A/47/PV.50 General Assembly
▶ This meeting at a glance
18
Speeches
0
Countries
1
Resolution
Resolution:
41/10
Topics
Voting and ballot procedures
UN procedural rules
Arab political groupings
General debate rhetoric
Latin American economic relations
Security Council deliberations
140. COORDINATION OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE CONFERENCE ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE: DRAFT RESOLUTION (A/47/L.ll) Mr. HASSANOV (Azerbaijan) {interpretation from Russian): SinceI have the opportunity, I should like first to congratulate Ambassador Stoyan Ganev of Bulgaria on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its forty-seventh session. The fact that a representative of BUlgaria has been elected to such a responsible post symbolizes the significance which the world community gives to the process of democratic change which is taking place in Eastern Europe. The democratic movement has won the victory in the cold war. For the first time, we have unprecedented opportunities to put into practice the principles which were proclaimed by the United Nations almost laalf a century ago. The post-confrontation world is a complex example of unity in diversity symbolized and embodied by ~he United Nations. Our delegation welcomes the opportunity to discuss at this lofty forum, the General Assembly, agenda item 140, the important issue of the coordination of the activities of the United Nations and the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE). Over a fairly short period of time, CSCE has gone through substantial changes in its development and has become an important element in the system of today's international relations. The increase in the number of States members of the Conference and its geographical expansion, reaching from Vancouver to Vladivostok, bear witness to the significance of the tasks it is facing. We must note with regret that foremost among those tasks is the resolution of conflicts of various kinds, o~e of which is the inter-State conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Recognizing the special importance of the relationship between security in Europe and global security, our delegation believes that the statement by the Heads of State or Government of the States partici.pating in the Conference to the effect that they regard the Conference to be a regional arrangement in the sense of Chapter VIrI of the Charter of the United Nations has the potential for a new impetuB which could strengthen the interaction between the two organizations, thereby giving practical effect to that Chapter of the Charter. With the emergence of new features in the international context, the question of cooperation between the United Nations and regional structures has become more timely. The draft declaration on the improvement of cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations, submitted by the Russian Federation, is evidence of this. ou~ delegation agrees with the view, expressed in the draft declaration, (A/47/33, para. 39) that the ability of the United Nations to maintain international peace and security depends to a large extent on flexible c~ordination and effective action by regional and subregional organizations, which are an indispensable component of the system of collective security provided for under the Charter of the United Nations. The Azerbaijani deleg..1tion believes that greater coordination of activities between the Unit~d Nations and CSCE can be achieved by establishing permanent consultation machinery between the two organizations, first and foremost on crisis problems. thereby putting into practice the principle of preventive diplomacy. It seems to us that the pr~blem of maintaining peace and international security is directly linked to the recognition of responsibility at the regional and subregional levels. The Security Council, pursuant to the Charter of the United Nations, bears primary responsibility in this regard. At the :lame time, we trust that the enhanced efforts of reqiollal bodies to decentralize, delegate responsibilities and interact with the United Nations in its valuable efforts not Qnly will help in ca~rying out the main work of the Security Council but also will promote the enhancement of empathy, mutually advantageous cooperation and the achievement of consensus in the process of democratization in international affairs. As was quite rightly pointed out in Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali's valuable report, "An Agenda for Peace": "regional arrangements or agencies in many cases possess a potential that ~hould be utiliz!d in serving the functions covered in this report: preventive diplomacy, peace-keeping, peacemaking and post-conflict peace-building." (A/471277, para. 64) We are convinced that CSCE, which is a major European forum, has exactly that kind of potential and, coor iinating its activities with the United Nations, is capable of making a signifi=ant contribution to the development of democratic values and institutions, conflict p=evention and settlement and cooperation in the area of security, the development of machinery for the pacific settlement of disputes and, as the priority task confronting the entire world community, the maintenance of international peace and security. The Azerbaijani Republic welcomes the initiative taken by Czechoslovakia, the current Chairman of CSCE, to include in the General Assembly's agenda at its forty-seventh session an item on cooperation between the United Nations and CSCE. We joined in sponsoring draft resolution A/47/L.11 and hope that it will be adopted by consensus. Mr. ABZQUMANIAN (Armenia): The Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) has been a driving force in changing Europe and the world. Over the years Armenia and Armenians relied on CSCE and the Helsinki Accords, and we arm. committed to the further strengthening of CSCE in order to address the challenges of today and beyond. Accordingly, we will do all we can to expand cooperation between CSCE and the United Nations. The draft resolution we are adopting is only the bGginning; Armenia favours a strong working United Nations-CSCE partner-ship and will continue, both here and in CSCE, to press for such a partnership. When the Helsinki Accords were first signed, there was a great debate on whether they would make the world better or l:orse. Many thought that the democratic countries had given away too much. Others thought that the CSCE provisions in certain areas, especially in the area of human rights, would dangerously expand international intrusion into what had previously been considered the forbidden realm of "internal affairs". For most people, however, the Helsinki Accords and CSCE opened doors to changing the world. From the beginning, unprecedented debates were held at CSCE meetings which resulted in the issuance of unprecedent~d documents setting higher and higher standards for international behaviour. Besides the Helsinki Final Act, the document of the Copenhagen Conference on the Human Dimension. tha Charter of Paris and the Helsinki 1992 Document represent some of CSCE's monumental work. Moreover, CSCE meetings repeatedly gave exposure and help to great causes and great people. (Mr. Arzoumanian, Armenia) Here, we 'trould like to pay tribute to one of thoDe great people whose work benefited from what the Helsinki process offered - Andrei Sakharov. It is worth remembering that thg world would be far less human withoat Sakharov, and that Sakharov probably would not have accomplished as much as he did without the Helsinki process. Armenians placed so much value on the CSCE that we began sending representatives to meetings even before we became an independent State. After we began th~ road to independence, we actually sought CSCE membership before seeking membership in the United Nations. Delegates to the Moscow meeting of the Conference o~ the Human Dimension travelled t.o Armenia to observe our referendum on independence, and that meeting, like others, addressed issues vital for. Armenia. Our entry as a full member of the CSCE was a major event and we were proud to be part of the 1992 Helsinki meeting and all the CSCE activities which followed. Today the CSCE is growing and changing, as all institutions must, to account for our new world. The increased membership has a greater effect on the CSCE than on the United Nations because it is such a big change in relative terms. The problems facing the CSCE also have a greater effect. Areas in which many members developed expertise are no longer as relevant to the CSCE as the organization continues the transition to a new Europe. When the transition is complete we are sure that the CSCE will continue to be on the cutting edge of progress. One of the best develo)ments towards making this transition work was the decision to recognize and d3velop the CSCE as a regional arrangement under Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter. The CSCE is now going well beyond its original functions into areas where the United Nations has decades of (Mr. ArzQumanian, Armenia) experience and ezpertise. Again, Armenia fully supports this grQwth Qf the CSCE as a necessary and positive development. We also vigorously support closer coop~ration and coordin~tion between the United Nations and the CSCE. The two institutiQns can and must learn and draw frQm ona another, as partners. We are deeply grateful for the CSCE efforts to bring peace tQ Qur region and Armenia looks forward to starting the Minsk peace cQnference as SQon as pQssible. The CSCE has unquestiQnably changed the world for the better and we believe that the Minsk process will yield the same type of result for our region. Yesterday the Security Council issued a presidential statement giving its full support to ~9 Minsk prQcess and the Secretary-General's plans to send a representative to Nagorny-Karabakh in an effort to reach a peaceful, comprehensive sattlement. Tha~ is exactly the form of cooperative activity in which the United Nations and the CSCE can best engage. There is no sense in reinventing the wheel or not taking advantage Qf existing resources. In many cases we do not have the time or money to affQrd a duplication of effort - there are enough grim reminders in CSCE countries that building institutions which do not complement one another is a luxury we cannot afford. Thus Armenia is pl!ased to be a sponsor Qf the draft resolution to improve the working relationship between the United Nations and the CSCE and looks forward to reviewing the achievements ox this new relationship at the forty-eighth session of the General Assembly. We sincerely hope that both institutions will take advantage of tileir new relationship in moving tQwards our common goals of peace and prQsperity. All CSCE countries are active ia the United Nations and many non-governmental organi2ations are represented at United Nations and CSCE meetings. In (Mr. ArzQumanian, Armenia) additiQn, Qn questiQns involving armed cQnflicts the CSCE is uniquely pQsitioned to make a partnership with the United NatiQns wQrk because fQur Qf the five permanent members Qf the Security CQuncil are alsn members Qf the CSCE. If any regiQnal arrangement is equipped tQ implement "An Agenda fQr Peace", then it is the CSCE. The CSCE regiQn, mQreQver, needs tQ implement "An Agenda fQr Peace" as mu'~h as, if nQt mQre than" any Qther regiQn. The CSCE tQday, with varying degrees Qf success, is trying tQ address the critical challenges facing the regiQn and is developing new tOQls tQ dQ this wQrk. Armenia is fully cQmmitted tQ making this transitiQn work as smQQthly, as efficiently, and with the greatest bene~it tQ the peQple Qf the regiQn, as pQssible. WQrking in partnership with the United NatiQns the CSCE Qf tQmQrrQw is destined tQ meet the regiQn's challenges, and Armenia will dQ all it can tQ suppQrt this partnership and make it prQsper. Mr. PASijOVSKI (Bulgaria) (interpretatiQn frQm French): We are discussing tQday a questiQn Qf special impQrtance, the cQQrdinatiQn Qf activities between the United NatiQns and a regiQnal arrangement, the CQnference Qn Security and CQQperatiQn in EurQpe (CSCE), which has acquired truly exceptiQnal experience in the maintenance Qf internatiQnal peace and security. We are dQing this in the unique climate Qf a search fQr new dimensions in United NatiQns activities. We find the repQrt Qf the Secretary-General "An Agenda fQr Peace" to be very stimulating and we want tQ give it the fQIIQw-up that it deserves. The CSCE is a pioneer in preventive diplQmacy, crisis management and the strengthening Qf peace. It was able tQ act even during the period when the Berlin Wall seemed unassailable. In the course of its existence the CQnference has develQped a unique system Qf cQnfidence-building measures and of high standards in the field of human rights protection. It would Dot be too much to say that the principles and standards created by the Conference contributed decisively to the collapse of the totalitarian system in Eastarn Europe. Today when we want to be closer to each other and live in a more secure world we see that the acceptance of shared values is a prerequisite for the building of an effective system of security and cooperation. No one denies the impor.tance of safeguarding the specific traits of each nation, or each ethnic group. Diversity cons~itutes the very wealth of mankind. But there are standards that must not be violated. If we want to be together a minimum of resemblance is necessary. The paradox is that some of the political personalities that accepted the establishment of the United Nations also signed the order for the Katyn forest massacre. They are no longer among us but we can say today that the compromise cost us dea~ly. The mistakes of the past must not be repeated. Diversity on the basis of a common, minimal standard could very well be reflected in regional cooperation. ReaJ.ity shows us that each region progresses at its own pace, creating its own specific organizations. But even if the vehicles are different they must be subject to the same rules. Our planet has become too small for disorder, and mankind has grown enough over the centuries to understand this. The Bulgarian delegation supports the recommendation of the secretary-General expressed in his report "An Agenda for Peace" to have links between the United Nations and the regional organizations and to make better use of their potential. Tr.! experience of the CSCE could be useful in almost all the fields J:'eflected in the report "An Agenda for Peace". The CSCE has a foundation of norms and institutio~8 necessary to act in the majority of the above-mentioned fields: the Counci1 Qf Ministers, the Committee of Senior Officials, the Secretariat, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights in Warsaw, the Conflict Prevention Centre and the Economic Forum. I should like to mention by way of example certain possible uses of the CSCE in the field of preventive diplomacy. (Mr. PashovSki, ~) Let us take the question of confidence-building measures. It is well known that the CSCB has acquired a wealth of experience in this field. The HelDinki document of 1992 established an additional forum for cooperation which links negotiations on arms control, disarmament, and coufidence- and security-building measures. The Centre for Conflict Prevention in Vienna, a standing institution of the CSCE, can be highly useful. P'An Agenda for Peace" reminds us of the prospects presented by fact-finding missions. In the framework of the CSCB there are many forms of missions: fact-finding mis3ions, rapporteur missions and expert missions in the field of human rights. The procedures for sending such missions are stipulated in the Vienna Document of 1989 and in the Moscow Document dealing with missions in the field of human rights. The CSCE already has practical experience in the sending ef such missions. In this context it might be possi~le to envisage the sending of joint CSCE-United Nations missions in Europe. In the field of early warning the CSCE can make an important contribution to identifying potential conflicts in Europe, and for the United Nations to take the necessary measures for their prevention. The CSCE has a whole range of early warninq options: the post of High Commissioner on National Minorities, whose powers lie chiefly in the field of early warning, but also in that of preventive action; and the mechanism of political consultations through the Council of Ministers and the Committee of Senior Officials. One of the tools of preventive diplomacy is the preventive deployment of observers. The CSCE has alceady acquired experience through the sending of such missions to Kosovo, Sandjak and Vojvodina. It is also taking part in the European Economic Community (EEC) missions to Bulqaria and Hungary. (MX". Pashcyski" Bulgada) With regard to peacemaking, the potential of the CSCE in the peaceful settlement Gf disputes in important. In this regard we find eloquent e:lli:amples in the Valetta Dc~ument and the draft convention on the establishment of a court of arbitration and conciliatiun, on which work is still continuing. The Helsinki Document of 1992 has made it possible to conduct CSC! peace-keeping operations, which form an operational arm of the CSCE's ~eneral capacity for conflict prevention and crisis management. Among the qoals of such operations are assistance on the implementation of cease-fire agreements, monitoring of troop withdrawals, maintenance of law and order, and humanitarian and medical assistance to refugees. Here, NATO and tho Western European Union can play an irreplaceable role. The Secretary-Generales report designates areas where assistance could be lent by the United Nations to the work of peace-buildi~g. We agree on the imnportance of giving such assistance to a given country in restoring essential democratic values after a conflict, such as the rule of law, parliamentary democracy and respect for human rights. The Office of Democratic Instituti~ns in Warsaw, in cooperation with the Council of Europe, is very well-equipped for tnis purpose. Since the CSCE is a re~ional arrangement in terms of Chapter. VIII of the Charter, there is no legal ~bstacle to using its potential in ordar to attain the goals of the United Nations. Tha specific features of the p~ocess whereby the CSCE's political will is fashioned and expressed eannot cagt a shedow over cooperation. We have seen this during the Yugoslav crisis. It ls the member States that bear responsibility for the success 01 failure of any operation. The link between the United Nations aud regional arrangements is laid down in the Charter, and when we discuss ~ossible reform, the exist5.lq (Mr. Pashovski, BUlgaria) ~otentiDl must be explor.ed. We are at the beginning of a long ~oad, and for that reason tbe 2ulqarian daleqation, toqe~er with other States, prepared draft resolution A/47/L.ll, which our delegation would request the Assembly to support. Mr. NOBILQ (Croatia): Achieving a peaceful, rapid and equitable solution of disp"tes among nations on the basis of international law has always bean the most important and intractable task for the world community. The p~aceful settlement of disputes is the cornerstone of the work of reqional organizations and the pillar of the United Nation Charter. Today, when regional crises pose the only real threat to post-cold-war peace and global security, closer cooperation and coordination between the United Nations and regional organizations have strategic importance and are of inescapable value in promutinq long-lasting stability around the world. The Conference of Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) - inter alia as a guardian of European peace and stability and an important Hn.k in the universal chain of collective security - has already shown its importance in dealing with potential and real crises on the European continent. But at the same time the CSCE has turned out to have a lack of suitable mechanisms to deal with destructive crises such as the one that has flared up on the territory of the former Yugoslavia. In spite of its noble and valuable efforts, the CSCE was unabl~ to provide sufficient practical solutions to halt the aggression against C~oatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The so-called Yugoslav crisis has underlined the importance of close and coordinated work by the CSCE and the United Nations in enforcing preventive diplomacy, peace-keeping, peacemaking and post-war confidence-building processes. The Republic of Croatia, as one of the sponsors of the draft resolution before us, (Hr. Nobilo« Craatia) strongly and determinedly supports. strengthening the coordination of the activities ~i the United HatioDG and the CSCE. Croatia 8hare~ the view6 already expressed by certain other representatives, that the United Nations must set the tone and provide political guidance to regional organizations. Strategic leadership of the world organization in fUlfilling the tasks of global security has to be combined with the specific significance and experience of the regional bodies. .As the Secretary-General prudently stated in '·An Agenda for Peace": "no two regions or sltuations are the same, so the design of cooperative work and its division of labour must adapt to the realities of each case with flexibility and creativity". (A/47/277, para, 62) Following thase guidelines, Croatia must emphasize the importance of finding a lasting negotiated solution to the so-called Yugoslav crisis and using all the necessary means provided by the United Nations Charter to stop the bloodshed in the Balkans. Peace and the alleviation of the consequences of war are priorities in Croatian policy. The sprea·l of war throughout the Republic of Bosnia and Berzegovina is endangering the situation in Croatia and delaying peace processes on its soil. Therefore, Croatia seeks a spe~dier search for a negotiated political solution in Bo&nia and Berzegovina, based on the latest constitutional proposals and within the transitional but comprehensive trusteeship framework proviied through the joint action of the United Nations and the CSCE. CSCE conflict manageme~t has simultaneously shown both its qualities and it: l!.mit~ticn:. The CSCEII thcuqh C3t~li=h0d aB the foundation of European security, must complete its transformation from protector of the peace during the cold war to harbinger ot the nQW European and world order. By working- in concert with the United Nations, the CSCE will be able to accomplish that task with the speed and determination required by the world at the end of a century that is ~~riously threatened with emerging regional crises. (Mr. Nobilo, Croatia) (Hr, Nobilo. Croatia) In dealing with regional crises, the symbiosis between the United Nations and the CSCE must evc1ve tbrouga thg valuable experience to be 981Ded by resolving existing ~~ob1ems, this will also help define guidelines for the process. No theoretical model of conflict management can be a substitute for real action, In preventing conflicts and in enforcing and keepiug the peace, basic CSCE documents, particularly the Helsinki Final Act, must be combined with the provisions of the United Nations Charter. Regional arranqements under Chapter VIII of the Charter are the most applicable elements, but one must not overlook the significance of Chapter VII. When the pQ8ce and territorial integrity of States Members of the United Nations are really at stake, the world Organization should provide help, in cooperation with regional organizations, in the form of appropriate action, using all necessar¥ measures to restore international peace and security. The agonizing experience of the so-called Yugoslav crisis has shown that the world community is not lacking in words or in resolutions, but in determination to implement existing United Nations and CSCE documents. At this moment Croatia is asking neither more nor less than what is already set out in 22 Security Council resolutions concerning the ~u90s1av crisis. Pragmatism in the day-to-day politics of some Members of the United Nations, along with the hesitation of the regional organization to take the full responsibility of its new post-cold-war role, should not endlessly delay the implementation of major United Nations resolutions concerning C~oatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Failure to put all those documents into effect is jeopardizing much more than the stability of middle and Eastern Europe. Croatia will wholeheartedly vote for the draft resolution on coordination of the activities of the Unit~d Nations and the CSCE in the hope that we shall be able to enjoy the fruits of those activities in the near future. At the same time, we should like to take this opportunity to warn that regional crises in Europe and elsewhere aro~~d the world require immediate action. The enduring goals of promoting, imposinq and strengthening peace cannot be achieved through debate alone; concrete action is required as well.
We have heard the last speaker in the debate on this
item.
I should like to announce that the following delegations have become
sponsors of the dr8ft resolution before us: Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution Al47/L.ll. May.
I take it that the General Assembly wishes to adopt the draft resolution
without a vote?
Draft resolution A/.?IL.ll was adopted (resolution 41/10).
We have thus concluded t~e present stage of our
consideration of agenda item 140.*
* The President took the Chair.
Vote:
41/10
Consensus
✓ 104
✗ 0
33 abs.
15. ELECTIONS TO FILL VACANCIES IN PRINCIPAL ORGANS Cb) ELECTION OF EIGHrE8£~ MEMBERS OF THE ECONOMIC Aaii SOCIAL COUNCiL The PRESIQENT: This afternoon the General Assembly will proceed to the election of 18 members of the Economic and Social Council to replace those members whose term of office expires on 31 December 1992. The 18 outgoing members are: Algeria, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Ecuador, Finland, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Romania, the Russian Federation, Rwanda, Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Zaire. Those 18 States are eligible for immediate re-election. I should like to remind members of the Assembly that, as of 1 January 1993, the following States will continue to be represented on the Economic and Social Council: Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Chile Q Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Guinea, India, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Madagascar, Malaysia, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Somalia, Spain, Suriname, Swaziland, the Syrian Arab Republic, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, the United States of America ana Yugoslavia. The names of those 36 States should therefore not appear on the ballots. According to paragraph 4 of Ge~eral Assembly resolution 2847 (XXVI) of 20 December 1971, and taking into account the number of States which will remain members of the Council after 1 January 1993, the 18 members should be elected as follows: four from African States; four from Asian States; three from Eastern European States; three from Latin America and Caribbean States; and four from Western European and other States. The ballot papers reflect that pattern. I should like to Inf01'1l the Assembly that the candidates, not. excfte4iug the number of seats to 1)8 filled, receiving tho greaters>t num.bsr of votes and a two-thirds majority of those present and votinq vill i)e declared elected. In the case of a tie vote for a remaining seat, there vill be a restricted ballot limited to those candidates which have obtained an e(jual number of votes. May I take it that the General Assembly agrees to that procedure? It was so decided.
In accordance with rule 92 of the rules of
procedure, the election shall be held by secret ballot, Bud there shell be no
nominations.
I call on the representative of Mauritania, as Chairman of the Group of
African States.
Mr. OULD MOHAMED M8HM0UP (Mauritania) (interpretation from French):
I should like to remind delegations that the Group of Africaa States, on whose
behalf I am addressinq the Assembly, has four ssats to ba filled in this
election. For theme seats, it is submitting th~ candidacies of the following
four countries, which it recommends to all delegations: Gabon, the Libyan
Arab Jamahiriya, Nigeria and Zaire.
1 now call on the representative of Turkey, as
Chairman of the Group of Asian States.
Mr. AKSIN (Turkey): I have the honour to address the Assembly on
behalf of the Asian Group to announce that the candldaces of the Asian Group
for election to the Economic and Social Council are: Afghanistan, Bhutan,
China, Nepal, the Republic of Korea and Sri Lanka. Of these candidates,
China's candidacy ~as been endorsed by the Asian Group.
I now call on the representative of Armenia, as
Chairman of the Group of Eastern European States.
Mr. ARZOQMANIAN (Armenia): The Eastern European regional group has
not been able to endorse candidates for election to the Economic and Social
Council, because there are a larger number of candidates than there are seats
available. The candidates are the following: Albania, Hungary, Romania, the
Russian ~sderation and Ukraine.
I now call on the representative of Uruguay, as
Chairman of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States.
Mr. PIRIZ-BALLQN (Uruguay) (interpretation from Spanish): It is my
honour to inform the General Assembly, in my capacity as Chairman of the Group
of Latin American and Caribbean States, that the candidates of our region for
the three senta on the Economic anc. Social Council are: Bahamas, Cuba,
Guatemala, Mexico and Uruguay.
proceed now to the election by secret ballot, takinq into account the
s\':at.ments made by the representatives of Mauritania, Turkey, Armenia and
Utuquay.
Ballot papers marked A, ~, C, D and E will now be distributed. I request
repr~seDtative$ to use only those ballot papers and to write OD them the names
of the States for which they wish to vote.
A ballot paper containinq more names from the relevant reqion than the
Dumh8~ of seats assiqned to it will be declared invalid. Should they appear
OD a ballot paper, names of Member States that do not belonq to that reqion
will not be counted at all.
At the invitation of the President, Mr. Nomen (Bangladesh),
Mt. Guerasimgyich (Belarus), Miss Argueta (El Salvador), Mr. Cantipi (Italy)
and Mr. El Amrani (Morocco) acted as tellea.
A vote was takep by secret ballot.
~RESIDENT: I call on the representative of Denmark on a point
of order.
Mr, HAAKONSEN (Denmark): I asked to spea..1t on a point of order in
order to announce the candidates of the Group of Western European and Other
States. I was Dot called on earlier. The candidates are: Canada, Denmark,
Norway and the United Kinqdom.
Mro HUSLID (Norway): I know that this la a little extraordinary,
Mr. President, but we are in a rather extraordinary situation. Several
deleqations have come to me and said: "We do not know which are the
candidates for the Group of Western European and Other States"o I think that
is somethinq quite inadmissible - we are votinq without tnowinq which are the
candidates. So, with all due respect, Mr. President, I cannot see any other
solution but to take the vote aqain.
I should like to inform members that in the
beqinninq the representative of Denmark did not wish to speak. The
Secretariat informed me that he would not speak.
Three or four minutes aqo, I was informed that the representative of
Denmark did wish to speak, and I called upon him immediately.
I now call aqain on the representative of Denmark.
Mr. HAAKONSEN (Denmark): We were informed that V9 vere not supposed
to announce the candidates. That is the reason why we did not ask to speak.
But as soon as we realized that the other Groups had announced their
candidates, we also indicated that we wished to speak in order to announce the
candidates of the Group of Western European and Other States.
This is the reality.
Mr. BVSLID (Norway): I am sorry to come back to this,
Mr. President; I am not quite sure what your rulinq is. I would hope that I
express the feeling of everybody when I say that ve want a fair vote. The
fact is that, whatever has actually happened, the representative of Denmark -
because of soma misunderstanding - did not present the candidates from the
Group of Western European and Other States before the vote was taken, and
people have bean coming to me and asking who the candidates for the Group are.
I think we should all like to se9 a fair vote, and therefore those who
did not know who the candidates for the Group were should be given the
possibility of finding out.
Mr. TISSOT (United Kingdom): I apologize for intervening, but I
should like to aesociate my delegation fully with the remarks just made by the
representative of Norway. There should be an opportunity for a fair
election, The candidates of the Group of Western European and Other States
were not made known, because of some misunderstanding, and my delegation would
support a re-vote.
Mx. AINSO (Estonia): I think that it is obvious to everyone that we
cannot have a fair election if people do not know whom they are voting for.
However, it seems that everybody knew who the candidates from the other Groups
were, because they were properly·announced. Therefore, if the rules permit, I
should like to suggest that we accept the votinq as it stands except for the
Group of Western European and Other States and have a re-vote on that
particular Group only.
Mr. KABIR (Bangladesh): I think you summed up the situation
rightly.. Mr. President.. w};l."n you said that it was the reality. But..
regrettably.. the situation is creating some problems. ~he point that the
candidatures were not announced from the floor is a very pertinent one..
because announcing the candidatures is the procedure that has been followed.
We should like to see that procedure maintained so that the wrong precedent is
not set for the future.
I think we should have a short suspension so that you.. Mr. President, can
deliberate carefully on the matter and take a decision on a rUling that will
tak~ care both of the past and of the future.
However.. I should also like to support what has just been suggested by
the representative of Estonia: one way, perhaps, of proceeding would be to
have the vote for the Group of Western European and Other States taken again.
As far as I can see.. we could go along with that if it is thought that that
would solve the problem and would not create the wrong preced9nt.
Mr. MOHGBE (Benin) (interpretation from French): I think my task
has ~een made easier by the statement just made by the representative of
Estonia. Out of fairness, I think it would be as well to confirm the vote
already conducted for the Groups on which candidatures had been announced. As
for the vote on the Group of Western European and Other States l although ~~
cannot be declared null and void simply because the candidatu~es ware not
announced, we would support Estonia's suggestion out of fairness alone. We
believe that would be the wisest course.
~lEGWAILA (Botswana): Mr. President, I am surprised that no one
has requested that you ask us whether we knew who the candidates were from the
Group of Western European and Other States. When I was givon the ballot paper
I knew who those candidates were. How we are talking as if we did not know
who they were. What was announced - albeit belatedly - by the representative
of Denmark is exactly what I have in front of me here.
However, let me give the benefit of the doubt to those who probably did
not know. Coming as I do from southern Africa and recalling that yesterday
one of my colleagues from southern Africa voted after the voting an~ was
allowed to do so - which was democratic - I would suggest, in all fairness,
that we re-vote on the Group of Western European and Other States, if we think
that not everybody knew who the candidates were, but allow the votes on the
other Groups to go through. I think that is what we should do in order to
make a long story short.
Mr. SOMAVIA (Chile) (interpretation from Spanish): I share the
concern expressed by the representative of Horway, and I agree with the
proposal of the representative of Estonia. I think you are aware,
Mr. President, that the feeling in the Hall is that all the regional groups
should be able to feel certain that the procedure we are following is in
keep~nq with the interests of all. I believe that the suggestion by the
representative of Estonia is ac~eptable to members. It is in accordance with
rule 88 of the rules of pxocedure, which states that if there are problems in
the way the voting is pr Geding it is possible to intervene. I think that
the question before us involves the conduct of the voting and that if you,
Mr. President, were to put the matter to the Assembly, it would agree with the
procedural proposal made by the representative of Estonia, and that would put
us on saf3 ground so far as procedure is concerned.
Mr, SERRATE CUELLAR (Bolivia) (interpretation from Spanish): I
think that virtually everything has been said that needs to be said. We
support the position of the countries of Europe. I believe that the grounds
they have mentioned give them every right to request that the vote be taken
again. For, whatever the result at the end of the meeting, it would be
obvious to everyone if a lack of knowledge had caused even one vote less.
Hence, I think we should follow the procedure proposed by the
representative of Estonia, which appears to have the support of the majority
of members.
Mr. HAAKONSEN (Denmark): Mr. President, you did not announce at the
beginning of the Assembly's consideration of this item that the regional
groups should speak. It was our understanding that we should not ask for the
floor to announce our candidates. However, as soon as I heard you call upon
the represent~tive of one of the regional groups, I signalled that I also
wished to be called upon in order to announce the candiuatas from the Group of
Western European and Other States.
Having said that, I should like to support the suggestion made by the
representatives of Estonia, Bangladesh and Chile, and others, that we should
have a new vote only on the Group of Western European and Other States.
I !lhould like again to inform members of the
Assembly that I was informed by the Secretariat that the representative of
Denmark would not bel speakinq. This was a misunderstanding, and I think the
representative of Norway is right in asking for a new decision. Hence, as
President, I think it would be correct to announce that there will be a new
vote on the Group of W&stern European and Other States.
! think the proposal of the ~epresencative of Estonia has now bean
discussed and can be adopted. If there is no objection, it will be so
decided.
It was so 4ecided.
the meeting WAs suspended at 4 p 25 pr•• and resumed at 6.55 p.a.
DC!! PRBSIPmJT: 'rhe reeult of the votl~ la as follows:
GROUP A - AFRICAN STATES
Number of ballot PIPers:
Number of invalid ballots:
Number of valid ballots:
Abstentiops:
Number of Member~ voting:
Required two-thirds majority:
Number of votes obtained:
Gabon
Nigeria
Zaire
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Seneqal
o
GROUP B - ASIAN STATES
Number of ballot. Pi.\Pem:
Number of in~lid ballots:
Number of valid ballots:
Abstentions:
BYmber of Members voting:
~egyired two-thirds majority:
Number of votes obtained:
China 149
Republic of Korea 139
Sri Lanka 134
Elhutan 90
Nepal 88
Afghanistan 50
Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea 8
Indonesia 4
GROUP C - EASTERN EUROPEAN STATES
Number of ballot p~er§=
Humber of invalig ballots:
Number of valid ballots:
HYmber of Members voting:
Required two-thirds majQrit~:
o
o
o
Number of votes obtained:
Russian Federation
Romania
Ukraine
Hungary
Albania
Bulgaria
Czechoslovakia
GROUP D - LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN STATES
Number Qf ballQt-papers:
Number of iny~lid ballot~:
Number Qf valid ballQt§:
AbstentioNi.:
Number of Members voting:
Required two-thirds majority:
Number of votes obtained:
Cuba
Mexico
Guatemala
Bahamas
Uruguay
Venezuela
The following countries. hayinq obtained the required two-thirdB
majority, were elected members of the Economic and Social Council for a period
of three years beginning on 1 January 1993: China, Gabon, Libyan Arab
Jamahiriya, Nigeria, Republic of Korea. Romania, Russian Federation, Sri Lpnka
and Zaire.
o
The PRESIDENTI I congratulate the States which have been elected
members of the Economic and Social Council.
Since five seats remain to be filled - one seat from among the Asian
States, one seat from among the Eastern European States, and three seats from
among the Latin American and Caribbean States - a second round of balloting is
required. I therefore propose that, with the agreement of the Assembly, that
we hold the second round of balloting for the Asian, Eastern European and
Latin American ao~ Caribbean States simultaneously with the first round of
balloting to elect four members from among the Western European and other
States. May I take it that the Assembly agrees to that procedure?
It was so decided.
I call on the representative of Denmark, as Chairman
of the Group of Western European and Other States.
Mr. HAAKQNSEN (Denmark): On behalf of the Group of Western European
and Other States, I hereby anno~ce the candidates of the Group. They are:
Canada, Denmark, Norway and the United Kingdom.
Ballot papers marked B, C, D and E vi11 now be
distributed.
With regard to the first round of balloting for the Western European and
other States, I request representatives to use only those ballot papers
marked E and to write on them the names of the four States from among the
Western European and other States for which they want to vote. A ballot paper
containing more than four names will be declared invalid. Should they appear
on a ballot paper, the names of Member States not belonging to that region
will not be counted at all.
(~resident)
With regard to the second round of balloting for the Asian, Eastern
European, and Latin American and Caribbean States, the second round of
balloting will be restricted to those two States from among the Asian States
which were not elected but which obtained the largest ~umher of votes in the
previous ballot - namely, Bhutan and Nepal; to those two States from among the
Eastern European States which were not elected but which obtained the largest
number of votes in the previous ballot - namely, Hungary and Ukraine; and to
those six States from among the Latin America and Caribbean States which were
not elected but which obtained the largest number of votes in the previous
ballot - namely, Bahamas, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela.
This is in accordance with ~ule 94 of the rules of procedure.
I request representatives to write on the ballot pa?e~s the names of the
States for which they want to vote. Ballot paper~ marked B, for the Asian
States, will be declared invalid if they contain the name of a State other
than Bhutan or Nepal as well as if they contain the name of more than one
State; ballot papers marked C, for the eastern European States, will be
declared invalid if they contain the name of a State other than Hungary or
Ukraine as well as if they contain the nerne of more than one State; ballot
papers marked D, for the Latin American and Caribbean States, will be declared
invalid if they contain the names of States other than Bahamas, Cuba,
Guatemala, Mexico, Uruguay or Venezuela as well as if they contain the names
of more than three States.
A ballot paper containing more names than the number of seats assigned to
the relevant region will be declared invalid. Names of States on the ballot
paper which are from outside the relevant region will not be counted at all.
I now call on the representative of Venezuela.
Miss tRUJILLQ (Venezuela) (interpretation from Spanish): I wish to
inform the Assembly that Vanezuela is not a candidate for the Economic and
Social Council"
We shall take into 81:COunt the statement just made
by the repre~~ntative of Venezuela.
At thg invitation of the Prer;identr;l Mr. Momen (Bangb,desh) I
Mr. Guerasimoyirih (Belarus), Miss AFgueta (El Salv~gor)r M~. Cantini (Italy)
A vote was taken ~y secret ballot.
The meeting was suspended at 1.20 p.m. and resumed at 8.45 p.m.
The result of the voting is as follows:
GROUP B - ASIAN STATES
Number of ballot p~ers:
Number of invalid ballots:
Number of valid ballots:
Abstentions:
Number of Members voting:
Required two-thirds majoritz:
Number of votes ObtaineQ:
Bhutan
Nepal
GROUP C - EASTERN EUROPEAN STATES
Number of ballot papers:
Number of invalid ballots:
Number of valid b~~:
Abstentions:
Number of Members voting:
Required two-thirds majority:
Number of votes obtained:
Ukraine
Hungary
GROUP D - LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN STATES
Ha1b§r of ballot papers:
Ngmber of invalid ballQ~:
Humber of valid ballots:
Abst'ntiops:
Humber of Members voting:
Regyired two-thirds majQrity:
Number ofVQtes obtained:
Mexico
Cuba
Guatemala
Bahamas
Uruguay
Venezuela
GROUP E - WESTERN EUROPEAN AND OTHER STATES
Number of bal1Qt PAPers:
Number of invalid ballots:
Number of valid bal1Qts:
Abstentions:
Number of Members voting:
Regpired tWQ-thirds majority:
1.
Number of votes obtained:
Norway 165
Denmark 162
Canada 161
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 153
Greece 1
The following cOuntries, haying obtained the reguired two-thirds
majority. vere elected members of the Economic and Social Council for a period
of three years beginning on 1 January 1993: Canada. Denmark. Mexico. NorwAY
and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
I congratulate the States which have been elected
members of the Economic and Social Council.
Mr. BQDAI (Hungary): I should like to announce that Hungary hereby
withdraws its Dame from the balloting.
Mr. BIiLERS (Uruguay) (interpretation from Spanish): To help achieve
a result in the voting within our regional group, Uruguay has decided to
withdraw its candidature.
Mr. ACHARYA (Nepal): In the interest of solidarity within our
group, Nepal has decided to withdraw its candidature.
We shall take into account the statements just made.
Four seats remain to be filled: one seat from among the Asian States,
one seat from among the Eastern European States, and two seats from among the
Latin Ameri~a and Caribbean States. A third round of balloting is therefore
required. I should like to propose that, owing to the lateness of the hour,
we continue with this elaction tomorrow morning. I should like members to
understand why I make this proposal.
As members may know, the preparations for another round of balloting are
time-consuming. First of all, Dew ballot papers have to be prepared
reflecting the new situation, that is, reflecting the number of seats still to
be filled. Also, the Secretariat has to prepare the procedural notes required
for carrying out the balloting in an orderly way. Last but not least, we have
to request members of delegations to serve as tellers to continue counting
ballots. The counting of ballots is in itself a time-consuming endeavour,
especially when so many regional groups have not endorsed candidatures. In
thpse circumstances, tellers have to be especially careful, counting the
ballots a second time if necessary.
Does any member wish to comment on this proposal?
Mr. VAN LIEROP (Vanuatu): Mr. President, I have taken very careful
note of your observations with respect to the difficulty of continuing the
balloting at this hour. The observations you made are certainly very
pertinent and very accurate. However, in looking at how close we appear'to be
to a final result, and given the great difficulty that some of us,
particularly smaller delegations, might have tomorrow morning, might we
enquire whether it would be possible to have one more ballot this evening as a
way of perhaps finishing the voting?
Mr. MONGBE (Benin) (interpretation from French): My delegation
understands and shares your concerns, Mr. President. The hour is indeed late,
but the withdrawal of a number of aelegations has made ~~ings easier. We
would note that the number of candidates is now the same as the number of
seats to be filled. In those circumstances, we might make a further effort.
And as my friend the representative of Vanuatu so rightly said, some
delegations do not have the large staff required to cover tomorrow morning's
Committee meetings and to be present in this Hall for the voting.
We are nearly there; we can succeed. We ask you, Mr. President, to let
us try one more ballot.
Mr. MOUMIN (Comoros): I agree with my good friend from Vanuatu. We
are still in the midst of a series of restricted ballots. The procedure has
always been to complete the restricted balloting; if we are going to postpone
the rest of the voting, this should be done after the restricted ballots have
been exhausted. I believe we should try one more time and then if there is no
conclusion we can postpone the remainder of the voting.
Mr. KABIR (Bangladesh): I should like to support the proposal made
by the three preceding speakers. The little work remaining Call. perhaps be
done quite quickly. Also, as the representative of Vanuatu rightly said, the
smaller Missions have certain problems; my delegation agrees fully. It is now
late enough that some of the ap~ointments we may have had have been lost
anyway, so we might as well stay a little while longer and finish the job
tonight.
Mr. JARAMILLO (Colombia) (interpretation from Spanish): I support
the proposal made by a number of delegations that we make one last effort this
evening to complete the process.
Mr. SACIRBEY (Bosnia and Herzegovina): I would suggest that we
proceed with the voting this evening but that, since most of the delays seem
to have occurred during the counting process, the results be announced at
tomorrow morning's meeting.
Mr. VAN LIERQP (Vanuatu): I think that the very imaginative and
creative sU9gestionjust made by our friend ~d colleagUe the Permanent
Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina has a qrea~ deal of appeal, but my
delegation would pr~fer that. we follow the normal procedure and announce the
results tonight.
The meeting was suspended at 9.05 pem. and resumed at 9.30 p.m.
The PRESIDE~r.r: Since four seats still remain to be filled - cue
seat from among the Asian States, one seat from among the Eastern European
States, and two seats from among the Latin American and Caribbean States - we
shall now proceed to the second restricted ballot, taking into account the
statements made by the representatives of Hungary, Uruguay and Nepal.
This third round of balloting will be restricted to those two States from
among the Asian States which were not elected but which obtained the largest
number of votes in the previous ballots - namely, Bhutan and Nepal; to those
two States from among the Eastern European States which were not elected but
which obtained the largest number of votes in the previous ballots - namely,
Hungary and Ukraine; and to those four States from among the Latin American
and Caribbean States which were not elected but which obtained the largest
number of votes in the previous ballot - namely, Bahamas, Cuba, Guatemala and
Uruguay. This is in accordance with rule 94 of the rules of procedure.
Mr. EHLERS (Uruguay): I remind members that my delegation has
withdrawn from the election.
Mr. BupAI (Hungary): I too remind members that Hungary has
withdrawn its name from the ballot.
Ballot papers will now be distributed. I ask
representatives to write on the ballot papers the names of the States for
which they wish to vote. Ballot papers marked B, for the Asian States, will
be declared invalid if they contain the name of a State other than Bhutan or
Nepal as well as if they contain the name of more than one State. Ballot
papers marked C, for Ea&-;lD European States, will be declared invalid if they
contain the name of a State other than Hungary or Ukraine as well as if they
contain the name of more than one State. Ballot papers marked D, for Latin
American and Caribbean States, will be declared invalid if they contain the
names of States other than Bahamas, Cuba, Guatemala and Uruguay as well c:s if
they contain the names of more than two States ..
At the invitation of the President, Mr. Momen (Bangladesh)1
Mr. Guerasimoyich (Belarus), Miss Argueta (El Salvador), Mr e Cantini (Italy)
and Mr. El Amrani (Morocco) acted as tellers.
A vote was taken by segret bal19t•
The meeting was suspended at 9,45 p,m. ADd reBumed at 10.20 p.m.
The result of the votinq 1s as follows:
GROUP B - ASIAN STATES
Number of ballot pa~:
Number of invalid ballots:
Number of valid ballots:
Abstentions:
Number of Members voting:
Required two-thirds majo~:
Number of votes obtained:
Bhutan
GROUP C - EASTERN EUROPEAN STATES
Number of ballot papers:
Nv~er of invalid ballots:
Number of valid ballots:
Abstentions:
Number of Members yoti..ng:
Required two-thirds majority:
HYmQer of votes obtained: .
Ukraine
GROUP D - LATIN AMERICAN ~~ CARIBBEAN STATES
Number of ballot p'apers:
Number of invalid ballots:
Number of valid ballots:
Abstentions:
Number of Members voting:
Required two-thirds major~:
Number of votes obtained:
Cuba
Bahamas
Guatemala
Uruguay
The following countries. having obtained the required two-thirds
majority. were elected members of the Economic and Social Council for a period
of three yefll:.!1 beginning on 1 January 1993: Bhutan and Ukraine.
I congratulate the States which have been elected
members of the Economic and Social Council.
Since two seats remain to be filled from among the Latin American and
Caribbean States, we shall nOw proceed to a third restricted ballot. This
fourth round of balloting will be restricted to the four States from among the
Latin American and Caribbean States which were not elected but which obtained
the largest number of votes in the ballot just taken - namely Bahamas, Cuba,
Guatemala and Uruguay. This is in accordance with rule 94 of the rules of
procedure•
o
o
Ballot papers will now be distributed. I ask representatives to write on
the ballot papers the names of the two States for which they wish to vote.
Ballot papers containing the names of States other than Bahamas, Cuba,
Guatemala and Uruguay, as well as any containing more than two names, will be
declared invalid.
In this connection, I would remind members of the statement made by the
representative of Uruguay.
At th$ invitation of the Pr~sid9nt, Mr. Moroen (Bangladesh),
Mr. Guerasimovich (Belarus), Miss Argueta (El Salvador), Mr. Cantini (Italy)
and Mr. El Amrani (MorQcco) acted as tellers.
A vote was taken by secret ballot.
Tbe.PRESIDENT: The result of the voting is as follows:
GROUP D - LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN STATES
Number of ba1lQt pap§!:§.:
Number of invalid ballots:
Number of valid bal1o~:
Abstentions:
N\Ynber of Members voting:
Reguired tWQ-thirds.majoritv:
Number of votes obtaineg;
Cuba
Bahamas
Guatemala
Uruguay
The following COuntries. haying obtained the reguired two-thirds
majori~. were elected members of the Economic and Social Council for a p\'<lt.'iod
of three years beginning on 1 January 1993: Bahamas and Cuba.
The PRBSIDENT: I congratulate the States which have been elected
members of the Economic and Social Council, and I thank the tellers for their
assistance in this election.
That concludes our consideration of sub~item (b) of agenda item 15.
Th~ meeting rose at 11 p.m.
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