A/49/PV.41 General Assembly

I call on the representative of Nicaragua to introduce draft resolution A/49/L.6.

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on this occasion and to put before the General Assembly for its consideration draft resolution A/49/L.6, entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of American States”. It gives me great satisfaction to say that, as can be gleaned from the Secretary-General’s report, which was submitted to the General Assembly in compliance with resolution 47/11, on the question of cooperation between the two bodies, the cooperation that has been achieved in various arenas has not only been improved but constantly fine-tuned, coordinated better and made more effective. The submission of the draft resolution, which is sponsored by 31 States in the Latin American region, is of singular importance to Nicaragua, inasmuch as Nicaragua, the rest of Central and Latin America and the Caribbean, acting in concert, have benefited directly from the various forms that the close cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of American States has assumed. Ever since agreement was reached on the basic procedures laid down by the Presidents of the Central American countries in the context of the subregional peace process, and under General Assembly resolution 42/231, cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of American States (OAS) has assumed tangible form in Central America — observation of the electoral processes in Nicaragua and El Salvador; the Special Plan of Economic Cooperation for Central America; and the provision of humanitarian assistance in the event of natural disasters in our subregion. These are just a few of the areas in which there has been such cooperation. It is important to highlight the fact that, following the close cooperation between the two organizations up to this point, the International Support and Verification Commission was set up and that the Commission’s most important activity has been that relating to the situation in Haiti. The Secretary-General of the Organization of American States, Mr. César Gaviria Trujillo, in his address to the Central American ecological Summit on sustainable development, which was held in Managua, It is important to stress that, in the case of Haiti, there has indeed been real cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of American States. On the basis of the offer made by the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States, the Secretary-General of the United Nations asked the OAS to participate in the International Civilian Mission in Haiti (MICIVIH). The cooperation and coordination of the two Organizations are a clear example of what can be achieved when there is a real desire and the political will to work together to solve problems that deserve such action. Not only has cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of American States materialized in Central America and in Haiti, as the Secretary-General says in his report; cooperation and coordination have also been achieved in a number of other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, where there has been an intensification of joint action with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) — to name just a few of the bodies concerned. In the light of those facts, draft resolution A/49/L.6 speaks in its preambular paragraphs of the Assembly’s having examined the report (A/49/450) of the Secretary- General on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of American States; taking into account the reports of the Secretary-General entitled "An Agenda for Development" and "An Agenda for Peace"; and bearing in mind that the Charter of the United Nations provides for the existence of regional arrangements and agencies for dealing with such matters relating to the maintenance of international peace and security as are appropriate for regional action, and whose activities are consistent with the purposes and principles of the United Nations. Similarly, the preamble notes with satisfaction that the second general meeting between representatives of the United Nations system and of the Organization of American States was held at the headquarters of the OAS on 3 and 4 May 1993, and that a sectoral meeting on In its operative part of the draft resolution, in addition to taking note with satisfaction of the report of the Secretary-General on cooperation between the United Nations and the OAS, expresses its satisfaction at the close cooperation between the two organizations in the joint operations of the International Civilian Mission in Haiti. The Secretary-General of the United Nations states in his report on the work of the Organization that in "An Agenda for Peace" it was noted that in many cases regional arrangements or agencies possessed a potential that should be utilized in serving the functions of preventive diplomacy, peace-keeping, peacemaking and post-conflict peace-building, and that it therefore recommended greater involvement of regional arrangements and organizations in United Nations activities. This is why the draft resolution, in its operative paragraphs, also welcomes meetings between the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the new Secretary-General of the OAS and requests both Secretaries-General, or their representatives, to resume consultations with a view to signing during 1995 an agreement for cooperation between the two organizations. Finally, the draft resolution, approving the conclusions and recommendations of the second general meeting between representatives of the two organizations held in May 1993, recommends that a third general meeting be held in 1995 to continue this consultative process. It also requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session a report on the implementation "of the present resolution" and decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty- first session the item entitled "Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of American States." The delegation of Nicaragua and the other sponsors hope, in view of the importance of this subject and the need for the General Assembly to express itself on so important an issue, that the draft resolution will be adopted by consensus.

Before the Assembly takes a decision on the draft resolution, I call on the representative of the Secretariat.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/49/L.6?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 21?

I call on the representative of Peru to introduce draft resolution A/49/L.7.

I am honoured to deliver this statement on behalf of the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Peru, Mr. Fernando Guillén. I take pleasure in introducing draft resolution A/49/L.7, "Cooperation between the United Nations and the Latin American Economic System", which is sponsored by all the member States of the Latin American Economic System. The chief purpose of the draft resolution is to strengthen and expand cooperation between the United Nations system and the Latin American Economic System (SELA). This cooperation will make it possible for us to face up to new problems with solutions integrating the The economic and social development of our countries is a priority, as reflected in the fundamental purposes of the Organization and in the decision to adopt an Agenda for Development. We think it right that the ties of cooperation between the United Nations system and regional economic systems should be perfected and further strengthened. Prevailing trends in the global economy, reflected in the globalization of economic activity and increasing links, are accompanied by the consolidation of regional groupings. All of this points to a need for the Organization to be continually in the vanguard of political and economic developments. A regional economic system such as SELA, with its two aspects - international consultation and coordination and intraregional cooperation - may become the key to coordinating the global efforts of the international community and the practical implementation in each region of the decisions adopted. We note that the United Nations budget is being earmarked more and more for activities involving peace- keeping and the maintenance of international security, matters of extreme importance that enjoy our unconditional support. All the same, there is a dangerous imbalance in terms of the accelerated decrease in funds earmarked for economic activities involving cooperation and the promotion of trade within the context of free competition, and for sustainable development, the basic variables that we in the international community have been resolutely promoting. In this sense it is appropriate for the United Nations to take advantage of the coordinated cooperation within each of the regional economic systems, taking advantage of their invaluable tactical capacity and infrastructure capable of producing studies and analyses based on actual facts. This joint effort will facilitate more specific political and diplomatic action. In an ever more specialized world it is necessary for us to take advantage of the comparative advantages that may be offered by regional economic systems such as the Latin American Economic System. Specific experience has already been built up and should be explored further. The close cooperation between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and SELA in technical cooperation among developing countries is a case in point. In that context we encourage the continued flow of resources into the UNDP programmes in support of SELA (project RLA/92/008), which is of such importance in the carrying out of valuable studies for the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. These studies relate to privatization, retrofitting and restructuring of businesses and the modernization of systems of production as strategic factors in competitiveness, as pointed out in paragraph 27 of the Secretary-General’s report (A/49/382). We would ask the Secretariat to take note of the need to earmark resources for the project just cited and the need to have this included in official reports of this session. The preambular part of the draft resolution that I am submitting to the Assembly for its consideration makes special reference to the multiple activities carried on by the Latin American Economic System jointly with a variety of bodies throughout the United Nations system, as well as to the implementation by SELA of priority economic development programmes for the countries in our region. In the operative part of the draft resolution the Assembly would take note with satisfaction of the report of the Secretary-General, while urging the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and UNDP to continue broadening and deepening their coordination and mutual support activities with SELA. It would urge the specialized agencies and other relevant bodies and programmes of the United Nations system to intensify their cooperation with the activities of this regional body. It would request the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Permanent Secretary of the Latin American Economic System jointly to assess the implementation of the Agreement between the United Nations and the Latin American Economic System and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its fiftieth session. Taking into account the fact that the draft resolution does not contain any elements that could be controversial, and the fact that it reflects the aspirations of the countries

For a number of years the Latin American and Caribbean countries have been sponsoring a draft resolution establishing the basis for increasingly useful cooperation between the Latin American Economic System (SELA) and the United Nations system. Ever since that body was set up to coordinate regional positions on economic issues, this group of countries has shown a qualitative improvement in the way it articulates and upholds its interests. This process of harmonization has been improved through the cooperation that SELA has been receiving from the United Nations. That in turn spurs us on to emphasize the need to maintain and further develop the cooperative ties between our two bodies. In general, we can see that there has been a resurgence of economic growth throughout the world, strongly supported by the success of the management of the economies of developing countries, although these represent only 20 per cent of world output. To the fact that the developing countries are indeed contributing to a global growth recovery in the course of this decade may be added the fact that ever since the last decade this same group of countries has been a provider of financial flows to the industrialized world. In this new economic scenario, marked in general by the adoption of market-economy principles and procedures, Latin America and the Caribbean have been faced with the need to adapt the productive structures of each and every one of their countries to these new circumstances. By the same token, the group will have to take steps to adapt itself to the normative framework that has grown out of the last round of trade negotiations of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). We trust that these regional efforts will lead to maximizing benefits that will bring about greater fluidity in international trade. Judging by statistics, the work done in the region has been positive in terms of the initial macroeconomic The great challenge we face, a challenge we cannot sidestep, is to combine efforts to modernize and globalize our economies with the resolute fight against poverty and the building of societies in which social equity and fairness will be central objectives. The overcoming, in a historically short time, of the extreme social imbalances that we face in our region is the sine qua non for sustained growth and democratic stability for the region. Notwithstanding the signs that justify a more optimistic outlook for the prospects for trade, we have, unfortunately, noted the persistence of, and at times even the upsurge in, protectionism in the major industrialized markets. That is why our region cannot trust only in the capacity to improve its levels of trade competitiveness internationally in order to achieve a successful entry into the global economy. Consistent with what I have just said, we reaffirm the urgent need for greater cohesion, which will make it possible firmly to pursue the fight against protectionism the major consumer markets. We believe that this is the best way to ensure adequate access for our products into those economies and, at the same time, achieve the equitable functioning of international trade. Trade in our region is being liberalized but the process will succeed only if countries with developed economies fulfil the agreements reached in the latest Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). In order for international trade to function properly there must be evidence of political will on the part of the industrialized world to adjust their economies to the norms promoted by the Bretton Woods institutions as they relate to fiscal deficits - in particular, as regards agricultural subsidies. Only by increasing international trade will it be possible to bring into the market major sectors of the population that now find themselves excluded from consumption. The global resurgence of the global economy is closely intertwined with the progressive expansion of world trade. This situation impels Latin America and the Caribbean to reaffirm their commitment to integration. We are committed to improving the mechanism for the achievement of regional integration and to securing better access for our countries in the emerging system of major economic blocs. Chile has been pursuing a consistent policy of integrating its economy into global markets. It is a country open to the world which depends on trade with other countries for approximately 40 per cent of its gross national product. This policy of gaining access to the international market implies, as one of its basic elements, strengthening the process of integration in our region. Consequently, we propose pursuing an open regionalism that would allow us better to attune our various economies to the characteristics of the increasingly globalized economy. In this sense, during the present administration of President Frei, we have redoubled our efforts to gain access to the Southern Cone Common Market (MERCOSUR). Over recent months we have stepped up negotiations with a view to finding appropriate terms to ensure more active participation by Chile in that mechanism. Chile has also signed agreements on economic exchange and free trade with most of the countries of the region. To date we have signed such instruments with Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, Bolivia and Colombia, and agreements are now being negotiated with Ecuador and Peru. The programmes of mutual cooperation with the countries of Central America have been strengthened. We have also strengthened our ties with the countries of the Caribbean by stepping up our political, economic and cooperative relations. This active policy of integration within Latin America and the Caribbean would go hand in hand with our efforts to achieve exchange agreements with other parts of the world, such as the Asia-Pacific region, where Chile recently joined the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (APEC). Talks have also begun with a view to institutionalizing our economic relations with the countries of the North American Free Trade May I, in closing, reaffirm the importance of SELA in terms of regional participation in the new global economic scenario and may I also reaffirm the need for it to continue enjoying the support of the United Nations system in the efforts to this end.

As we approach the end of the century we are witnessing great changes and transformations. It may be said that there is no area of human affairs that has not been affected by these dynamic changes. This situation has also been reflected in the work of the United Nations. New issues have been added to the list of economic items traditionally on the agenda of the Organization, but we must also recognize that we see an ever closer interrelation between the old and the new agenda. As a result, we cannot deal with these issues in isolation lest we find ourselves taking a fragmentary and skewed approach, thereby gaining only a partial and fragmented view of the problems. The process of growing globalization and increased interdependence in the international economy means that no country can afford the luxury of staying on the sidelines of this constant process of transformation. Not to be involved would result in the loss of opportunities and the stagnation of one’s national economy. The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean have been very closely involved in this process of transformation, with a view to gaining more advantageous access to the new international order. This is not an easy undertaking. It requires a firm political will and, indeed, an intensive intellectual exercise to ensure that societies react in a timely and appropriate fashion to these new situations. As we travel down this road, the Latin American Economic System (SELA) has done an extremely important job analysing and evaluating trends and formulating specific proposals to help us deal with new challenges and take advantage of fresh opportunities. Since its creation almost 20 years ago, SELA has contributed to making sure that Latin America and the Caribbean have a stronger presence in various international negotiations and has striven to make sure that the region diversifies as much as possible in its dealings with the rest We should like to thank the Secretariat for its report (A/49/382) on this issue. It outlines the various activities which the United Nations system is carrying out jointly with SELA. We note with satisfaction that this cooperation has intensified in the last few years. The cooperation between SELA and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), particularly in promoting and strengthening development is concerned, is of particular interest. In this respect, we should mention in particular the invaluable support SELA has received from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). We take this opportunity to reaffirm how important it is to strengthen further such support. We also wish to highlight the increased cooperation on the part of SELA with other bodies throughout the United Nations system — in particular, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) — cooperation which is clearly reflected in trade, environmental, commodities, industrial and development issues in general. Studies such as those presented in "An Agenda for Development" (A/48/935), and those submitted to the World Summit for Social Development and the United Nations conference on industrial development, to mention but a few, along with initiatives for the development of a medium-term programme linking Latin America and the Caribbean on the one hand and Japan on the other in an effort to identify possible cooperative steps in various areas, together with the entry into operation of the integrated system of external trade in the context of the Latin American Association of Industrial Design (ALADI) and the proposal to set up a practical annual course on Central American integration are, inter alia, clear demonstrations of the unambiguous commitment of SELA to strengthening and developing intraregional relations and to increasing the Latin America and the Caribbean presence throughout the world. The work done by the twentieth meeting of the Latin American Council of SELA enabled the countries members of SELA to engage in the necessary reflection about the future of the Organization on its twentieth anniversary. It also enabled international experts to Against this backdrop and aware as we are of its role in facilitating consultation, coordination and cooperation between its member countries, we feel that SELA should continue to expand and intensify its cooperation with the United Nations on issues of special interest to our region. The experience of cooperation between the United Nations and SELA clearly shows that today the combined efforts of the regional and international bodies are a fundamental element of development.

I am very pleased to be able to speak on agenda item 29 and to commend for the Assembly’s unanimous adoption of draft resolution A/49/L.7, which is now before it. I do so on behalf of the twelve States members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) that are members of the United Nations - namely Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and my own country, Guyana. As a regional organization linking the countries of the Caribbean and Latin America, the Latin American Economic System (SELA) has grown in scope and membership since its creation in 1975. We in CARICOM take pride in welcoming as SELA’s newest member our sister CARICOM State of Belize. The organization has now also proved itself capable of extending cooperation beyond our region. A recent decision of the Latin American Council has given a mandate to forge links with the Republic of South Africa, in the context of economic and technical cooperation between developing countries. It will be recalled that earlier this year the General Assembly took the historic step of voting for the return of that country to our midst. The decision of the Latin American Council therefore accords well with the policies of the United Nations and the hopes and aspirations of the people of South Africa. The recent meeting of the Latin American Council held in Mexico City mandated its Permanent Secretariat to assist its member States in the provision of coordinated, technical and analytical support for the specific issues of drawing up an Agenda for Development and preparing for the World Summit for Social Development. Needless to say, both of these issues are of paramount importance in the matters on which we are focusing at this Assembly session, and we in Latin America and the Caribbean would find such assistance of immense value. Indeed in the execution of the mandate given to the presidency of the forty-eighth session of the General Assembly for the furtherance of work on the Agenda for Development, SELA, like many other regional and subregional bodies affiliated with the United Nations, provided a useful and welcome input for that process. This single, but eloquent, example attests to the value of established cooperation between our two organizations. In keeping with the Bolivarian vision of a united Latin America and the Caribbean, SELA has been specifically mandated to maximize dialogue and cooperation between its member States. This improvement in relations will inevitably lead to the strengthening of the regional and subregional integration processes, the achievement of greater economic complementarity and the enhancement of regional self-reliance. An important part of this objective for SELA will be the promotion of cooperation with the newly established Association of Caribbean States. In a region characterized by common goals and aspirations, but often of competing interests, the role of Miss Duran (Venezuela) (interpretation from Spanish): As the delegation of the host country of the Latin American Economic System (SELA), we wish once again to express our commitment to the efforts made by the United Nations, through various specialized agencies and bodies, to guarantee and strengthen cooperation and coordination between the Organization and SELA in areas of priority for the economic development of our region. As the Secretary-General rightly points out in his basic report, which is the premise for our discussion, the process of cooperation has intensified and become more diversified in terms both of SELA’s activities and of its ties to the United Nations. We would like to emphasize the promotion of greater participation in consultations among the delegations of the Member States, which has been achieved through the presence of the observer representative of SELA here at United Nations Headquarters. Venezuela stresses the importance of this cooperation, which can only benefit our community. We call for the strengthening of the support provided by the United Nations Development Programme and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean for the programmes which the Permanent Secretariat is moving forward to complement its activities in support of the States members of SELA, as defined during the twentieth meeting of the Latin American Council, in Mexico City. Venezuela hopes that these efforts will be pursued and, indeed, intensified, and that they will constitute a contribution by one and all to our region’s economic and social development. The delegation of Venezuela takes pleasure in joining the ranks of the co-sponsors of draft resolution A/49/L.7 and trusts that it will be adopted by consensus.

In accordance with General Assembly resolution 35/3 of 13 October 1980, I now call on the Observer of the Latin American Economic System.

On behalf of the Permanent Secretariat of the Latin American Economic System (SELA), As the draft resolution makes clear, we are convinced that implementing it will broaden and deepen the collaboration and mutual support activities between the United Nations and SELA. There are already many such activities as the Secretary-General’s report (A/49/382) indicates. In fact, since the signing, three years ago, of the new Agreement on cooperation between the two institutions and the adoption of resolution 48/22, which is being reaffirmed today, we have seen continuous expansion of cooperative action and joint work, not only with the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)and the various units of the Secretariat in New York and Geneva, but also with a variety of other bodies and specialized agencies throughout the system, such as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Economic and Social Council and the United Nations Children’s Fund, as well as many others, including the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Labour Organization, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the International Maritime Organization, the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (HABITAT). I shall not try to list all the various activities involving cooperation between these entities — especially ECLAC — as these are dealt with in detail in the Secretary-General’s report. However, I should like to highlight the invaluable support we have received from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as through the Special Unit on Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries, inasmuch as these are referred to specifically in last year’s resolution. The Latin American Council, which is the supreme body in the Latin American Economic System, held its twentieth annual regular meeting in Mexico City in June. On that occasion the Council adopted the guidelines for the programme of work throughout the System for the ensuing year, as well as a series of conclusions, decisions and declarations on issues of interest to the United Nations and included in the General Assembly’s agenda for its forty- ninth session. The report on the Council’s meeting will shortly be issued as an official document of the General Assembly. On this occasion I should like briefly to highlight some of its features to enable delegations to appreciate the variety and wealth of what is involved in the programme of work currently being implemented by the Latin American Economic System with regard to its two key pillars — regional consultation and cooperation. Thus it is that, for instance, with regard to "An Agenda for Development", the Latin American Council recommended to the Permanent Secretariat that it continue to follow closely developments on related items, particularly within the United Nations system, in close contact with the delegations of the Member States that participate in the deliberations involved and carry out an analysis of the state of affairs and the prospects with regard to relations between the countries in the region and the Bretton Woods institutions on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of these bodies and of the United Nations. With regard to the World Summit for Social Development, the Council requested the Permanent Secretariat to continue its cooperation with the Member States and with the Preparatory Committee and, in due course, to arrange cooperation and coordination between the countries of the region with a view to contributing to the implementation of the Plan of Action that will be adopted in Copenhagen. The Council also considered major issues, such as external debt, finance for development, international trade, Two special decisions were adopted — one on the matter of technical cooperation between developing countries; the other on the “principal criteria and guidelines for the sixth programme cycle of the UNDP”, which include, among other things, the reaffirmation and enumeration of a series of normative principles and operative criteria, along with a decision to ensure active follow-up to the negotiations in the sixth programme cycle and the corresponding elaboration of a regional programme for Latin America and the Caribbean, and the need to seek an increase, for the Latin American and Caribbean region, in the financial and technical resources available for international cooperation coming from both bilateral and multilateral sources. We are confident that, with its programme of work, SELA is meeting the challenges of the new times, in accordance with the wishes of its member States, all of which will undoubtedly be strengthened by increasing cooperation with the rest of the international community and, in particular, with the United Nations system.

The Secretary-General’s report (A/49/382) on cooperation between the United Nations and the Latin American Economic System (SELA) is an excellent basis on which to discuss the development problems of this area. We agree with the Secretary-General that SELA’s cooperation with United Nations programmes is constantly being increased and diversified. This is certainly in the interests of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the rest of the international community. A good example of inter-organization cooperation is to be found in the practical results of the work of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) on economic, social, demographic and environmental problems. We hope that this activity will continue and that cooperation between the Organization of American States (OAS) and the United The process of regional integration is a characteristic of present-day development, and close interregional cooperation through international organizations is a most welcome development. We consider it a positive phenomenon that in the process of developing areas of the region due attention is given to economic questions. When decisions are being made about how other problems might be moved towards solution, in cooperation with the United Nations and its specialized agencies, including the Bretton Woods institutions, it would be a good idea to take into account problems arising from decisions relating to trade in raw materials and manufactured goods. This would make the work more interesting and more practical and would be consonant with the interests of the countries of Latin America — indeed, of the international community as a whole.

The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/49/L.7. May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt the draft resolution?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 29?

In accordance with General Assembly decision 42/450 of 17 December 1987, the The Assembly has before it document A/49/259, which contains the nominations of the Economic and Social Council to fill the vacancies in the Committee that will occur as a result of the expiration on 31 December 1994 of the terms of office of Bahamas, France, Ghana, the Russian Federation, the United States of America, Uruguay and Zambia. Those States are eligible for immediate re-election. I should like to remind members that after 1 January 1995 the following States will still be members of the Committee: Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, China, Comoros, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Germany, India, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Kenya, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Senegal, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Therefore, those 27 States are not eligible in this election. The following States have been nominated by the Economic and Social Council: two African States for two vacancies - Benin and Ghana; one Eastern European State for one vacancy - the Russian Federation; two Latin American and Caribbean States for two vacancies - Bahamas and Mexico; two Western European and other States for two vacancies - France and the United States of America. The number of States nominated from among the African States, the Eastern European States, the Latin American and Caribbean States, and the Western European and other States corresponds to the number of seats to be filled in each of those regions. In accordance with rule 92 of the rules of procedure, all elections should be held by secret ballot. However, in accordance with paragraph 16 of decision 34/401, the Assembly may, in elections to subsidiary organs, dispense with secret balloting when the number of candidates corresponds to the number of seats to be filled. Accordingly, may I take it that the Assembly wishes to declare those States nominated by the Economic and Social Council namely Bahamas, Benin, France, Ghana, We have concluded our consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 16.