A/47/PV.99 General Assembly

I should· like to draw the Assembly's attention to document A/47/870/Add.l, which contains a letter addressed to me by the Secretary-General informing me that, since the issuance of his communication dated 19 January 1993, Haiti has made the necessary payment to reduce its arrears below the amount specified in Article 19 of the Charter. May I take it that the General Assembly duly takes note of this information? It was so decided.

I request the Rapporteur of the Fifth Committee, Mr. Jorge Osella of Argentina, to introduce the report of the Fifth Committee. Mr. OSELLA (Argentina), Rapporteur of the Fifth Committee (interpretation from Spanish): I have the honour today of presenting to the General Asssembly part II of the Fifth Committee's report on agenda item 145, "Financing of the United Nations Operation in Somalia". This part of the report is contained in document A/47/734/Add.l. As indicated in paragraph 2 of the report, the Fifth Committee considered this item at its 63rd and 64th meetings. At the 64th meeting, the Chairman of the Committee introduced draft resolution A/C.5/47/L.37, entitled "Financing of the United Nations Operation in Somalia". At the same meeting, the Committee agreed to amend paragraph 9 of the draft resolution by including in paragraph 9 the words "and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia". Also at the 64th meeting, the Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. As stated in paragraph 8 of the report, the Fifth Committee recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the draft resolution that has been submitted to it.

If there is no proposal under rule 66 of the rules of procedure, I shall take it that the General Assembly decides not to discuss the report of the Fifth Committee which is before the Assembly today. It was so decided.

Statements will therefore be limited to explanations of vote. The positions of delegations regarding the recommendation of the Fifth Committee have been made clear in the Committee and are reflected in the relevant official records. May I remind members that under paragraph 7 of decision 34/401, the General Assembly agreed that "When the same draft resolution is considered in a Main Committee and in plenary meeting, a delegation should, as far as possible, explain its vote only once, that is, either in the Committee or in plenary meeting, unless that delegation's vote in plenary meeting is different from its vote in the Committee." May I also remind delegations that, again in accorqance with General Assembly decision 34/401, explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes. Before we begin to take action on the recommendation contained in the report of the Fifth Committee, I should like to advise representatives that we are going to proceed to take a decision in the same manner as in the Fifth Committee. The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the Fifth Committee in paragraph 8 of its report (A/47/734/Add.l). The Fifth Co~ittee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. take it that the Assembly also wishes to do so? The draft resolution w~s adopted (resolution 47/41 B).

w~ have concluded this stage of our consideration of agenda item 145. May I

I call on the representative of Belize to introduce draft resolution A/47/L.55. ~r. ROGERS (~elize): I have the honour to introduce to the General Assembly draft resolution A/47/L.55, entitled "Emergency assistance to Cuba". I should like to inforn the Assembly that Togo and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have joined the group of Latin American and Caribbean countries in sponsoring this draft resolution. I wish to call attention to three corrections to be made to the draft resolution. First, in the third paragraph of the preamble, in the first line the words "and the people" should be inserted after the word "Government" and before the word "of". The phrase would then readl "Government and the people of Cuba". Secondly, in operative paragraph 4, in the fourth line the words .tand the people't should be inserted after the word "Government" and before the word "of". The phrase would then read: "Government and the people of Cuba". Thirdly, in operative paragraph 5, in the second line the words "for the duration of the emergency aad the ensuing rehabilitation process" should be inserted after the word "Cuba" and before the word "to". The phrase would then read: "support to Cuba for the duration of the emergency and the ensuing rehabilitation process to alleviate". Under the draft resolution before us, the Assembly would take note of the loss of life and damage to property and infrastructure caused by the storm which hit Cuba on 12 and 13 March. The Assembly would acknowledge the efforts of the Government and people of Cuba to provide relief and' assistance to the people of Cuba who are sUffering as a result of the storm. It would further call upon the Secretary-General, in cooperation with the relevant organs of the United Nations, to asasist in the rehabilitation efforts of the Government of Cuba, and would request the international community to provide emergency assistance to Cuba during this emergency period and in the rehabilitation process. The group of Latin American and Caribbean countries has given its unanimous support to the draft resolution before the Assembly. We urge its adoption without delay, to bring relief to the people of Cuba during this period of emergency.

The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/47/L.55. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to adopt the draft resolution? Draft resolution A/i7/L.55 waD adopted (resolution 47/228).

I call on the representative of Cuba, who wishes to make a statement in explanation of position. Mr. ZAMQRA ROPRIGUEZ (Cuba) (interpretation from Spanish): Allow me at the outset, Sir, to express through you the gratitude of the people and the Government of the Republic of Cuba to Member States for their adoption of the draft resolution which, we hope, will make a decisive contribution to my country's efforts to ov~rcome the effects of the storm that struck ~s from 12 to 15 March. I should also like through you to express very special gratitude to the countries members of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States for their having submitted this text for consideration during this resumed session. Indeed, the storm - which some of the media have referred to as "the storm of the century" - struck my country during the night of 12 March and, as Member States have been informed l caused loss of life, many wounded and considerable damage, which ;~re1iminary reports assess at over $1 billion. The total and partial destructi~n of thousands of dwellings and of crops, both for export.andessential domestic foodstuffs; the damage to ind~stry, not only through the effect on the s 19ar crop, which was at one of its most important stages when the storm hit, ~)ut also through the destr~ction of many of the country's industrial centres; the effects on services through damage to hospitals, schools, communications and transport networks, together with many warehouses storing medical products and food in 8 of the the co~ntry's 14 provinces - all of this clearly shows that this storm not only had short-term effects but also caused dam1ge with a direct impact on medium- and long-term economic prospects. This dixmage accordingly deserves much more sustained attention, because the resources and efforts necess~ry to reverse it will be considerable • While we deeply regret the loss of five lives and the· fact that 95 people were wounded, the rapid mobilization of the Cuban civil defence averted a larger number of victims of this meteorological incident, when winds reaching 200 kilometres per hour brought very high tides and 25-foot waves, causing serious flooding along the coasts and in the capital itself. Once the storm was over, there began an intensive recovery phase throughout the country, in which all available resources were brought to bear to overcome the short-term effects of the situation resulting from the high winds and flooding, particularly for those who suffered the loss of homes and property from the storm, nur~bering in the tens of thousands. At the same time, the people mobilized in great numbers to try to salvage the largest possible amount of agricultural products from the damaged crops. In the days immediately following the storm, international assistance also began to arrive as necessary support to the country's own efforts, which continue at this very moment with singular heroism on the part of our people as a whole. We wish to express our deepest gratItude to all those countries, organizations of the United Nations system, other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and individuals who, from all over the world, have offered and continue to offer their assistance in solidarity with the people of Cuba in these difficult times. The resolution that haJ just been adopted is one more demonstration of human solidarity and cooper.3tion among nations, which should be the very foundation of this Organization's activities. This attitude encourages us to continue working more resolutely than ever before at the task of rebuilding the devastated areas of the country for the sake of the economic and social development and the well-being of the Cuban people. We are profoundly grateful to them and trust ~hat the solidarity and cooperation set forth in the resolution we have just adopted will continue to have tangible effects on the resolution we have just adopted will continue to have tangible effects on our reversing the effects of this natural disaster. our reversing the effects of this natural disaster.

May I take it that it is the wish of the General

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 1547 Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 1547 It was so decided. It was so decided. ORGANIZATION OF WORK ORGANIZATION OF WORK

I should like to inform representatives that the

I should like to inform representatives that the General Assembly will meet next Tuesday, 20 ~pril, to consider agenda item 22, General Assembly will meet next Tuesday, 20 ~pril, to consider agenda item 22, entitled "The situation of democracy and human rights in Haiti". entitled "The situation of democracy and human rights in Haiti". The meeting rose at 11.15 a.m. The meeting rose at 11.15 a.m.