A/33/PV.96 General Assembly

The General Assembly will now consider parts IV and V of the report ofthe Fifth Committee on agenda item 100, entitled "Programme budget for the biennium 1978-1979". The report is contained in documents A/33/445/Add.3 and 4. 9. I shall now call on those representatives wishing to explain their votes before the voting.

Belgium has alwaysvoted in favour of the budgets of the United Nations. In December 1977 it voted for the budget for the biennium. This time-for the first time-the Belgian authorities have decided to vote against the supplementary estimates which have been requested, amounting to more than $100 million. 11. Belgium's share of this additional request is equal to the sum of the contributions of some 30 Member States for the entire year 1978. That demonstrates the responsibility of States which, by their number, have the majority of votes, while a mere handful of States alone have to assume four fifths of the expenses of the Organization and to bear the financial implications of resolutions that are adopted and the implications of the administrative management of the Secretariat. i2. In comparison with the budget fOT 1976-1977, the present budget represents an increase in expenditure of approximately 40 per cent, and the Secretary-General has indicated that new supplementary appropriations will prob- ably be requested in the second report on budget per- formance, before the end of this year. In December 1977, on behalfof the States members of the European Economic Community, I spoke heree to express the concerns to which the considerable increase in the cost of the pro- grammes of the Organization had given rise and to request the Secretary-General to provide for a policy of economy and restraint of expenditure. However, since December 1977 the situation has clearly worsened. The members of the Assembly will recall that the initial budget for 1978-1979 included an inc.ease in expenditure of some 25 per cent in comparison with the fmal estimates of the preceding budget. 13. The United Nations bases its budget on the full budgeting method. That should enable the Secretary- 2 For decision 33/306 A, see the 44th meeting, para. 55. 3 See Offtcial Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-second 14. While we are against the supplementary estimates as a 'whole, we approve of the allocation of resources needed for new programmes that respond to the needs of developing countries, as well as for the implementation of resolution 32/197 on restructuring of the economic and social sectors of the United Nations system. But these latter estimates represent only about one fourth of the budget increase. Three fourths of the supplementary estimates have to do with the current period. 15. The Belgianauthorities make no secret of the fact that the considerable increase in the budgetary burden which the Assembly is asked to approve is unacceptable. At a time when, at the national level, the Belgian Government has imposed budgetary restrictions and a policy of restraint, even of parsimony, it cannot br t disapprove in the international Organization financial laxity, the lack of a serious drive to compensate-through economies, through more efficient management, through the elimination of non-essential expenditures and through the elimination of outmoded or not very useful activities-for disbursements necessitated by currency fluctuations, inflation and new programmes. It is advisable to return to budgetary dis- cipline, to do away with these unwonted procedures midway through the fiscal period, as they can but con- tribute to the discernible worsening-which I have just emphasized-of the financial and other difficulties of the Organization. 16. Within the United Nations system, the United Nations must set the example. We cannot assume the responsibility of supporting the current budgetary policy. It will have a harmful influence on the practices of organizations in the United Nations system. It leads to reluctance, if not disapproval on the part of very important contributors. In the United Nations system, it has caused some of them to wit'u.old part or all of their contributions. 17. 0 'Ice again, we do not advocate neglecting the programmes called for by the developing world. Certainly not. Rather, we must see to it that, through the transfer of certain functions, the redeployment of staff and austerity in expenditure, the adaption of programmes to needs is not done solely, as is the case today, by the continual establishment of new posts and the growth of funds for travel, co-ordination and consultation, for staff, a number of whom, I am sorry to say, give the impression that they are out of touch with present-day realities. - 18. The Organization exists for and by virtue of its Member States. But to fail to recognize their difficulties or their aspirations cannot but lead to serious disappoint- ments. Budgetary discipline is necessary. Once again we ask the Secretary-General to instruct the offices and organs under his autuority to practise systematically a policy of economy and restraint in expenditure. 19. Finally, aware of the financial difficulties of the Organization, the Belgian Government has decided to pay in the next few hours the sum of $4.5 million, representing our contribution for the year 1979 calculated on the basis

Cameroon will vote in favour of the draft resolutions now before the Assembly. Its aim in so doing is, in the first place, to support the concrete implementation of the various resolutions to which it has already agreed and the implications of which are at the origin of some of the increasesin appropriations now being sought. Furthermore, we wish to support, through the actions and efforts of the Secretary-General, those of the United Nations in which the young countries, in particular, place great hopes and to which they have recourse in our world that is searchingfor peace, security and development in solidarity. 21. W~ should, however, recognize that, for a budget prepared in accordance with the full budgJLing method, the additional appropriations now being sought-which, added to those already voted last December, amount to more than $100 million in the middle of the biennium-are quite high. Indeed, they represent 10 per cent of the appropriations already voted and will have the consequence of bringingthe growth in the present budget to about 40 per cent, in comparison with the budget of the previous biennium- although this is only an estimate which may have to be revised upwards, since the Secretary-General has the inten- tion, if inflation continues during 1979, to ask for further supplementary appropriations in his final report on the execution of the current programme budget that he will submit to the Assembly at its thirty-fourth session. All the additional appropriations on which we are asked to take a decision result essentially from variations in rates of exchange, from commitments contracted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 32/214 relating to unforeseen and extraordinary expenses for the biennium 1978-1979, and, finally, from various changes and decisions of the directing bodies. 22. Cameroon appreciates the seriousness of the examina- tion of the recommendations that was carried out with regard to these appropriations, both by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions and by the Fifth Committee. It appreciates also the efforts made so far by the Secretary-General to effect budgetary economies. With regard to the financial crisis that the Organization is now going through, these efforts at econ- omy must be increased, even more than in the past- particularly by a judicious redeployment of resources, speed in the carrying out of projects for which appropria- tions have been voted, and a careful and constant reviewof priorities and the usefulnessof programmes. 23. In an international economic situation which is as difficult as the present one, marked by generalizedinflation and monetary disturbances, a policy of frugality in expendi- ture could contribute to lessening the burden on Member States vis-a-vis the Organization, and particularly the developing States, which are in the grip of' financial difficulties ofwhich we are all aware. 25. The delegation of the USSR notes that that decision of the General Assembly has not been complied with in the past and is not being complied with now. The thirty-third session of the General Assembly has before it for approval supplementary appropriations in the amount of $104.2 million. If those appropriations should be approved, the budget of the United Nations for the biennium 1978-1979 would amount to $1090.1 million, which is $300.6 million, or 38 per cent, higher than the budget of the United Nations for the previous biennium, 26. This unprecedented budgetary growth, which reflects, among other negative phenomena, unhealthy tendencies within the administrative and fmancial activities of the Organization, should be viewed as a symptom of the over-all unfavourable situation with regard to the financial foundations of the United Nations. 27. This year the bulk of the supplementary appropria- tions consists of expenditures to cover the negative con- sequences of the decline in the exchange rate of the United States dollar. So far the negative effects of inflation and currency fluctuations on the United Nations budget have been offset by the levying of additional contributions on all States Members of the United Nations. Such an approach is wrong and unfair. Under the relevant General Assembly decision, increasesin the budgets of the United Nations and the specialized z.oencies caused by higher prices should basically be offset by economies, by a reviewof the priority of programmes and by adjusting the budgets. In recent years a group of States Members of the United Nations has repeatedly expressed the view that supplementary expendi- tures caused by inflation and currency fluctuations should also be covered by contributions on the part of the States responsible for the inflation and the currency instability and, accordingly, for the negative effects of these phenom- ena on the budgets of the United Nations and the specialized agencies. There is another situation which is unnatural-that is, the situation where, as a result of the decline in the exchange rate of the United States dollar the size of the contribution of a number of developed, market-economy countries to the regular budget of the United Nations has in fact been reduced, while an addi- tional financial burden is being placed on the shoulders of the States that are least of all responsible for the infla- tionary process and the currency instability. 28. The delegation of the USSR insists that the question of the ways and means to deal with the consequences of currency instability and inflation within the United Nations system should finally be solved correctly and justly. We count on receiving from the United Nations Secretariat proposals to that end. 30. The United Nations Secretariat, however, did not do the work entrusted to it by the General Assembly with regard to the identification of resources and the maximizing of economies in the budgetary resources. On the contrary, additional appropriations have been requested for the fmancing of all supplementary expenditures. 31. Therefore, there is nothing strange in the fact that at the thirty-third session of the General Assembly the revised budget for the current biennium was not supported by States which pay for more than 80 per cent of the expenditures of the United Nations. Thus, a legitimate question arises: how long do those who bear primary responsibility for the more than unfavourable situation with regard to the budget expect the major contributors to the budget to confine themselves to expressing their dissatisfaction with the United Nations policy of budget administration merely by their votes and how lcng they will acquiesce in a situation in which the size of their contributions to the U: .ierl. Nations budget is literally being dictated to them and being established without their consent and in fact against their will? 32. It should be clear that for its part the Soviet Union does not intend to acquiesce in such a situation, which affects its sovereignrights in this Organization. 33. Our delegation wishes to inform the Assembly that the Soviet Union has withheld from its contribution to the regular budget of the United Nations fer 1978 the amount relating to the financing of extrabudgetary items trans- ferred to the regular budget of the United Nations with effect from 1 January 1978. This action, which we have been forced to take and which has in the present circumstances become an essential measure, is a logical result of the well-known position of the Soviet Union to the effect mat the practice of transferring items financed by voluntary contributions to the regular budget of the United Nations is illegal and leads to an unjustified growth of the United Nations budget and an unjustified increase in the fmancial burden placed upon States Members of the Organization. The Soviet Union intends to defend its interests if similar situations should arise in the future. 39. The Charter imposes on each Member Government the obligation to pay its share of the costs of the Organization , as determined by this General Assembly. This is a principle of crucial importance to the integrity of the United Nations, and Canada for one would be most reluctant to see. any action taken to erode it. But if we persist in demonstrating that we cannot control the budgetary process collectively, then there can be no doubt that SOIpe Governments will come to the conclusion that they will have to 'do so individually. If that happens, the end result will be the emasculation of the Assembly's capacity tfl manage its own affairs. In this regard it is surely worthy of note that in the Fifth Committee Member Governments whose share of the assessment totals over 50 per cent voted against these supplementaries, and if one takes into account the share of those who abstained the total is over 75 per cent. 34. In the light of what J have said, and taking into account tile fact that for the biennium 1978-1979 unjus- tified and gratuitous ~x)enses have been included in the budget, including appropriations for the financing of

The Assembly is about to vote on supplementary budget proposals which will have the effect of increasing our net biennial budget after only one year by almost 39 per cent as compared with the net expenses for 1976-1977. Furthermore, it has been indicated to us that we should expect further demands by the end of 1979. 36. Let us be quite clear. In approving these proposals we are not simply approving some expenditures; we are adopting a testament to the inability of this Assembly to control the budget and management of the programmes of the United Nations. This would be a dangerously unhealthy situation in the best of times, But, when many Member States are experiencing serious economic difficulties at home and have had to apply severe and politically difficult restrictions on their own programmes, it is an intolerable situation. 37. Both you, Mr. President, and the Secretary-General have repeatedly drawn attention to the need for the Assembly to improve its procedures for the effective conduct of its business, and the Secretary-General informed us just before Christmas [90th meeting} that he intended to submit his views to us in time for consideration at the next session. J hope and trust that the question of centrol over the programme and budget will form an important part of the study, and my delegation, for its part, pledges to do whatever it can to assist in' the process of devising and implementing necessary reforms. 38. I put it to the Assembly that we must give urgent attention to this question, and also consider a mechanism for adopting at the outset of each biennium a firm target figure which must not be exceeded and a firm decision that every subsequent change in the programme must be financed within established budgetary limits, if necessary by deferring lower-priority projects. Governments have to do this in the conduct of their own affairs, and failure to do it here is eroding public support for the United Nations and could ultimately jeopardize its very existence. 42. There is no doubt that these are difficult times for Member States owing to inflation and other well-known international problems. However, at the United Nations every day we face an unreasonable increasein expenses for committees, conferences and programmes some of which are already obsolete. We are trying to explain our position, given the concern over the duplication of effort, the mushrooming of bureaucracy and, perhaps, a lack of rationalization in the administrative work of the United Nations. 43. That is why we wish at this time to state that we are especially appreciative of the Advisory Committee and its wise counsel on budgetary matters. We believe that the United Nations should at all levels undertake a serious study aimed at the rationalization of the budget that would respond to the objective needs of Member States. 44. However, considering that in part these increases are largely due to the adoption of resolutions in the various Committees of the General Assembly that no doubt benefit most Member States, our delegation will at this plenary meeting vote in favour of the draft budget, with the revised estimates, for the biennium 1978-1979, although we wish especially' to state 'our reservations with regard to any additional extrabudgetary increases that would, midway through the period, be contrary to the sound budgetary practice of knowing from the start what the budget will be. 45. That is why my delegation voices this .concern, which should be shared by all Member States large and small, if we are to make better use of the funds of this international Organization for the purpose of carrying out all of its functions.

' I now invite representatives to turn to part N of the report of the Fifth Committee [A/33/445/Add.3J. The three draft resolutions recommended by the Fifth Committee appear in paragraph 78 of its report. 47. Draft resolution I is entitled "Form of presentation of the United Nations budget". The Fifth Committee adopted draft resolution I by consensus. May I consider that the . General Assemblywishes to adopt draft resolution 11

We now turn tu draft resolution II which incorporates various draft decisions under the title ''Questions relating to the programme budget for the biennium 1978-1979". Weshall take a decision on each section in turn.

We come now to section II of draft resolution 11. The Fifth Committee adopted section 11 by consensus. May I consider that the General Assembly adopts section 111

Next we turn to section III of draft resolution 11. A recorded vote has been requested.

We turn now to section IV of draft resolution Il, The Fifth 4 For resolution 33/116 A, see the 88th meeting, paras. 14-20; for resolution 33/116 B, see the 91st meeting, paras. 22-31. 5 The delegation of Mauritius SUbsequently informed the Secre- tariat that it wished to have its vote recorded as having been in favour of the draft resolution. 53: The PRESlpENT (interpretation from Spanish): We turn now to section V. The Fifth Committee adopted section V without objection. May I consider that the General Assembly wishes to do likewise? Section V of draft resolution II wastdapted (resolution 33/116 c: sect. V).

We come now to section VI. A recorded vote has been requested. . SS. The PRESIDENT (interpretation from Spanish): We come now to section VII. A recorded vote has been requested.

We turn no.w to section VIII. The Fifth Committee adopted section VIII without objection. May I consider that the General Assembly wishes to do likewise?

We com.e now to section IX. The Fifth Committee adopted section IX by consensus. May I consider that the General Assembly wishes to adopt section IX? Section IX ofdraft resolution 11 wasadopted (resolution 33/116 C, sect. IX). ,58. The . PRESIDENT (interpretation from Spanish): Lastly, we turn to section X of draft resolution H. A recorded vote has been requested.

We now turn to draft resolution III entitled "Determination of activities that have been completed, are obsolete, of marginal usefulness or ineffective". A recorded vote has , been requested. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,Burma, Burundi, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Kampuchea, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Finland, France, German Democratic Republic, Germany, Federal Republic of, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi,Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Nether- lands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Phillppines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Trinidad ami Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of America, Upper Volta, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia 7 Idem. 60. The PRESIDENT (interpretation from Spanish}: I now invite representatives to turn to part V of the.report of the Fifth Committee [A/33/445/Add.4]. We shall now take a decision on the three draft resolutions grouped.under the heading "Programme budget for thebiennlum 1978-1979" which have been recommended by the .Fifth Committee in paragraph 6 ofits report. 61. Draft resolution A is entitled "Revised budget appro- priations for the biennium 1978-1979". A recorded vote has been requested. In favour: Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia.Costa Rica, Cyprus, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Gulnea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama. Paraguay, Peru, Philip- pines, Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Anb Republic, Thalland, Togo, T~;;- ~~ad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia Against: Belgium, Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia, France, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United States of America Abstaining: Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, Cuba, Germany, Federal Republic of, Japan, Portugal, Romania, Turkey Draft resolution A wasadopted by 98 votes to 15, with 9abstentions (resolution 33/205 A). ~

We turn now to draft resolution B, entitled "Revised income estimates for the biennium 1978-1979". A. recorded vote has been requested. In favour: Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas,Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, 8 Idem. 9 Idem. Against: None Abstaining: Afghanistan, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Canada, Cuba, t 0 Czechoslovakia, France, German Democratic Republic, Germany, Federal Republic of, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Mongolia, Poland, Portugal, Turkey, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United States of America

We shall now take up draft resolution C, entitled "Financing of appropriations for the year 1979". A recorded vote has been requested. In favour: Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Cc.ta Rica, Cyprus, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jama:hiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of '11,'- .. / 10 The delegation of Cuba subsequently informed the Secretariat that it wished to have its vote recorded as having been in favour ofthe draft resolution. 11 The delegation of Mauritius subsequently informed the Secre- tariat that it wished to have its vote recorded as having been in favour of the draft resolution. Abstaining: Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, Germany, Federal Republic of, Japan, Portugal, Romania, Turkey Draft resolution C wasadopted by 101 votes to 14, with 8 abstentions (resolution 33/205 C).t2

I call on the Secretary-General.

In the light of the discussions in the Fifth Committee, which I have been following carefully, as well as of the statements heard today referring, for instance, to the need for budgetary discipline, a policy of economy and the elimination of outmoded programmes and activities, I wish at this stage to place on record my serious concern over the budgetary develop- ments ill our Organization. 66. The General Assembly has today approved revised gross appropriations for the 1978-1979 biennium totalling nearly $1.1 billion. After deducting estimated income, these result in a net budget of $894.4 million. Approval of these revised appropriations will increase the over-all level of the budget by $104.2 million in gross terms, or $82.6 million net, over the initially-approved levels. Given the magnitude of this increase, which admittedly is substantial, I believe it would be useful for me to draw the attention of members to a number of relevant factors, even though some of them have already been mentioned here in the debate. . 67. Out of the additional gross appropriations of $104.2 million, it was necessary to request $74.8 million to compensate for losses resulting from the realignment of exchange rates between the United States dollar, in which our budget is framed, as all members are fully aware, and the currencies in which the Organization incurs about 40 per cent of its expenditures. Forty per cent of our expenditures are incurred in foreign currency, and therefore members will certainly understand the importance of this development for our budget. Such additional requirements to cover currency losses basically do not occur in national budgets. A comparison has repeatedly been, made with national budgets and the efforts made in this regard, but national budgets do not have this problem that we have and, of course, such developments cannot be forecast with any reasonable degree of accuracy. It is impossible to forecast the devaluation of a currency. 68. Accordingly, as Secretary-General, I had no alternative but to request, in our performance reports, additional 12 The delegation of Mauritius subsequently informed the Secre- tariat that it wished to have its vote recorded as having been in favour of the draft resolution. The delegation of Cuba subsequently informed the Secretariat that it wished to have its vote recorded as an abstention. 70. It should also be recalled that our budget is deliber- ately drawn up as a programme budget, with the designof indicating the inseparable link that exists between the determination of programmes aud their financing. That is the whole purpose of our programme budget. Accordingly, in expressing concern over increases in budgetary require- ments, we must also address ourselves to the question of programme determination. The difficulty is that while the programmes and activities of the Organization are deter- mined by various intergovernmental bodies and finally by the substantive committees of the General Assembly, their budgetary implications are the subject of subsequent decisions of the Fifth Committee. In assessing the Secre- tariat's budget submissions, therefore, it should be rec- ognized that they are simply the financial corollary of the programmes and activities entrusted to the Organization. Thus there is a causal relationship between the approval of additional programmes and the requirement of increased resources to carry them out. 71. The difficulties involved were illustrated by the fact that last year the Economic and Social Council could not agree-I repeat, could not agree-on the recommendations of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination on priorities, growth rates and other matters relating to the future programme development of the Organization. In order for the Secretary-General to identify programmes which might be considered obsolete, ineffective or of marginal usefulness, he must be able to rely upon the co-operation of the Member States; he cannot do it alone. In this connexion, I must draw the attention of repre- sentatives to the fact that, in a number of instances at this current session, the Fifth Committee overruled the Advisory Committee and restored cuts which the Advisory Committee had recommended. I intend soon to address a communication to Member States seeking their views on the question of obsolete programmes and interrelated matters. 72. In conclusion, I should like to emphasize that all efforts to secure budgetary restraint and the nost eco- nomical utilization of resources must start at the pro- gramme-formulation stage and at the level of the various intergovernmental bodies involved in such decisions. Asfar as the Secretariat is concerned, I have already given the necessary instructions to that end in connexion with the preparation of our next programme budget. I wish to assure representatives that I will do whatever is possible to secure this important objective.

I thank the Secretary-General for his timely and important report to the General Assembly. 75. Ms WELLS (United States of America): The United States voted against the supplementary budget request for the biennium 1978-1979. It should be noted .that a significant majority of the Member States which pay the costs of operating the United Nations voted against or abstained in the vote on the 1978-1979 supplementary budget. The United States position is based solely on financial and budgetary considerations and should not be interpreted in any other light, since we are demonstrating our concern at the present lack of proper budget restraint at a time when world conditions demand responsible and prudent actions. 76. We hope that all l.~ember States will join in a reassessment of the plight of our Organization. We hope that programme priorities based upon broad consensus will be developed. We hope that ineffective, non-essential and marginal activities will be eliminated so that the United Nations can operate more effectively, more efficiently and more economically in the future.

For 15 weeks ofhard work we have been meeting to discuss the matters of concern to the international community, in an atmosphere of harmony which emphasizes the trend in our Organization towards arriving at positions of consensus and not of confrontation. We can state without hesitation that this session has been distinguished by the constructive way in which the debates took place-a result of the level of maturity reached by the United Nations. Only the custom- ary controversies arose sometimes expressed in bitter language, on items which have distressed the concert of nations for some long time. But these are the inevitable obstacles which every parliamentary forum must overcome in order to become completely democratic. 78. As usual, at the end of the General Assembly, we have the feeling that something in it must be changed to expedite its work and make it more effective and rational. As the rules of procedure were conceived when the Assemblywas a small club of 50 countries, it is only natural today, when it has to concern itself with the aspirations of 151 nations, that short-comings should be noted in the organization and conduct of its work. It is a priority task for a body whose membership has .tripled since it was founded to discover systems which will enable it to planits work, in accordance with modem techniques aimed at enhancing its effectiveness. There is no doubt that many important problems of the sort which suddenly arise in international relations have made it necessary to postpone the revision of the rules of procedure, the compelling need for which we have felt during the present session.It is truly paradoxical that, while the number of Member States is rising and the items considered by the' Assembly are multiplying, our Organizationis not simultaneously increas- ingits technical capacity to cope with that growth. 79. These short-comings are apparent in the functioning of two Main Committees, the Economic and Financial Corn- 80. The situation is compounded by the fact that there are almost always fmancial implications to the resolutions adopted by the Committee itself which must be taken up thereafter in the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions and also in the Fifth Committee before the respective reports come before the Assembly in plenary meeting. This system accounts for the delay in our work, and in the last analysis may lead to a superficial examination of international problems which call for careful discussion. 81. At this session, the greatest number of delegations in the history of our Organization took part in the general debate, as did some Heads of State and Ministers for Foreign Affairs, At this rostrum the various positions on the principal concerns of the international community were established, and through them the key points emerged around which international politics revolves. The fact that these have been cut back to a few essential items shows that the community of nations has clearly discovered points of convergence or controversy, on the solution of which its hopes for a lasting peace are based. As the general debate become; less encumbered over the years, it offers new opportunities for judging the significance of our Organiza- tion: a forum for those who hitherto had no say and a forum where the powerful can contribute their experience to the solution of world problems. The establishment of this peaceful forum for constructive' dialogue among the peoples of the globe justifies the creation of the United Nations. 82. From among the items dealt with in the general debate and in other bodies of the General Assembly, I wish to single out some which aroused major concern in the deliberations. I do not mean to say that anything excluded from this synopsis is less important than the items to which I am drawing attention; I am simply concerned to be as succinct as possible in this closing statement. 83. The item on international peace and security was once again the key issue around which our discussions developed. To scrunnize, as we did, the way in which the peace and' security of States can be strengthened will never be a superfluous exercise but rather a necessity. And, of course, another essential subject of our deliberations derives from this item, namely, the urgent need to achieve rapid national disarmament both physically and spiritually. It is distressing 84. The fact that an agreement was reached on the negotiating capacity of the Committee that was established last year should be hailed as an important achievement of this Assembly, That Committee has been dealing with the North-South dialogue and worked continuously in the face of enormous difficulties in 1978. These negotiations are of cardinal importance at this time, when, as in 1973, situations are recurring that are critical for the developing nations-and especially for those which lack energy re- sources. At a time when the gap between rich and poor nations, instead of clodng, is widening to a dangerous degree, when the hopes of mankind for the achievement.of 85. During the present session,we have admitted two new Members to our Organization-Solomon Islands and Do- minica-which brings its membership up to 151. The process of decolonization and self-determination of peoples is thus proceeding, and I am sure that these two new Members will collaborate actively in our work and that the Organization, in its turn, will extend to them its support at this initial phase of their existence as independent nations. 86. By a happy coincidence, it was the privilege of a Spanish-speaking Latin American to be elected President of the General Assembly in the year in which our language, Spanish, is ceiebrating its thousandth anniversary. The Spanish tongue, which today links more than 300 million people, has spread over several continents and has dis- tinguished itself over the centuries by its assimilation of the demographic developments which have enriched it. Orig- inating from Latin, it has been influenced by the peoples who inhabited the Iberian peninsula, by Arab nations, which coexisted there for eight centuries with other diff,erent racial and religious groups, and, in recent times, by the young American nations. Some of the basic instruments of international law, the foundation of the United Nations, have been written in Spanish, and in its major works in a lasting way Its spirit has enhanced the dignity of man, his pride in being free and the fundamental equality of all men in the eyes of God and their fellow men. It is fitting that the Assembly should have taken note of the illustrious thousandth anniversary of a language which has given expression to some of the noblest spiritual values of mankind. 87. On behalf of tlte Assembly, I wish to express my gratitude to the Secretariat for its vigilant collaboration with the presidency, and especially to Mr. Kurt Waldheim. who, thanks to his knowledge of international problems and those of the Organization of which he is the executive head, and to his unquestionable statesmanlike ability, has been an able counsellor to me and to the other presiding officers of the General Assembly. I also thank Mr. William B. Buffum, Under-Secretary-General for Political and General Assembly Affairs. My gratitude is due also to the staff members who deal with verious aspects of the General 88. I wish also to extend my thanks to Mr. Lessiovski, as well as to the membere of the various Committees-the General Committee and the statutory committees-for the way in which they carried out their work and managed in the great majority of cases, to reconcile opposing interests so that the Assembly could finally arrive at consensuses and compromises. 89. In conclusion, I wish to reiterate to you all my expressions of gratitude for your co-operation in the success of this pan. of the thcty-third regular session. Without tha, silent and often almost anonymous collectfve effort our Organization would not have reached its present stage of development. The task now facing us is to co-operate in bringing about the reforms required to enable the General Assembly to dischaige quickly the tremendous task of solving the grave problems which mankind has assignedto it. 90. The PR!' SIDENT (interpretation from Spanish): As members may recall: the General Assembly, in paragraph 14 of resolution 33/182 A, of 21 December 1978, decided: "... to reconvene the thirty-third session at a time to be decided in consultation between the President of the General Assembly, the President of the United Nations Council for Namibia and the Secretary-General in order to consider fully the question of Namibia and the implications of South Africa's continued defiance of the resolutions ofthe Assembly and the Security Council". !n accordance with that decision, the members of the Assembly will be informed in due course of the date on which the session will be reconvened. 91. I now declare suspended the thirty-third session of the General Assembly. Themeetingrose at 4.55 p.m.