A/39/PV.107 General Assembly

It is my sad duty to inform the Assembly of the death of Mr. Enver Hoxha, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Labour Party and Chairman of the General Council of the Democratic Front of the Socialist People's Republic of Albania. 2. On behalf of the General Assembly, I extend heartfelt condolences to the Government and people of Albania. AGENDA ITEM US Scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations: report of the Committee on Contributions (continued)

I should like to draw the General Assembly's attention to document A/39/883/Add.1, which contains a letter addressed to me by the Secretary-General informing me that, since the issuance of his last communication [A/39/883], dated 9 April 1985, Saint Lucia has made the necessary pa)'lDent to reduce its arrears below the amount specified in Article 19 of the Charter. May I take it that the General Assembly duly takes note of this information? It was so decided.

In accordance with the deci~ sion taken at its 106th meeting, the Assembly wiU now consider agenda item 38. 5. In my statement on' 18 December 1984 [l05th meeting, para. 100], I proposed, and the Assembly agreed, to keep agenda item 38 open in order to allow for the continuation of informal consultations after the suspension of the session and to reconvene on short notice to consider any decisions or agreements that might emerge from the consultations. Regret- NEW YORK tably, nothing substantive has emerged from those consultations. 6. It is clear from the statements in the general debate at the thirty-eighth sP..ssion and -in discus-sions in the Second Committee and other bodies of the United Nations system that international co-operation for economic development is one ofthe essential Drereauisites for the maintenance of international peace-and security in all their aspects. It is also clear from the current international economic climate that the decision of 14 December 1979 to launch global negotiations on international economic co-operation for development [resolution 34/138] is perhaps even more valid today than it was five years ago. 7. The purposes of the Charter of the United Nations oblige us to continue to search for solutions to the economic problems which confront the nations of the world. 8. Allow me to go to the extent of suggesting that it would be an abrogation of Article 1, paragraphs 3 and 4, of the Charter, especially during this year of the fortieth anniversary-a time for recommitment-if we were to abandon the search for the consensus which is required to launch the negotiations. It is in the interest ofall States not only to keep alive the concept of global negotiations but also to make a determined effort to break the current stalemate. ,- 9. I therefore once again propose to keep the, agenda item open in order to allow for further informal, but intensive, consultations after the suspension of the session and to reconvene on short notice.to consider any decisions or agreements that might emerge from the consultations. If I hear no objection, it will be so decided. . It was so decided (decision 39/454' B). 10. The PRESIDENT: I understand that the representative ofEgypt, in his capacity as Chairman ofthe Group of 77, would like to make a statement, and I now call on him. 11. Mr. KHALIL (Egypt): In this very Hall, many prominent speakers over the years have reiterated time and time again their commitment to the launching ofglobal negotiations; and at certainjunctures we were closer to reaching our goal. It is indeed regrettable and disappointin~ that, up to the present day, overall solemn commitments to work towards attaining the new international economic order have not been met. 12. This sad fact remains a source of deep concern for the Group of 77, which has initiated the idea of global negotiations in the firm conviction that it offers a positive and coherent response to the growing complexity of international economic relations and draws its support from the principles of mutual benefit, solidarity and interdependence. pr~A>i of the continued validity of the concept of tion of the Socialist People's Republic of Albania global negotiations which is predicated on the need sincere condolences on the death of the First Secrefor an §nte~ated and simultaneous approach that tary of the Central Committee of the Albanian wmll1d conSIder the full range of questions in the Labour Party. major spheres of international economic relations in 25. The European Community and its member terms of their interrelationship. States have listened to the statement ofthe Chairman 16. Almost 40 years after its inception, the United of the Group of 77 and will consider it in the light of Nations is still facing the challenge of realizing the their position on this matter. The Community and its full potential of international co-operation. You member States have always participated actively and rightly reminded us, Mr. President, of the relevant constructively in the North-South dialogue, m all Charter provisions and we equally want to reiterate forums in which such dialogue has taken place, with that we firmly believe that the United Nations is an a view to achieving concrete results wherever possieffective instrument for the achievement of progress ble. We have done so, and intend to continue our for the international community as a whole. This is efforts in that direction, because we recogniz~ the why, as we approach its fortieth anniversary, we are increasing degree of interdependence between differin the foreti'ont in defending its role and remain ent countries and areas in the world economy and the wedded to our conviction that the United Nations consequences that economic policies pursued by system is uniquely and solely capable of devising individual countries or groups of countries have for formulas that could translate interdependence into developments in other parts of the world. The concrete steps that could progressively llchieve pros- European Community, moreover, has a number of perity, stability and peace for all mankind. specific reasons to be particularly conscious of world 17. Mr. President, we thank you for your efforts economic interdependence. and understand the considerations that prompted 26~ First, its member States have widespread and yOt! to make your statement on this issue before us. diverse traditional links with many countries and For its part, the Group of77 win continueto give you regions of the world. The Community itself has full support and constant co-operation in your condeveloped an extensive network of relations, includsultations to bring about the necessary conditions for ing trade and co-operation a~eements, with a large launching global negotiations on international ecanumber of individual countrIes and regional groupnomic co-operation for development. ings throughout the world. 18. Mr. PASHKEVICH (Byelorussian Soviet So- 27. Secondly, about 40 per cent of the Commucialist Republic) (interpretation from Russian): At the nity's external trade takes place with developing. outset, I too should like to extend profound condocountries, which provide about 40 per cent of total lences to the delegation of Albania on the death ef Community imports. the First Secretary·of the Central Committee of the 28. Thirdly, the Community is convinced that its Albanian Labour Party, Enver Hoxha. future prospects for economic growth and successful 19. I am speaking on behalfofthe deleptions ofthe structural adjustment are very much interwoveh with People's Republic of BuJpOQ, tlle (':ie~hQs.lov~k further economic develQpment in the developing ~an. l~ad to f~~tful results l!l terms of I~pact on Committee along the same lines as the resolution md;lvldual pohcle~, consultatIon, co-ope~atlon.and, adopted by the Conference, will receive the same ultImately, negotIated agreements. ThIS attitude unanimous support towards the dialogue as a whole is reflected in the . . p05ition of the European Community on the launch- 37. The PRESIDE~T: May I take It that ~he ing ofglobal negotiations, on a basis acceptable to all, General Assembly WIshes to adopt draft resolutIon as we have expressed on many occasions. The A/39/L.46? European <;ommunity will c~ntin~e. t~ be guided.by The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 39/213 a constructIve and co-operatIve Splrtt m the ongomg B). dialogue with the developing countries. 30. Mr. KEYES (United States of America): My Government, together with many others represented here, has devoted a considerable amount of time to the effort at achieving agreement on a basis for launching global negotiations. We will maintain our constructive and co-operative interest in this issue and will continue to play a full and active role in this process. (6) Preparations for the World Conferen~ to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United Nations Decade for Wornen AGENDA ITEM 80 Development and international economic co-operation (concluded): (c) Trade and development: (i) Report of the Trade and Development Board; (ii) Reports of the Secretary-General 31. The PRESIDENT: In connection with item 80 (c) the Assembly has before it draft resolution A/39/L.46, e~titled "United Nations Conference on Conditions for Registration ofShips", and the report of the Fifth Committee on the programme budget implications of that draft resoiution [A/39/886]. 32. I call on the representative of Egypt in his capacity as Chairman of the Group of 77. 33. Mr. KHALIL (Egypt): On behalf of the Group of 77, I wish to address the question relating to the reconvening of the United Nations Conference on Conditions for Registration of Ships. 34. As stipulated in the note by the Secretary- General of 21 March 1985 [A/39/867], the Conference, at its resumed session held at Geneva from 28 January to 15 February 1985, adopted a resolution by which it decided unanimously to request the General Assembly to convene a resumed session of the Conference for a period of two weeks in July 1985. The unanimous support of that resolution shows the significant progress ac.hieved during the resumed session in January-February 1985, and it is our sincere hope in the light of that progress that the momentum will be maintained in order to bring about a successful conclusion to the Conference's work on the adoption of an international agreement on conditions for registration of ships. 35. In the aforementioned resolution, the Setretary- General was requested to seek the approval of the General Assembly at its resumed thirty-ninth session for the resumption of the Conference. We have submitted a draft resolution on the subject in docu-

In connection with this item, I wish to draw the Assembly's attention to draft decision A/39/L.47 and the report of the Fifth Committee [A/39/887] on the programme budget implications ofthat draft decision. May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to adopt draft decision A/39/L.47? The draft decision was adopted (decision 39/459). 39. The PRESIDENT: The adoption of that deci:- sion reaffirms the commitment of all delegations to spare no efiurt for the success ofthe conference to be held at Nairobi. Consultations should start as so6n as possible to pave the W&y for the early completion of all the documentation, in particular the forwardlooking strategies to be adopted by the ~onference. This, no doubt, will be the major preoccupation of the preparatory body. I feel sure that the preparatory body will have the wisdom to utili~e available. arrangements in the most flexible and expeditious way in order to achieve our common objective of success for the Nairobi conference. 40. Mr. FISCHER (Austria): As was made clear in the course of deliberations in the Fifth Committee, the resumption ofthe session ofthe preparatory body for the conference in New York involves a departure from General Assembly resolution 311140, which stipulates that United Nations organs should meet at their respective established headquarters-in this case, in Vienna. 41. My delegation regrets the departure from the General Assembly's conference servicing regulations that the resumption of the session in New York entails. It is only in view of the particular circumstances ofthis case and the overriding need to ensure a successful outcome of the world conference to be held at Nairobi that my delegation accepts this decision. 42. My delegation hopes that the resumed session in New York will be successful in providing the conference with a substantive and forward-looking basis for its work. (a) Report ofthe Committee for Programme and Coordination; (6) Reports of the Secretary-General

As members of the General Assembly will recall, the Assembly decided at its 105th pienary meeting, on. 18 December 1984, ~hat agenda item 110, concernmg programme planmng, should be held open for consideration at a resumed session [see decision 39/456] after appropriate review and analysis had been completed. In this connection, - the Assembly has before it the report of the Fifth Committee contained in document A/39/840. In paragraph 14 of the report, the Committee recommends to the Assembly the adoption of two draft decisions, I and H. 44. In regard to drall decision I, entitled "Correction to General Assembly resolution 38/227 A", following extens~ve informal consultations, a new draft decision has been submitted to replace it. The new draft decision is contained in document A/39/L.48. 45. I call now on Mr. Ernest Besley Maycock of Barbados, who wishes to introduce that draft decision. 46. Mr. MAYCOCK (Barbados): At its 105th plenary meeting, on 18 December last, the General Assembly decided that agenda item 110 should be held open for consideration at a resumed session. Subsequently, informal consultations were held wi~h­ in an open-ended contact group. An understandmg emerged in the contact group that matters of substance were too important and too difficult to be dealt with in the .~Me available and that such matters should be left for in-depth discussion during the forthcoming session of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination and at the fortieth session ofthe General Assembly. According to the draft decision which I have the honour to introduce, the General Assembly, having considered the statement by the Under-Secretary-General for Administration and Management before the Fifth Committee [see A/C.5/39/SR.17, para. 46], would decide to take note of the information and assurance provided by him. I hope that all delegations will find it possible to agree to the proposal in document A/39/L.48. 47. The PRESIDENT: May I take it that. ~he General Assembly wishes to adopt draft deCISIon A/39/L.48? The draft decision was adopted (decision 39/460). 48 The PRESIDENT: I call now on those delegatio~s wishing to ma~e statements aft~r the 4ecisi<?n..1 remind representatIves of the lo-mmute tIme hmlt for such statements. 49. Mr. FIGUElRA (Blazil):. It was our understanding that in resolution 38/227 A of20 December 1983 the Secretary-General was requested to provide, inter alia, further indications ofclear implications of draft resolutions with regard to the existing programmes within the relevant section ofthe programme budget, in the case of possible funding through existing resources. Therefcre, we welcomed the infonnation ·AGENDA ITEM 115 Scale of assessments f6~ the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations: report of the Committee on Contributions (continued)

Members of the General Assembly will recall that at its 105th plenary meeting, on 18 December 1984, the Assembly decided to postpone further consideration of agenda item 115, concerning the scale of assessments for the apportionmeqt of expenses of the United Nations, to a resumed session of the General Assembly [see decision 39/456]. In this connection, the Assembly has before it part 11 of the report of the Fifth Committee on the item, which is contained in document A/39/844/Add.l. The recommendation of the Committee appears in paragraph 7 of the report in the ac~ed, instead, out ofa'principled intere~t in the ~ell- 63. Do provisions such as those, which complicate, bemg and future effectiveness ~fthe Vmted NatIOns, distort and rigidify the assessment process, provide whose future we smcerely beheve Will be adversely incentives for countries to be concerned about the affected if all countries do not sha~e e9uitably ~n the size, substance and priorities of the United Nations burden of s~pport for .the O~gamzatlon. Eqult~ble budget? Given the proliferation of discounts and burden-sharmg has a direct effect on the Orgamzasubsidies arising from the most narrow and selft~o~'.s willingness ~o pursue a course.of fisc~l rt:sponserving political interests, how are we to avoid slblhty and restral.nt, as well as on Its dedication to increased politicization of a process that should be effective use of Its resources. Therefore, we are primarily technical in nature? How are we to stem ~onvinced that our decisions on ~his matter have ~n the growing ~crception in the capitals and legislatures Importance that tnmscends the Issue of the precise of many Member States that most of the States leve~ of each Member's con~t}bution to. th~ United Members of the United Nations intend ~o give as NatIOns..Indeed, wrong de~lslons CJn this Issue can little as possible and take as much a.s pOSSible? Does have-w111 have-far-reachmg cOLsequences, affectit serve the interest of taxpayers m develooed or ing the very fabric of multilateralism. developing countries to acquiesce in an assessment 58. My delegation has participated actively in the process that 40es not have i~centives for responsibilinegotiations over the last several months. It has ty and effiCiency? ~oes It s~rengthen !he future negotiated constructively and in good faith. Despite prosl?ects of. the Umted NatIons t~ .helghten the our strenuous efforts during those months, we regrOWll'!g p~bhc concern and even cyniCism about the grettably find ourselves confronted with a document Orgamzatlon? .." still marred by the provisions we found objectionable 64. The draft resolution before us is based ori the when the negotiations began. In my statement before pessimistic notion that most States Members,#of the the Fifth Committee last October [see AIC.51 United Nations are permanently condemned to the 39ISR.9, paras. 25-35], I indicated our serious constatus of underdevelopment. What does such a cern that the current structure of the scale of notion say about the efficacy of the United Nations assessments, with its numerous discounts and subsicontribution to development efforts? How does it dies for various classes of countries, made it very reflect the efforts of developing countries themdifficult, ifnot impossible, to have equitable burdenselves? How does it reflect the positive hopes the sharing. The statement described our specific objec- Organization is supposed to represent? Given its tions to two of the recommendations ofthe Commitdespairing premise, how will the adoption of this tee on Contributions: the increase from $2,100 to draft resolution increase public understanding of, $2,200 in the upper limit of the per capita income and support for, the development assistance process? allO\yance. for the least developed c,?untries ~nd. the 65. Because of our strong belief that the draft contmuatlOn of t~e 1()..year base pen~d. We mdlcatresolution before us is not in the interest of the ed our strong behef that a more.eqUitable system of United Nations, the United States opposes its apasse.ssme~t must be developed m the 10I!g term to proval by this Assembly. In fact, its faults are so aV~ld seno~s damage to the fiscal foundations of the glaring that we find it hard to understand why most Umted Nations system. Member States seem prepared to adopt it by consen- 59. The document before us contains both of those sus. Member States publicly profess a determination objectionable provisions. Their intended effect is, of to strengthen the United Nations. Yet this worthy course, to reduce the contributions of some Member objective is quickly set aside when critical decisions States. It also includes a D1~mber ofprovisions that go are to be made, and, instead, narrow and self-serving far beyond the recommendations of the Committee political calculations prevail. Why is it that States on Contributions in providing a welter of actual and that claim to care so deeply ~bout the Organization potential discounts and subsidies. Rather than movlack the courage and political will to oppose draft ing us towards the objective of a more equitable resolutions that they know will damage its effectivedistribution ofthe financial burdens ofthe Organizaness? tion, the mUltiplication of those ad hoc loopholes 66. As the United Nations approaches the celebramoves us further away from that goal. tion of its fortieth anniversary, we should all be 60. The provision in paragraph 1 (c), for instance, working together to put the Organization on a more implies that developing countries, .no matter how constructive course and to stem the universally beli~ve, therefore, that the best way to avoid that that those problems facmg the de~elopmg coun~nes very real danger and to achieve a sharing of the ~ave t~ be addressed ~y the CommIttee on Contnbuburden that can be accepted by all Member States is tlOns m the preparatIOn of the next scale of assessto entrust the Committee on Contributions with the ments. task for which it was created. 81. Secondly, we would have preferred that the 72. The PRESIDENT: The Fifth Committee adoptre~olution state that t.he methodology used to detered the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it mIne the real capaCity !Jf Member States to .pB;y that the General Assembly also wishes to adopt it? served. a !;~d P~1fpost? m the past, but that It IS The draft resolution was adopted (resolution 39/247 beco~Ing mcreasmgly l!1a~equate at present, not. to B). mentIOn the future. It IS m~dequate for measunng 73 Th PRESIDENT S 1 d 1 . h' the real capacIty to pay, and It should be supplement- . e . : evera e t:g~tlOns ave ed by further measures. expressed the WIsh to speak after a deCISIon has been 82.· Thirdly, we would have liked a resolution that made. . . raised the gradient to 90 pir cent, a resolution that 74, Mr. EL-SAFTY (Egypt): I have the pnvIlege stated that the redistribution of the burden of relief an~ honour to speak on behalfofthe Group of 77 on should not fall on the developing countries. so Important a matter as the scale of assessments for . the apportionment of the expenses of the United 83. fourthly, the re~qlutIon should have clearly Nations mentIOned that an additIonal methodology should be . . . developed immediately to take into account in the 75. Members of~h~ Group of 77 Jomed the conse!1- second stage of the exercise, and before the mitigasus and fully partIcIpated 10 the efforts to re.ach It. tion process, the serious and deteriorating economic They spared no effort and made many concessIOns so situation in developing countries, spelling out the that agreement could be reached. most important components of this serious·situation. 76. This constructive approach came out of our However, we are confident that the resolution adoptdeep concern for the subject. because we knew that ed instructs the Committee on Contributions to the alternative would be worse. We were deeply develop and apply the requested methodology in the

I should like to thank all representatives, the Secretary-General and the Secretariat staff for their co-operation in the work of this resumed session. 98. In accordance with Assembly decision 39i456 of 18 December 1984, and bearing in mind thc-<:i1ction taken by the Assembly at this meeting, the following items remain on the agenda of the thirty-ninth session of the General Assembly: item 17 (I): Confirmation of the appointment of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference 01'1 Trade and Development; item 25: The situatiQil in Central America: threats to international peace and security and peace initiatives; item 38: launching of global negotiations on international economic co-operation for development; item 41: Observance of the quincentenary of the discovery of America; item 42: Question of Cyprus; item 43: Implementation of the resolutions of the United Nations; item 44: Consequences of the prolongation of the armed conflict between Iran and Iraq; and' item 140: Celebration of the one-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire. 99. I now declare the thirty-ninth session of the General Assembly suspended. The meeting rose at 1.25 p.m. NOTE