A/50/PV.55 General Assembly

The General Assembly would like to extend its deepest sympatht to the Government and the people of India for the tragic loss of life and the extensive material damage which has resulted from the recent cyclone.

In conformity with the provisions of chapter I of the statute of the International Law Commission, the 34 members of the Commission are to be elected for a five-year term of office beginning on 1 January 1997. The notes by the Secretary-General concerning the candidates are contained in document A/51/177 and Add.1-9. Members will recall that the Assembly, at its 52nd plenary meeting, on 5 November 1996, decided to request the Secretary-General to issue a consolidated list incorporating new candidates and information received subsequent to the deadline for the submission of nominations. In this connection, the Assembly has before it the note by the Secretary-General contained in document A/51/653 of 5 November 1996, which consolidates in alphabetical order the candidates nominated by the Governments of States Members of the United Nations for election to the International Law Commission. The notes by the Secretary-General concerning the statements of qualifications of candidates are contained in document A/51/178 and addendum 1 thereto. There are now 50 candidates eligible in this election. I should like to recall that the persons to be elected to the International Law Commission should individually possess the qualifications required — that is to say, they should be persons of recognized competence in international law. The statute also provides that in the Commission as a whole representation of the main forms of civilization and of the principal legal systems of the world should be assured. In accordance with rule 92 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, the election shall be held by secret ballot. According to paragraph 3 of General Assembly resolution 36/39, the 34 members should be elected as follows: (a) Eight nationals from African States; (b) Seven nationals from Asian States; (c) Four nationals from Eastern European States; (d) Seven nationals from Latin American and Caribbean States; (e) Eight nationals from Western European and other States. The ballot papers reflect this pattern. Representatives are requested to place a cross to the left of the names of the candidates for whom they wish to vote, but for no more than the number of seats allocated to each region. Representatives may vote only for those candidates whose names appear on the ballot papers. I should like to inform members that the number of candidates not exceeding the number of seats to be filled, receiving the greatest number of votes and not less than the majority of the votes of the Member States present and voting shall be declared elected. In the case of a tie vote for a remaining seat, there will be a restricted ballot limited to those candidates who have obtained an equal number of votes. May I take it that the General Assembly agrees to that procedure?

Ballot papers marked A, B, C, D and E will now be distributed. I request the representatives to use only those ballot papers and, as I stated before, to place a cross at the left of the names of the candidates for whom they wish to vote, but for no more than the number of seats allocated to each region. A ballot paper containing more Accordingly, please ensure that the ballot papers marked A, for African States, do not contain votes for more than eight candidates; the ballot papers marked B, for Asian States, do not contain votes for more than seven candidates; the ballot papers marked C, for Eastern European States, do not contain votes for more than four candidates; the ballot papers marked D, for Latin American and Caribbean States, do not contain votes for more than seven candidates; and the ballot papers marked E, for Western European and other States, do not contain votes for more than eight candidates.

The result of the voting is as follows: GROUP A Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 181 Abstentions: 0 Number of members voting: 181 Required majority: 91 Number of votes obtained: Mr. Nabil Elaraby (Egypt) 151 Mr. James Lutabanzibwa Kateka (United Republic of Tanzania) 133 Mr. Christopher John Robert Dugard (South Africa) 130 Mr. Doudou Thiam (Senegal) 128 Mr. Mohamed Bennouna (Morocco) 119 Mr. Emmanuel Akwei Addo (Ghana) 105 Mr. Guillaume Pambou-Tchivounda (Gabon) 97 Mr. Peter C. R. Kabatsi (Uganda) 95 Mr. Kamil Idris (Sudan) 93 Mr. Edilbert Razafindralambo (Madagascar) 86 Mr. Sikhe Camara (Guinea) 80 Mr. Maurice Kamto (Cameroon) 70 Mr. Elton Mawina Singini (Malawi) 59 Mr. Salifou Fomba (Mali) 58 Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 181 Abstentions: 0 Number of members voting: 181 Required majority: 91 Number of votes obtained: Mr. Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh (Jordan) 142 Mr. Pemmaraju Sreenivasa Rao (India) 141 Mr. Chusei Yamada (Japan) 141 Mr. He Qizhi (China) 127 Mr. Husain Al-Baharna (Bahrain) 122 Mr. Mochtar Kusuma-Atmadja (Indonesia) 106 Mr. Raul I. Goco (Philippines) 96 Mr. Andreas D. Jacovides (Cyprus) 84 Mr. Djamchid Momtaz (Islamic Republic of Iran) 78 Mr. Najeeb Al-Nauimi (Qatar) 64 Mr. John de Saram (Sri Lanka) 60 Mr. Churamani Raj Singh Malla (Nepal) 51 GROUP C Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 181 Abstentions: 1 Number of members voting: 180 Required majority: 91 Number of votes obtained: Mr. Zdzislaw Galicki (Poland) 147 Mr. Teodor Viorel Melescanu (Romania) 139 Mr. Igor Ivanovich Lukashuk (Russian Federation) 138 Mr. Václav Mikulka (Czech Republic) 136 Mr. Volodymyr A. Vassylenko (Ukraine) 131 GROUP D Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 181 Abstentions: 2 Number of members voting: 179 Required majority: 90 Number of votes obtained: Mr. João Clemente Baena Soares (Brazil) 156 Mr. Bernardo Sepúlveda (Mexico) 145 Mr. Enrique J. A. Candioti (Argentina) 137 Mr. Didier Opertti Badan (Uruguay) 129 Mr. Jorge E. Illueca (Panama) 127 Mr. Mauricio Herdocia Sacasa (Nicaragua) 126 GROUP E Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 181 Abstentions: 1 Number of members voting: 180 Required majority: 91 Number of votes obtained: Mr. Gerhard Hafner (Austria) 167 Mr. Luigi Ferrari Bravo (Italy) 166 Mr. Alain Pellet (France) 161 Mr. Bruno Simma (Germany) 159 Mr. Robert Rosenstock (United States of America) 151 Mr. Ian Brownlie (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 150 Mr. James Richard Crawford (Australia) 146 Mr. Constanin P. Economides (Greece) 135 Mr. Brice De Ruyver (Belgium) 132 The Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 17.