A/34/PV.111 General Assembly

Thursday, Dec. 20, 1979 — Session 34, Meeting 111 — New York — UN Document ↗ — OCR ✓ — ⓘ 46 unattributed speechs
▶ This meeting at a glance
50
Speeches
4
Countries
24
Resolutions
Resolutions: 31/37, 32/95, 32/97, 32/100, 32/101, 32/127, A/RES/34/219[I], A/RES/34/220, A/RES/34/221, A/RES/34/222A, A/RES/34/222C, A/RES/34/223A, A/RES/34/223B, A/RES/34/227, A/RES/34/229, A/RES/34/230A, A/RES/34/230C, A/RES/34/231, A/RES/34/232, A/RES/34/233[I], A/RES/34/233[IX], A/RES/34/233[XI], A/RES/34/233[XIII], A/RES/34/233[XIV]
Topics
Arab political groupings UN resolutions and decisions UN procedural rules General statements and positions Economic development programmes Global economic relations

98.  Pruposed programme budget for the biennium 1980-1981 REPORT OF THE FIFTH COMMITTEE (A/34/848) 1. Mr. KHAMIS (Algeria). Rapporteur of the Fifth Committee (interpretation from French): | have the honour to present to the General Assembly for consid- eration and adoption the reports of the Fifth Committee on agenda items 12, 104, 106, 97 and 98. 2. The report of the Fifth Committee on agenda item 12 is contained in document A/34/846, paragraph 5 of which contains the recommendation of the Com- mittee. 3. The report of the Fifth Committee on agenda item 104 is contained in document A/34/773, para- graph 19 of which contains the recommendations of the Committee. In this regard, I should like to make it clear that only section I of draft resolution I was put to a vote in the Fifth Committee and that the other sec- * Resumed from the 108th meeting. 4. With regard to agenda item 106, the report of the Fifth Committee is contained in document A/34/775 and Corr.1. The recommendations of the Committee are contained in paragraphs 19 and 20 of that report. 5. The report of the Fifth Committee on agenda item 97 is contained in document A/34/847, and the recommendations of the Committee are in paragraph 7 of that report. 6. The report of the Fifth Committee on agenda item 98 is contained in document A/34/848, and the recommendations of the Fifth Committee are contained in part VI. These recommendations involve 11 draft resolutions. Parts I to V of the report had been previously published in documents A/C.5/34/L.48 (Part I), A/C.5/34/L.48 (Part II) and Corr.1 and A/C.5/ 34/L.48 (Part III). Finally, I wish to inform the Assem- bly that the draft resolution entitled ‘‘ Medium-term planning in the United Nations’’ is submitted under item 98 and also under agenda item 101, entitled ‘‘Joint Inspection Unit: reports of the Joint Inspection Unit"’. Pursuant to rule 66 of the rules of procedure, it was decided not to discuss the reports of the Fifth Com- mittee.

The President unattributed #5175
The positions of delegations with respect to the recommendations contained in the reports of the Fifth Committee to the Assembly are reflected in the relevant summary records of the Committee. I would remind members of the decision taken by the General Assembly on 21 September 1979, that **. .. when tne same draft resolution is considered in a Main Committee and in the plenary Assembly, a delegation shouid, as far as possible, explain its vote only once, that is, either in the Committee or in the plenary Assembly, unless that delegation’s vote in the plenary Assembly is different from its vote in the Committee.” [4th meeting, para. 349.) 8. Inow invite members to turn their attention to the report of the Fifth Committee on agenda item 12 [A/34/846], dealing with the report of the Economic and Social Council. The Fifth Committee recommends, in paragraph 5 of its report, that the General Assembly should approve the revised statute of the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning. May I consider that the General Assembly adopts that recommendation? The recommendation was adopted (decision 34/454).
Vote: A/RES/34/219[I] Recorded Vote
✓ 101   ✗ 33   1 abs.
Show country votes
— Abstain (1)
✓ Yes (101)
Vote: A/RES/34/220 Recorded Vote
✓ 120   ✗ 0   17 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (120)
Vote: A/RES/34/221 Recorded Vote
✓ 123   ✗ 0   13 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (123)
Vote: A/RES/34/222A Recorded Vote
✓ 110   ✗ 21   3 abs.
Show country votes
— Abstain (3)
✓ Yes (110)
Vote: A/RES/34/222C Recorded Vote
✓ 91   ✗ 15   28 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (91)
Vote: A/RES/34/223A Recorded Vote
✓ 116   ✗ 9   11 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (116)
Vote: A/RES/34/223B Recorded Vote
✓ 127   ✗ 0   11 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (127)
Vote: A/RES/34/227 Recorded Vote
✓ 108   ✗ 11   19 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (108)
Vote: A/RES/34/229 Recorded Vote
✓ 122   ✗ 10   6 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (122)
Vote: A/RES/34/230A Recorded Vote
✓ 119   ✗ 9   9 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (119)
Vote: A/RES/34/230C Recorded Vote
✓ 119   ✗ 9   8 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (119)
Vote: A/RES/34/231 Recorded Vote
✓ 130   ✗ 9   0 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (130)
Vote: A/RES/34/232 Recorded Vote
✓ 131   ✗ 9   0 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (131)
Vote: A/RES/34/233[I] Recorded Vote
✓ 131   ✗ 9   0 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (131)
Vote: A/RES/34/233[IX] Recorded Vote
✓ 124   ✗ 11   5 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (124)
Vote: A/RES/34/233[XI] Recorded Vote
✓ 128   ✗ 9   1 abs.
Show country votes
— Abstain (1)
✓ Yes (128)
Vote: A/RES/34/233[XIII] Recorded Vote
✓ 118   ✗ 11   8 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (118)
Vote: A/RES/34/233[XIV] Recorded Vote
✓ 112   ✗ 14   16 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (112)
The President unattributed #5177
We turn now, under agenda item 12, to those chapters of the report of the Economic and Social Council which have been referred for consideration directly in plenary meeting. I refer to chapters I, XXVI, XXIX and XXXIX, concerning primarily organizational questions and co-ordination within the TInitad Nlatiane cuctam Afaw i tale it that tha Accam.
The President unattributed #5180
We now turn to the report of the Fifth Committee on agenda item 104, dealing with personnel questions [A/34/773]. The Assembly will now take a decision on the recommendations of the Fifth Committee in paragraph 19 of its report. 11. Draft resolution I is entitled ‘“Personnel questions’. As the Rapporteur of the Fifth Committee said, in the Committee only section I was put to the vote. Unless I hear any objection I shall put only section I. of the draft resolution to the vote. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbadus, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Kica, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Kampuchea, Democratic Yemen, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Zaire. Against: Australia, Austria, Bahrain,’ Belgium, Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, German Democratic Republic, Germany, Federal Republic of, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,' Spain, Sweden, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America. Abstaining: Greece. Section I of draft resolution I was adopted by 101 votes to 33, with | abstention.?
The President unattributed #5182
Sections II, HI and IV of draft resolution I were adopted by the Fifth Committee with- 1 The delegations of Bahrain and Qatar subsequently informed the Secretariat that trey wished to have their votes recorded as having been in favour of section I of draft resolution I. ; 2 The delegation of Mauritius subsequently informed the Secretariat that it wished to have its vote recorded as having been in faunnr of caction Taf draft racalutian | Sections I, HI and IV of draft resolution I were adopted.
Vote: 31/37 Recorded Vote
✓ 101   ✗ 33   0 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (101)
The President unattributed #5183
May I take it that the Assembly wishes to adopt draft resolution I as a whole? Draft resolution I as a whole was adopted (resolution 34/219).
The President unattributed #5185
I now put to the vote draft resolution II, entitled *‘Participation ef United Nations staff in the consultative bodies within the United Nations system’’. A recorded vete has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Kampuchea, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Federal Republic of, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Qatar, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of America, Upper Volta, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia. Against: None. Abstaining: Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cape Verde, China, Czechoslovakia, France, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Mauritania, Mongolia, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Uruguay. Draft resolution IT was adopted by 120 votes to none, with 17 abstentions (resolution 34/200).3
The President unattributed #5186
I shall now call on those representatives who wish to explain their votes after the vote. * The delegation of Mauritius subsequently informed the Secretariat that it wished to have its vote recorded as having been in favour of the draft resolution. 17. The group of States which my country is today privileged to represent maintains the view that the major emphasis should be placed on the goal of reaching the needed level of representation in the Secretariat of the majority of United Nations Member States, which are unrepresented, under-represented or marginally represented. 18. Inthis connexion our delegations cannot but point out the following: first, a large number of countries are already over-represented and continue to expand their presence in the Secretariat; secondly, two thirds of the geographic posts are taken on the basis of permanent contracts by nationals coming from predominantly over-represented countries; thirdly, there is justifiable reason to be dissatisfied with the distribution of the most influential and key posts in the Secretariat. 19, In this respect, may I recall that nationals of socialist countries occupy proportionately very few positions at the higher levels of the United Nations Secretariat. Therefore, in our view, the efforts of the Secretariat should be directed towards eliminating those flaws and disproportions, rather than towards changing the methodology for calculating the desirable ranges. 20. The currently operative system of calculating ranges is based on objective and scientifically proven criteria which reflect the real political and economic situation in the world. These are the reasons for our disagreement with the resolution aimed at reworking that system. In our view, such a reconsideration can deepen further the existing flaws in the Secretariat’s composition and may aggravate the disproportions in the geographic distribution of posts. 21. Since the General Assembly has adopted this resolution, my delegation would like, in addition to setting forth our views, to state that our group hopes that the re-examination envisaged in the resolution will not be conducive to undermining the already insufficient personnel positions of the socialist countries, whose nationals are working in the United Nations on fixed-term contracts. We hope that in elaborating the study on personnel questions to be submitted at the thirty-fifth session of the General Assembly the Secretary-General will take fully into consideration the views stated in the Fifth Committee by all delegations, including those of the socialist countries.
Ms. Guimaraes BRA Brazil #5188
My delegation voted in favour of section I of draft resolution I dealing with personnel questions. Notwithstanding this affirmative vote, we reserve our final position on the matter until 24. In this connexion my delegation wishes to reiterate that a number of developing countries have been constantly penalized by an increasing budgetary burden, without a corresponding increase in their representation in high-level posts of the Secretariat. 25. Mr. van NOUHUYS (Netherlands): My delegation voted in favour of resolution 34/220 on the basis that something, even though disappointingly little, is better than nothing. We are indeed disappointed that it has not proved possible during this session of the General Assembly to reach a decision opening the way further to direct communication between the staff of the United Nations system, and the Fifth Committee. 26. In particular, we should have liked to have had the Assembly adopt a system in which at least some measure of direct access by staff representatives to the Fifth Committee would have been possible. However, we put our hopes in paragraph 7 of the resolution just adopted, and we hope that when the General Asseinbly reconvenes next year it will be shown that a great majority of delegations interpret that paragraph in a very positive way.
The President unattributed #5189
We turn now to the report of the Fifth Committee on agenda item 106, concerning the United Nations pension system [A/34/775 and Corr./]. The Assembly will now proceed to take decisions on the recommendations of the Fifth Committee in paragraphs 19 and 20 of its report. 28. Draft resolution I, contained in paragraph 19 of the Committee’s report, is entitled *‘Report of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Board’’. Separate recorded votes have been requested on sections I and V of that draft resolution. Therefore, [ now put to the vote section | of draft resolution I. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas,> Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, * The delegation of The Bahamas subsequently informed the Secretariat that it wished its vote on section I of draft resolution 1 to be United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia. Against: Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United States of America. Abstaining: Cape Verde, Romania. Section I of draft resolution I was adopted by 122 votes to 10, with 2 abstentions.®
The President unattributed #5191
I shall now put to the vote section V of draft resolution I. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Federal Republic of, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, * The delegation of Mauritius subsequently informed the Secretariat that it wished to have its vote recorded as having been in favour of section | of draft resolution I. Against: Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United States of America. Abstaining: Cape Verde, Japan, Romania. Section V of draft resolution I was adopted by 121 votes to 10, with 3 abstentions.7
The President unattributed #5193
[I shall now put to the vote draft resolution I as a whole. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken, In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Sangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Ye:uen, Denmark. Ecuador, Egypt, Ethicpia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Federal Republic of, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives. Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, 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, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta. Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia. Against: None. Abstaining: Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cape Verde, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Japan, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United States of America. Draft resolution I as a whole was adopted by 123 votes to none, with 13 abstentions (resolution 34/221).8 7 The delegatiun of Mauritius subsequentl: informed the Secretariat that it wished to have its vote recorded as having been in favour of section V of draft resolution I. ® The delegation of Mauritius subsequently informed the Secretariat that it wished to have its vote recorded as having been in favour of draft resolution I as a whole. vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken, In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Burundi, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Yemen, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, German Democratic Republic, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivery Coast, Jamaica, jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauriiania, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, 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 Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia. Against: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany. Federal Republic of, iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal. Sweden, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America. Abstaining: Greece, Liberia, Singapore. Draft resolution IIT A was adopted by 110 votes to 21, with 3 abstentions (resolution 34/222 A).°
The President unattributed #5194
The Fifth Committee adopted draft resolution II B without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly also wishes to do so? Draft resolution HB was adopted (resolution 34/222 B).
The President unattributed #5196
Next I shall put to the vote draft resolution II C. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken, in favour: Australia, Austria, Bahamas. Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Botswana, Bulgaria, Burundi, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. ° The delegation of Mauritius subsequently informed the Secretariat that it wished to have its vote recorded as having been in favour of draft resolution II A. Against: Afghanistan, Barbados, Cape Verde, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Peru, Sao Tome and Principe, United Republic of Tanzania. Abstaining: Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Benin, Brazil, Burma, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Democratic Yemen, Ecuador, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Nepal, Paraguay, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Zaire, Zambia. Draft resolution II C was adopted by 91 votes to 15, with 28 abstentions (resolution 34/222 C).
The President unattributed #5197
I wish to draw the attention of members to paragraph 20 of the report of the Fifth Committee. In that paragraph, the Fifth Committee recommends the adoption of a draft decision regarding the question of pensionable remuneration. The Committee adopted it without a vote. May I consider that the General Assembly also wishes to do so? The draft decision was adopted (decision 34]456).
The President unattributed #5198
We shall now consider the report of the Fifth Committee on agenda item 97, dealing with the prograrmme budget for the biennium 1978-1979 [A/34/847]. The Assembly will now take a decision on the two draft resolutions recommended by the Fifth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. 36. We shall first vote on draft resolution A, entitled ‘Final budget appropriations for the biennium 1978- 1979°’. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. in favour: Afghanistan, Aigeria, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bhutea, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, 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, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia. Against: Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Abstaining: Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Federal Republic of, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America. Draft resolution A was adopted by 116 votes to 9, with [1 abstentions (resolution 34/223 A).
The President unattributed #5200
We shall now vote on draft resolution B, entitled ‘‘Final income estimates for the biennium 1978-1979". A recorded vote has been requested, A recorded vote was taken, In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil Burma, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic. Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Federal Repuolic of, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemaia, 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, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, 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, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan. Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia. Draft resolution B was adopted by 127 votes to none, with 11 abstentions (resolution 34/223 B).
The President unattributed #5201
We shall now consider the report of the Fifth Committee on agenda item 98 on the proposed programme budget for the biennium 1980- 1981 [A/34/848]. Owing to a lack of time and in order to facilitate our work, it it proposed that, for the unedited text of sections I to Y, representatives refer to the documents that were used in the Fifth Committee, namely A/C.5/34/L.48 (Part 1), A/C.5/34/L.48 (Part I) and Corr.1] and A/C.5/34/L.48 (Part TID. 39. Ishall now call on those representatives who wish to explain their votes before the vote on any or al? of the 11 draft resolutions recommended by the Fifth Committee. Representatives will also have an opportunity to explain their votes after all the votes have been taken.
Mr. Shustov SUN Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [Russian] #5203
I should like to express my delegation’s opinion on the question of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 1980- 1981. The result of the consideration of this question obliges the delegation of the Soviet Union to note, with a great deal of concern, that the contributions of States Members of the United Nations continue to be expended ineffectively and uneconomically, very frequently for purposes for which they were not intended and not for those tasks which the Organization is called upon to carry out. as well as on occasion for purposes which directly contradict the Charter of the United Nations. There is an ongoing trend towards unjustifiably higher growth rates in the Organization's expenditure, while virtually nothing is being done through the intergovernmental bodies and the United Nations Secretariat to bring about some stability in budgetary expenditure. 41. The Soviet Union, as one of the main contributors, cannot. nor does it intend to, acquiesce in this negative trend. At the end of the last session of the General Assembly and at the beginning of the present session. the delegation of the Soviet Union was pleased to learn of the solemn assurances given by the Secretary-General that the Secretariat was seriously concerned about the critical attitude that had been taken by States towards the budgetary policies of the United Nations and intended henceforth to exercise restraint when requesting and expending budgetary appropriations. Now that the thirty-fourth session is drawing to a close, the delegation of the Soviet Union is obliged to note that these assurances have not been borne out in practice. The General Assembly has before if for its approval a budget for the 1980-1981 biennium which amounts to $1,247.8 million. This sum is $261.9 million—26.5 per cent—larger than the budget originally approved by the United Nations for the nravinie hieanninim factory. 43. In particular, my delegation cannot agree with the intolerably high growth rate of the United Nations budget, which is greatly in excess of the average growth rate of the national incomes of Member States of the Organization and, consequently, also in excess of that proportion of their resources that States are in a position to make available to the United Nations. The main reasons for this intolerable fact are essentially the uncontrolled and completely unjustified growth in the Secretariat staff, the inflation of administrative and management expenses and the fact that no real efforts have been made to enhance the effectiveness of the work done by the Secretariat staff. 44, However, that is not the only point at issue. The Secretariat has once again shirked the implementation of certain instructions given to it by the General Assembly, which, if acted on, would make the functioning of the Organization more rational and economical. I am referring mainly to information about resources made available as a result of the termination or cutting back of programmes and also the fact that ideas should be presented on programmes which are either obsolete or ineffective. Instead of being guided by a desire to economize and to reduce unnecessary expenditures, and to compile a budget on the basis of a thorough analysis of the effectiveness and desirability of programmes and acritical re-evaluation of the programmes to establish justified priorities and, on this basis, the effecting of a rational redistribution of the resources of the Organization, the Secretariat has once again automatically included in the programme bridget a continuation of virtually all the current activit’ s of the United Nations and, furthermore, without the sanction of the directing body, has wilfully envisaged an expansion of those activities. 45. The Soviet delegation has also borne in mind that a considerable proportion of the appropriations that have been requested is intended to cover the consequences of inflation in the so-called market-economy countries and also to compensate for the devaluation of the United States dollar. The Soviet delegation strongly objects to an approach of this kind because it is contrary to the instructions of the General Assembly that increases in expenditure resulting from rising prices and other similar causes should as far as possible he ahsnrhed hv erconamies. hv re-evalnatino nrobutions. 47, The delegation of the Soviet Union categorically objects to the inclusion in the United Nations budget for the next biennium of appropriations to pay interest on and to amortize United Nations bonds issued to cover the financing of illegal and anti-Charter activities. Furthermore, the Soviet Union will not assume any responsibility for these expenses and does not intend to participate in covering expenses involved in these anti-Charter activities. 48. The Soviet delegation wishes today to confirm its fundamental position with regard to the finaacing of technical assistance. Under Article 17 of the Charter of the United Nations, the regular budget is exclusively for administrative purposes and cannot be used to finance technical assistance, which should be offered on a voluntary basis. Therefore the Soviet delegation considers that technical assistance should be excluded from the regular budget and should come under UNDP. 49. In view of the fact that the proposed programme budget of the United Nations for the biennium 1980- 1981 includes unjustified and excessive expenses, and also in view of the fact that the budget continues to contain appropriations for illegal and anti-Charter activities, the delegation of the Soviet Union will vote against the proposed programme budget. The delegation of the Soviet Union hopes that in future the Secretary-General will take a more responsible approach to the compilation of the programme budget of the United Nations, will take into account the decisions of the General Assembly, duly evaluating the very serious concern expressed by many delegations at the unjustifiably high rate of growth of the United Nations budget and, in order to avoid any possible serious complications in the functioning of the entire Organization, will draw the necessary conclusions. 50. In conclusion, the Soviet delegation would like clearly to express its view that the situation that has prevailed in the Fifth Committee—and this also at the present session of the General Assembly—where the opinions and interests of many States which make large contributions to the United Nations budget are systematically ignored by a majority of delegations, is in serious conflict with the Charter of the United Nations and more specifically with paragraph 4 of Article 1, group or groups. 51. The Soviet delegation felt duty bound to express the preceding view because the Soviet Union does not intend to acquiesce in a situation where the size of its contribution to the United Nations budget is established without its consent and virtually against its will. We should like to emphasize that our delegation intends to continue to defend the financial interests of the Soviet Union in the United Nations.
Mr. Lahlou MAR Morocco [Arabic] #5207
My deiegation cannot accept draft resolution V in document A/34/848, and in particular its last paragraph. The reason is that the adoption of this draft resolution would limit our desire to meet, to have discussions and to guarantee the success of international forums. Furthermore, adoption by the General Assembly of this draft resolution, upon the recommendation of the Fiffth Committee, without prior consultations with other Committees, would make the draft resolution futile and would keep it from meeting the necessary conditions. We request a recorded vote on draft resolution V.
The President unattributed #5208
The Assembly will now take a decision on the recommendations of the Fifth Committee contained in document A/34/848. 54. linvite representatives to turn first to draft resolution I, entitled ‘‘ Medium-term planning in the United Nations’’. The Fifth Committee adopted draft resolution I without a vote. May I consider that the General Assembly also wishes to do so? Draft resolution I was adopted (resolution 34/224).
The President unattributed #5209
As the Rapporteur of the Fifth Committee indicated earlier, draft resolution I, which we have just adopted, will come within the framework of agenda item 98 and agenda item 101, which was considered by the General Assembly on 17 December 1979 [106th meeting]. 56. Inow invite the Assembly to turn to draft resolution II, entitled *‘Identification of activities that have been completed or are obsolete, of marginal usefulness or ineffective’’. The Fifth Committee adopted craft resolution II without objection. May I consider that the General Assembly also wishes to do so? Draft resolution I was adopted (resolution 34/225).
The President unattributed #5211
We turn now to draft resolution III, entitled ‘‘Arabic language services’’, which was adopted by the Fifth Committee without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly also wishes to do so? Draft resolution HI was adopted (resolution 34/226),
The President unattributed #5213
I now put to the vote draft resalntion IV. entitled ‘“*United Nations Industrial In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Yemen, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Qatar, Romania. Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Camercon, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia. Morocco, | Against: Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America. Abstaining: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Federal Republic of, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal. Spain, Sweden. Draft resolution IV was adopted by 108 votes to 11, with 19 abstentions (resolution 34/227). 59. The PRESIDETMT: I now put to the vote draft ‘resolution V, entitled ‘‘Expenditures for conference activities”’, A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Canada, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Gambia. German Democratic Republic, Germany, Federal Republic of, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal. Romania, Spain, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Upper Volta, Uruguay, Viet Nam. Against: Algeiia, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Bah- Abstaining: Australia, Bahamas, China, France, Gabon, Greece, Guatemala, Ireland, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Samoa, Singapore, Swaziland, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, United Republic of Cameroon, Venezuela, Zaire, Zambia.!° Draft resolution V was rejected by 76 votes to 36, with 25 abstentions.
The President unattributed #5216
Draft resolution VI is entitled “Review of procedures for the award of contracts"’. The Fifth Committee adopted this draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly also wishes to do so? Draft resolution VI was adepted (resolution 34/228).
The President unattributed #5218
Draft resolution VII is entitled **Resources for the implementation of the work programme of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) at the regional level’’. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria. Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain. Bangladesh. Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan. Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil. Burma, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde. Central African Republic, Chad, Chile. China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba. Cyprus, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti. Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland. Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea. Guinea-Bissau. Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India. Indonesia, fran, Iraq, Ireland, Ivory Coast. Jamaica. Jordan, Kenya. Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia. Maldives. 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. Rwanda. Samoa. Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia. Senegal. Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Spain. Sri Lanka. Sudan. Suriname, Swaziland. Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic. ‘© The delegation of Zambia subsequently informed the Secrelariat that it wished to have its vote recorded as having been against the draft resolution. Against: Bulgaria. Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United States of America. Abstaining: France, Germany, Federal Republic of, Israel, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Draft resolution VI was adopted by 122 votes to 0, with 6 abstentions (resolution 34/229)"
Vote: 32/95 Recorded Vote
✓ 108   ✗ 11   19 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (103)
The President unattributed #5219
I turn now to draft resolution VIL, which has three parts. This draft resolution is entitled ‘*Programme budget for the biennium 1980- 198i"°. 63. Ishall put to the vote first draft resolution VIII A, entitled ‘* Budget appropriations for the biennium 1980- 1931°’. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria. Bahamas, Bahrain. Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile. Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, Gambia. Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, fraq, Ireland, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia. Maldives, 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, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia. Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka. S lan. Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago. Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates. United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yugoslavia. Zaire, Zambia. Against: Bulgaria. Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic. Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Abstaining: China, France, Germany, Federal Republic of, Israel, Italy, Japan, Romania, United King- "! The delegation of Gabon subsequently informed the Secretariat that it wished to have its vote recorded as having been in favour of the draft resolution. Draft resolution VII A was adopted by 119 votes to 9, with 9 abstentions (resolution 34/230 A).
The President unattributed #5220
Draft resolution VUI B is entitled *‘Income estimates for the biennium 1980- 1981’’. The Fifth Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly also wishes to do so? Draft resolution VUI B owas adopted (resolution 34/230 B).
The President unattributed #5221
I now put to the vote draft resolution VIII C, entitled *‘Financing of appropriations for the year 1980°’. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. et favour: Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Ce!ombia, Comoros. Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Yemen. Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq. Irelaad, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Luxembsurg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritaiia, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal. Netherlands, 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, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda. United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, United States of America, Upper Volta, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia. Against: Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Abstaining: China, France, Germany, Federal Republic of, Israel, Italy, Japan, Romania, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Draft resolution VII C was adopted by 119 votes to 9, with 8 abstentions (resolution 34/230 C).
Vote: 32/97 Recorded Vote
✓ 122   ✗ 0   6 abs.
Show country votes
The President unattributed #5222
I shall now put to the vote draft resolution LX, entited **Unforeseen and extra- 2 The delegation of India subsequently informed the Secretariat that it wished to have its vote recorded as having been in favour of tho alenft racnlotian dn favour: Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Federal Republic of, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, 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, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, 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 Volta, Uruguay. Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia. Against: Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Draft resolution IX was adopted by 130 votes to 9 (resolution 34/23).
The President unattributed #5223
Draft resolution X is entitled **Working Capital Fund for the biennium 1980-1981**. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus. Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Federal Republic of, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Uruguay, Venezuela. Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia. Against: Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Draft resolution X was adopted by 131 votes to 9 (resolution 341232).
The President unattributed #5224
We come now to draft resolution XI, entitled “Questions relating to the programme budget for the biennium 1980-1981". Since the Fifth Committee took separate decisions on the various sections of this draft resolution, the General Assembly will proceed in the same manner. However, in order to save the time of the Assembly. I would suggest that whenever the Committee adopted a group of sections without proceeding to a vote, the General Assembly should take a single decision on those various sections. 69. First we shall take a decision on section I of the draft resolution. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin. Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Canada. Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile. China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica. Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji. Finland, France, Gabon. Gambia, Germany, Federal Republic of, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala. Guinea. Guinea-Bissau, Guyana. Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India. Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel. Italy. Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, 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, Rwanda. Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal. Sierra Leone, 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. Volta. Uruguay. Venezneia. Yemen. Yueoslavia. Zaire. Zambia. Section I of draft resolution XI was adopted by 131 votes to 9 (resolution 34/233, sect. I).
The President unattributed #5225
We shall now consider sections II to VII of draft resolution XI. The Fifth Committee adopted those sections without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly also wishes to do so? Sections HI to VU of draft resolution IX were adopted (resolution 34/233, sects. HI-VHI).
The President unattributed #5227
We come next to section IX of draft resolution XI. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded yote was iaken. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Federal Republic of, Ghana, Greece, Grenada. Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia. Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, 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, Upper Volta, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Zzire, Zambia. Against: Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Malawi, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United States of America. Abstaining: Italy, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Yugoslavia. Section IX of draft resolution XI was adopted by 124 votes to 11, with 5 abstentions (resolution 34/233, sect. [X).
Vote: 32/100 Recorded Vote
✓ 130   ✗ 9   0 abs.
Show country votes
The President unattributed #5229
We come now to section X of draft resolution XI. The Fifth Committee adopted
The President unattributed #5233
We turn now to section XI of draft resolution XI. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic Yemen, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Federal Republic of, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, 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, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, 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, Upper Volta, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia. Against: Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Abstaining: United States of America. Section XI of draft resolution XI was adopted by 128 votes to 9, with | abstention (resolution 34/223, sect. X1).
Vote: 32/101 Recorded Vote
✓ 131   ✗ 9   0 abs.
Show country votes
✓ Yes (86)
The President unattributed #5234
We turn now to section XII of draft resolution XI. The Fifth Committee adopted that section without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly also wishes to do so? Section XII of draft resolution XI was adopted (resolution 34/233, sect. XU).
The President unattributed #5235
We turn next to section XIII of draft resolution XI. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria. Angola, Argentina, Bahamas. Rahrain. Ranesladesh 9 Rarhadnc Renin Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia. Against: Bulgaria, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America. Abstaining: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Israel. Italy, Japan, Sweden. Section XIII of draft resolution XI was adopted by 118 votes to 11, with 8 abstentions (resolution 34/233, sect. XH),
Vote: 32/127 Recorded Vote
✓ 131   ✗ 9   0 abs.
Show country votes
The President unattributed #5236
We turn now to the last section—section XIV—of draft resolution XI. A recorded vote has been requested. A recorded vote was taken. In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Burundi. Cape Verde. Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus. Democratic Yemen, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt. Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Irdonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy. Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives. Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger. Nigeria. Oman, Pakistan. Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania. Rwanda. Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal. Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand. Togo, Trinidad and Tobago. Tunisia. Turkey. Uganda, United Arab Emirates. United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta. Uruguay. Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America. Abstaining: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Is7ael, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden. Section XIV of draft resolution XI was adopted by 112 votes to 14, with 16 abstentions (resolution 34/233, sect. XIV). Mr. Salim (United Republic of Tanzania) resumed the Chair.

17.  Appointments to fill vacancies in subsidiary organs (concluded):* (g) Appointment of five members of the Joint Inspection Unit; (z) Appointment of the members of the Consultative Committee on the Voluntary Fund for the United Nations Decade for Women; @ Appointment of the members of the Peace Observa- tion Commission.

The President unattributed #5977
We shall take up first agenda item 17 (g). I invite members to turn their attention to document A/34/548/Add.1. 78. As a result of consultations, including consultations with the President of the Economic and Social Council and with the Secretary-General in his capacity as Chairman of the Administrative Committee on Coordination, I have drawn up the following list of candidates for appointment as members of the Joint Inspection Unit: (a) for a term of office beginning on | January 1981 and ending on 31 December 1985: Mr. Maurice Bertrand (France), Mr. Alfred Nathaniel Forde (Barbados). Mr. Moustapha Salek (Mauritania) and Mr. Earl D. Sohm (United States of America); (b) for a term of office beginning on 20 December 1979 and ending on 31 December 1982: Mr. Toman Hutagalung (Indonesia). May I take it that it is the wish of the Generai Assembly to appoint those candidates? it was so decided (decision 34/322).
The President unattributed #5979
As indicated in document A/34/548/Add.1, the name of the remaining candidate will be submitted by Yugoslavia at a later stage. 80. The next appointment relates to agenda item 17 G2). In paragraph 2 of General Assembly resolution 34/156, adopted on 17 December 1979 [105th meeting], the General Assembly requests the President. in accordance with paragraph 3 of resolution 31/133 and It was so decided (decision 34/323).
The President unattributed #5984
We now come to agenda item 17 (f). The present [2 members of the Commission are: Czechoslovakia, France, Honduras, India, Israel, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sweden, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America and Uruguay. The two-year terms of office of all those members will expire on 31 December 1979. All 12 members have indicated their willingness to continue to serve on the Commission. i therefore propose that the General Assembly reappoint those 12 members for the years 1980 and 1981. May I take it that the General Assembly approves that proposal? It was so decided (decision 34/324). (j) International Civil Service Commission: (i) Appointment of a member of the Commission; (ii) Designation of the Chairman of the Commission REPORT OF THE FIFTH COMMITTEE (A/34/798)
The President unattributed #5989
We now turn to agenda item 17 (/). 83. The Fifth Committee recommends without objection in paragraph 5 of its report [4/34/798] that the General Assembly should: (a) Defer to its thirty-fifth session the appointment of the Chairman of the International Civil Service Commission; **(b) Appoint Mr. Gaston de Prat Gay as a member of the Commission until a Chairman is appointed by the General Assembly at its thirty-fifth session; ““(c) Decide that Mr. de Prat Gay shall serve, on an exceptional basis, full-time as Acting Vice- Chairman.” May I take it that the General Assembly approves that recommendation? It was so decided (decision 34/325).

27.  Question of Namibia (concluded):* (d@) Appointment of the United Nations Commissioner for Namibia

The President unattributed #5992
May I now invite members to turn their attention to the note by the Secretary-General dealing with the appointment of the United Nations Mr. Martti Ahtisaari as United Nations Commissioner for Namibia for a further one-year term, from | January to 31 December 1980. May I take it that the General Assembly approves the proposal of the Secretary- General? It was so decided (decision 34/326).
The President on behalf of General Assembly unattributed #5995
On behalf of the General Assembly, I should like to extend to my good friend Mr. Martti Ahtisaari very warm congratulations on his reappointment as United Nations Commissioner for Namibia. I have known Mr. Ahtisaari for a number of years and I am aware of his competence, his dedication and his commitment to the cause of the Namibian people. The situation concerning Namibia continues to constitute one of the mosi complex problems confronting this Organization, and I am therefore gratified and comforted by the knowledge that the services of such a dedicated and outstanding diplomat will continue to be available to the United Nations, particularly in this difficult period.

59.  Operational activities for development (concluded):* (j) Confirmation of the appointment of the Executive Director of the United Nations Special Fund for Land-locked Developing Countries

The President unattributed #5997
I invite representatives to turn to document A/34/832, containing a note by the Secretary-General relating to the confirmation of the appointment of the Executive Director of the United Nations Special Fund for Land-locked Developing Countries. In his note, the Secretary-General states that he is not submitting an appointment for confirmation by the General Assembly. May I take it that the General Assembly takes note of document A/34/832? It was so decided (decision 34/327). Pending Appointments: (a) Ad Hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean; (b) Special Committee against Apartheid; (c) Advisory Committee for the International Youth Year; (d) Committee on Information
The President unattributed #6000
The first of the pending appointments refers to agenda item 39 on the implementation of the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace. Under this item, the General Assembly adopted resolution 34/80 B on 11 December 1979 [97th meeting]. In paragraph 1 of that resolution the Assembly decided “*...to enlarge the Ad Hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean by the addition of new members to be appointed by the President of the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee’’. i understand that the Ad Hoc Committee will meet in February 1980. Thereafter, on the basis of its recom- 88. The next appointment refers to agenda item 28 on the policies of apartheid of the Government of South Africa. 89. In paragraph 6 of General Assembly resolution 34/93 R, adopted on 17 December 1979 [/06th meeting], the General Assembly requested the President of the General Assembly, in consultation with the regional groups, to expand the membership of the Special Committee against Apartheid, bearing in mind the principle of equitable geographical distribution. Pursuant to that, I shall hold consultations and announce to the General Assembly as soon as possible the number and distribution of the additional members of the Special Committee. 90. The next appointment refers to agenda item 72, concerning the International Youth Year. The inclusion of this item in the Journal should be considered merely as a reminder of the decision taken by the General Assembly in its resolution 34/151 on 17 December 1979 [/05th meeting]. In paragraph 3 of that resolution, the Assembly decided to establish an Advisory Committee for the International Youth Year, to be composed of 23 Member States appointed by the Chairman of the Third Committee on the basis of equitable geographical distribution. 91. Icall upon the Chairman of the Third Committee, the representative of Egypt, who wishes to speak on this matter. 92. Mr. SOBHY (Egypt), Chairman of the Third Committee (interpretation from Arabic): I should like to inform the General Assembly of the present situation concerning the composition of the Advisory Committee for the International Youth Year, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 34/151. 93. I have already stated that I was awaiting agreement by the various regional groups on the composition of the Committee and the distribution of seats on the basis of geographical consideration. Unfortunately, the regional groups have not yet reached agreement on the distribution of seats. That is why I am not yet in a position to inform the General Assembly of the composition of the Committee or of the distribution of seats. 94, I therefore urge all the regional groups to undertake further consultations on the composition of the Committee and to inform me before the end of December 1979 about any agreement they may reach on the matter so that I may be able promptly to set up the Committee. If agreement is reached after the end of the present session of the General Assembly, I shall keep the President and the Secretary-General informed about the results arrived at by the regional groups regarding the constitution of this Committee.
The President unattributed #6003
The final appointment refers to agenda item 53, dealing with questions relating to information. Under this item, the General Assembly adopted resolution 34/182 on 18 December 1979 96. Pursuant to that resolution, I shall hold consultations and inform the Assembly of the results. Statement by the President
The President unattributed #6005
The General Assembly is soon to emerge from one of its most significant sessions. It has seen an eventful session. notably characterized by the spirit and desire of nations to promote international understanding and co-operation but, even more, to see that the international community addressed itself positively to matters of the utmost concern. The Assembly has had the opportunity to deliberate and to reflect on global conflicts and issues of special significance related to disarmament, international peace and security and economic matters. The Assembly has also addressed itself to social and humanitarian questions, decolonization and legal and budgetary matters. 98. Considering the range of issues on its agenda and the amount of time allocated for their consideration, the Assembly could not have worked more arduously, nor could it have acted in a more serene. serious and dedicated spirit than it has done in discharging its responsibilities. That it has done so is the result of the commitment of nations represented here to fulfilling effectively their obligations in a united manner characteristic of the philosophy underlying the firm foundation on which the United Nations was established. 99. It has been heartening to observe that, even though confronted with many seemingly insurmountable obstacles, the Assembly has been able to come to grips with matters of immediate concern and respond to global challenges with great zeal and an extraordinary sense of seriousness. The session has once again provided an opportunity to the international community to reaffirm its commitment to collective efforts in promoting understanding between nations. Where such understanding has been lacking, the Assembly has not been found wanting in terms of either its commitment or its readiness to act. 106. Thought it is difficult within the short time remaining to make a comprehensive analysis of the achievements, shortcomings and experiences of the last three months, I shall attempt none the less to highlight some of those aspects and features of the session that, in my judgement, will go into the annals of this Organization as the more significant developments of the thirty-fourth session. Such an assessment can in no way be conclusive. 101. Without any fear of contradiction, one can assert that the thirty-fourth session has been an extremely eventful one. Not only has the session had to deal with a multitude of complex and controversial problems. 102. The degree of attention and interest directed towards the work of this Assembly by a number of world and national leaders has been one of the most eloquent demonstrations of the significance and continued relevance of this Organization at our current stage of international relations. More than a hundred foreign ministers and other ministers of cabinet rank attended and addressed the Assembly. Above all, the presence of so many eminent world personalities testified to the unique and continued importance of the sessions of the General Assembly, and particularly the thirty-fourth session. These leaders represented regions and movements—or both, where the two coincided—which constituted the greater crosssection of the entire membership of the United Nations. 103. Thus, in receiving President William Tolbert of Liberia, the current Chairman of the Organization of African Unity, the General Assembly had the unique opportunity of reflecting on the issues of concern to the African continent. In the same manner, President Fidel Castro, addressing the Assembly in the name of the 95 nations which constitute the movement of nonaligned countries, clearly underlined the importance of the movement as a strong positive force seeking a more realistic and balanced perspective in the present system of world political and economic relations. 104. The historic visit of His Holiness Pope John Paul II was an inspiring experience. His challenging message continues to be a source of strong inspiration and no less a constant reminder of how much has yet to be done in the realization of the purposes and objectives of the United Nations. 105. The immeasurable contribution made by these eminent personalities of high office clearly served to underscore the unique importance of the United Nations as a forum of international dialogue and cooperation and as an institution which continues to provide unlimited possibilities for the promotion of friendly relations through the conduct of bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. Indeed, to the cynics and the perennial critics of the United Nations, this universal interest in and attachment to the work of this body is a clear rebuttal of the gloomy forecast for our Organization. 106. During the session, the Assembly once again considered practical ways to further oné of the main objectives of this Organization, namely the maintenance of international peace and security. On questions relating to disarmament, although nations have emerged from the session no more disarmed than before and, with perhaps no significant progress made towards ensuring their security, the spirit which characterized negotiations on these issues is commendable. The Assembly, meeting for the first time after the institutional modifications within the disarmament negotiating machinery, could not but profit from the work of both the Disarmament Commission and the Committee on Disarmament. 108. In terms of the range, scope and content of the decisions and recommendations on disarmament and international peace and security, this session has made a positive contribution towards carrying forward the momentum of the tenth special session. We have taken a number of decisions aimed at the fulfilment of the goals and expectations of the peoples of the world —-among others, the prevention of a nuclear war, a halt to the arms race, a start on the actual process of disarmament and the adoption of concrete arrangements for the steady transfer to development of resources now being used for military purposes, thus helping to establish a new international economic order. 109. The creation of conditions of stability and well-being is necessary for peaceful and friendly relations among nations based on equality and _ selfdetermination. Paramount in this respect is the question of the promotion and protection of human rights, with the various international instruments adopted by this body providing the basis for such an endeavour. The Assembly has reiterated its recognition of the inherent dignity and worth of the human person and its realization that the security of equal rights for all members of the hunian family is the foundation of peace and justice in the world. 110. Through a number of decisions, this session has been able to elaborate on the international instruments which have defined and established standards of human rights to which Member States should conform, and the international machinery established to oversee and co-ordinate these activities. In its assessment of the current global human rights situation, the session has noted with indignation the continued massive and flagrant violations of human rights. 111. This session has once again spared no efforts in condemning racism, racial discrimination and apartheid. The Programme of Action to be undertaken during the remaining half of the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, including the convening of another Conference in 1982, will contribute further to the expeditious formulation of a Strategy to eradicate the evils of racism and apartheid. This session has not failed to emphasize the point that continued co-operation with racist régimes obstructs liberation efforts and thus contradicts the commitment of the international community to the promotion of human rights. 112. Never before has the need for intensified action to alleviate the plight of refugees and displaced persons 113. While the initiatives taken by the Secretary- General and by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in this regard have been commended by all, and while the positive responses received at the recent pledging conferences are indicative of the manifest determination and goodwill of the nations participating, it is patent that, in view of the everintensifying magnitude of these problems, only through a dramatic increase in the resources available and through the preparedness of all nations to receive and protect the people affected will this mission for humanity be adequately fulfilled. It is also my sincere hope that the acceptance and strict observance of the covenants and norms of human conduct at the national and multinational levels, as well as the political will of all concerned to resolve their international disputes and to ensure friendly relations with their neighbours. will put an end once and for all to the untold suffering of the people affected and to their forced migration. 114. The session also took a further definitive step in the promotion of the rights of women. Thus. through tne adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women [resolution 34/180, annex), conditions are being created for the realization of the ideals of equality between men and women and the objectives of the United Nations Decade for Women. The second world conference on the advancement of women. to be convened in Copenhagen next July, will contribute significantly to these efforts. 115. The fruitful exchange of views concerning development and international economic co-operation that took place both during the general debate and during our consideration of the report of the Committee of the Whole Established under General Assembly resolution 32/174 [A4/34/34] clearly revealed that the dangers posed by the persistent negative trends in the world economy continue to be of great concern to all members of the international community. While these structural economic problems continue to impose serious constraints on the development efforts of the developing countries and on global prosperity in general, they also have serious consequences for international relations between the industrialized countries and the developing countries. 116. It has also been generally acknowledged that international efforts aimed at the restructuring of the existing international economic system have so far not produced adequate results. Thus the goals and objectives of the new international economic order remain largely unimplemented. What is most important. however, is that the General Assembly has reiterated its conviction that solutions to the econemic problems canfrantinoe the world can and must he found thraneh 117. It is within that context that the resolution adopted at this session [/041h meeting] on global negotiations relating to international economic co-operation for development [resolution 34/138] should be viewed. The resolution represents a unanimous desire of the international community to break the current impasse in negotiations for the establishment of the new international economic order. It also symbolizes the spirit of accommodation, dialogue and understanding which has prevailed during this session and_ particularly during the informal negotiations on this important subject. 118. While the resolution constitutes an important step in the right direction, I should like to emphasize that much more remains to be done between now and the special session next year. when the global negotiations will be officially launched. The subjects chosen for those negotiations are wide and complex. As the resolution itself ¢mphasizes. the effective launching and ultimate success of those global negotiations will require the full commitment of the participants to careful and thorough preparations. including efficient procedures for the negotiations. 119. At the special session next year. not only are the global negotiations expected to commence but also a new international development strategy for the third United Nations development decade is to be adopted. The Committee of the Whole has been entrusted with the important task of making preparations for the negotiations. To a great extent, therefore, the success of the special session and ultimately of the negotiations themselves depends on the preparatory work that will be undertaken by both the Committee of the Whole and the Preparatory Committee for the New International Development Strategy. Hence. it is important that the positive spirit of accommodation and dialogue that has contributed to the achievements of this session should be maintained and strengthened further in the coming negotiations and discussions leading to the special session on development to be held next year. 120. We have also made significant progress in the field of science and technology. Resolution 34/218 adopted by the Assembly on the subject establishes new institutional arrangements which are intended to strengthen international co-operation in the field of science and technology. I believe that these new arrangements will greatly contribute towards the implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action on Science and Technology for Development.'* Similarly. in the field of industrial development. the decisions of the Assembly will have tremendous impact on the deliberations of the third General Conference of UNIDO. which will be held in New Delhi in January 1980. See Report of the United Nations Conference on Science and fechnolegy for Development, Vienna 20-31 August 1979 (Cnited Nations publication. Sales No. E.79.1.21 and corrigenda). chap. V1. 122. At this juncture, when the Assembly is about to conclude its work, I should like to address a solemn plea to the Iranian authorities, and in particular to His Excellency Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, to respond favourably to the overwhelming appeals already made by the international community collectively, through Security Council resolution 457 (1979), of 4 December 1979, and the decision on provisional measures adopted by the International Court of Justice on 15 December 1979, as well as by individual world and national leaders, for the immediate release and safe return to their homes of the diplomatic personnel held hostage in Iran. I do so not only for humanitarian considerations but also out of the unquestionable commitment which this Assembly has to the scrupulous respect of international norms and international law, without whose observance the very fabric of international relations would obviously be impaired. 123. In the same vein, and with the same solemnity, I wish to echo an appeal already made to the Governments of both the United States and Iran to exercise maximum restraint in the present crisis and to defuse the situation, leading it to a peaceful resolution. I have no doubt that the grievances of the Iranian people and Government. if dealt with through the normal channels, would be seriously and, where appropriate, indeed sympathetically considered by the international community. 124. The question of the Middle East and that of the rights of the Palestinian people, which are inseparably linked, have been once again the subject of most serious consideration during this session. Indeed, the decisions taken by the Assembly in this regard fully reflect the mounting concern and sincere desire of the world community that a just and lasting peace in the region be found. At the same time, the Assembly's decisions clearly represent the growing recognition by the overwhelming majority of Member States that a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the Middle East dispute is inconceivable without regard for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, and that there cannot be a just and lasting peace in the region without the effective involvement and participation of the Palestinian people and their representative, the Palestine Liberation Organization. 125. The situation in southern Africa has continued Front—who, with persistent determination and dedication, have sacrificed so much in order to achieve their long-fought-for national independence and sovereign nationhood. It is incumbent upon the world community to be actively and vigilantly seized of the situation until Southern Rhodesia fully attains the objectives of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples [resolution 1514 (XV)] and emerges as an independent Zimbabwe. 126. As regards Namibia, despite the unbending efforts of the Organization towards the full implementation of Security Council resolutions 435 (1978) and 439 (1978), the situation continues to elude a peaceful transition to majority rule. This is the result primarily of the continued intransigence on the part of the Government of South Africa, which has failed to respond positively to the decisions of the United Nations, including in particular those of the Security Council. Consequently, the international community is duty bound to take all possible measures with a view to securing South Africa’s compliance with those decisions in order to bring to an end its continued illegal occupation of the international Territory. In its resolutions on Namibia the General Assembly has addressed itself forcefully to that collective demand of the international community. 127. The General Assembly has once again expressed its total opposition to the policies and practices of the apartheid régime in South Africa and recommended a series of measures to combat the evil system of man’s inhumanity to his fellow man perpetrated by the authorities in Pretoria. I wish in particular to underscore the importance of General Assembly resolution 34/93, in which it decided to organize, in co-operation with the Organization of African Unity, an International Conference on Sanctions against South Africa. I am confident that this Conference, which will take place in 1980, will constitute an irportant contribution to the concerted international efforts to mobilize world public opinion in support of the final eradication of racism and colonialism in southern Africa. 128. It is not often that large institutions are able to assess their own performance or to take conscious steps to change and improve established procedures. The thirty-fourth session of the General Assembly has been one of those rare and happy occasions. The Assembly has, over the past three months, taken a number of decisions to improve its working procedures [see decision 34/401]. These have not been radical changes, but I have no doubt that what the Assembly has agreed to in this area has been the decisive factor in enabling us to complete our work so close to schedule. The cumulative effect of these changes has produced significant progress at this session in rationalizing the work and procedures of the General 129. First, the General Committee has been most cooperative and constructive in implementing the decision that it should meet periodically throughout the session to review the progress of work and to make recommendations to the General Assembly on measures aimed at improving its work. 130. Secondly, the General Assembly and the Committees have made major strides in meeting the objective of starting meetings at the scheduled time, the most outstanding record being that of the Fifth Committee, which lost an average of only one minute per meeting. 131. Thirdly, while these might appear to be rather minor decisions, the fact that delegations agreed to make statements from their seats and to limit their explanations of vote, both in number and in duration, undoubtedly saved a considerable amount of time. 132. Fourthly, setting a mandatory deadline for completion of Committee work on draft resolutions with financial implications enabled the Fifth Committee and the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions to discharge their responsibilities ina more orderly and effective manner than heretofore. 133. Finally, a number of decisions involving documentation have been taken which will have an even greater impact beginning with the next session. For example, many obstacles that we have faced as a result of the late arrival of reports will be removed by the decision that subsidiary bodies shall henceforth be required to complete their reports by 1 September. so that they will be available by the opening of the General Assetably. Assigning a clear priority to official reports and documents over individual communications will also be of great help. 134. Although we can indeed take satisfaction from these improvements. I hope representatives will reflect on how our work can be further rationalized based on the experience of this and previous sessions. As regards the general debate. for example, it is an acknowledged fact that, with the tremendous growth in membership that we have witnessed over the past decades and bearing in mind the further emergence of new States. some procedural adjustments will need to be made. with respect to either the period provided for the general debate, the length of the statements, or even the duration of the session itself. 135. In the same context, there exists an obvious need for the Main Committees to review the modalities for the holding of general debates on the items allocated to them. For instance, the present practice of holding a general debate covering the entire agenda at the Committee level might perhaps be modified to relate more closely to Committee consideration of specific items or groups of items, thus curtailing those parts of the general statements which have of necessity become either redundant or repetitious. Furthermore. is it not time to consider seriously the possibility of dispensing with the dehatec an came if nat mast of the items 136. Another area of our endeavour in this regard might be to arrest the tendency to proliferate decisions and resolutions. I have in mind in particular the general snowballing tendencies which are discernible. While [ have no doubt whatever of the genuine concern of the sponsors that motivates their submission of some of these proposals. we must at the same time bear in mind, in the final analysis, the effectiveness of the decisions and resolutions that address themselves not only to the Member States, both at the national and intergovernmental levels, but also to the public at large for the purpose of enlisting its support for a universal cause. 137. In my opinion, one of the most encouraging and rewarding experiences of the thirty-fourth session has been the spirit of accommodation and mutual comprehension that has prevailed even in grappling with difficult and controversial problems—the Kampuchean question being the most relevant example. Despite the complexity and the extremely political and sensitive nature of the problem. and without prejudice to the positions of individual Governments on the substance of the issue, the world community has been able to maintain a unified position with respect to the urgent need of providing the necessary humanitarian assistance to the people affected. 138. In my opening statement on 18 September {/st meeting], I stressed that our session was taking place on the threshold of a new decade. The session therefore dealt with some of the problems which may constitute challenges that will face us in the 1980s. I believe that with goodwill, understanding and cooperation we should be able. jointly and collectively. to make determined efforts to overcome those challenges. 139. This is not a perfect institution. Much can be done to enhance the effectiveness of our Organization —effectiveness in coping with world problems: effectiveness in managing, containing and indeed resolving conflict situations: in sum, effectiveness in responding to and living up to the expectations and aspirations of the peoples we represent. In times of crisis it is often convenient to criticize the United Nations for what it is unable to do. Yet it is forgotten that it is those very people who are critical of the Organization at such times and who expect the United Nations to perform miracles who are reluctant to reinforce its effectiveness. 140. If we want this Organization and its principal organs to perform the tasks entrusted to them in the Charter, then we must all work seriously towards that objective. Our first and foremost responsibility would be to ensure that decisions of the Organization. and in particular those which are unanimously agreed upon by the General Assembly or the Security Council. are adhered to scrupulously. If. for example. we allow situations in which those decisions are not accorded due respect—particularly decisions adopted by the Security Council. including those taken under enforcement nrovisinns—then we are all contribntine ta the 141. These three months have given me extraordinary challenges and opportunities. In discharginz my responsibilities I have been provided with one great asset which any presiding officer would envy, and that is the outstanding co-operation and assistance given to me by delegations, and the overwhelming friendship they have persistently and consistently displayed towards me. That co-operation and friencship have immensely facilitated my work. I am deeply indebted to each and every delegation that, individual'y or collectively, has given me the benefit of its timely advice and guidance, thus enabling me to sustain the enormous pressure of responding to the pressing calls and needs of the Assembly. 142. The contacts which | have had the privilege of establishing with a number of world and national leaders during the session have indeed given me renewed faith and strength in our joint endeavour in search of solutions to many of the complex problems facing the world community today. Similarly, the consultations held and the liaisons maintained with all the delegations on a continuing basis at all levels. including many with ministers for foreign affairs. clearly underscored the indispensability of such counsel and wisdom in our collective endeavours. Whatever has been achieved during the session would not, 1am convinced. have been possible had it not been for the manifest will and determination of all the Member States represented here to extend their full and unstinting support for the effective conduct of this important organ of the United Nations. 143. Ishou:d like to thank most sincerely all the Vice- Presidents. whose assistance has been indispensable to me in the performance of my duties. My warm thanks also go to the Chairmen and officers of the Main Committees for their co-operation and understanding throughout the session and especially for the effective manner in which they have assisted this session of the Assembly and brought it to a successful conclusion. I44. I cannot say enough about the outstanding role which the United Nations Secretariat plays in responding to the needs of this Organization. My three months as President have placed me in a privileged position of working closely with the Secretariat in the discharge of this responsibility. 145. First and foremost. I should like to pay a particular tribute to our Secretary-General, my friend Mr. Waldheim, a most dedicated diplomat and an outstanding administrator. His commitment to the cause of world peace and justice and his deep concern for the well-being of mankind are indisputable. Throughout the session. despite his other extremely heavy and equally important responsibilities as the chief administrator of this Organization, he has made himself available at all times and assisted actively and faithfully in all phases of work of the Assembly, reflecting the views af aur eallective cancern 147. Clearly it is not possible in an address of this nature to single out personalities. I am confident, however, that this Assembly will understand if I make special mention of my colleague to my left, the Under- Secretary-General for Political and General Assembly Affairs, Mr. Buffum. He has been not only an outstanding, knowledgeable, dedicated and amiable colleague, but a source of constant inspiration and encouragement to all of us. His diligence, his devotion and his loyalty to the Organization are well known. Throughout these three months, I have enjoyed the benefit of his utmost dedication to the work of the United Nations and his invaluable experience in the practices and procedures of this Organization; his perceptive guidance has proved invaluable to me in the discharge of my work. The knowledge, accumulated wisdom, experience and dedication of Mr. Buffum’s assistants, a singularly outstanding group of international civil servants, are indeed a source of pride to the members of this Assembly. 148. In concluding. I should like to say that the session has been an extremely rewarding one for me as President and I should like to assure members that I shall continue to do my very best to reciprocate the friendship, co-operation and understanding which all of you, without exception, have so generously extended to me in the past three months during which i have had the plee«tre of serving you and serving this important organ of the United Nations. 149. Allow me also to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation for the kind and generous remarks made by delegations about me and about my country, the United Republic of Tanzania. both within and outside the meetings of the Assembly. To all of those delegations I express my gratitude. I consider their kind words to be a generous tribute to my country and my continent. 150. I wish you all the very best for the holiday season, a happy new year, and certainly a better decade. 151. I understand that the representative of Mauritus, as the doyen of the United Nations diplomatic corps. has asked to speak on a point of order. I shall call on him as an exceptional courtesy since the General Assembly had earlier decided that there would be no further statements in the Assembly either by Chairmen of regional groups or by anyone else.
Mr. Ramphul MUS Mauritius #6008
I speak on a point of order since I believe that there is no rule or ruling that the longest-serving permanent representative at the United Nations has no right to speak before the closure of this thirty-fourth session of the General 154. It is precisely on this occasion that we recall the exuberance, the wit and the wisdom of our late beloved colleague, Ambassador Jamil Baroody of Saudi Arabia, who has departed all too soon from our midst but has left with us a precious legacy: his devout faith in the world Organization and—greater than faith—his love for the United Nations. I stand humbly in his golden shadow, with no hope of shining in his lustre, but hoping that I may be a good pupil of that eloquent apostle of peace. who staunchly unheld the lofty principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. 155. The first lesson I learned from our great teacher is that, paramount as high principles may be in an organization such as ours, he himself never failed to accord recognition to the significance of the human personality, sometimes with confrontation, sometimes with adulation, but always with the gift of recognition. Thus today I shall try to express the spirit of this session in terms of two personalities who have become the grand symbols of our labours. our efforts. our endeavours, sometimes with inevitable failure. sometimes with remarkable success. but always with unswerving optimism under the symbol which hangs over us, beckoning like an enticing oracle. 156. First I address myself to the President of the Assembly. Mr. Salim Ahmed Salim. of the United Republic of Tanzania. of whom it has recently been said that ‘‘Salim is Salim is SalimTM* and to whom today I say ‘Salaam’. 157. In a number of ways. President Salim has brought something unique to this high office .f the United Nations. Perhaps the greatest tribute to him was the absolutely uncontested unanimity that brought him to the presiding chair. Of him it can be said that he was crowned before he was enthroned—a high expression of confidence in the man who. as Chairman of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples established something of a record in the number of new Member States his efforts brought to the expanding universality of the Orgenization. His very parenthood. if we may use the word. of so many new nations whose representatives now sit in this hall has given his presidency an unmatchable note in the history of the United Nations. 158. Part of his uniqueness was the product of history. There is however another part which was of his own making. I refer to this resounding inaugural address immediately upon his assumption of office 159. Inasession of speeches, yesterday's statements, however brilliant, are soon eclipsed by the brilliant statements of today, today’s by the next day’s, and so on. However, even in our time of the rhetoric race, when each day brings its own claim of words, history jealously clings to its firm roots. So it is with President Salim’s speech of 18 September. 160. At a time when colonialism, like a wounded boar, was making its last desperate stand—and he dared to name concrete ins.ances—Salim looked ahead to the coming twentieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and People’s ‘*with a view to liquidating the last remaining vestiges of colonialism and racism” [ibid., para. 46), 161. At a time when the horizons of all continents were beclouded with every type of infringement of the dignity of nations and individuals, he sounded the bell of human rights for all—with all that that threeletter word encompasses. 162. Ina world where wars were assuming epidemic proportions. Salim said that ‘of all the needs of our time the greatest is peace” [ibid., para. 37]. Simple words those. by a President who was speaking not only to diplomatic missions but. beyond them. to the people who are present in this hall only by proxy. Thus. courageously presenting the world situation as it is. Salim set this Assembly on a viable course towards carrying out its great task. 163. This was the President who addressed us with an invitation to prepare the ground for a better and more just order as we enter the decade of the 1980s, who directed our thoughts to the vision that “‘the coming decade can be recorded in the annals of history as the decade that turned dialogue into action and promise into fulfilment” [ibid.. para. 3/]. 164. I hope that I am expressing the general view when I say that on the whole this session is adjourning with a clear conscience that it has gone a long way in preparing the ground for this journey into the future. thanks to the Solomon-type impartiality. the firmness. the faultless and effective management and the skilful administration of the session by our beloved President. 165. While the alarms of strife and war have been echoing through this house from the world outside. this has been a session of ;zace under the President's benign influence. His many formal and informal consultations have broadened his perception of varying views, and that has helped to smooth over the elements of potential conflict on the floor. He himself has set an example of objectivity. even in those issues which he identified in his major address and. through a son 166. Strong his adherence to principle, but gentle in his conduct of our difficult business, he has never broken a gavel or overused its disciplinary function. I think that one would not find a scratch on it after three months of hard work. He may well be remembered as the President of the whispering gavel. 167. Neither rights of reply nor sharp confrontations nor angry points of order—sve can hardly recall any o. importance—were able to ruffle his equanimity —which is perhaps due to his essential good nature—in his determination that this world bedy should maintain its high level of parliamentary dignity. 168. We all think of him, like of many men blessed with many virtues, as essentially a very modest person. Without the assertion of reprimand or rebuke, he has made this a business like session in the conduct of its complex affairs——with the exception of one miracle: after three decades of presidential struggle with the problem of tardiness and dealy, Salim has somehow managed to come to terms with the clock. Ob iously he has a magic formula of his own and we hope that he will be able to leave it as a legacy for future, sessions. 169. More, much more, can be said about our beloved President than time permits. The complete biography of this session will in the end be told only by the President himself. As with the iceberg below sea level, we can see only the peaks and here we see the two peaks of the session—the coming of His Hetiness Pope John Paul IL. who sent out the spirit of peace and humanism to the entire world from this rostrum of the United Nations [/7th miee-ing], and on the opposite pole of cur United Nations political globe, President Fidel Castro Ruz of Cuba, the current Chairman of the Sixth Conference of Heads of State or Government of Nonaligned Courtries, in an unforgettable exposé of its principles (3/sr meeting]. Two such powerful figures imposed a new challenge and a new responsibility on the President of the Assembly, permitting him not the slightest flaw in presiding over the atmosphere of expectation and excitement that they generated. 170. With equal perfection, Mr. President, you have presided over the International Year of the Child, and you brought it to a glorious climax with your statement at the concert commemorating Human Rights Day before the [15 children whs made up the unique Bulgarian orchestra. 171. In conclusion, Sir, you have made your term of office a truly astonishing event in partnership between the presidency o* the General Assembly and the forces of history. which you kave embraced as the great symbols of your own deep faith, and ours, in the coming of a better world. 172. And now permit me to deal with my next victim —or, perhaps, I should reverently say, to make my second nomination for a towering figure at the thirty- 173. Inthe light of the events into which he has been thrust, and into which he has thrust himself, it seems almost unreal to refer to him tritely as the Secretary- General. Even with the political power that the founding fathers have almost casually given that office in Article 99 of the Charter—and it is puny enought— they could not have foreseen the irrationality of future developments when the almost universal range of political leadership would seem paralysed and unable to take any effective action. Mr. Kurt Waldheim himself had the rare courage to note publicly this yawning vacuum in the international community. In his masterly survey of the world. his report to the General Assembly on the work of the Organization {A/34//], a historic document by every standard, he warningly described a world of uncertainty, tension and conflict. 174. The anxious question was whether the Secretary-General or any one individual could fill this vacuum of almost global dimensions. Mr. Waldheim is the last man from whom we may expect the answer. But what is incontestable is that he has made a valiant effort to meet this challenge. Even now he is engaged in the Security Council assignment to try and negotiate the crisis regarding the hostages held in Iran. and it should be noted that the Council was convened on his initiative. 175. When the tragedy of refugees and famine struck Indo-China, he convened special conferences and, under his own presiding office, launched the means and the money to reverse what threatened to become one of the most appalling tragedies of our time. 176. When war threatened to run out of control in Asia. Mr. Waldheim made a personal visit in April and offered to negotiate with the reluctant adversaries in Hanoi and Beijing. There were no commitments, but somehow the war stopped in its tracks. 177. In a similar situation he visited Seoul and Pyongyang, where war talk was edging towards military action, and again the war of words subsided. 178. And what happened with the sudden truce between the two Yemens, Mr. Waldheim? You see, my fellow representatives. the man of quiet diplomacy, preventive diplomacy, negotiating diplomacy, remains silent. 179. There is also his tourist diplomacy. During the hot summer of his whirlwind trip. he covered 25 cities in 23 countries on three continents, visiting areas enmeshed in troubles or declining into hopeless deadlocks. In Cyprus he restcred broken communications. Since then the Security Council has requested the Secretary-General to continue his mission and his good offices. 180. Itis aremarkable fact that the Secretary-General accepts the heavy burdens continuously being piled on his broad shoulders by the Security Council and this 181. His is also the diplomacy of time and patience —time against the sloth of malingering Governments, the fort of patience against a cunning besieger, as in Namibia. 182. There is the Waldheim of creative diplomacy, as exemplified by his plan for a comprehensive conference to achieve a comprehensive peace in the Middle East. 183. After Mr. Waldheim’s visit to Moscow, somebody eased up on the rising-tension pedal in one of those periodic flare-ups between the two most major Powers. It is no secret that our Secretary-General always has the ears of their Heads of State. 184. With volcanic violence, in virtually daily does. he has never failed promptly to denounce gross acts of terrorism. 185. Inthe Vatican, Mr. Waldheim’s personal initiative to the Pope brought His Holiness John Paul II to the United Nations, which paid homage to the man who spoke the words of peace with the spiritual authority of 2.000 years, with the faith which sometimes sags in the United Nations struggle with a missilethreatened world. but seemingly never with our indefatigable, dedicated Secretary-General. 186. And so the list of Mr. Waldheim’s activities goes on and on in an unmovable orbit around a shaky world. I certainly cannot and do not guarantee that I have named all his endeavours and achievements in a quantification that defies research. 187. In the spirit of the remarks I have just made. I take the liberty to propose orally to this Assembly the following two draft resolutions. The first reads as follows: “The General Assembly, “Having conipleted its thirty-fourth session under the presidency of His Excellency Mr. Salim Ahmed Salim, “Declares its deep appreciation for the expeditious manner and administrative ability with which he has conducted the business of this session. courageously upholding and reaffirming the moral imperatives of our world Organization as well as strengthening and advancing the lofty principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.” The second draft resolution reads: *‘4cclaims the important initiatives the Secretary- General has taken throughout the year and throughout the world in an intense application of diplomacy on behalf of peace, scoring important gains and victories in areas of confrontation and crisis, with a personal dedication and unflagging effort that has greatly contributed to the prestige of the United Nations and to the maintenance of peace in the world.” 188. Under these special circumstances I shall save the President the embarrassment of putting these draft resolutions to the vote from his chair of authority, and I respectfully beg leave to usurp his power in this respect. 189. I do not believe that a single delegation here can be so ungenerous or so unappreciative of the efforts of our President and of the Secretary-General as to vote against my modest drafts. I therefore put these two draft resolutions simultaneously before this Assembly and formally request that they be adopted unanimously by loud and clear acclamation. it was so decided. 190. Before ending. I should like to pay a special tribute to our dear friend, the ever-firm but courteous Under-Secretary-General. Mr. William Buffum—our third man in—-sitting on the neutral left of the President. but the behind-the-scenes moving spirit of this Assembly. 191. Mr. Buffum. your quiet efficiency and integrity have again earned you the respect of us all. You have been one of the three musketeers of the Assembly—not of the sword but of the mind—or should I say one of the three wise monkeys: seeing no evil. hearing no evil, speaking no evil, but, rather. dispensing nothing but goodwill for the welfare of mankind. 192. And so. Mr. President. Mr. Secretary-General. Mr. Under-Secretary-General. to you. distinguished colleagues, and to all at all levels who have contributed to the work of the current session. to your spouses, families and loved ones. I extend my season's greetings and my wishes of pleasant holidays. health and happiness during the forthcoming United Nations decade of the 1980s. Lung live the United Nations!
The President unattributed #6010
I thank our good friend Ambassador Ramphul, the representative of Mauritius. for his extraordinarily generous remarks addressed to me, to the Secretary-General and to Mr. Buffum. i would make only two observations: first. I find delegations quite generous in adopting resolutions without 24-hours’ notice and without seeking instructions from their Governments; and secondly. we have not yet completed our session.
▶ Cite this page

UN Project. “A/34/PV.111.” UN Project, https://un-project.org/meeting/A-34-PV-111/. Accessed .