A/33/PV.88 General Assembly

The General Assembly will first consider part I of the report of the Fifth Committee on agendaitem 100 [A/33/445J. 11. I call on the representative of the Soviet Union, who wishes to explain his vote.

In connexion with draft resolution I In document A/33/445, the Soviet delegation would like to recall its position, which is that although the declared purpose of reforms in the organizational nomen- clature in the United Nations Secretariat is to enhance the effectiveness of and achieve economy in the work of the United Nations, the Soviet delegationcannot agree with the way in which in practice the resolution of the General Assembly on reforms in the organizationalnomenclature in the United Nations Secretariat [resolution 32/204J is carriedout. 13. Furthermore, the Soviet delegationwould like to draw attention to an error of fact contained in paragraph 5 of docpment A/33/445. As is known, the Soviet delegation stated in the Fifth Committee that it intended to abstain in the voting on draft resolution I in that Committee. There- fore there was no basis for a consensus in the adoption of that decision. In order to avoid possible future misunder- standings with regard to the position of the Soviet Union on this question, the Soviet delegation requests. that draft resolution I be put to the vote, and we intend to abstain in that vote.

We Shall now take decisions on the two draft resolutions recommended by the Fifth Committee in paragraph 42 of its report in document A/33/445. 15. Draft resolution I is entitled "Questions relatingto the programme budget for the biennium 1978-1979" and contains six sections. 16. We shall first take a decision on section I. A recorded vote has been requested. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil,Burma, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti,Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Federal Republic of, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya,\ Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, lebanon, lesotho, Liberia, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Ma- Against: None Abstaining: Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Re- public, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet SocialistRepublics Section I ofdraft resolution I wa3 adopted by 116 votes to none, with 9 abstentions (resolution 33/116 A, sec- tionI). 17. The PRESIDENT {interpretation from S,.1JQ1Zish): We turn now to sections 11 and Ill. The Fifth Committee adopted these two sections by consensus. May I consider that the General Assembly wishes to adopt sections IT and Ill? Sections 11 and III of draft resolution I were adopted (resolution 33/116A, sections 11and Ill). 18. The pnESIDENT (interpretation [zom Spanish): We turn now ..0 section IV. A recorded vote has been requested. ~ rearded vote wastaken. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil,Burma, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Cyprus,Demo- cratic Yemen,.Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Equa- torial Guinea, Ethiopia, Finland, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Federal Republic of, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala,.Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malay- sia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Mozam- bique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria. Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Sri lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Re- public, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia. Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates,United Kingdomof Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Cameroun, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of America, Upper Volta, Uruguay, Venezuela,Yemen, Yugo- slavia,Zaire, Zambia

We come now to section V. The Fifth Committee adopted section V without objection. May I take it that the General Assemblywishes to do likewise? 20. The .PRESIDENT (interpretation from Spanish): We turn now to section VI. A recorded vote has been requested.

We turn now to draft resolution 11, entitled "Use of experts and consultants in the United Nations". The Fifth Commit- tee adopted draft resolution 11 by consensus. May I take it that the General Assembly also adopts it? 23. I call on the representative of the Soviet Union, who wishes to speak in explanation of vote before the voting.

The Soviet delegationwishes to confirm its position on the draft resolution and the draft uecision contained in the report of the Fifth Committee on the draft medium-term plan for the work of the United Nations for the period 1980 to 1983 [A/33/482 and Add.1]. 25. As a result of the tardy presentation of the draft medium-term plan, its inadmissibly low quality and the failure to observe the proper procedure fer consideration of the plan provided for in General Assembly resolution 31/93, the Fifth Committee did not approve the draft medium-term plan for the period 1980 to 1983. 26. Nor did the Fifth Committee approve any concrete directives to guide the Secretary-General of the United Nations in the preparation of the draft budget estimates for the biennium 1980 to 1981. 27. The delegation of the USSR, together with the majority of other delegations which foot the lion's share of the bill for United Nations expenditures, pointed out in the Fifth Committee that it was necessary strictly to observe the provisions of General Assembly resolution 31/93 with regard to the status of and procedure for the approval of the medium-term plan. Unfortunately, this view was not taken into account. 28. In those circumstances, the delegation of the USSRis unable to support the draft resolution contained in para- graph 21 of part I of the report of the Fifth Committee, since it does not give the Secretary-General of the United Nations sufficiently clear instructions for drawing up the budget estimates for the biennium 1980 to 1981. 29. In the light of that fact, the delegation of the Soviet Union would like to reaffirm that, in its view,in the present circumstances the Secretary-General of the United Nations should prepare the budget estimates for the period 1980 to 1981 on the basis of the budget at present in force, which was approved at the thirty-second session of the General Assembly,and any growth in the programme of work at the United Nations should be provided for through the imple- mentation of General Assembly resolution 32/201 by means of economies and a reallocation of resources. 30. In connexion with the draft decision contained in paragraph 7 of part 11 of the report of the Fifth Committee, the delegation of the USSR wishes to recall that at the thirty-second session of the General Assembly it warned that if there were a continuation of the undesirablepractice of including extra-budgetary items within the regular budget for the purposes of financing, the Soviet Union 31. The Soviet delegation wishes to state that if the practice continues of including within the United Nations budget items formerly fmanced from voluntary funds, the Soviet Union will be forced to refrain from paying its share of the budget for the fmancing of such items.

We shall now take a decision on the draft resolution entitled "Medium-term pian for the period 1980-1983", which has been recommended by the Fifth Committee in paragraph 21 of part I of its report {A/33/482]. A recorded vote has been requested.

We turn now to the draft decision recommended by the Fifth Committee in paragraph 7 of part 11 of its report (A/33/ 482/Add.l]. A separate vote has been requested on subparagraph (a) and also on subparagraph (b) of the draft decision in paragraph 7. If I hear no objection, we shall proceed to vote on that basis.

We shall now vote on subparagraph (b). A recorded vote has been requested. 36. The PRESIDENT {tntcrpretatian from Spanish): I now put to the vote the draft decision as a whole. A recorded vote has been requested.

I now call on the representative of Indonesia for an explana- tion ofvote.

The Indonesian delegation voted in favour of the draft resolution, but

The General Assembly will now consider the report of the Fifth Committee on agenda item 103, entitled "Financial emer- gency of the United Nations". The report is contained in document A/33/491. I invite representatives to turn to the draft decision recommended by the Fifth Committee in paragraph 9 of its report. The Fifth Committee adopted that draft decision by consensus. May I consider that the General Assembly wishes to adopt the draft decision?

W~ turn now to the reports of the Fifth Committee on subitems (b), (d) and (f) of agenda item 109, entitled "Appointments to fill vacancies in the membership .Jf subsidiary organs of the General Assembly". 41. The first report under this agenda item deals with the vacancy arising in the Committee on Contributions as a result of the resignation of Mr. Junpei Kato from the membership of that Committee. In paragraph 5 of its report [A/33/322/Add.lJ, the Fifth Committee recommends that the General Assembly should appoint Mr. Katsumi Sezaki as a member of the Committee on Contributions for a term beginning on 1 January 1979 and ending 0.131 December 1979. May I take it that the General Assembly adopts that recommendation? The recommendation wasadopted (decision 33/307B).5

We come now to' the report dealing with vacancies in the Investments Committee. In paragraph 3 of Its report [A/ 33/324J, the Fifth Committee recommends that the General Assembly should confirm the appointment by the Secretary-General of the following persons as members of the Investments Committee for a three-year term beginning 011 1 Janaury 1979: Mr. R. Manning Brown, Mr. Jean Guyot and Mr. Toshio Shishido. May I consider that the General Assembly adopts that recommendation?

I now invite members to turn to the report of the Fifth Therecommendation was adopted(decision .i3/319).

I call on the representative of the Soviet Union.

Concerning the adoption of the recommendation of the Fifth Committee relating to the filling of a vacancy in the membership of the Committee on Contributions, the Soviet delegation, speaking on behalfof several Eastern European States, would like to recall once again that at the thirty-first session of the General Assembly the group of socialist States accepted the increase in the membership of the Committee on Contributions on the understanding that such an increase would have an effect on the representation of all the five regional groups. 46. As is known, that agreement was not respected, and consequently a serious violation of the principle of equitable geographical distribution has occurred in the Committee on Contributions. The Eastern European States reaffirm their intention of seeing to it that equity be restored in elections to the Committee on Contributions at the thirty-fourth session of the General Assembly.

The General Assembly will now consider the report of the Fifth Committee on agenda item 111 [A/33/49Sj. Weshall now take a decision on the draft resolution entitled "Report of the International Civil Service Commission", which has been recommended by the Fifth Committee in paragraph 13 of its report. A separate vote has been requested on section IV of the draft resolution. If I hear no objections, I shall take it that the As..~mbly agrees to that separate vote.

We shall now vote on section IV. A recorded vote has been requested. 49. The PRESIDENT {interpretation from Spfillish): I now put to the vote the draft resoluticc entitled "Report of the International Civil Service Commission", contained in paragraph 13 of the report [A/33f495j, as a whole. A recorded vote has been requested.

The Assembly will now consider the report of the Fifth Committee on agenda item 112, concerning the United Nations pension system. The report is contained in docu- ment A/33/481. In this connexion, the delegation of Mexico has submitted in document A/33/L36 amendments to draft resolution II A in paragraph 15 of the report.

The delegation of Mexico, after extensive consultations with many interested delegations and with the consent of the delegation of Cuba, the author of draft resolution A/C.5/33/L.22, which was adopted at the 50th meeting of the Fifth Committee held on 3 December this year, has decided to submit the amendments contained in document A/33/L.36, to the sixth preambular paragraph and operative paragraph 1 of draft resolution 11 A. The Fifth Committee recommends the adopr'on of that draft resolution in paragraph 15 of its report [A/33/481J. 52. My delegation believes that the amendments are self-explanatory and that there is no need to reopen the debate on the substance of the matter. It is sufficient to say that, in our view, the amended version of operative paragraph 1 would dispel some of the doubts which have arisen in connexion with the original draft resolution by reaffmning the conviction of the author of the draft resolution and the sponsor of the amendments that the interests of contributors to the Joint Staff Pension Fund are and should be the supreme consideration in the policy followed with regard to the investment of the Fund's resources. 53. At the same time we believe that investments in developing countries are not incompatible either with the regulations of the Fund or with the requirements of safety, profitability, liquidity and convertibility which should always be present. Therefore, reaffirming the letter and the spirit of General Assembly resolutions which have been adopted by overwhelming majorities in the past, we request the Secretary-General to give such investments preferential and priority treatment. 54. The draft resolution with the proposed amendments should not be understood in any strict or limited manner by reading between the lines that what is proposed is a massive reinvestment of already invested funds. What is being proposed is a gradual and carefully thought out investment policy which would favour and assist developing countries. Drl!/t resolution I was adopted by 129 votes to none, 55. We hope that we have sausfled the views ofinterested with 10 abstentions (resolution 33/120). delegations, whose points of view and valuable suggestions 6 The delegation of Greece subsequently informed the secretariat we have taken into account. I hope also that we may now that it wished to have its vote recorded as having beer in favour of be able to reacha decisioo by consensus. the draft resolution. '~

In the Fifth Committee my delegation abstained in the vote on draft resolution 11 A originally submitted by the delegation of Cuba because we felt that operative paragraph 1 did not contain certain relevant points which we thought should be included. However, with the amend- ments of the Mexican delegation my delegation will support the amended draft resolution and we propose that the Assembly adopt the draft resolution by consensus.

The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolutions recommended by the Fifth Committee in paragraph 15 of its report, document A/33/481. 59. We shall first vote on draft resolution I, entitled "Report of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Board". A recorded vote has been requested. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Cornoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, r emocratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Federal Republic of, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hon.s..ras, Iceland, India, Indonesia. Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Ita'v Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, lebanon, I.esotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahinya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, MaIdives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of America, Upper .VoIta, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia Against: None Abstaining: Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Re- public, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Greece,« Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union ofSoviet Socialist Republics 61. In accordance with rule 90 of the rules of procedure, I shall now put to the vote the first amendment, which would replace the sixth preambular paragraph of draft resolution II A by the following text: "Observing that, following the adoption of General Assembly resolution 31/197, investments by the United Na~ions Joint Staff Pension Fund in transnational corpo- rations amounted to $772 million in bonds and equities on 31 March 1977, which had declined to $745 million on 31 March 1978, while investments made directly in developing countries in bonds amounted to just over $43 million on 30 June 1978". A recorded vote has been requested.

I shall next put to the vote the second amendment, which A recorded vote has been requested.

1 now put to the vote the two draft resolutions, A and B, grouped together under the heading "Investments of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund in transnational corporations and in developing countries" in draft reso- lution 11 contained in paragraph 15 of the Fifth Com- mittee's report [.4/33/481J. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Burundi, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Yemen, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, German Democratic Re- public, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia

My delegation carefully studied the amendments to draft resolution 11 A on the United Nations pension system put forward by the delegation of Mexico in document A/33/ L.36. We believe the changes in operative paragraph 1 proposed by the representative of Mexico constitute a distinct improvement over the original text as contained in draft resolution 11 A, originally submitted by Cuba, which was adopted in the Fifth Committee. However, the main thrust of the draft resolution, which involves reinvesting pension funds now held in shares of transnational corpo- rations, remains in the text. This is not acceptable to my delegation because we do not believe it leads to a sound investment policy. We therefore abstained in the vote on the amendments put forward by the delegation of Mexico. Against: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Federal Republic of, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America Abstaining: Finland, Greece, Israel, Singapore, Sweden, Togo

We now turn to draft resolution 11 B. The Fifth Committee adopted that draft resolution by consensus. May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to adopt it?

I shall now call on those representatives who wish to explain their vote.

In the Fifth Committee my delegation voted against draft resolution 11 A for reasons which were fully explained in that Committee." We are grateful to the delegation of Mexico for submitting to the Assembly the two amendments, which we feel greatly improved the original text. However, my delegation still had difficulties with the draft resolution as a whole, 9 See OfrlCial Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-third Ses- sion, Fifth Committee, 50th meeting, paras. 52 and 53, and ibid., Fifth Committee, Sessional Fascicle, corrigendum, 69. In the Fifth Committee the United States voted against the Cuban draft resolution in regard to the investment in developing countries of holdings of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund in transnational corporations. The United States voted against that draft resolution again today. First, let me make it crystal clear that the United States is not opposed to the Pension Fund making investments in developing countries on safe, profit- able, liquid and convertible terms. Such investment should be made in consultation with the Investments Committee and in conformity with the regulations of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund. We voted in favour of just such a draft resolution sponsored by a large number of African States in the Fifth Committee and joined in a consensus here today. However, as the United Nations Controller warned on 4 December, I 0 the Cuban proposal would request the Secretary-General to sell present Pension Fund investments at a loss to the Fund in order to reinvest ~ developing countries. Wcfeel that is absurd. The assets of the Pension Fund belong to the pensioners, retired staff members who have contributed their valuable services and talents to the United Nations and to the participants now working for the United Nations. It simply is not right, it is not decent, for the General Assembly to deal Irresponsibly with Pension Fund assets in this manner. These are not United Nations assets. The Cuban proposal represents an effort to politicize the Pension Fund without regard for the interests of the beneficiaries themselves. That was the issue at stake here, not the merits of transnational corporations. We feel the Cuban draft resolution is unjust, unclear and unnecessary and thus my delegation voted against it.

Inasmuch as we rod not submit any amendment and inasmuch as we could do 71. I have found out that to a large extent the bankers-are entrusted with these funds. Let me say that bankers in every country are money brokers in the sense that they make money, their commission, from the lender or the borrower. It is not totally the fault of the bankers. Wehave all witnessed what happened after the First World War and also after the Second World War. The bankers have no answer to inflation. They are not themselves responsible for it; it is the Governments of the world that are responsible because of the mismanagement of their fiscal and financial funds. Of course, the bankers are the mercenaries of those who are in power. 72. Having said that, I would add that one only has to read the advertisements which say "Put your money with us in a checking account"-and I am not picking on the host country, as there are similar ploys used by bankers abroad; I am just giving this as an example-"and we will distribute gifts zo you". And the interest rate is 5 per cent, whereas inflation is going up to 10 per cent. The result is that the capital is eroding. 73. What I am concerned about is the money in the Pension Fund. United Nations personnel are being short- changed without knowing it. Some of them no doubt have financial sagacity, but not all of them. Not only are they being short-changed but the same thing will happen to them as is h~ppening to others outside the United Nations who have worked a lifetime, not to receive a fraction in real terms of what they had contributed. 74. My remarks are not designedto upset the apple-cart-a vote has already been taken, and we voted with the crowd, so to speak-but to warn the United Nations, indeed to warn everybody. I am not talking on the basis of books but from having observed what happened after the First World War, when even the victors had to go off the gold standard and engage in deficit spending. They had a man like Keynes to rationalize deficit spending in times of emergency, but deficit spending became the rule and was not used just in times of emergency. That is why the Second World War perhaps bailed out financially many countries which had been victors in the First World War, because they became insolvent and began to issue bonds and paper money. 75. What is the answer? I do not cridcize the bankers, who have no other way to make money than as money brokers. But the answer is simple. The Committee which meets with the bankers should be alert and should have an innovative and creative approach to investment, lest United Nations personnel find themselves in economic straits. I have mentioned the short-changing of persons outside ~; ~ United Nations who are receiving pensions. But the fact that others are being short-changed and find themselves impoverished does not mean that our personnel here should become impoverished through the erosion of any currency in which they receive their pension-whether it be dollars or Swiss francs. Although the disparity between the Swiss franc and the dollar is very high, the price-inflation in Switzerland is such that one needs to spend three or four times more today in Geneva in order to be able to make 76. There are innovative methods. For example, one can buy metals, of which there is a shortage. There is a shortage of cobalt nowadays. When the production of cobalt is sufficient to meet the demand, then one buys silver,where there is more demand than supply. Diversify instead of following the traditional methods of the bankers, who, of course, are not commodity brokers. That is only one example. There are other ways of preserving the capital of pension funds. One way would be to go into certain corporations that are growingand, regardlessofsetbacks on the stock markets, show that in the long run they will be ahead of others. You cannot go and lend money to countries that are insolvent, because ifyou do they will not be able to repay you. Some are not able now. I am not going to name them, but you know which I mean. Most countries are insolvent, including some in the industrialized world. They cannot pay the interest on their loans and are recycling the interest on them through the bankers. And what happens? 77. There is the World Bank and there are all kinds of federal reserve banks in this host country and in other countries and they try to gloss things over and say things are getting better. Things are getting worse, not better. Inflation will erase many of the currencies of the world. Even the purchasing power of the rouble, which is controlled by the Government, will go down. The Russians should not think they are immune. 18. I am making these remarks in the hope that the Fifth Committee at next year's session, or in any interim session, will take seriously into account what I have drawn attention to, so that those who have worked here for 20 or 30 years may not find themselvesimpoverished.

The positions of delegations with respect to the recom- mendations contained in the reports of the Second Com- mittee to the General Assembly are reflected in the relevant summary records of the Committee. 90. To illustrate some of the special circumstances con- fronting my country, I should like to draw atention to three important aspects. First, like other newly inde- pendent countries, Djibouti depends on the services of a substantial number of expatriates for a variety of functions in both the public and the private sectors. Many of these are paid under bilateral assistance. The inclusion of the earnings of expatriates, which constitute a substantial proportion of the national income, results in raising the average per capita income figure to a level which has no bearingon economic conditions in the country and which is 85. The General Assembly will first consider part I of the report of the Second Committee on agenda item 12 [A/33/446]. I shall now call on those representatives who wish to explain their delegations' positions on the draft resolutions recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 38 ofits report.

On behalf of my Government, I should like to express our appreciation in advance to the 92. Thirdly, the period immediately following inde- pendence was characterized by a marked fall in economic activity in the country because of external conditions and the influx of a large number of refugees. It has been estimated, in a study recently commissioned by my Government, that the impact of these two factors alone caused a decline of 30 to 35 per cent in per capita income in Djibouti. 93. I have drawn on those facts to throw into relief the incorrect and misleading impression given by statistics on my country's per capita income published in various United Nations and other international publications. For example, the atlas published by the World Bankt! gives a figure for per capita gross national product in Djibouti in 1975 of $1,940. While the Bank notes that this estimate is a tentative one, the very fact that it can place Djibouti in this luxury range-even higher than that in some European countries-demonstrates the lack of reliableinformation on the prevailingeconomic realitiesin Djibouti. 94. My Government hopes that for the remainder of this decade States and international agencies will accord to Djibouti all privileges and benefits normally deriving from the status of a least-developed country and will include Djibouti in their programmes of development assistance. Furthermore, my Government hopes that the General Assembly, in formulating the criteria to determine the eligibility of least-developed-country status in the coming decade, will include determinants which will present a more accurate picture of actual economic conditions in my country, as well as in others placed in a similar situation.

I am speaking on behalf of the African group of States. With regard to assistance to the Comoros, proposed in draft resolution 11, the African group agreed with the consensus which came out of the discussion of the subject in the Second Committee. We are very much concerned about the suffering and other privations inflicted on any people, including of course the people of the Comoros, whom we should like to assure of our whole-hearted solidarity. However, I should like, on behalf of the African group, to recall here the decision taken at the last summit conference of the Organization of African Unity, held in Khartoum.! 2 That decision remains in force and wetherefore continue to hold that the Comorian Government is not legitimate. That is the basis of the reservations which might be formulated here by other delegationsfrom our group. 11 World Biznk Atlas, 13th ed. (Washington, D.e., The World Bank, 1978). 12 Fifteenth ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity, held at Khartoum from 18 to 22 July 1978. 97. Draft resolution I is entitled "World Tourism Organi- zation". The Second Committee adopted that draft reso- lution without a vote. May I take it that the General Assemblywishesto do the same?

Draft resolution 11 is entitled "Assistance to the Comoros", The Second Committee adopted that draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishesto do the same? Draft resolution 11wasadopted (resolution 33/123).

Draft resolution 111 is entitled "Assistance to Guinea-Bissau". The Second Committee adopted that draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishesto do the same?

Draft resolution IV is entitled "Assistance to Sao Tome and Principe". The Second Committee adopted that draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to do the same?

Draft resolution V is entitled "Assistance to Mozambique". The Second Committee adopted that draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishesto do the same? Draft resolution V lmS adopted (resolution 33/126).

Draft resolution VI is entitled "Assistance to CapeVerde". The Second Committee adopted that draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishesto do the same?

Draft resolution VII is entitled "Assistance to Lesotho", The Second Committee adopted 'that draft resolution without a vote. May I consider that the General Assembly wishesto do the same?

Draft resolution VIII is entitled "Assistanceto Seychelles". The Second Committee adopted that draft resolution'

Draft resolu.ion IX is entitled "Assistance to Botswana". The Second Committee adopted that draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishesto do the same?

Draft resolution X is entitled "Assistance to Zambia". The Second Committee adopted that draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishesto do the same?

Draft resolution XI is entitled "Assistance to Djibouti". The Second Committee adopted that draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishesto do the same?

Draft resolution XII is entitled "Implementation of the medium-term and long-term recovery and rehabilitation programme in the Sudano-Sahelian region". The Second Committee adopted that draft resolution without a vote. May'I take it that the General Assembly wishes to do the same?

The General Assembly will now consider the report of the Second Committee on agenda item 65, having to do with the United Nations Special Fund. That report appears in document A/33/496. We shall take a decision on the draft decision entitled "United Nations Special Fund" recom- mended by the Second Committee in paragraph 8 of that report. The Second Committee adopted the draft decision without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishes. to do the same? The draft decision wasadopted (decision 33/431).

I now invite representatives to turn to document A/33/514, which contains a note from the Secretary-General under agenda item 65 (b). Under the decision just adopted, the General Assembly has suspended the activities of the United Nations Special Fund ad interim. Consequently, the Secretary-General is not submitting an appointment for confirmation by the General Assembly. May I take it that the General Assembly takes note of document A/33/S14?

The General Assembly will now consider the report of the 112. Draft resolution I is entitled "United Nations Con- ference on Technical Co-operation among Developing Countries". The administrative and fmancial implications of that draft resolution involve costs for servicing the Con- ference and will be taken into account by the Secretary- General when he submits the summary of the fmancial needs for 1979. The Second Committee adopted draft resolution I without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishesto do the same?

Draft resolution 11 is entitled "Role of qualified national personnel in the social and economic development of developing countries". The Second Committee approved that draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly wishesto do the same?

The General Assembly will now consider the report of the Second Committee on agenda Hem 71, concerning the acceleration of the transfer of real resources to developing countries. That report appears in document A/33/S17. We shall now take decisions on the two draft resolutions recommended by the Second Committee in paragraph 11 of its report. lIS'. Draft resolution I is entitled "Acceleration of the transfer of real resources to developing countries". A recorded vote has been requested.

Draft resolution 11 is entitled "Finance for development". A recorded vote has been requested. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eq~a­ torial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, le- banon, Lesotho, :iberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Mada- gascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Neth- erlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emi- rates, United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia Against: None Abstaining: Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Canada, Czechoslovakia, France, German Democratic Republic, Germany, Federal Republic of, Hungary, Luxembourg, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Re- 117. The PRESIDENT {interpretation from Spartish): I call on the representative of Mexico, who wishes to speak in explanation of vote.

As we did when the draft resolution on fmance for development was voted on in the Second Committee, the delegation of Mexico wishes to indicate that it voted in favour of that draft without prejudice to its traditional position concerning the concept of multilateral guarantees. 119. In this connexion we now repeat thestatement we made in the Second Committee.t t to the effect that the subject of multilateral guarantees is merely one of, and not the most important among, the views of the Group of High-Level Experts on Finance for Development referred to in operative paragraph 2 of the draft resolution. 120. Furthermore, the delegation of Mexico understands that in the continuation of the study of various suggestions and proposals requested in operative paragraph 3, attention should be given to all those solutions which may contribute to the quantitative and qualitative improvement of de- veloping countries' access to capital markets-solutions which are, of course, not limited to the aforementioned multilateral guarantees.

As members are aware, the General Assembly adopted earlier, under agenda item 65, concerning the United Nations Special Fund, decision 33/431 under which it decided to perform the functions of the Board of Governors of the Special Fund pending subsequent consideration of the question by the Assembly, at its thirty-fourth session. May I take it that there is therefore no need to proceed to the election of the members of the Board of Gl>vemors of the Special Fund? The meetingrose at 12.55 p.m.