundi, Canada, China, El Salvador, Fiji, France, Kenya, Libyan Arab Jamahinya, Poland, Qatar, Senegal, Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America (decision 33/303).
I wis.lt to extend my warm congratulations to those countries which have been elected.
The meeting rose at 12.20 p.m.