A/46/PV.84 General Assembly

78m.  UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON RNVIRONMERT MD DEVELOPMENT Ths PBB (interpretation from Arabic): The Assembly will now take a decision on the four draft decisions recomnended by the Preparatory Committee of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in paragraph 6 of the note by the Secretary-General (A/46/897). Draft decision 4/l is entitled “Dates of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development". May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft decision 4/l? Draft decision 4/l was adofi&. m (iatmrprotetion from Arabic): Draft decimion 412 Im l atitlod “Obmorvor rtetur in tbo tmrk of the Preparatory Conaittoo for the Unit.6 m&iODr COnferO~CO OD ~DvirollwDt W%d fhV.lOprwnt aDd Of the UD1t.d Netions Con.aroaco 0~ lnviroawat end Dovolopeat for am8ociato rwmborr of regional cri8mio~e”. May I aleo take it that the A8reDbly Uecidecr to adopt draft decision 4/Z? (L/2- . s (iDtorprotation from Arabic): Draft becieion 413 irn l atitlod “Statue of the turopoan Economic Community at the United lstionr Confereoco on Bnvironmeat and DevelopwDt”. Xay I furtbor take it that the Asmmnbly 8ecidea to adopt draft deCi8iOD 4/s? LUAU dwid.Qa 413 maAdwmJ . m (interpretation from Arabic): Draft decision 4/4 is entitled “Draft provisional rules of procedure of the Conference”. May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft decision 4/4? Draft tl6s.Umm . W Pm (interpretation from Arabic): In the light of the decisions just taken, the Secretariat is requested to incorporate the relevant amendments and revisions in the text af the draft provisional rules of procedure of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. We have thus concluded our consideration of agenda item 78. ACBNDA ITEM 84 (-1 SPECIAL ECONOMIC AND DISASTER BELIEI ASSISTAWE: DRAPT RESOLUTION (A/46/L.69) -IDEm (interpretatjon from Arabic): The Assembly will now consider a draft resolution on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of cyclone-affected South Pacific countries, contained in document A/46/L.69. I call on the ropreesntative of the ledorated Staten of Uicroaeeia to introduce the draft resolution. ML- T. &Z!Y&L~ (Irederated Statea of Micronesia): The delegation of the ?ederated State6 of Hicronemia has the high honour to address this body today in its capacity as Chair of the 15-member coalition of South Pacific Island countries known as the South Pacific lorum. Most plrticularly I speak here in support of those of our number that are Members of the United Nations and have recently erporienced devastation caused by e weather phenomenon increasingly prevalent in our region, namely cyclones or typhoons. The countries affected, nemed in the proposed resolution, are the Iedereted States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marehall Islands, Samoa, the Solomon Islands and the Republic of Vanuatu. I wish to introduce and corrmend to the Assembly’s favourable attention draft resolution W46IL.69, which pertains to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of these storm-ravaged islands. The text of the draft resolution notes with appreciation the truly sympathetic response and effective assistance already extended to the victims of these recent disasters by this body, by the United Nations Development Prograneee and by other organs of the United Nations system, as well as by individual Governments and non-governmental organizations. I wish to lay particular emphasis on that expression of appreciation. We also extend heartfelt thanks to each of the many Members that have joined as sponsors of the draft resolution. Natural disasters and their accompanying destruction and loss of life are unfortunately a frequent subject of response by this body. The response is driven in part by a realization of our common exposure to the many uncontrollable end often unpredictable mechanisms of the planet. As human beings, we find that the impulse to help one another deal with adverse consequwwes beyond our control 1i.a ~10s. to the bedrock upon which the principle of multilateral cooperation, and hence this Organiration. is founded. So X am not in unfamiliar territory in speaking hare today to propoae a draft resolution which calls for continuing attention to the serious plight of these Pacific irland countries brought on by sow of the most destructive storms over recorded. Recent experience has shown us that the weather, to put it plainly, is getting worse. In former tirwr serious cyclones were occasional but relatively infrequent occurrences throughout most of the Pacific islands. Now, even in the opening years of this decade, we have seen Samoa, damaged by cyclone "Ofa" in 1990, tnd still struggling to recover, hanenered for four long days and nights in 1991 by an even stronger storm, which went on to cause havoc also in Niue, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Wallis and Putuna. I will not here reiterate details of that tragic experience, which are already a matter of record. Another case in point is the Republic of the Mar,shall Islands, lying just north of the Equator and subject to different trade winds, and so far east as until recently to have been thought invulnerable to typhoons. Nevertheless, these low-lying atolls were washed over by a sudden typhoon in 1990, and no sooner had a very expensive reconstruction got under way, with significant assistance from the United States, than there came another storm which took away the reconstruction and deepened the problems even further. I could also describe similar and equally serious cyclonic events which have occurred recently in the other countries that are main sponsors, of the draft resolution. Preparedness and mitigation, aa referred to in the draft resolution, are not easily achieved by remote island countries, rhoae people cannot watch television every night to review their weather for the next week. Both early-warning capabilities and reaourcee for effective protection against damage are woefully inadequste. And if liveable weather patterns that have supportad island life for centuries are already giving way to a climatolog~cal new world order which rpellr environmental catastrophe for islanders in terms of intensified storm activity, sea-level rise and other destructive consequences, then innnediate action6 must be taken to relieve the inadequacies in weather prediction and protection. Thus we humbly approach this body with full awareneee of the hietoric challenges faced today by all Members of the United Nations on many, costly fronts. We ask, nevertheless, that the assistance envisaged by the draft resolution be targeted to achieve more than simple repair. The expressed goals of preparedness and mitigation are aimed in this cane at the survival of a group of Pacific island nations, but the same goals are also central to the ability of the entire world to cope with the longer-term adverse effects of human-induced climate change. we, than, along with small lalsnd Stator and low-lying coastal regions everywhere are harbingers of the all-encompassing problem - front-line countrioa, if you will - against an onalaught of apolcalyptic proportions. In that men8e, tha draft rorolution Is a timely one, and ita adoption by this body would be not only an act deeply appraciatad as a humanitarian geaturo but also an ancouraging sign of the broader resolve of thir body and its members. For those reasons, my delegation calls for the adoption of draft resolution A1461L.69, and, if it is the Assembly’s will, we ask that it do so without a vote. The (interpretation from Arabic): We shall now proceed to take a decision on draft resolution W461L.69. Before putting the draft rcaolution to the vote, I should like to mention that the following States have been added to the list of sponsors: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Braril, Cape Verde, China, Czechoslovakia, France, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Nicaragua, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, Saini Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marina, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Thailand, Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/46/L. 697 Draft resou W461L.69 was adop_ted (resolution 46/234). -XT. STOVALL~ IXZ (Federated States of Micronesia): I wish only at this point to express the extreme gratitude and thanks of the people of the Federated States of Micronesia and, speaking on behalf of the South Pacific Forum, also for the peoples of Samoa, the Solomon Islands, the Republic of the Marmhall Imlsndm aod Vanuatu. Thim action giver renewed hope and courage to the peoplma of thaw ielandr and it ir grratly appreciated. Hr.-B (Nicaragua] (interpretation from Spanish): I should like to may that our delegation intend8 to submit moon under agenda item 84, “Special ecooomic and dimaster relief assirtancs”. a draft resolution on the devastating l ffoctr of the eruption of the Cerro Negro volcano which is now oeurring in Nicaragua. The eruption of the Cerro Negro volcano ir affecting ths departments of Leon and Chinandsga, where over 500,000 people live, 150,000 of whom are within the area affected by the volcaoo, which is located in one of the main productive regions of our country. This natural disaster is endangering the efforts now being made by our Government to restore the economic and social development of our country. It is thanks to providence that only a few lives have thus far been lost. Nevertheless, the harmtul social and economic effects caused by the fact that many have had to abandon their homes, resulting in their being exposed to dangers and health risks and in serious losses in agriculture and livestock, aa wall as in other means of livelihood, call for humanitarian assistance making it possible to deal with the crisis at this stage. Without prejudice to the draft resolution we shall be submitting under this item, we wish at this time to appeal to the Stat0S Members of the United Nations to consider the urgent need to take measures to alleviate the tragedy of the people affected. The Government and the people of Nicaragua are confident that international solidarity will once again be in evidence. given the tragedy we are now experiencing. Mr. Tm (Corta Rica) (interpretation from Spanirh)! Since Costa Rica ir the coordinator of the Group of Contra1 American States this April, it i6 w honour fully to support the rtatsment of the representative of Nicaragua on thim important subject, which involves jnternational solidarity in caeea of disaster for the reconstruction of the countriea of the South Pacific affected by cyclones. I rhould like to say that the countries of Central America feel at one with theso countries of the South Pacific because of their links of global solidarity with them and especially because we share with them the Pacific Ocean Basin, which nature has IIO richly endowed but which is, at the same time, so prone to these natural disasters. The (interpretation from Arabic): He have thus concluded this stags of our consideration of agenda item 84. RRSTRDCT?JRIRG ARD RRVITALIRATILI OF TRR GRITRD RATIONS IB THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL ARDRRLATEDFIRLDS (a) DRAFT RESOLDTIOR (M461L.571Bev.l) (b) RRPORT OF THE FIPTB COMMI'ITRR (A/46/898/Rev.l) Tlw~ PRRSXDRRT (interpretation from Arabic): May I remind representatives that the debate on this item was concluded at the 38th plenary meeting, on 31 October 1991. In connection with this item, the Assembly has before it a draft resolution issued as document A/46/L.57/Rev.l. A draft resolution fA/46/L.23) previously submitted on the item has been withdrawn. I should like to draw the attention of members to the fact that the changes contained in the revised version of draft resolution W461L.57 refer to paragraph 7 (a) (vi). (b) (vi) and (c) (vi) of the annex: those changes reflect the recent restructuring of the Secretariat. I should also like to mention that the draft resolution before us is a consensus text which is the result of informal consultations undertaken on my behalf by Rr. Ricardo Luna, Permanent Representative of Peru to the United Nations, as coordinator cf the open-ended ad hoc group for informal consultations on agenda item 137. I wish to express our appreciation to him for his efforts. The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution W46/L.57/Rev.l. The report of the Fifth Couanittee on the programme budget implications of the draft resolution is contained in document A/46/898/Bev.l. May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/46/L.57/Bev.l? praft resolution A1461L.571Rev.l was adovted (resolution 46/235). We have concluded our The PRW (interpretation from Arabic): consideration of agenda item 137. AGBkTDA ITEM 147 COMMEMOBRTIOU OF TER PIFl!XRTR ANDSVSRSARY OF THE URITRD DATIONS IN 1995: DRAFl DECISION (N461L.48) The PRESIDER (interpretation from Arabic): In connaction with this item the General Assembly has before it a draft decision issued as document N46/L.68. The Assembly will now take a decision on draft decision N46/L.66. I should like to inform members that ehoultl the General Assembly adopt draft decision N46/L.68 it is anticipated that the Preparatory Committee would hold a number of meetings in New York in 1992, requiring documentation and interpretation in the six official languages of the Organisation. It is hoped that these meetings would be scheduled 80 as to take advantage of the permanent conference servicing capacity of the Organisation. Accordingly, no additional appropriations would be required under section 32 of the programme budget for the biennium 1992-1993. May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft decision A/46/L.66? Draft decision Af46fL.68 nas adoute@.