A/49/PV.97 General Assembly

It is my sad duty to recall to the General Assembly the death, a month ago today, of Mr. James P. Grant, former Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Mr. Grant was the third Executive Director of UNICEF. He held this position from 1 January 1980 until 23 January 1995, when he resigned because of ill health. Mr. Grant was one of the most dedicated officials of the United Nations. His commitment to the cause of children around the world was well known and will never be forgotten. His devotion to the cause of children in Africa was reflected, inter alia, in the institution of the Day of the African Child, which has been celebrated annually for the past four years. On behalf of the General Assembly, I should like to request the representative of the United States of America to convey to the Government of the United States of America and to the family of Mr. Grant our expressions of profound sympathy. May I now ask representatives to stand and observe a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of Mr. James P. Grant. The members of the General Assembly observed a minute of silence.

I now call on the representative of the United States of America.

Mr. President, I thank you for your kind remarks, which I shall indeed convey to my Government and to Mr. Grant’s family. I am honoured and pleased to be able to address the General Assembly at this memorial to Jim Grant and to speak about his contributions to the international community. While we are all saddened by his passing, a review of his life’s work should give us renewed strength and purpose. To his very last day, Jim Grant’s life was a triumph. He showed us that one dedicated person can make a major, positive difference in the world. I also take great pride in representing the United States of America at this tribute. Jim Grant’s long career in public service, which began in the United States Government and culminated with his appointment as Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), symbolizes the best in the commitment of the United States of America and its citizens to assist those in need throughout the world. Jim Grant’s leadership reaffirmed and strengthened UNICEF’s support among the American people. He effectively communicated his sense of mission, and his focused concern for the welfare of children throughout the world, to people in this country. The response of Americans was intense and generous. We all have much to learn from him in this regard. As we prepare to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, we should keep in mind the example and vision which Jim Grant has provided to us. That is, a United Nations which is genuinely concerned with and responsive to the problems that affect people, especially the most vulnerable ones. If we continue to foster and promote that type of United Nations, we will have been true to Jim Grant’s great legacy.

In a letter contained in document A/49/838/Add.1, the Secretary- General informs me that, since the issuance of his communication dated 26 January 1995 (A/49/838), Grenada, Senegal and Vanuatu have made the necessary payments to reduce their 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?

Members will recall that at its 70th plenary meeting, on 29 November 1994, on the recommendation of the Fifth Committee The Assembly invited the President of the General Assembly to appoint the experts in consultation with Member States, with due regard for equitable geographical representation, and to establish the working group as soon as possible. I am bringing up agenda item 112 for the sole purpose of informing the Assembly of the appointment of members of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Working Group on the Implementation of the Principle of Capacity to Pay Established Pursuant to General Assembly Resolution 49/19, the understanding that the Fifth Committee remains seized of the item for its customary consideration as may be required. After extensive — indeed, arduous — consultations with the Chairmen of the groups of African States, Asian States, Eastern European States, Latin American and Caribbean States and Western European and other States, I have appointed the following States as members of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Working Group on the Implementation of the Principle of Capacity to Pay Established Pursuant to General Assembly Resolution 49/19, with effect from 28 February 1995: Algeria, Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Malawi, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, Paraguay, Russian Federation, Spain, Tunisia, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, and Venezuela. May I take it that the Assembly takes note of these appointments?

The Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Working Group on the Implementation of the Principle of Capacity to Pay Established Pursuant to General Assembly Resolution 49/19 has thus been fully constituted. For the information of delegations, I wish to read out the names of the persons who have been designated I should like to inform the Assembly that the first session of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Working Group will be held at Headquarters on a date of which participants will be informed at an appropriate time.

In his note A/49/24, the Secretary-General informs the Assembly that, following the adoption of Security Council resolution 955 (1994) of 8 November 1994 on the establishment of an International Criminal Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Genocide and Other Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of Rwanda and Rwandese Citizens Responsible for Genocide and Other Such Violations Committed in the Territory of Neighbouring States between 1 January and 31 December 1994, he has the honour to request, pursuant to rule 15 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, the inclusion in the agenda of the forty- ninth session of two additional items of an important and urgent character. The first item is entitled “Financing of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Genocide and Other Serious The second item is entitled “Election of judges of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Genocide and Other Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of Rwanda and Rwandese Citizens Responsible for Genocide and Other Such Violations Committed in the Territory of Neighbouring States between 1 January and 31 December 1994”. The Secretary-General further requests that the first item, regarding the financing of the International Tribunal, be allocated to the Fifth Committee and that the second item, on the election of judges of the International Tribunal, be considered directly by the Assembly in plenary meeting. Unless there is any objection, I shall take it that the General Assembly agrees that, under the circumstances described in the note by the Secretary-General, the provision of rule 40 of the rules of procedure, which would require a meeting of the General Committee on the question of the inclusion and allocation of additional items, should be waived.

We shall turn first to the request concerning the first item. May I take it that the General Assembly, acting on the proposal of the Secretary-General, wishes to include in the agenda of its forty-ninth session an item entitled “Financing of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Genocide and Other Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of Rwanda and Rwandese Citizens Responsible for Genocide and Other Such Violations Committed in the Territory of Neighbouring States between 1 January and 31 December 1994”, and to allocate it to the Fifth Committee?

The Chairman of the Fifth Committee will be informed of the decision just taken.

In his note A/49/102/Add.1, the Secretary-General informs the General Assembly that he has received notification of the resignation of Mrs. Norma Goicochea Estenoz (Cuba) from the membership of the Committee on Contributions and that the Assembly will therefore be required at its current session to appoint a person to fill the unexpired portion of the term of office of Mrs. Goicochea Estenoz, that is, until 31 December 1995. In order to enable the General Assembly to take the required action, it will be necessary to reopen consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 17, entitled “Appointment of members of the Committee on Contributions”. May I take it that the General Assembly, on the proposal of the Secretary-General, wishes to reopen its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 17, entitled “Appointment of members of the Committee on Contributions”?

Members will recall that, at its third plenary meeting, on 23 September 1994, the Assembly allocated this item to the Fifth Committee. May I take it that the Assembly again wishes to allocate this item to the Fifth Committee?

Members will recall that, in accordance with resolution 3348 (XXIX) of 17 December 1974, the General Assembly elects the members of the World Food Council upon nomination by the Economic and Social Council. Members will also recall that at its 75th plenary meeting, on 5 December 1994, the Assembly elected Angola, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Kenya, the Marshall Islands, the Russian Federation and Uganda as members of the World Food Council, for a three-year term beginning on 1 January 1995. Regarding the remaining vacancies, there was one seat for the Eastern European States and two seats for the Western European and other States that remained to be filled for this session. There was also one seat for the Eastern European States and one seat for the Western European and other States that had been vacant since the forty-eighth session. At the 75th plenary meeting, it was stated that the General Assembly would be in a position to act on the vacancies upon the nomination by the Economic and Social Council of Member States from those regions. I now wish to draw the attention of representatives to a note by the Secretary-General, issued as document A/49/260/Add.2. In paragraph 1 of his note, the Secretary-General informs the Assembly that the Economic and Social Council has decided to nominate Albania, from among the Eastern European States, for election by the Assembly to membership in the World Food Council. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to declare Albania elected a member of the World Food Council for a term of office ending on 31 December 1997?

I now draw the attention of members to paragraph 2 of document A/49/260/Add.2, where the Secretary-General informs the Assembly that the Economic and Social Council has decided to postpone to a later date nominations for two members from the Western European and other States for a term of office expiring on 31 December 1997. Paragraph 3 informs the Assembly that the Economic and Social Council has postponed nominations for one member from the Eastern European States and one member from the Western European and other States whose elections had been postponed by the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session. I therefore propose that the Assembly keep this sub- item on the agenda of its forty-ninth session. If I hear no objection, I shall take it that the Assembly agrees to that procedure.

The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 16.

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. In paragraph 4 of part II of its report (A/49/656/Add.1), the Fifth Committee recommends that the General Assembly should appoint Mr. Vijay Gokhale and Mr. Carlos Dante Riva as members of the United Nations Staff Pension Committee for a term of office ending on 31 December 1997. May I take it that the General Assembly appoints those persons?

The General Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of agenda item 17 (g). (i) Appointment of members of the Committee on Conferences: note by the President of the General Assembly (A/49/109/Add.1)

In my note, I recall that at the 75th and 96th plenary meetings, held on 5 December 1994 and 26 January 1995 respectively, I had appointed the Bahamas, Belgium, Ghana, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Latvia and Senegal as members of the Committee on Conferences for a term of office ending on 31 December 1997. However, one seat from among the Latin American and Caribbean States still remained vacant. Following further consultations, I have appointed Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as a member of the Committee on Conferences for a term of office ending on 31 December 1997. May I take it that the Assembly takes note of that appointment?

The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 17 (i).

I wish to welcome Mr. Alvaro de Soto, who has succeeded