A/41/PV.33 General Assembly
I call on the representativp. of the Byelorussian Soviet
Socialist Republic, who will speak on behalf of the Group of F.astern European
States.
Mr. GURINOVICH (Byelorussian Soviet ~ocialist Republic) (interpretation
from Russian): It is with particular satisfaction that I extend congratulations to
you, Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar, on your unanimous reelection to the post of
Secretary-General of the United Nations. I am proud of the fact that I do SO on
behalf of the Group of Eastern European States.
The states of the socialist community have unswervingly favoured the
enhancement of United Nations act.ivities on the basis of its Charter and recognize
the authoritative role the Secretary-General of the Organization is called upon to
play in implementing the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.
Your reelection as the Organization's chief administrative officer attests to our
recognition and positive assessment of your past activity as Secretary-General from
1 January 1982.
I personally have participated in the work of the United Nations with all five
of the men who have served as Secretary-General of the Organization, and I know the
kinds of problems and difficulties your predecessors encountered. There have also
been many problems during your own tenure, and you have duly succeeded in coping
with them. This can be explained to a great extent by the fact that, from the very
outset, you had a correct view of the Organization's objectives. Upon your
election to your post on 15 December 1981, you stated:
-the United Nations is a body of States gathered toqether for purposes and
ends which go beyond and above purely national motives.- (A(36/PV.98, p. 11)
You also correctly assessed the responsible role of the United Nations
Secretary-General, who must, in your words,
-become the advocate of the causes of common inter~~t. • •• His sole guiding
star must be the promotion of causes favourahle to the progress of all, for
the benefit of all, on the basis of international peace and security and
unswervingly directed towards justice, in conformity with the mandate given
him by the Charter.- (A/36/PV.98, p. 12)
Today, once again, you have reaffirmed your dedication to the ideals of the United
Nations. The states of the socialist community wish you success in your work.
Your reelection takes place in a period when the tlniterl Nations, like the
entire world, is passing through an extremely critical stage in its history. We
are all faced with the pressing and urgent problem of creating an effective,
operational and comprehensive system of international peace and security that wLll
ensure eaual security for all. In accomplishing this, it is necessary to make
consistent progress in the sphere of disarmament, to prevent the spread of the arMS
race to new spheres, to eradicate the vestiges of colonialism, to wipe out racisM
and apartheid, to ensure eaual economic security for all states, to strengthen the
political and legal bases for a lasting peace and to achieve co-operation on an
equal footing.
(Mr. Gurinovich, Byelorussian SSR)
. . d Ha t' l'tself to ens ure tha t It is also important to strengthen the tl'll te 10ns
the rights and legitimate interests of any Members of the Organization or any
f ani·ation Th*! rnited groups of Sta tes are not harmed I.I\der the pre text 0 reorg.. • .
Nations must become an effective instrument in strengthening peace and developing
international co-operatioo.
We are convinced that your vast knowledge, wealth of exper ience and tireless
dedicatioo to the cause of peace and justice will cootinue to be devoted to the
service of the interests of the United Nations and. will promote a constructive
solution for all these pressing problems, without which the quality of life of
mankind, and indeed its very existence, will be endangered.
I very IlIJch value our persooal fr iendship, and I wish good heal th to you anct
to your wife who, although she does not have obligations under the United Nations
Charter, shows a coocern for our joint work that is commensurate with her position.
In oonclusioo allow me to reiterate the readiness and wish of the States of
the socialist cOlllmunity to cootinue our manifold and fruitful co-operation wi th you
and with all tklited Natioos Member States to achieve victory for the cause of
peaoe, secud ty, jus ti oe and progress on ear th •
The PRPSIOmfT: I now call on the representative of Mexioo, who will
s peak on behalf of the La tin Amedcan Sta tea.
Mr. f«>YA PALENCIA (Mexico) (interpretation from Span ish) ~ The
representatives of the regiooal groups that have preceded me have expressed to you,
Ambassador Javier Perez de Cuellar, their pleasure and congratulatioos at your
election wi th the unanimous support of MeJN:)er Sta tes for another term as
8ecretary-General of the United Nations, but that pleasure turns to joy in the case
of the La tin American and Caribbean Group, to whose reg ion you ri ght full y belong.
We who Compose continental Latin America and the Caribbean basin, know that in
you we have a worthy, intelligent and effective representative of our aspirations,
concerns and interests with whom we are at one in respect for the purposes and
principles of the United Nations set forth in the Charter. Those pcinclples guide
the community of nations in maintaining international peace and security; in
developing friendly relations aJlO\g nations based on the principle of equal rights
and self-determination of peoples; in achieving international co-operation in
solving problems of an eoonomic, social, cultural or humanitar ian character, and in
pron:>ting human rights; in joining together to settle their COIIlIllQ'\ problems in
conformity with the rules of international law, with respect for the scwereignty
and integrity of all States, ",*,ile seeking the peaceful settlement of disl1ltes and
avoiding the threat or use of force and intervention; and in under standing peace
not merely as the absence of war but rather as the broadest range of cultural and
material conditions for the complete developaent of all people without distinction
as to creed, race ex ideology.
It is a source of genuine pc ide for us that you, Ambassador Perez de Cuellar,
have alce again commanded a consensus by the nations represented here to renew
their tr ust in you. This undoubtedly means your sta tus as a un lver sal man is based
m your status as a true son of Peru and Latin America. We elCtend our IIIOSt sincere
congratulations.
But that legitimate pride and profound satisfaction are heightened because the
MenDer Sta tes of our Group are COrN inced, as they 9 ta ted to you a few da ys a go in
the document that suppor ted your candida tur e for office, that you have accolllpl ished
magnificent work at the head of the Secretariat during the five years of your first
term of office, giVing eloquent evidence of steadiness, integr ity, dedication and
prudent and wise management. That has won you a reaffirmation of the unreserved
support you had already obtained from the international community.
The skill with which you have dealt with difficult and critical issues, SOlDe
(Mr. ~ya Palencia, He xiro)
five years, and your negotiating skill in achieving consensus, in resol.... ing QC
reducing conflicts. and in acting as a decisive factor str ik ing a balance between
opposing criteria and interests, without ever losing sight of the essential
principles of the tmited Nations but rather affirtdng and impletaenting them, have
enabled you to give a faultless perfOr1llance that has won you enthusiastic support
for the renewal of your important mandate by acclaNtion.
As you begin a new stage of management, you are facinq, together with the
difficult prd>lems on our substantive agenda so vital to the peace, secur ity and
eCalomic and social development of the world, a severe financ ial er is is a t the
United Nations. You yourself have described it as 4 p:>l itical er is i~ that puts to
the test atce 4ga in the will and good fai th of Menber Sta tea in kee ping a1 ive and
effective the Ol"ganization we established OIler 40 year s ago, wh ich has suffer ed an
unjust and prolonged campaign of discredit instit;Jated by powerful focces that wish
to undermine the fulfilment of its purposes or to diver t it frail its objectives
wi th no thought of its vi tal impor tance to all mank ind.
Your office is now, as never before, Mr. Secretary-General, neither easy ncc
canfor table. Rather it is ooe that requires, in addition to your characteristic
sense of balance, your prCNen managemen t sk ills in overcoming obstael es and helping
the tktited Nations live up to its responbilities and rise abCNe its detractOCS,
with their selfish interests.
we have elected you in a process that demonstr ates once aga in that delllOCr acy
is viable in our organization and that through it we can arr ive at agreed re8ul ts,
and the best way of showing our supper t for you is for all of us without excepticn
to give firm support to your work in the secretariat by strengthening the good
reputation, the operative and financial capacity, and the efficiency and
proOJctivi ty of the tmi ted 18 tions.
Your task would be infinitely less canplicated and dangerous if the polltical
wUl of States were to be clearly expressed, if it were understood that
international law is the only possible framework foe our coexistence, and if
multilateralism were recognized as the irreplaceable instrument to save mankind
from uncertainty, to settle its disputes and project it towards peacp.ful
developnent. It is in this spirit that the States members of the Latin American
and Car ibbean Group now aga in assure you of our fullest (X)~peration, based on the
lofty principles of the san Francisco Charter and the need for the United Nations
to play its essential role wi th increas ing effectiveness.
In this age of speedy technological progress and of now untenable social and
eoonomic contrasts, when all of the world's peoples are genuinely peers, the
priVileged and the dispossessed, the role of the ll'lited Nations as a communicator,
and the harmonizing work that Mr. Perez de Cuellar is accomplishing as the head of
the Secretariat, will be decisive factors in mankind's choice between concord and
oonflagration, confrontation and detente, uncertainty and security, poverty and
development, the survival of our organized community or global anarchy, between the
affirmation of its highest values and the conversion of our culture into
radioactive dust.
In this challenging but inspiring task, the Latin American and Caribbean
countries join ranks within the U'lited Nations at this time to support the
Organization firmly, oonstructively and institutionally. They join also in
supporting you, Mr. Perez de Cuellar, as the newly re-elected secretary-General of
the united Nations as you continue your struggle for freedom and peace, sowing the
seeds of ulXluenchable hope for the peace and development of mank ind.
The PRmIDENT: I now call on the representative of the Federal Republic
of Germany, who will speak on behalf of the Group of Wee tern European and 0 ther
States.
Mr. LAU'l'ENSCHLAGER (Federal Republic of Germany)~ Mr. President, it is a
particular pleasure and high honour for me to extend, on behalf of the Group of
western &1ropean and other States, through you to the secretary~neral,
Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar, the most cordial coogratulations on his re-election.
It gives us great satisfaction that also in future years he will head the wor ld
Organizatioo to which he has given so nuch in recent years and for which he has
worked so successfully. We are grateful that we shall be able to rely on him also
in future for his advice, his judiciousness, his experiencE! and his prudent
determinaticn, which he has displayed so convincingly in the past five years in the
service of the world Organization. Especially at the present difficult juncture it
is both canforting and reassur ing for us to know that he will cmtinue to hold hifl
office, the dignity and esteem of which he has enhanced in recent years.
The secretary-General is, I am sure, fully aware of the burden he is about to
shoulder once again. His decisioo to comply with the wish of all MelNler States
that he should cootinue in office nay not have been an easy me. He always held
that the office of the Secretary-General should not be a subject of controversial
deba te and that no me should make promises that were imposs ible of ful f ilment.
Rather, Hr. Perez de Cuellar told the Member States what he expected them to do for
the Organization in order to make it WOl'k. In this noole way he has given us the
opportunity to demonstrate today our full and sincere confidence in him. The
menbers of the Group of Western European and other States consider it their duty
and their privile9@ to assist him in the discharge of his tasks to the best of
the ir ab i11 ti es.
The unanimous electioo of the secretary-General today reaffirms the confidence
that all MeJltler Sta tea place in him. It is our hope tha t th is con fidence may ease
the burden of his office. At the same time, it will enable him also in his second
term of office to assist us all in finding the commm path that will lead the
United Nations into a secure future.
During the general debate of past weeks, representatives of many countries
have voiced their high appreciation of the Secretary-General and his WOl'k. This
appreciation gives expression to the sentiments we also share today. In a major
address which the secretary-General del ivered at OXford on 13 May 1986, he spoke
about the pitfalls of his offic:e~ about the SCylla of inflating the role of the
secretary-General and the Charybdis of the desire to avoid controversy.
I th ink we are all agreed that in the years past the 5ecre tary-General has
always shO'<lin and taken the right; way - a way that has also won him admiration,
recogni tion and confidence.
Mr. 5ecretary-General, thorny tasks lie ahead of you. tiobody is more fully
aware of them than you yourself. we wish to thank you for all you have done for us
in the past and we wish you the best of success for your seoond term of office.
we, the ment>ers of the Group of western European and other States, pledge you our
unreserved support as you continue to fulfil your responsible tasks of safeguarding
peace, of suppor ting the Meni>er Sta tes in oo-opera ting among thel1lBelves, nf
promoting respect for human rights all over the world, of advancing eoonomic and
social progress, and of strengthening the ttlited Nations and thus enhancing its
ability to meet the challenges of our time. With regard to the United Nations, you
once said:
-The United Nations system, while imper fect as any human under tak ing must
be, offers almost unlimited p:>tential for the creation of a strong and durable
foundation for peace and for the well-being of the world's population.-
May it be granted to you, relying on the confidence and the co-operation of us all,
to translate this grand vision into real achievements in the years ahead.
The PRm IDENT: I now call on the represen ta tive of oman, who ." ill speak
on behalf of the Arab Sta tes.
Mr. AL-AtfiI (Oman) (interpretation from Arabic)~ On behalf of the
meneers of the Arab Group at the tbited Nations, it gives me great pleasure to
extend our sincere congratulations to Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar on his unanimous
re-election today by the Ment>ers of the international Organization in both the
secur ity Council and the General Assembly to continue in his impor tant post as
secretary-General of the tbited Nations for another five-year term.
We are fully satisfied with the way in which Mr. Perez de Cuellar has
discharqed his duties in the service of the international community and in
promoting the principles of the Charter durinq his five-year tenure. He has with
unparalleled devotion and sincerity made important attempts to respond to thp.
urgent needs of the international community through his efforts on various levelA
to contribute to the maintenance of the prestiqe, leqitimacy and hiqh objectives of
this international Orqanization. He has also sought strenuously to hrinq closer
the points of view of its Members and to participate effectively in the onqoinq
attempts to settle the numerous regional and internal disputes, especially those in
the Middle East and in occupied Palestine and as a consequence of the continuinq
war between Iran and Iraa. He has done all of this in addition to playing a
humanitarian role to mitigate the sufferin~s in gome parts of the world as a result
of a flood of refugees and the adverse affects of desertification and drought and
to promote a new, just international economic order.
The Arab States collectively are extremely pleased to know that he will bP.
occupyinq his high position for the next five years. The close historical and
cultural links between the Arab states and the states of flatin America, and het~en
the Spanish culture and the ~rab culture in general, and the mutual tie~ between
the Arab delegations and Mr. Perez de Cuellar have been and will remain excellent.
On behalf of the Arah delegations to this international Organization we
congratulate the Secretary-General on the confidence placed in him by the Member
states which have called upon him to assume the burden of international
responsibility for another term of office. We also congratulate ourselves on his
accepting those onerous functions in good health and firm determination to maintain
a sound performance of benefit to all, without exception.
(Mr. Al-Ansi, Oman)
America, the host coun try.
Mr. WALTERS (United States of Americal~ On behalf of the United States,
in its role as host country to the t)'lited Nations, I warmly welcOftle the
reappointment of Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar as 5ecretary-General of the United
Nations. During his first term the secretary-General displayed not 0011' dedi ca tlon
to the ideals of the Charter but also consulll1\ate sit ill in attellllipting to put those
pr inciples into practice. The 5ecre tary-General 's will ingness to con tin ue his
extraordinarily demanding work demonstrates his devotioo to this Organixatioo. His
unchallengeable personal integrity and his deep devotioo to the ideals that thls
Organization embodies have won for him the acclaim of the whole wer ld and that
admiration and respect have been expressed here today by his reelection by
acclamation as secretary-General of the Organization.
His activities in the case of peace and justice for humankind have brought
honour to him personally, to Peru, to the Western hemisphere and to the United
Nations. We appreciate his efforts, pUblic and private, in the vital area of
peaoekeeping.
In his capacity as chief administrative officer the secretary-General has alSo
taken on the inunense task of fiscal and admin is tra tive re form of the t)'l1 ted
Nations. His conmibnent to that reform will enable the Organization to cope more
effectively wi th the poli tical, economic and social challenges of the cam lng
decades.
I congratulate the 5ecretary-General and extend my warmest wishes for his
future success. He enjoys our deepest respect and admiration and he can count upon
the co-operation of the Government which I represent.
The Assen'bly has concluded its consideration of agenda
i tern 16.
AGENDA ITE"I 38
REVIEW OF THE EFFICIF.NCY OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL FUNCTIONING OF THE UNITED NATICRJS
(a) REPORT OF THE GROUP OF HIGH-LEVEL INTERGOVERNMENTAL EXPF.RTS TO RF.VIF.W THE EFFICIENCY OF THF. ADMINISTRATIVE ANn FINANCIAl. FUNCTIONING OF THE UNITED NATIONS (A/41/49)J
(b) NOTE BY THE SECRETARY-GF.NP.RAL (A/41/663)
The Assembly will now begin consideration of aqenda
item 38, -Review of the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning
of the united Nations-.
In this connection the Assembly has hefore it the report of the Group of
High-Level Intergovernmental Experts to review the Efficiency of the Administrative
and Financial Functioning of the United Nations (A/4l/49) and the Note of the
Secretary-General (A/4l/663).
I would draw the attention of the Assembly to the decision taken at its third
plenary meeting, on 20 September, relating to the organitation of its work, to the
effect that item 38 will he considered in plenary meetings of the General Assembly
and that during the course of that consideration the Fifth Committee will, within
the scope of its responsibilities, undertake a factual examination of the report of
the Group of High-Level Intergovernmental Experts and submit its finrlinqs to a
plenary meeting.
Before calling upon the first speaker, I propose that the list of speakers in
the debate on this item be closed on Monday, 13 October, at 5.00 p.m.
If a hear no objection, I shall take it that it is so decided.
It was so decided.
I request representatives wishing to participate in the
debate to inscribe their names as soon as possible.
I now call upon the Chairman of the Group of High-Level Intergovernmental
Experts to Review the Efficiency of the Administrative and Financial F\Jnctiooing of
the U1ited Nations, Mr. Vraalsen of Honey/ ~o will also make a statement as
r epr esenta tive of Not way.
Mr. VRAAISEN (Ncrway), Chairman of the Group of Higtl-level
ReVl• ...... the Effici.ency of the Administrative and Intergovernmental EKper ts to """"
Financial Functiaaing of the tl1ited Nations: Let me first take this opportooity to
offer my Government's and my personal congratulations to the 5ecretary-General upon
his reappointment. For almost five years we have had the privilege of having
Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar as secretary-General of our Orqanizlltion. Throuqhout
that per lad he has shown leader shi p and wisdaD. wi th the highes t dedi ca tlon,
professional skill and personal integrity, he has guided our efforts to attain the
cbjectives of the Uli ted Nil tions and make th is woe ld of ours a ~ tter and more
secur e place for all of us to live in. I am conY inoed that in th e year s to co.
the secretary-General will vigcxously continue his effects to pconcte 1IU1tlLatecal
oo-operation and strengthen the United Nations.
Mr. Secretary-General, we particularly need your wisdCD, skill and experience
at this time, when the United Nations faces ser ious problems and challen<Jes of an
administrative, financial and political nature. I assure you of I1lY Govetnaent's
and my own fu llest co-oper ation in disch arging your du ties as Secr etar y-Gen e-naL
In my capacity as Chairman of the Group of High-level Inter<jovecnmental
Exper ts to rev iew the Ef ficiency of the Mmin iatr ative and Financia t F'unct100 ing of
the tk\ited Nations, I have the honour to introd.tce tile Group's repoct (A/4l/49).
In its resolution 40/237 of 18 Deoeaber 1985. by which it established the
Group, the General Assell'bly requested it to ccndJct I in full accocdance w1 th the
principles and provisicns of the Charter,
wa thorough rev iew of the admin Istr ative and financial matter 8 of the Un i btd
Nations, with a view to identifying measures for further impcClYing the
efficiency of its administrative and financial functic:ning, which 'afOuld
caatribute to strengthening its effectiveness in dealing with politiCAl.
economic and social issues·. (resolution 40/237, para. 2 (a»)
Mmin is tra tive and Financ ia 1 Function ing of the United Nations
In the spirit of that resolution, the ment>ers of the Group agreed from the
very beginning of their wer k that they should not deal with the immedia te f.inancia 1
crisis of the Ulited Nations, which was the responsibility of the General 1>.ssentlly,
and that their pr imary objective was to submit r eoollll\enda tions aimed at improv iog
the Organization's medium-term and long-term administrative and financial
functioning. The Group also noted that it had been requested to consider ooly the
admin is tra tive and financial 118 tters of the Uli ted Ha tions and its 5 ubA id iary
bodies, and that the relationship between the Organization and the specia lized
aqencies, as well as system-wide co-ordination and co-operation, thus fell outside
its manda te.
The Group held four sessions between 25 February and 15 1>.ugust th is year and
met for a total of ei ght weeks. During tha t per iad 0 f v er y hard wor kit
endeavoured to examine all the topics on its agenda thorouqhly, giv ing equal
emphasis to all of them. On several occasions the Group had the pr iviLege of
hearing the Secretary-General, who offered his full co-operation and gave his views
on a nuntler of topics as r eques ted by the Group. The Group also heal"d the Cha irman
of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, the Chairman
of the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination and a limited nUnber of high-level
officials of the Secretar iat, who clar ified some of the more technica 1 iSsues
before us.
The Group's report contains 71 recolllllendations under six different topics,
dealt with in sections 11 to VII: ·The intergCNernmental I'Mchinery and its
functioning", ·Structure of th e Secretariat·, "Measures regarding per sonnel.,
"Malitoring, evaluation and inspection", ·Plaming and budget procedure" and
-Implementation of the G['oup's recommendations-. As can be seen from the report
and the reoolllllendations it contains, the tasks entrusted to the Group were both
Callpr ehens ive and in many cases extremely caaplex. wi thin the 1illi ted tille
available it was not possible for the G['oup to examine in depth f!!I/ery aspect of the
administrative and financial functimin9 of the united Nations. AS a result, the
Group felt that a distinction should be drawn between~
-(a) Those questions on which it was possible foe it to submit precise
reooRlRendations that might be taken into consideration by the General Mserllbly
upon the submission of its report-
and
- (b) Those questions that mer ited and required examination in gr ea ter
depth and with regard to which it had to be satisfied with defining lines of
approach and su9gesting methods foro subsequent research.- (A/4l/49, para. 13)
I do not think it would be appl'opr la te foe me as Cha irman of the Group to make
cOlllllents in that capaci t:t on the var ious reooMenda Hons nCJlll be for e the
General Assent>ly. May I say, howf!!l/er, that those recommendations are the result of
long and thorou9h deliberations and that. in nrj opinion, they form a ",ell-balanced
text cons istin9 of equally impor tant elelllen ts.
Despite the many points of converqence. the Group was unfortunately unable,
owing to lack of time. to reach a consensus on the question relating to the
planning and budget mechanism. Hay I, nf!!l/ertheless, point out that, with the
I!xception of two recommendations on which reservations were I'DBde, all the
recommendations oontained in the re~rt were unanimously approved by the Group.
I wish to take this opportooity to elCpress lily deep appreciation to the menDers
of the Group for their endurance, their spirit of co-operation and their firm
determinatioo to bring the Group's work to a successful conclusion.
Let me underline that, as stated in the introdlction to the report, the Group
performed its work 00 the basis of full respect for the principles and provision!!
of the Char ter. The Group was convinced that the measures it had r ecomended would
cootribute to imprOYe further the efficiency of the administrative and financial
functioning of the United Nations.
Furthermore, the Group was convinced that it had only begun a reform process.
That process must now be carried further by other interqoyernmental bodies and hy
the secretary-General. The Group considered that it had fully dil'icharqed its
manda te and cooclu ded its wor k with the s ubm iss ion 0 fits re por t •
On behalf of the Group of High-level Intergovernlllental Experts, it gives me
great pleasure, as Chairman of the Group, to commend its report to the
General Assembly.
f th G f 1'"', I shoul.d 1 ike to make a few Hav ing in troduced the report 0 e roup 0 0
observations and comments as the Permanent Representative of Norway and as someooe
who for a year now has been intil1Bte1y involved in the efforts to impcove the
administrative and financial situation of our Organization.
The Ncxwegian Prime Minister, Mrs. Gro Harlem Brundtland, in her statement to
the Assembly in this very Hall less than three weeks ago, reaffirmed Norway's deep
commitment to multilateralisrn and to a strong thited Nations. In erllP1agiz lnq the
need for reform to restore faith and confidence in the Organization, the prime
Mm is ter said:
-The task of renewing the effectiveness of the United Nations is
basically political in nature. It requires that Menber States mani feRt the
p>litical will to place the financing of the Organization on a viable basis
and provide the secretary-General wi th the manda te and the supper t he needs to
carry out the major organizational, staffing and budget changes which will.
reci.lce costs, improve e ffectiven ess and r ea tore CM fi dence. At th is
forty-first sessim we have a unique opportunity to do exactly that. It Is an
opportlUlity we must not miss." (A/41/PV.5, p.57)
It is indeed encouraging to note that the great majority of the political
leaders who addressed the General Assent>ly spoke in the same terms, stressing a
reaffirmation of their COlllllitrnent to multilateralism and the United Naticns
accanpanied by stroog support for organizatiooal, financial and administrative
reforms. It was also grati fying to note the many fall our ab le colmlen ts wh ich were
made on the report of the Group of 18 and the agreed recommenda Hons sub",i t ted by
the Group. 1 wish in this connection t:D cite one such statement, that 1lIIade on
2 OCtober this year by the Chairman of the Non-1Uigned MCNement, the Pritllie Minister
of Zimbabwe, Mr. Ibbert ~9abe. He said~
IIIn the same vein, I wish to cOlMlend foe its good wOCk the Group of
High-level Interqovernmental Experts •••• The Group's observations, analyses
and recommendations as cootained in its report, which is submitted to the
Assembly ••• are a realistic attempt to find solutions to the pHlblefts
besetting our Organ ha tioo, and I sincerely tr ust that the A.sseJl\tlly will Ree
them in that ser ious light.· (A/41/PV.21, p. 12)
That expression of political support, and many others of a sillllilar character
from the highest levels of Government authority frolll all OYer the world, should
guide us in our consideration of this item in coming days.
At the risk of stating and possibly repeating the obvious, I cannot hut
stress - and stress again and again - the ewerriding importance of the subject
matter now before us. What we decide upon at the end of our discussion will have a
direct bearing upon the future viability of this Organization. This being the
case, I trust that all Member States will be guided by the Barlle spir it, hy the same
desire, as guided the 18 menDers of the Expert Group~ that is, to illllpcoye the
functioning of the United Nations, to make it into a trUly effective forum for
global co-operation and to prCNide the intecnational cOflulIt.a'lity with efficient
machinery, a place where natioos can meet as equals seeking to harmonize their
policies and actions in the poli tical, ecooOlllic and sac ial fields. It is the hopl'
of rrtJ delegation that the Assentlly's consideration of the report will end with the
sending of a strong political message in support of those CJOals. SUch a l'IIessagP.
would be fully in line with the many statements made by our political leaders.
The matter be fore us is of direct coocern to each and every Mel\t) er Sta te. It
is not an East-ifest issue. It is not an issue between oppos lng forces frail the
North and from the South, between developing and developed countries, bet;lileen
regional groups or between the major contributors to the United Nations system and
the rest of the mentlership. It is a matter of COftlmon interest and COIl\mOl'l concern.
Either we succeed together or we fail together. I therefore sincerely hope that we
shall have a constructive exchange of v iews and that each deleqa Hon "'ill approac:tl
the problem wl th an open mind, make its own eva lua Hen and pass ita o",n iodependen t
jUdgement on the important questions before us.
During the past months I have sel'\Sed that aTllQ\g SOfIIe deleC)!tions there
continues to be a lingering feeling of doubt and uneasiness about the reforll\
process, in particular regarding the efforts to develop improyed JIlI!lIdlinery and
procecilre for planning and proqraJllfte budge ting. I really hope that dur iog the
forthcoming debate we can PJt those concerns firmly to re6t. The authority to
decide up)n the content and level of the budget of the United Natia'l8 is entrusted
to the General Assemly and its Fi fth Committee. Voting procedures fot tak ing
decisioos pertaining to budgetary matters are firmly established. I should like to
make it very clear that, as far as my delegation is concerned, any new and illpcCNed
budgetary maminery and proced.1re will have to be based upon full respect for the
principles and provisions of the Charter and the authority of the General Assenh1.y
and the Fifth Coftllittee. This has been our firm. principled position throughout the
process in the Expert Group, and all delegations can rest assured that it "'ill
continue to be so.
However, this position does not prevent rJrf delegatioo from actively seeking
and actively supporting budgetary reforms that can improve upon the present
bUdgetary procedure. The present planning and budget procedure is inadequl!Ite. It
does not give Memer States - and here I mean all of us, all Menber States - the
possib 11 ity to exercise the necessary in ter gaver nmen tal leader eh ip, par ti co lar ly in
setting priorities within the resources likely to be available. ~forlD8 in that
area would serve the interest of us all. Nobody will benefit from holding en to 1!I
procedure which is clearly deficient.
(Mr. Vraalsen, Norway)
On the question of the budCjetary process, I wish to quote two paragra~s from
·the Secretary-GeneraPs note of 1 Q::tober 1986:
-The work done by the Group of Experts on the budCJetary process is of
major importance to the fubJre of the United Nations. While full agreement
was not reached, explocation of the subject was extensive and there is evident
agreement on several central points, includinq the need for an improved
in ter gOll er nmen tal machinery that can deal mcxe thoroughly ",i th ques t ions
related to the budget~ the advisability of earlier participation by Merrber
States in the programme and budget process~ the impoctance of co-ordinated
progranme planning and progralll'lle bUdCJetin9~ and the need for ear ly
establishment of guidance by the General Assentlly on the level of resources
within whidl expenditures during a biennium would be aocolllllodated.
"This measure of congruence, especially when seen in the contp.xt of the
vital interests of the organizations that are involved, would sugQe~t that
with a further effort by the General Assemhly agreement on this RU~j@Ct can
yet be reached. The authority of the Assem~ly to determine the Riz~ of the
budget, the establishment of prioritie~ and the apportionment of expenses as
provided for in the Charter should, of course, he preserverl. I believe
improved intergovernmental machinery, with arleauate time, continuity and
expertise to give comprehensive consideration to programmes, priorities and
resources, could be of much assistance to the Assem~ly and its Fifth Committee
in reaching timely bUdgetary decisions - decisions that would enjoy the broad
support that the health of the Organization reauires. There is need for a
practical procedure that can facilitate and encourage broad agreement on the
budget notwithstanding political differences on suhstantive issues that may
persist among Member States." CA/4l/663, paras. 6 and 7)
By auoting the Secretary-General as extensively as I have done on this point,
1 wish to convey to all representatives the followinq with a stronq senRe of
urgency: that we must during this session of the General Assemhly develop a
practical procedure that can facilitate and encourage hroad agreement on the
budget; that the report of the Group of 18 prOVides a good basis for shaping such a
procedure, and that we must start working on this auestion now. We have no time to
lose on this.
Before concluding, allow me to put forward one other very important point. We
have been talking about restoring the financial soundness and viahility of our
Organization, and about reforms to this end. Let uS he very clear about thi~:
whatever measures of reform we undertake, the financial viahility of the united
Nations can be fully restored and secured only if all Member States pay their
(Mr. Vraalsen, Norway)
assessed contributions in full anrl on time. Anythinq short of that is a violation
of their obligations under the Charter. Anythinq short of that makes orderly
management of the Organization virtually impossible. withholdings at the level
which we are experiencing at present, if allowed to continue, will threaten the
very existence of the Organization.
I urge those Members which are hehind in their payments to settle their
accounts. Such action on their part would convey a much desired and much needed
message of support for the united Nations and for the efforts now under way to make
the Organization leaner, more focused and more effective.
Finally, I express my sincere hope that the Assembly will endorse the aqreed
recommendations of the Group of High-level Experts and will reach agreement on a
new planning and budgetary procedure. By doing so the Assemh1y would take an
important political step - a step which would be extremely significant for the
future of the Organization. The Assemh1y would thus make a heginninq on a reform
process - a process which will be painful, which will be gradual, and which will
make great demands of the leadership of the Memher States and the
Secretary-General. Once again a clear sense of rlirection is emerging here and an
honest attempt is being made by the Assembly to turn things around to the benefit
of all. At this critical juncture the United Nations deserves and needs the full
support of all Member States. With all its admitted limitations, the
Organization - the United Nations - still remains our finest, our indispensable,
forum for glohal co-operation.
I can assure you, Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General, anrl all my fellow
representatives in this hall that my de1eqation will spare no effort in tryinq to
contribute to a successful conclusion of the consideration of the item now hefore
(Mr. Vraalsen, Norway>
First, allow me to join preceding speak@rs in
Mr. MACIEL (Brazil):
congratulating the Secretary-General on his reappointment for a ~econd term. r
congratulate Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar but, having studied carefully the report
of the Group of 18 high-level experts, I do not envy him. All I can say is that I
promise him my most enthusiastic support, and the firm support of my deleqation and
my Government.
The item before us today has undeniahly come under the central spotlight of
the forty-first session of the General Assembly. And appropriately so, since it
relates directly not only to the efficient administrative and financial functioning
of the united Nations, as its title indicates, but also to its survival as an
integral, universal and democratic Organization.
The Group of 18 did not have a mandate to deal with the Organization's
immediate financial crisis, as the Group itself points out in paragraph 8 of its
report; however, we are all very much aware of the degree to which this auestion
has permeated all others. This is very much the case with the report of the Group
of 18. Our deliberations on this item, therefore, besides heinq crucial to the
Organization's structure and modus Operandi in the medium and long term will also
have a direct bearing on the outcome of the present financial crisis. We all hope
that it will have a positive bearing, and we are convinced that this goal can be
achieved if we reach a consensus agreement - or at least a hroad-hased agreement.
With this in mind, my delegation engages in these deliberations with
flexibility and a constructive approach. We may even he prepared to sacrifice some
of our objectives for the benefit of such an agreement. We are convinced that this
approach is not naive, for we believe that many delegations share our sentiments
and that flexibility shown by some will be reciprocated by others.
We also believe that Member states have already given a clear demonstration of
the importance they attach to these issues. We cannot, of course, anticipate at
this point the final conclusions we shall reach at the end of our deliberations,
but if we maintain a flexible and constructive approach to the end we shall also ~
demonstrating collective responsibility and avoiding an impasse or the imposition
of the views of some upon all others.
That propitious climate would be further enhanced if Member States that are
witholding their assessed contributions and therefore not complying with their
financial obligations to the Organization in accordance with the Charter would
follow the examples of others and fulfil their ohligations, so as to give the
United Nations some breathing space and to dissipate some of the grave
uncertainties we are at present experiencing.
1 now wish to say a few words relating to the scope and procedure of our
deliberations. There are two essential documents to be considered: the report of
the Group of 18 itself (A/41/49), and the note by the secretary-General
(A/41/663). Any subject not discussed in either of those documents should not, in
my view, be considered under this item, for, although there may be other related
areas of interest, the item is complex and comprehensive enough as it is.
Recommendations that are not the object of profound controversy should be adopted
without lenghty debate.
After careful consideration of the report of the Group of 18, my Government
has come to the conclusion - which I am sure is shared by most others represented
(Mr. Maciel, Brazil)
here - that the Group has performed a very difficult task and that, even if that
task was not complete, we are all in~ehted to the experts who made up the Group.
In general, my Government is prepared to accept most of the recommendations
proposed, with any technical adjustments that may prove necessary.
On the other hand, there are clearly different levels of accuracy,
appropriateness and validity in the proposed recommendations. Some, such as
recommendations 20 and 30, are extremely vague or only restate previous
recommendations. Others are either excessively specific or excessively
rigid - recommendation 3 (e) is an example. Still others are poorly elaborated or
hased on insuffient information or inadeauate premises, such as recommendation
25 (2), in reqard to which I have serious reservations. Despite these
shortcomings, however, the general lay-out of the report and the bases underlying
its work are sound and consistent.
The note by the Secretary-General, although of a qeneral nature, contains some
thoughtful observations which deserve our special attention. In particular, his
analysis of the work done by the Group in regard to the budgetary process of the
Organization coincides with our own assessment to the extent that, despite the lack
of final agreement, there was a wide convergence of views. I do not wish to enter
into details at this stage, hut two examples of this fact merit immediate
attention: first, the need to ensure the participation of Member States at an
early stage of the budgetary process, with due respect for the responsihilities of
the Secretary-GeneralJ and secondly, the introduction of the concept of a hUdgetary
envelope that would encase, with some adjustments to the current definition of
add-ons, the totality of resources available for a biennium.
This latter concept still requires some refinement, specifically in relation
to the procedure for the determination of the envelope and the related continqency
(Hr. Macie1, Arazi 1)
fund, but the basic agreement is already there. My ~eleqation does not rl~em it
appropriate, however, that we should limit ourselves to the three choices presented
by the Group of 18 when considering this item. We would prefer a broader
discussion, that would. not necessarily impose the selection of one of three
choices, which the Group of 18 itself could not make. One possihility, for
instance, would be to combine some elements from the first and second choices, with
specific provisos for the clear and appropriate ~ivision of respon5ihilities
between the Committee for Programme and Co-ordination and the ~dvisory Committe~ on
Administrative and Budgetary Questions and with the maintenance of current rules
pertaining to the decision-making process.
I shall refrain from making remarks concerninq specific recommendations as I
believe we shall have the opportunity to do so at a later staqe, either in the
Fifth Committee or when the plenary meeting considers this item again. I should
like, however, to indicate two areas dealt with by the Group which we feel should
he examined very closely in order to dispel some concerns, which I am sure are
shared by other delegations.
The first relates to the recommendations directed to the United Nations
Development Programme (UNOP) and other, similar organi~ations subsidiary to the
Economic and social Council and the General ~ssembly. OWinq to the specific
characteristics of those organizations, some recommendations directed primarily at
the United Nations proper but applicable to them as well should be agreed upon only
after careful consultations have been carried out with all directly interested
parties.
This is also true of those recommendations concerning the absorption by those
organizations of activities at present undertaken by others. tmop has already
prepared an informal document containing the ~dministrator's comments to the
Secretary-Genp.ral, and I am sure these will be very helpful to uS in our
deliberat ions.
The second area that we feel should he closely examined is that of personnel.
The Group of 18, appropriately, devoted a great deal of attention to this issue anrl
has formulated 22 recommendations in the relevant chapter of its report. In
addition, one further recommendation - number 15, is in the chapter devoted to the
structure of the Secretariat, but nevertheless has a direct bearing upon personnel •
(Mr. Maciel, Rrazil)
The Group of 18 Calcurred as to the need to ensure tha t more equi table and
selective methods of recruitment be a.ppl ied to improYe the standards of efficiency I
caapetence, independence and integrity of the secretariat. The Group also agreed
that r eduction of the nUnDer of staff menDer s would be des ir ab le and cou Id be
attained without hampering the current level of programme activities of the U1ited
Nations. These two sets of reoolll\lendations, although distinct, have the same
objective, namely, more efficiency, agility and responsiveness in the secretariat.
My delegation fully shares these objectives and believes that the
recommendations, with the necessary adjustments, should be accepted and
implemented. There is, however, a pervasive objective sought by some, which is
sometimes clearly spelt out, sometimes disguised behind other goals. I refer to
the idea of indiscriminate reductial of expenditures. we are concerned at the
level of the United Nations budget, and my own country's assessed contribution is
not paid without some sacrifice. But we cannot accept the idea that this ooncern
should be the determinant factoc in undertaking alterations or restructuring. We
therefore agree with the secretary-General's observation in his note when he states:
-To seek the solve the Organization's financial difficulties at the expense of
staff entitlements would be extremely shor t-sighted and counter-prodlctive and
would have adverse implications for the common system.- (A/41/663, para. 9)
For that reasoo, we have severe reservations with regard to the present formulation .
of recommenda tion 61.
In oonclusioo, I would like to say that rrr:I delegatioo believes that the rep>c t
of the Group of 18 should be considered an initial and important first step in the
reforms we have to undertake in seeking to strengthen the United Nations and give
it a more CQllplSct structure and more adequa te bas is for its every-day opera tions.
(Hr. Maciel, 8ratU)
The General Assenbly must now take a second, crucial step. It must reach an
agreement that will allow for the transformatial of reoo1ll1lendations into "andates.
Thereafter, the third step and subsequent steps should be the iJIlplementation of all
the decisioos taken and the elabor:ation of the sever al rev iews, studies and repor t8
that will be necessary. The task will require the constant attention of the
General Asselllbly in the next few years and will represent a heavy load for the
Secretary-General. we are confident, however, that, wi th h is devotion and the
Support of Member States, reinforoed today by his new mandate, he wUl be able to
cootinue to carry it out with renewed energy, in the best interests of the
Organization. In spite of any agreement we miqht reach and all the efforts of the
Secretary-General, we shall have made no progress if MenDer States cb not feel
bound to the Charter and to the financial colllDitments deriving frolll the Charter.
Mr. PETR:>VSKY (tklion of Soviet 9>cialist Republics) (interpretatiM frca
RuB8ian)~ I should like first of all, on behalf of the deleqatioo of the SOviet
tbiM, to calgratulate Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar most warmly on his unanilllOuB
election to a second term as secretary-General of the United Natioos. we expcess
the hope and our coofidence that, in carrying out his responsible tasks under the
Charter, Mr. Perez de Cuellar will oontinue to make comprehensive efforts to
enhance the role and effectiveness of the Organ ha tion in per forming its pr inciple
roles of maintaining international peace and security, saving mankind from the
soourge of war and improving social progress and the standards of li fe of the
people of our planet.
Given the present at once contradictory and interdependent structure of
international relations on all levels, the U"tited Nations is the impor:tant integral
element without which the direction of vastly different processes into one COIlllllOn
channel and the uniting of the various efforts of the different States to preserve
(Mr. Maciel, Brazil)
peace 00 Earth for present and future generations would be IXlthinkable. In spite
of all its shortoomings and weaknesses, the united Natioos has in the past
demonstrated that it can make a tangible cootribution to the cause of preventing
nuclear war, curbing the arms race and promoting the developnent of inter-State
oo-operation in various fields.
The role and significance of the United Natioos are therefore all the more
important in today's nuclear space age, when the very existence of civilization on
Earth is at stake. This is a crucial period for mankind, in whim there is an
ever grea ter awareness of the need for new ways of th ink ing in order to take fully
into account the realities of the present-day world and to view peace as mania
highest value. The essence of th is new poli tical th ink in9 is the real ha t ion,
while reoognizing the diversity and interdependence of today's world, in which all
States and peoples share a common destiny, that there is a need foe firm and
responsible action to ensure the triumph of reasoo and realism, to reaffirm the
denncratic foundations of international relations and to create a system that will
ensure a just and safe life on our planet.
The process of restructuring political thinking should be based on <Xlncrete,
positive events now occurring. The l.Ililateral SOYiet mocatorium on nuclear
explosioos has been in effect for more than a year and this has created conditiO'S
favourable to the initiation of a process of practical limitations on the means of
waging war. P.serious impetus towards progress on such important issues as the
limi ta tion and cessa tion of the arms race, first and foremost the nuclear arms
race, must result from the imminent meeting in Rey1t jav ik between the Gener al
secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet lklion,
MikhaU Sergevich Gorbachev, President Ibnald Reagan of the united States.
The successful cooclus1on of the StockholmCooference, the signing in Vienna
of conventioos laying down the bas is for an inter national regime foe the safe
development of nuclear energy, and peogress in bam in9 chemical weapons, the
fruitful consideration at the Geneva Coofeeence on the Coovention banning
bacteriological warfare - all attest to the extremely positive role mUltUateeal
diplomacy plays in the reaffirmation of new political thinking. Not replacin9 hut
rather reinforcing bilateral diplomacy, multilateeal facums are irreplaceable
instruments foe the interaction of States on a collective basis.
In this eegard a special role beloogs to the Uli ted NIl tions, which eepeesents
not merely the sum total of the States that conprise its membeeship, but a
quali ta tively new phenomenon in the system of in teena tional eela tions. It
represents a unique centre for ageeement among States on their actions for the sake
of shared universal objectives. This Qr9anization has a special place in the
formation of the collective reasooin9 and will of the international conmunity.
There fore we have the 9rea test respect for the tl'li ted Nil tions and we see the
objective not only as its preservation but - and I should like to emphasize thi8~
it is the most important element - its CQ1Iprehensive strengthening and deYelopment.
In the peesent situation the United Natioos sees ahead of it new and
favourable opportunities to use its collective authority to make the wacld a juster
and safer place for all peoples. In fact much has been said here on th is topic in
the general debate, which concluded today. The ca'lcrete consideration of nUlllerous
pressing problems at this session will require all States to manifest goodwill and
reason so that declarations and words my be turned into practical actions. It is
the duty of the united Nations to assist in overcoming the neqative confrontational
tendencies that have been grow 1n9 in recent years; to faclli ta te the curbing of the
nuclear arms race on earth; to prevent a nuclear arms race in space; and to br in9
about a general redlction of the danger of war and establish confidence as an
(Hr. PetrO'lsky, tESR)
The tl1ited Nations has an even greater responsibility in cOMection with the
objective of creating a comprehensive system of international peace and secur ity
encaupassing the military, ecooondc and humanitarian fields. we are convinced that
the creation of such a system would be in keeping with the interests of all
States. The bases proposed for security for all are in keeping with the principles
of the Ulited Nations Charter and must prolllOte the implementation of those
pr inciples in regard to the spec! fic nuclear and space condi tions of our tilDe. The
United Nations will have to play a constructive role not only as the chief
architect of a CQIIprehensive system of security but also as the _joc guarantor of
its functioning in a future noo-nuclear world. It is necessary to realize that
there is ooly ooe alternative to the activities of the lhited Nations~ chaos in
international relations, the helplessness of States in the face of the arbitrary
expression of will, and the anarchy of force.
The SOviet Unioo, like all countries that are dedicated to the purposes and
principles of the tl'lited Nations Charter, is seriously concerned regarding the
recent attempts to diminish the significance of the United Nations on the part of a
those who, instead of having universal goals, are quided by their own strictly
selfish interests, their own egoistic interests, those who would replace a S
multilateral approach to the resolution of acute international problems with P
unilateral attempts to dictate their will to sovereign States, using economic and
mili tary power to that end.
Indeed, instead of ensur ing that, in accordance wi th exis ting in ter nati ooal
agreements, necessary cooditions are prO'lided for the work of the Ulited Nations,
they create obstacles to the normal functioning of representatives of States
accredited to this Organization~ they undertake illegal steps to limit the
pr iVileges and immunities of representatives of United Nations Member States; and
they put forward illegal demands regarding the redlction of the nuni>er of pecsonne:
to channel the activi ties of the tl'Ii ted Na tions in to a direction use tUl to thelll.
It seems to us that that is the only way in which to describe the unilateral
attempts be1n9 made to dete~mine the size of their contributions to the ltlited
Ha tims budC}e t.
However, it is obv ious that attempts to take over the un ited Ha ti01S, to fo~oe
Ment>er Sta tes obedien tly to follow the policies imposed on theft', are <:Jo<:)med to
failure.
The majority of delegations that spoke during the general debate pointed out
that the present financial crisis of the tbited Nations is political in nature.
They called for the strengthening of the author ity of the Organization and
enhancement of its effectiveness.
In that connection, sign ificant attention was also p&l id to the pr ob lem of
PJttin9 in order the administrative and financial activities of the It\lted
Nations. The Soviet Union has an attitude of great responsihlity towards the
issues of enhancing the effectiveness of U'lited Nations activity, inter' alia in the
administrative and budgetary sphere, based 00 its pr lncipled assessment of its role
in world affa us. In his response to the recent message of the U'li ted Ha tions
secretary-General, the General secretary of the Central COIIIllittee of the COIIIQunist
Party of the SCNiet U'lion, Mikhail S. Gocbachev, pointed out that:
"The Soviet Unioo unswervin91y attaches great si9"ificance to the united
Nations as an important instrument in the stru99le for peace and inter-national
secur ity. Moreover, in so doing it bel ieves that the cr ideal problems faclnq
the U'li ted Na tions can be solved only through strict caapl1ance wi th the
United Natioos Charter and ensurin9 a healthy budgetary and administrative
bas is for the Or gan ha Hal.
"At the same time, the Soviet Union rejects any attempt to use the
financial difficulties of the U'lited Nations to exert political pressure on it
(Kr. PetrCNsky, tSSR)
The Soviet tbion is in fact demonstrating its readiness to participate in the
constructive search for a solution of those di fficulties now being exper ienced by
the t)\i ted Na Hons. In answer to the request of the t)\i ted Na tions
Secr etary-Gener al in connection with the present financial cr is is of the
Otganizatioo, the USSR has accelerated the payment of its contributions, and it has
fully paid its oontributions to the regular budget for 1986 and for the financing.
of the tl1ited Nations forces. It has also Illi!IIde a vol\l'ltary contribution amounting
to SlO million to the special account created to overcome the financial
difficulties of the tbited Nations.
Since it favour s enhancement of the effectiveness and econOllica 1 management ot
the thited Nations and the limitation of unproci.lctive expenditures, at the fortieth
session of the united Nations General Assentlly the tBSR suppor ted the proposal
regarding the establishment of the Group of High-Level Intergovernmental EKperts
review the efficiency of the administrative and financial activity of the united
Nations, and it took an active part in its wotk.
(Mr. PetrOl/sky, USSR)
to
In our view, 00 the whole the results of the activities of the Group can be
assessed positively. The majority of its reoolllllendations can serve as a basis for
effective ptactical measutes to ratiooalize the work of the U'lited Nations, enhance
its efficiency and ensure economical management. The recomendatioos concerning
limiting the nuni>er and length of meetings of U'lited Nations bodies and rec:llcing
the volul'lle of the documentation, and so on, seem useful. Nor can there be any
doubts regarding the recommenda tion on a study of the s tructute of the secre tar ia t
in order to simpl ify and streamline it and improve co-ordination among vu ious
subdivisions, in particular in the social and ecooomic sphere. The recOIlIJDenda tion
00 reci1cing the nunt>er of United Natioos persoonel by 15 per cent and the nURtler of
higher-level employees by 25 per cent is also of great signi ficance.
Of course, steps must be taken to ensure that these recolllllendations are put
into effect Wlder the strict cootrol of the General Assent>ly and that the U'lited
Nations activities in the fundamental areas laid down by its Charter are not harmed.
At the same time, it should be noted that some of the problems considered by
the Group were not resolved and a nUnDer of questioos were simply beyond its scope.
Thus, foe example, the Group was not able to reach agreement on the extremely
important prd:>lem of reorganization of the planning and make-up of the united
Nations budget in such a way as to ensure the maximum effective use of means
available to the Organization and prevent unjusti fied growth of the Organ izati on's
expendi tures.
It should also be noted that the rep:>rt of the Group of 18 o::mta ins a nurm>er
of recommenda tions on which agreement was not reached, whi ch in our view is totally
unacceptable. For example, one recol1lllendation which was not agreed upon in the
Group, but was included in the report, states that not less than 50 per cent of
the natiCX\als of any State working in the secretariat should have permanent
contracts. This can only be described as a cynical reoolllllendation aimed at
strengthening the OI1er-representation in the Secretariat of ooe group of States and
even further aggravating the under-representatioo of another group. We are
profomdly convinced that such an approach runs comter to the objectives and
pur(X)ses of the united Natioos. It is understandable that we firllly reject this
kind of recanmendatiQ1. There are other recommendations 00 persoMel issues which
impede the implementatioo of the principle of just geographical distr ibution in
staffing the Secretar lat. In the view of the SOI1iet delega tioo, reCOlllJllenda tione on
personnel matters should be referred to the International Civil Service Ca.issiOl1
for further study.
On the whole, however, the SOviet delegatioo is ready to support the Rlajority
of the reconuaenda tions of the Group after appropr la te clar i fi ca tion and
explanations in the Fifth Committee.
In concl us ioo, the delega tion of the tESR wishes to emphas ize that the wor k of
the Group of 18 represents an important stage in the activities designed to improve
the functioning of intergovernmental machinery and the executive apparatus of the
1l1ited Nations. This important objective is Q1e towards which the
SecretarY-General has personally been working for the past five years, as noted in
his memcrandum of 1 October 1986.
In his statement during the general debate, a member of the Politburo of the
Central Committee of the Canmll'1ist Party and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the
Soviet Union, Edward Shevardnadze, pointed out that
-The united Nations is on the verge of serious changes. It is
impossible to restructure relatioos alDOng States without tak ing into
aCCOWlt altered realities. - (A/4l/PV.6, p. 62)
• •
A gr_t ...y unr'..olved qu_tiona h..,. accu..1ata4 ~c.n1ftt "'e actlvitie.
of the OCganiaation. It would .... to \Ill that, in GOnft-etlan "ith -.ny of th.e
~cbl._ In tile dally activitiea of the oo.lt.d IIIUone, it WO\&ld be wcctll ho1d1f)9 ..
spechl diacuasiGll, with the per tlclpat1an of all Inter .ted ptlr U... ~ .. s..
it, the p)int of such a d18cu..ian would be to auengthen the Qr,.laaUan -.dI
« ..te the n..a••y condltlGlls 101' the I'_olutlon of the collplex inter MitlGllal
~cble_ of our ti... It is tl_ to pat into effect all the _Clhlnec:y .,a Ulble
to the Galted IIItlons and to lIMe ..... of all 'lta pwers 1n the inter.a of
sUength_in9 tile PMce and Mcurity of all Stet.. The delegation of tbe SC1fiet
.... lon ts ready to co-operate constructively "ith all ln~r.ted pert1.. in
.tlbl1lhing 8ft aPIE0pl" late dlalo,...
The ••tin, roe8 at S.50 R•••