A/46/PV.85 General Assembly
The General Assembly
is meeting this morning pursuant to a request of the Preparatory Committee of
the World Conference on Human Rights, contained in a note by the
Secretary-General circulated as document A/46/901. The note by the
Secretary-General also transmits other recommendations adopted by the
Preparatory Committee at its second session in Geneva from 30 March to 10
April 1992 for action by the General Assembly at its forty-sixth session. The
General Assembly also has before it a related request in the note verbale from
Morocco contained in document A/46/902.
In order to enable the Assembly to take the required action, it will be
necessary to reopen consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 98, entitled
"Human rights questions, including alterantive approaches for improving the
effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms".
May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to reopen consideration of
sub-item (b) of agenda item 98 for the sole purpose of considering the
recommendations of the Preparatory Committee concerning the dates and venue of
the World Conference on Human Rights?
It was so decided,
I should like to point
out that a recommendation of the Preparatory Committee involves the
reconsideration of decisions taken by the General Assembly in paragraph
4 (9) (iii) of its resolution 46/116 of 17 december 1991. In order for the
Assembly to take up any other recommendation in that regard, it must first
agree, under rule 81 of its rules of procedure, to reconsider the relevant
provisions contained in paragraph 4 (2) (iii) of resolution 46/116.
May I take it that the Assembly agrees to reconsider the relevant
provisions of paragraph 4 (a) (iii) of resolution 46/116?
It was so decided,
May I furthermore take
it that the General Assembly wishes to consider this item directly in plenary
meeting?
It was so decided.
98. RUMAN RIGRTS QUESTIONS (b) BUMAR RIGHTS QUESTIONS, INCLUDING ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES FOR IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVE ENJOYMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS: DRAFT DECISION A1461L.70 Mr. TRAXLER (Italy): As is recalled in the document under our consideration, the Italian Government had made a preliminary offer of the city of Venice as a possible venue for the forthcoming World Conference on Human Rights in 1993. However, the formalization of this Italian offer would have required parliamentary approval of a special bill to that effect. Unfortunately, the requirements of time do not permit a securing of this parliamentary approval before today's special meeting of the General Assembly, which had been decided upon in Geneva. As a result, the Italian Government has decided not to formalias its offer so as to enable the Assembly to take a decision today on the date and venue of the World Conference. As a matter of fact, we have taken note of the draft decision submitted by Morocco, and my Government is fully prepared to endorse it. I should like to take this opportunity to express the sincere appreciation of the Italian Government to delegations that supported our offer when it was put forward. We are very grateful for that support. At the same time, should the draft decision submitted by Morocco be adopted, I wish to extend my sincere congratulations and best wishes to the Government of Austria for the success of the human rights Conference in Vienna in 1993. Mr. KRENKEL (Austria): I should like to thank you personally, Sir, for convening this meeting of the General Assembly to take a decision on the time and venue of the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights. I should also like to express the sincere thanks of my Government to the Ambassador of Italy for the statement he has just made. I should also like to take this opporunity to express our gratitude to the delegation of the Kingdom of Morocco for taking up the request of the Preparatory Committee of the World Conference to reopen agenda item 98 (b) and for its presentation of the draft decision that is now before the Assembly. It is very well known that Morocco is playing an essential role in the preparatory process of the Conference and at the same time acting as the main sponsor of resolutions concerning the World Conference in the General Assembly and at the Commission on Human Rights. On 31 March, the Austrian Foreign Minister, Mr. Mock, extended in the name of the Austrian Government an invitation to host the World Conference on Human Rights at Vienna in June 1993. I wish to confirm that we issued extending this invitation, my Government wishes to highlight the importance that Austria attaches to en effective internatiOnal system for the Protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms. I can assure members that Austria will spare no effort to provide the United Nations and the delegations with excellent conference facilities and to create the framework necessary for a successful World Conference on Human Rights.
In the light of the
statements made by the representatives of Italy and Austria, there is now one
invitation, extended in accordance with General Assembly resolution 40/243 of
18 December 1985, to host the World Conference on Human Rights, that of the
Government of Austria.
I should now like to draw the attention of the General Assembly to the
note verbale dated 1 May 1992, contained in document A/46/902, addressed to
the Secretary-General by the Permanent Representative of Morocco, which
contains the text Of a proposal in the form of a draft decision on the dates
and venue of the World Conference on Human Rights. The draft decision has now
been distributed to all members of the General Assembly as document A/46/~.70.
I call on the representative of Morocco to introduce the draft decision.
Mr. BENJELLGUN-TOUIMI (Morocco) (interpretation from French): At
the outset, my delegation wishes to extend to you, Mr. President, its sincere
thanks for having made possible the reopening of the consideration of agenda
item 98 (b), on human rights questions, in order that a decision could be
taken on the venue of the World Conference on Human Rights.
My delegation is most grateful to the Government of Italy, and especially
to the Government of Austria for its offer to host the World Conference on
Human Rights at Vienna in June 1993.
In order to enable the Government of Austria to begin in good time the
process of preparing for the World Conference on Human Rights and thereby to
ensure full success for that important international gathering, we hope that
the General Assembly will pronounce itself as soon as possible on the draft
decision that I have the honour to introduce on behalf of my country.
The Austrian Government is prepared to host the World Conference on Human
Rights at Vienna in June 1993, following the withdrawal of offers by the
Governments of Germany and Italy to host the Conference.
After consultations with the delegations concerned, the delegation of
MOroCCO wishes to make two revisions to the draft decision as it appears in
document A/46/902.
The first revision is to add the following paragraph at the beginning of
the draft decision:
"Recalling its resolution 461116 of 17 December 1991 on the World
Conference on Human Rights",
With the second revision, the second paragraph of the draft decision
would read as follows:
"Noting with deep satisfaction the decision Of the Government Of
Austria to extend an invitation to host the World Conference on Human
Rights at Vienna".
The PRESIDEBT'(interpretation from Spanish): In fairness to all
members, I wish to consult the Assembly before we proceed to the consideration
of the draft decision before US,
Rule 78 of the General Assembly's rules of procedure, in regard to
proposals before the Assembly, reads as follows, in part:
. . . As a general rule, no proposal shall be discussed or put to the I
vote at any meeting of the General Assembly unless copies of it have been
circulated to all delegations not later than the day preceding the
meeting ...(l.
Inasmuch as the text of the proposal was circulated to all delegations on
Monday, 4 May 1992, as an annex to the note verbale (A/46/902) from the
Permanent Representative of Morocco, dated 1 May 1992, may I take it that the
Assembly agrees to proceed immediately to the consideration of the draft
decision contained in document A/46/L.70?
It was so decided.
(Mr. Benielloun-Touimi, Morocco)
The Assembly will now
take a decision on the draft decision in document A1461L.70, with the
revisions just introduced by the representative of Morocco,
May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt the draft decision as
orally revised?
1. The r f i ion S
We have concluded our
consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 98,
The meetinu rose at 11.05 a.m.