A/58/PV.2 General Assembly
The meeting was called to order at 10.30 a.m.
Item 126 of the provisional agenda (continued) Scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations (A/58/360/Add.1)
Before proceeding to the item on our agenda, I should like to draw the attention of the General Assembly to document A/58/360/Add.1, in which the Secretary-General informs the President of the General Assembly that, since the issuance of his communication contained in document A/58/360, Vanuatu 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 the information contained in that document? Item 8 of the provisional agenda (continued) Organization of work, adoption of the agenda and allocation of items Report of the General Committee (A/58/250)
It was so decided.
May I request the General Assembly to direct its attention to section II of document A/58/250, entitled “Organization of the session”, which contains a number of recommendations
concerning the General Committee, rationalization of work, opening and closing dates for the session, the general debate, the conduct of the meetings, and so on.
All of those recommendations concern established practice; so, rather than going through them one by one, I believe it would be better and much more efficient that we address all of those organizational matters concerning the General Assembly as a whole. Are there any comments on that approach?
As there are no comments, we shall proceed accordingly.
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to take note of all of the information that it is requested to take note of, and to approve all the recommendations that the General Committee has made in section II of the report?
It was so decided.
With regard to paragraph 13, on waving the requirements to declare a meeting open, I should like to endorse the practical suggestion that has been made at previous sessions, namely, that each delegation designate someone to be present in the meeting rooms at the scheduled times.
Next, I invite the Assembly to turn its attention to section III of the memorandum, entitled “Observations on the organization of the work of the General Assembly”.
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to take note of the information contained in that section?
It was so decided.
May I now invite members to turn their attention to section IV, which deals with the adoption of the agenda. The question of the allocation of items will be dealt with subsequently in section V. Again, the information in paragraphs 38 to 41 refers to the standard practice of the General Assembly.
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to take note of the information contained in paragraphs 38 to 41?
It was so decided.
In paragraph 42, regarding item 23, entitled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”, and item 164, entitled “International Year of Sport and Physical Education”, the General Committee recommends the inclusion of an item, to be considered as item 23, entitled “Sport for peace and development”, including the sub-item (a), entitled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”, and the sub-item (b) entitled, “International Year of Sport and Physical Education”.
May I take it that the Assembly approves that recommendation?
It was so decided.
In paragraph 43, the General Assembly is informed that the General Committee decided to defer to a later date its consideration of the inclusion of item 29 of the draft agenda, entitled “Question of the Comorian island of Mayotte”.
In paragraph 44, the General Committee recommends that the consideration of item 92 of the draft agenda, entitled “Question of the Malagasy islands of Glorieuses, Juan de Nova, Europa and Bassas da India”, should be deferred to the fifty-ninth session and that the item should be included in the provisional agenda of that session.
May I take it that the Assembly approves those recommendations?
It was so decided.
In paragraph 45, in connection with item 163 of the draft agenda, entitled “Financing of the United Nations Mission in Côte d’Ivoire”, the General Committee recommends its inclusion in the agenda of the current session.
May I take it that the Assembly approves that recommendation?
It was so decided.
In paragraph 46, in connection with item 165 of the draft agenda, entitled “Observer status for the Eurasian Economic Community in the General Assembly”, the General Committee recommends the inclusion of that item in the agenda of the current session.
May I take it that the Assembly approves that recommendation?
It was so decided.
In respect of paragraph 47, the General Committee decided not to recommend the inclusion of item 166 of the draft agenda.
In paragraph 48, in connection with item 167 of the draft agenda, entitled, “Observer status for the GUUAM in the General Assembly”, the General Committee recommends the inclusion of that item in the agenda of the current session.
May I take it that the Assembly approves that recommendation?
It was so decided.
In paragraph 49, in connection with item 168 of the draft agenda, entitled “Observer status for the East African Community in the General Assembly”, the General Committee recommends the inclusion of that item in the agenda of the current session.
May I take it that the Assembly approves that recommendation?
It was so decided.
We turn now to the agenda that the General Committee recommends for adoption by the General Assembly.
In accordance with past practice, we shall follow the numbering given in paragraph 50 of the General Committee’s report contained in document A/58/250
and, where it seems appropriate, we shall consider items in groups. I should like to remind members once again that, at present, we are not discussing the substance of any item.
Items 1 to 3 have already been dealt with.
We now turn to items 4 to 22.
May I take it that those items are included in the agenda?
It was so decided.
Item 23 has already been dealt with.
We next turn to items 24 to 160. May I take it that those items are included in the agenda?
It was so decided.
With regard to items 161 to 165, members will recall that the General Assembly has already decided to include those items in the agenda of the current session.
We turn now to section V of the Secretary- General’s memorandum on the allocation of items.
We turn first to paragraphs 51 and 52.
May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to take note of the information contained in paragraphs 51 and 52?
It was so decided.
We shall now turn to the recommendations contained in paragraphs 54 to 59. We shall take up the recommendations one by one.
Before we proceed, may I remind members that the item numbers refer to the agenda in paragraph 50 of the report before us, namely, document A/58/250.
We turn first to paragraphs 54 (a) to (j), relating to plenary meetings.
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to take note of all of the information that the General Committee wishes the General Assembly to take note of, and to approve all of the recommendations of the General Committee?
It was so decided.
We now turn to paragraph 55, relating to item 73, entitled “General and complete disarmament”.
May I take it that the General Assembly approves the recommendation contained in paragraph 55?
It was so decided.
We turn next to paragraph 56, relating to item 104 (b), entitled “High-level dialogue for the implementation of the outcome of the International Conference on Financing for Development”.
May I take it that the General Assembly takes note of that paragraph?
It was so decided.
We now turn to paragraph 57, relating to item 110, entitled “Advancement of women”.
May I take it that the General Assembly approves the recommendation contained in paragraph 57?
It was so decided.
We turn now to paragraphs 58 (a) and (b).
May I take it that the General Assembly approves the recommendations contained in those paragraphs relating to item 122, entitled “Programme planning” and item 128, entitled “Administration of justice at the United Nations”?
It was so decided.
We turn now to paragraphs 59 (a) to (c).
May I take it that the General Assembly approves the recommendations contained in those paragraphs relating to items 162 to 164, entitled “Observer status for the Eurasian Economic Community in the General Assembly”, “Observer status for the GUUAM in the General Assembly” and “Observer status for the East African Community in the General Assembly”, respectively?
It was so decided.
We shall now turn to paragraph 60 of the report of the General Committee.
I now invite members to turn to the list of items recommended by the General Committee for consideration in plenary meeting.
Taking into account the decisions just adopted, may I consider that the General Assembly approves the allocation of the items listed in paragraph 60?
It was so decided.
We turn now to the list of items that the General Committee has recommended for allocation to the First Committee.
Taking into account the decisions just adopted, may I take it that the General Assembly approves the allocation of the items proposed for the First Committee?
It was so decided.
We turn now to the list of items that the General Committee recommends for allocation to the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee).
Taking into account the decisions just adopted, may I consider that the General Assembly approves the allocation of the items proposed for the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee)?
It was so decided.
We turn now to the list of items that the General Committee has recommended for allocation to the Second Committee.
Taking into account the decision just adopted, may I consider that the General Assembly approves the allocation of the items proposed for the Second Committee?
It was so decided.
We turn now to the list of items that the General Committee recommends for allocation to the Third Committee.
Taking into account the decision just adopted, may I take it that the General Assembly approves the allocation of the items proposed for the Third Committee?
It was so decided.
We now turn to the list of items that the General Committee recommends for allocation to the Fifth Committee.
Taking into account the decisions just adopted, may I take it that the General Assembly approves the allocation of the items proposed for the Fifth Committee?
It was so decided.
Lastly, we come to the list of items that the General Committee recommends for allocation to the Sixth Committee.
Taking into account the decisions just adopted, may I take it that the General Assembly approves the allocation of the items proposed for the Sixth Committee?
It was so decided.
The General Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of the first report of the General Committee. I wish to thank all the members of the Assembly for their cooperation.
Each Main Committee will receive the list of agenda items allocated to it, so that it may begin and organize its work in accordance with rule 99 of the rules of procedure.
The meeting rose at 10.50 a.m.