A/74/PV.51 General Assembly

The Assembly has before it a draft resolution entitled “Credentials of representatives to the seventy-fourth session of the General Assembly”, recommended by the Committee in paragraph 12 of its report. I now give the floor to the Chair of the Credentials Committee, Ms. Elizabeth Thompson of Barbados.

On behalf of the Credentials Committee, I have the honour to introduce the report of the Credentials Committee concerning the credentials of the representatives to the seventy- fourth session of the General Assembly, contained in document A/74/572. Having considered the credentials of the representatives to the seventy-fourth session at its meeting on 10 December 2019, the Credentials Committee adopted without a vote a draft resolution accepting those credentials. The Committee also recommended to the General Assembly the adoption of a draft resolution concerning the credentials of representatives to the seventy-fourth session, contained in paragraph 12 of the report of the Committee. The draft resolution approving the report of the Credentials Committee is therefore before the General Assembly for its adoption. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to the members of the Committee and to the Secretariat for facilitating our work.

I thank the Chair of the Credentials Committee. The General Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution entitled “Credentials of representatives to the seventy-fourth session of the General Assembly”, recommended by the Credentials Committee in paragraph 12 of its report. The Credentials Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

Before giving the floor for explanations of vote after the voting, may I remind delegations that explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.

I am taking the floor on behalf of the delegations of Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay and Peru, member countries of the Lima Group, as well as on behalf of the delegations of Australia, Ecuador, El Salvador, the United States of America, Georgia, Haiti, Israel, the Marshall Islands, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Korea, in order to put on the record that the adoption of the report of the Credentials Committee for the seventy- fourth session of the General Assembly (A/74/572) should not be interpreted as a tacit recognition by our countries of the regime of Nicolás Maduro or of his designated representatives to the Assembly. Including our countries, a total of more than 50 countries do not recognize the illegitimate regime of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and have recognized Juan Guaidó as interim President of Venezuela.

The European Union and its member States reiterate that the presidential elections of May 2018 in Venezuela were neither free, fair nor credible, lacking democratic legitimacy. The European Union and its member States reiterate their full support for the National Assembly, which is a democratic, legitimate body of Venezuela and whose powers need to be restored and respected, including the prerogatives and safety of its members. We underline our conviction that the solution to the multidimensional crisis affecting Venezuela can only be a political, democratic and peaceful one. We therefore strongly renew our call for the restoration of democracy through free, transparent and credible presidential elections. At the same time, the humanitarian needs of the Venezuelan people inside and outside the country cannot wait for a solution to the political crisis, as recently underlined by the International Solidarity Conference on the Venezuelan Refugee and Migrant Crisis.

My delegation joined the consensus on resolution 74/179. However, I would like to express my delegation’s reservations about the parts of the report contained in the document and in the resolution concerned that could be construed as a recognition of the Israeli regime.

We thank the Credentials Committee and its Chair, the Ambassador of Barbados, for their work. We welcome that, during the meeting of the Credentials Committee, held on 10 December, the draft resolution contained in report A/74/572, submitted for our consideration today, was adopted (resolution 74/179). It is the duty of the Credentials Committee, of the Secretariat, the States Members of the United Nations and consequently the General Assembly to ensure strict compliance with the rules of procedure governing the work of the Organization, particularly as it regards the consideration of credentials. It is our duty to act in accordance with the foundation Charter of the United Nations and to be faithful to its purposes and principles. That commitment implies not intervening — directly or indirectly — in the internal affairs of other States and respecting the principles of the national sovereignty, equal rights and self- determination of all peoples. We reiterate that the legitimacy of a Government emanates from the express and sovereign will of its people, not the recognition of foreign Powers. As such, we regret that this meeting is being used to attack the legitimate Government of the sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in open disregard for the popular will and institutional integrity of the country, as expressed in the elections held on 20 May 2018. The main threat to peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean is the harassment by the United States of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. We reiterate our full support for the Bolivarian and Chavista revolutions and for its legitimate and democratically elected President, the Constitutional President, Mr. Nicolás Maduro. We ask the international community, the States Members of the United Nations, to continue supporting the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, an active country in the Organization, the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. The Community was proclaimed to be a zone of peace by its Heads of State and Government in 2014. Supporting the Government of Venezuela is also a vote for peace, respect for the sovereignty of States and non-interventionism in their internal affairs.

We thank the General Assembly for accepting our credentials as the sole and legitimate representatives of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. That decision recognizes the people and the Government of our nation in their struggle for peace and international law. The use of the General Assembly to attack Member States is an assault on multilateralism and on the system of relations among Member States as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations. We must therefore work together to prevent the installation of a practice that would allow a group of countries to claim the right to illegally designate the authorities and diplomatic representatives of other independent countries, in disregard of the sovereign will of their peoples. That becomes more evident when economic gain is sought from such attacks on a sovereign State, like Venezuela, a country upon which illegal, unilateral, cruel and coercive economic measures that threaten the human rights of its people have been imposed — all with the intent to change its internal political order and steal its national assets and resources. Such economic aggression, accompanied by violation of the right of sovereign States to participate in the United Nations, opens the doors to chaos in international relations and creates a systemic flaw that benefits aggressor States — the unacceptable imposition of force over international law. In the course of this year, the Government of the United States of America has unleashed a campaign of political, economic and diplomatic coercion against my country. It began with a false-flag operation to violate our territorial integrity. Then, in the Security Council, its Vice-President, Mike Pence, threatened to expel us from the United Nations (see S/PV.8506). A few days later, it promoted a coup d’état that placed the peace of the region in jeopardy. It also imposed coercive measures intended, through hunger and sickness, to weaken the resistance of our people, against the backdrop of constant incursions of military aircraft into our airspace and public threats of the use of military force against our country. The Government of the United States of America systematically and incrementally violates its Charter obligations. It now declares Venezuela as a threat to peace and invokes a regional military treaty to which Venezuela is not a member in order to use armed force without the authorization of the Security Council. The Venezuelan credentials accepted today by the General Assembly are a guarantee of peace because the puppet Government created by the United States does not have the necessary credentials to invoke the use of force against our nation. Today, it is clear that an independent, free and sovereign Venezuela has thwarted the United States campaign and, more importantly, that Venezuela can count on the majority of the international community to safeguard peace and the United Nations Charter.

The delegation of Nicaragua welcomes the work of the Credentials Committee and thanks its Chair, the Ambassador of Barbados, for her report (A/74/572). Nicaragua supports the report’s recommendations for this seventy-fourth session of the General Assembly which, in our view, are strictly in line with the rules of procedure and the Charter of the United Nations with regard to the credentials of its States Members. Nicaragua bases its international relations on respect for the sovereignty of States, non-intervention and the peaceful settlement of disputes. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has only one Constitutional President, who was democratically elected by its people — President Nicolás Maduro Moros. The situation in this brother country is an internal affair that should be resolved by the Venezuelan people in accordance with its Constitution and laws. Nicaragua’s position is fully in keeping with the United Nations Charter and the principles of international law.

I would like to express my delegation’s support for the Credentials Committee with regard to its acceptance of the credentials of the representatives of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the legitimate delegation of Venezuela. We reiterate our rejection of the statement of the representative of Peru, on behalf of the Lima Group and other States. We also reject the statement made by the representative of Finland on behalf of the European Union. My country wishes to reiterate its total solidarity with, and support for, the people of Venezuela in maintaining their sovereignty and resisting attempts to impose regime change by force. My delegation’s position is in total alignment with the purposes and principles of the United Nations, in particular respect for sovereignty and non-interference in domestic affairs. All attempts to change the legitimate Government in Venezuela undermine the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the principle of sovereign equality. The Committee’s recommendation to accept the credentials of the representatives of Venezuela is aligned with the principles of the United Nations and we emphasize that any attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the Venezuelan Government represents a threat to the Governments of Member States, in this or any other forum. We wish to reiterate our solidarity with the Venezuelan Government under the leadership of its legitimate President — Mr. Nicolás Maduro.

I am taking the floor to present our general statement and to reiterate Indonesia’s unwavering commitment, as a member of the United Nations, to steadfastly contribute to multilateralism in accordance with the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations — particularly the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, upon which the Organization rests. To that end, we would like to draw the attention of the States Members of the United Nations, as well as that of the entire United Nations system, to the unacceptable action of the delegation of Vanuatu during the high-level segment of the seventy-fourth session of the General Assembly — by including, as members of its official delegation, non-citizens of Vanuatu who have supported or been active in the separatist movement against my country. Furthermore, those alien members of the Vanuatu delegation have incited violence, conflict and destruction. They have consistently instigated provocation, with malicious intentions. Endeavours by any country to support a separatist movement and its intentions is deplorable. Indonesia underlines that such actions are clearly against the principle of friendly relations among States. My delegation totally rejects such actions as they serve no purpose other than politically motivated and provocative action aimed at disrespecting Indonesia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We believe that Member States should not play into the hands of separatists or provide opportunities and grand privileges that could be misused by interest groups with separatist intentions. Finally, my delegation requests that the Assembly ensure that the spirit and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, which is based on respect and neighbourly peaceful coexistence, continue to be honoured. In conclusion, we request an explanation from the Permanent Mission of Vanuatu to the United Nations concerning its accredited list of delegates to the high- level segment of the seventy-fourth session of the General Assembly.

We have heard the last speaker in explanation of vote. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 3 and agenda item 3, as a whole?

Members will recall that, in accordance with paragraphs 4 (a) to (e) of resolution 60/180 of 20 December 2005, the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission shall comprise the following: seven members of the Security Council, including five permanent members; seven members of the Economic and Social Council, elected from regional groups; five top providers of assessed contributions to United Nations budgets and of voluntary contributions to United Nations funds, programmes and agencies, including a standing peacebuilding fund; five top providers of military personnel and civilian police to United Nations missions; and seven additional members elected by the General Assembly, giving due consideration to representation from all regional groups in the overall composition of the Committee. Members will also recall that, during the 75th plenary meeting of its seventy-second session, the Assembly elected Czechia and El Salvador as members of the Organizational Committee for a two-year term of office, beginning on 1 January 2018, and that during the 64th plenary meeting of its seventy-third session, the Assembly elected Egypt, Guatemala, Kenya, Mexico and Nepal as members of the Organizational Committee for a two-year term of office, beginning on 1 January 2019. Consequently, the General Assembly will need to fill the seats vacated by Czechia and El Salvador, whose two-year term of office expires on 31 December 2019. The Assembly will now proceed to the election of two members of the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission. By its resolution 60/261 of 8 May 2006, the Assembly decided that the members of the Organizational Committee shall serve for renewable terms of two years, as applicable. Accordingly, Czechia and El Salvador are eligible for immediate re-election. Regarding candidatures for the two vacant seats, I should like to inform members that the group of Eastern European States has endorsed Slovakia as a candidate and the group of Latin American and Caribbean States has endorsed Peru as a candidate. Members will recall that by its resolution 60/261, the General Assembly decided that the rules of procedure and established practice of the Assembly for the election of members of its subsidiary bodies shall apply to its election of members of the Committee. For this election, rules 64 and 94 shall be applicable. Accordingly, the election shall be held by secret ballot. However, I should also like to recall paragraph 16 of decision 34/401, whereby the practice of dispensing with the secret ballot for elections to subsidiary organs when the number of candidates corresponds to the number of seats to be filled should become standard, unless a delegation specifically requests a vote on a given election. In the absence of such a request, may I take it that the Assembly decides to proceed to the election on that basis?

Since the number of candidates corresponds to the number of seats to be filled, may I take it that the General Assembly decides to elect Peru and Slovakia as members of the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission for a two- year term of office, beginning on 1 January 2020?

I congratulate Peru and Slovakia on their election as members of the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission. May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 114?

The General Assembly will now consider the reports of the Sixth Committee on agenda items 75 to 85, 109, 121, 136 and 165 to 174. I request the Rapporteur of the Sixth Committee, Mr. Mohamed Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar, to introduce the reports of the Sixth Committee in one intervention. Mr. Al-Thani (Qatar) (spoke in Arabic), Rapporteur of the Sixth Committee: I have the honour to present the reports of the Sixth Committee on its work during the seventy-fourth session of the General Assembly. The Assembly allocated to the Committee 23 substantive and three procedural agenda items. With the exception of the item relating to the election of officers, all the agenda items fall under three of the headings corresponding to the priorities of the Organization, namely, “Promotion of justice and international law” “Drug control, crime prevention and combating international terrorism in all its forms and manifestations” and “Organizational, administrative and other matters”. I will introduce the reports of the Sixth Committee on the various items in the order in which they fall under those three headings. Under the heading “Promotion of justice and international law”, the Sixth Committee considered 11 agenda items and adopted 14 draft resolutions recommended to the General Assembly for adoption. I first invite the Assembly to consider agenda item 75, “Responsibility of States for internationally wrongful acts”. The report on this agenda item is contained in document A/74/421, and the draft resolution recommended to the General Assembly for adoption is reproduced in paragraph 10 thereof. Under the terms of the draft resolution, the General Assembly would once commend the articles on responsibility of States for internationally wrongful acts to the attention of Governments to and request the Secretary-General to invite Governments to submit written comments on future action regarding the articles and to update the compilation of decisions of international courts, tribunals and other bodies referring to the articles and the 2016 technical report. Document A/74/422 contains the report on agenda item 76, “Criminal accountability of United Nations officials and experts on mission”, and the draft resolution recommended to the General Assembly for adoption is reproduced in paragraph 8 thereof. Under the terms of the draft resolution, the General Assembly would affirm and further elaborate on the various measures, adopted in previous resolutions, aimed at ensuring the criminal accountability of United Nations officials and experts on mission and sets out a variety of mechanisms intended to increase and enhance the information enabling Member States to address the topic. The report on agenda item 77, “Report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on the work of its fifty-second session”, is contained in document A/74/423. The Sixth Committee recommends three draft resolutions for adoption by the General Assembly, which are reproduced in paragraph 12 of the report. Under the terms of draft resolution I, the Assembly would commend the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) for finalizing a number of its products and take note with interest of the decisions taken by the Commission with regard to its future work and the progress made by the Commission in its work in several areas. Draft resolution II relates specifically to the UNCITRAL Model Legislative Provisions on Public- Private Partnerships. Under the terms of draft resolution II, the General Assembly would recommend that all States give due consideration to the Model Legislative Provisions and the legislative guide when revising or adopting legislation relevant to public- private partnerships. Draft resolution III pertains to the UNCITRAL Model Law on Enterprise Group Insolvency. Under the terms of draft resolution III, the General Assembly would recommend that all States give favourable consideration to the Model Law when revising or adopting legislation relevant to insolvency, and that States continue to consider the implementation of the Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency and of the Model Law on Recognition and Enforcement of Insolvency-related Judgments. The report on agenda item 78, “United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law”, is to be found in document A/74/424. The draft resolution is reproduced in paragraph 8 thereof. Under the terms of the draft resolution, the Assembly would, inter alia, authorize the Secretary-General to carry out the activities specified in his report on this item and decide to appoint 25 Member States as members of the Advisory Committee on the United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law for a period of four years, beginning on 1 January 2020. The report on agenda item 79, “Report of the International Law Commission on the work of its seventy-first session”, is contained in document A/74/425, and two draft resolutions recommended to the General Assembly in connection with this item are reproduced in paragraph 11. Under draft resolution I, the Assembly would express its appreciation to the International Law Commission for the work accomplished at its seventy-first session, including the completion of the second reading of the draft articles on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity and the completion of the first reading of the draft conclusions on peremptory norms of international law (jus cogens) and of the draft principles on the protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts. In addition, the Assembly would recommend that the Commission continue its work on the topics in its current programme. Draft resolution II pertains specifically to crimes against humanity. Under the terms of the draft resolution, the Assembly would take note of the draft articles presented by the Commission and decide to resume its consideration of the topic at its seventy- fifth session. The report on agenda item 80, “Diplomatic protection”, is contained in document A/74/426. Under the terms of the draft resolution reproduced in paragraph 9 of the report, the Assembly would commend once again the articles on diplomatic protection to the attention of Governments and invite them to submit to the Secretary-General any further comments, including comments concerning the recommendation by International Law Commission that the General Assembly elaborate a convention based on the articles. Document A/74/427 contains the report on agenda item 81, “Consideration of prevention of transboundary harm from hazardous activities and allocation of loss in the cases of such harm”. Paragraph 7 of the report reproduces the draft resolution on this agenda item, by which the Assembly would commend, once again, the articles on prevention of transboundary harm from hazardous activities and the principles on the allocation of loss in the case of transboundary harm arising out of hazardous activities to the attention of the Governments, invite Governments to submit further comments on any future action, as well as on any practice in relation to the application of the articles and principles, and request the Secretary-General to submit a compilation of decisions of international courts, tribunals and other bodies referring to the articles and the principles. The report on agenda item 82, “Report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization”, is contained in document A/74/428. The related draft resolution is reproduced in paragraph 11 thereof. Under the terms of the draft resolution, the Assembly would, inter alia, request the Special Committee to continue its consideration of the questions of the maintenance of international peace and security and of the implementation of the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations on assistance to third States affected by the application of sanctions, and to keep on its agenda the question of the peaceful settlement of disputes between States. Moreover, it would invite Member States to focus their comments during the thematic debate at the next session of the Special Committee on the subtopic “Exchange of information on State practices regarding the use of conciliation”. The report on agenda item 83, “The rule of law at the national and international levels”, is contained in document A/74/429. Under the terms of the draft resolution, which is reproduced in paragraph 8 of the report, the Assembly would, inter alia, reaffirm the imperative of upholding and promoting the rule of law at the international level in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, stress the importance of adherence to the rule of law at the national level, and invite Member States to focus their comments during the next Sixth Committee debate on the subtopic “Measures to prevent and combat corruption”. The report on agenda item 84, “The scope and application of the principle of universal jurisdiction”, is contained in document A/74/430. Under the terms of the draft resolution reproduced in paragraph 9 of the report, the Assembly would decide that to continue its consideration of the matter during the seventy-fifth session, including in the context of a working group of the Sixth Committee, in order to further undertake a thorough discussion of the item. The report on agenda item 85, “The law of transboundary aquifers”, is contained in document A/74/431, and the draft resolution is reproduced in paragraph 7 of the report. By this draft resolution, the Assembly would commend to the attention of Governments the draft articles on the law of transboundary aquifers and encourage the International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO to continue its contribution by providing further scientific and technical assistance to States. I shall now turn to the second heading, “Drug control, crime prevention and combating international terrorism in all its forms and manifestations”, under which the Sixth Committee considered agenda item 109, “Measures to eliminate international terrorism”. The relevant report is contained in document A/74/432, and the draft resolution recommended to the General Assembly for adoption is reproduced in paragraph 9 thereof. Under the terms of the draft resolution, the Assembly would, inter alia, decide to recommend that the Sixth Committee, at the seventy-fifth session, establish a working group with a view to finalizing the process on the draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism as well as discussions on the item included in its agenda by Assembly resolution 54/110 concerning the question of convening a high-level conference under the auspices of the United Nations. Under the third and final heading, “Organizational, administrative and other matters”, the Sixth Committee considered 11 substantive and two procedural items. Agenda item 146, “Administration of justice at the United Nations”, was allocated to the Fifth and Sixth Committees. The views of the Sixth Committee on this item were transmitted to the Fifth Committee through a letter from the President of the General Assembly dated 12 November 2019 and are annexed to document A/C.5/74/10. The report on agenda item 165, “Report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country”, is contained in document A/74/434. Under the draft resolution recommended to the General Assembly for adoption, which is reproduced in paragraph 9 of the report, the Assembly would, inter alia, urge the host country to remove all remaining travel restrictions by it on staff of certain missions and staff members of the Secretariat of certain nationalities, express serious concern regarding the non-issuance of entry visas to certain representatives of certain Member States and expect the prompt issuance by the host country of entry visas to all representatives of all Member States pursuant to the Headquarters Agreement. Furthermore, the Sixth Committee considered nine requests for observer status in the General Assembly. It recommended that the Assembly grant observer status in the General Assembly to the Group of Seven Plus, under agenda item 171. The report concerning that request is found in document A/74/440, and the relevant draft resolution is reproduced in paragraph 8 thereof. The Committee also recommended that the Assembly defer to the seventy-fifth session the taking of a decision on the requests for observer status in the General Assembly for the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking States, under agenda item 166; the Eurasian Economic Union, under agenda item 167; the Community of Democracies, under agenda item 168; the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands Secretariat, under agenda item 169; the Global Environment Facility, under agenda item 170; the International Organization of Employers in the General Assembly, under agenda item 172; the International Trade Union Confederation, under agenda item 173; and the Boao Forum for Asia, under agenda item 174. The reports on those requests are contained in documents A/74/435, A/74/436, A/74/437, A/74/438, A/74/439, A/74/441, A/74/442 and A/74/443, respectively, and the relevant draft decisions are reproduced in paragraphs 7 or 8 thereof. Concerning the two procedural items, namely agenda item 121, “Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly”, and agenda item 136, “Programme planning”, the report under agenda item 121, containing the provisional programme of work of the Sixth Committee for the seventy-fifth session, is to be found in document A/74/445. The draft decision, by which the Assembly would take note of the provisional programme of work, is reproduced in paragraph 6 of the report. The report on agenda item 136 is contained in document A/74/444, and no further action by the Assembly is recommended. The draft resolutions and the draft decisions relating to the agenda items under all three headings were adopted by the Sixth Committee without a vote, and it is my hope that the General Assembly will do the same. Finally, I wish to inform the Assembly that there is no report regarding agenda item 5, “Election of the officers of the Main Committees”. Consistent with previous practice, the election of the officers of the Sixth Committee for the seventy-fifth session will be taken up at a later stage in the course of the current session. In conclusion, allow me take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the Chair of the Sixth Committee, Ambassador Michal Mlynár of Slovakia, for his dedicated work and for his commendable leadership of the Committee, as well as to the other members of the Bureau, Mrs. Cecilia Anderberg of Sweden, Mr. Amadou Jaiteh of the Gambia and Mr. Pablo Arrocha Olabuenaga of Mexico, for their cooperation. I also wish to thank all representatives and colleagues for their valuable contributions to the success of the session. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to the secretariat of the Sixth Committee and to the Codification Division of the Office of Legal Affairs for its efficient and valuable support and for the competent and professional advice provided throughout the session.

I thank the Rapporteur of the Sixth Committee. The positions of delegations regarding the recommendations of the Sixth Committee have been made clear in the Committee and are reflected in the relevant official records. Therefore, 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 reports of the Sixth Committee that are before the Assembly today.

Statements will therefore be limited to explanations of vote. May I remind members that, in accordance with decision 34/401, a delegation should, as far as possible, explain its vote only once, that is, either in the Committee or in plenary meeting, unless that delegation’s vote in plenary meeting is different from its vote in the Committee, and that explanations of vote are limited to ten 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 Sixth 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 Committee, unless the Secretariat is notified otherwise in advance. I therefore hope that we may proceed to adopt without a vote those recommendations that were adopted without a vote in the Committee. Members are reminded that additional sponsors are no longer accepted now that draft resolutions and decisions have been adopted by the Committee. Any clarification about sponsorship should be addressed to the Secretary of the Committee.

The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 10 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 79?

The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 76?

The Assembly has before it three draft resolutions recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 12 of its report. The Assembly will now take decisions on the draft resolutions, one by one. We first turn to draft resolution I, entitled “Report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on the work of its fifty-second session”. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise

We now turn to draft resolution II, entitled “Model Legislative Provisions on Public-Private Partnerships of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law”. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

We now turn to draft resolution III, entitled “Model Law on Enterprise Group Insolvency of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law”. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 77?

The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 78?

The Assembly has before it two draft resolutions recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 11 of its report. The Assembly will now take decisions on the draft resolutions, one by one. We first turn to draft resolution I, entitled “Report of the International Law Commission on the work of its seventy-first session”. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

We now turn to draft resolution II, entitled “Crimes against humanity”. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 79?

The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 9 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 80?

The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 81?

The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 11 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 82?

The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

I give the floor to the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic, who wishes to speak in explanation of position on the resolution just adopted.

The delegation of my country would like to express its categorical reservation on paragraph 3 of resolution 74/191, under agenda item 83. We dissociate ourselves from any consensus on this paragraph, whose wording refers to the report of the Secretary-General contained in document A/74/139. The reason for the Syrian Arab Republic’s reservation is that paragraph 75 of the report of the Secretary-General, which falls under subheading II.C.3, “Other international accountability mechanisms”, refers to the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011. My country, Syria, believes that the content of that paragraph represents unbalanced and inappropriate conduct on the part of the Secretariat in insisting on the promotion of the so- called Mechanism. I would basically like to confirm that any discussion or assessment that I will be presenting here in the context of my statement on the so-called Mechanism which is illegitimate cannot in any case be interpreted as the Syrian Arab Republic’s acceptance or recognition of the so-called Mechanism or of its mandate, activities or illegitimate actions. I call on my colleagues to take an in-depth look at documents A/74/518, A/74/108, A/73/562, A/72/106 and A/71/799, which contain letters addressed by the permanent delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic to the Secretary-General and to the President of the General Assembly with regard to the so-called Mechanism. These documents offer legal proof that, from the very outset, the General Assembly did not have a mandate to establish such an organ. These documents further prove the grave legal violations that marred the process of adopting resolution 71/248, which established the so- called Mechanism. These documents also prove the following, procedurally and legally. First, the so-called Mechanism cannot be considered a subsidiary body established by the General Assembly. Secondly, it cannot enjoy any legal status or the status of a moral person. Thirdly, the so-called Mechanism has neither the power nor the mandate to conclude agreements with Member States or other entities. Fourthly, the United Nations does not have the right to accept voluntary contributions or to allocate any funding from its regular budget to support the establishment of the so-called Mechanism or its illegitimate functions. Fifthly, based on what I have just said, any information or evidence gathered, kept or analysed by the so-called Mechanism cannot be acceptable in any legal or judicial procedure in the future, particularly in the light of the fact that the mandates that have been granted to that organ are not determined in terms of time and venue and do not concur with any restrictions or norms in line with the Charter or the methods of work that are well established within our Organization. We again pose to the Secretariat and the Secretary- General a logical question that has very serious and real legal implications. Does he or any United Nations Member State expect the Syrian Arab Republic to agree to the collection of evidence outside its national borders, thousands of kilometres from its territory, through a body that was created without consulting with the Syrian Arab Republic or securing its approval and without ensuring minimum guarantees and standards related to the credibility of evidences or what is known in criminal law as chain of custody? The answer to that question is simple and we repeat it — the Syrian Arab Republic has not accepted and will never accept the Mechanism, neither today nor tomorrow. The political process in the Syrian Arab Republic will move forward despite all obstacles and challenges and will deal, under Syrian ownership and Syrian leadership, alone and without foreign interference, with the issues of transitional justice, accountability and reparations through Syrian national judicial and legal organs, not through an irregular entity that is based in Geneva while collecting so-called evidence without respect for any legal and procedural standards of the United Nations or for international and national criminal norms. I call on the members of the Assembly to block the attempts of some to involve and trap the United Nations by making it bear the burden of financing this illegitimate entity from the regular budget. We recommend that the supporters of the so-called Mechanism finance it with money from their own taxpayers instead of imposing the financial responsibility for that illegitimate body on the United Nations. As all members know, our Organization is currently going through one of the worst financial crises since its establishment. In conclusion, I recall that the will of the Syrian people is the only will that governs the political process and that the Syrian people never allow their legal and judicial affairs to be governed through such a body.

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 83?

The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 9 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 84?

The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 85?

The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 9 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 109?

The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 6 of its report. We will now take action on the draft decision, entitled “Provisional programme of work of the Sixth Committee for the seventy- fifth session of the General Assembly”. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 121.

May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to take note of the report of the Sixth Committee? It was so decided (decision 74/522).

The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 136.

The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 9 of its report. We will now take action on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 165.

The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take action on the draft decision. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 166?

The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take action on the draft decision. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 167?

The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take action on the draft decision. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 168?

The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take action on the draft decision. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 169?

The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 7 of its report. We will now take action on the draft decision. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 170?

The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft resolution. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 171?

The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take a decision on the draft decision. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 172?

The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take action on the draft decision. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 173?

The Assembly has before it a draft decision recommended by the Sixth Committee in paragraph 8 of its report. We will now take action on the draft decision. The Sixth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 174?

On behalf of the General Assembly, I would like to thank His Excellency Michal Mlynár of Slovakia, Chair of the Sixth Committee, members of the Bureau and representatives for a job well done. The General Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of all the reports of the Sixth Committee before it.