A/61/PV.92 General Assembly

Statements will therefore be limited to explanations of vote. The positions of delegations regarding the recommendations 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, i.e., 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 remind delegations that, also in accordance with General Assembly decision 34/401, explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats. Before we begin to take action on the recommendations contained in the reports of the Fifth Committee, I should like to advise representatives that we are going to proceed to take decisions in the same manner as was done in the Fifth Committee, unless notified otherwise in advance. This means that, where recorded or separate votes were taken, we will do the same. I also hope that we may proceed to adopt without a vote those recommendations that were adopted without a vote in the Fifth Committee.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The European Union is very pleased that the General Assembly is today taking action to approve financing for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). As with all peacekeeping missions, it is essential that the Force be provided with sufficient resources to fully implement its mandate. The draft resolution before the Assembly recognizes that and provides the necessary financing for this important operation. As the draft resolution and the level of funding provided recognize, UNIFIL’s mandate, the size of the Force and its area of operations have been significantly increased by Security Council resolution 1701 (2006). In budgetary terms, the Force is working under a new strategic framework, with new expected accomplishments and new indicators of achievement that flow directly from the Security Council mandate. In paragraph 12 of the draft resolution, we acknowledge and make clear that we wish the Secretary-General to continue to measure the accomplishments of the Force in that way. It was that understanding that made it possible for the paragraph to receive the support of the whole Fifth Committee.

Lebanon very much appreciates the important role that the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon plays in southern Lebanon in accordance with Security Council resolution 1701 (2006). Lebanon is grateful to all the delegations that will vote in favour of the draft resolution on the financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, specifically the States members of the Group of 77 and China. Lebanon expects the Secretary-General to continue to implement the mandate given by the Security Council in resolution 1701 (2006), recalled in operative paragraph 12 of the draft resolution under consideration. In this regard, we believe that the logical framework put forward by the Secretary- General in his budget report (A/61/766) is in line with the mandate given by the Security Council.

As my delegation explained on Friday, 30 March 2007, in the Fifth Committee, the United States strongly supports the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which is implementing an important mandate. However, the use of General Assembly funding resolutions to pursue claims against a Member State procedurally is not correct. That is the reason why we have opposed such draft resolutions in previous years and why we will do so today. However, in response to the statement by the delegation of Syria concerning the logical framework contained in UNIFIL’s budget, my delegation would like to state that it is the Secretariat’s proper role to develop those results-based budgeting elements on the basis of Security Council mandates. It is not the role of the General Assembly to alter the results-based budget elements.

We will now take a decision on the draft resolution entitled “Financing of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon”. A single separate vote has been requested on the fourth preambular paragraph and operative paragraphs 4, 5 and 20 of the draft resolution. If there is no objection to those requests, I shall now put to the vote the fourth preambular paragraph and operative paragraphs 4, 5 and 20. A recorded vote has been requested.

I shall now put to the vote the draft resolution as a whole. A recorded vote has been requested. [Subsequently the delegation of Zambia advised the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour.]

The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 144.

The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 151. Programme of work The President: I would like to inform members that the General Assembly will consider the other reports of the Fifth Committee on Wednesday, 4 April 2007, in the afternoon.