EU Presidency Statement - Organization of work of the 5th Committee

Mr. Chairman,

Allow me to address the meeting on behalf of the European Union. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the European Union (Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia), the associated countries of Cyprus, Malta and Turkey and the EFTA countries belonging to the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), align themselves with this statement.

May I first of all congratulate you, Sir, on your election as Chairman of the Fifth Committee? I would also like to congratulate the Vice-Chairmen, Mr. Durga Bhattarai, Mr. John Orr and Mr. Oleksii Ivaschenko, as well as the rapporteur, Mr. Santiago Wins, on their election as officers. Let me assure you that the European Union will listen to you, provide support and work with you in a spirit of cooperation. We would also like to express our gratitude to the members of the Secretariat for the efforts made each year to facilitate our work, particularly in the most intensive periods.

Mr. Chairman,

The Fifth Committee's programme of work will, of course, be geared to the adoption of the United Nations budget for 2002-2003. The European Union will outline its approach when this item is presented by the Secretary-General. The adoption of the budget will enable us to pursue the aims of a United Nations, which is modern, efficient and focused on its priorities.

In this regard, we can assure you here and now that the European Union will make a constructive effort to seek consensus on all items on the agenda and, in the case of the budget for 2002-2003, in particular on the narrative part of the section on human rights. We await your proposals on how to proceed in this matter.

The European Union notes with satisfaction the positive development regarding the largest contributor's payment of part of its arrears to the UN. We are convinced that settling this matter - which still requires a considerable amount of work - will strengthen the United Nations and its financial situation, as well as facilitating work within the Fifth Committee.

The European Union also emphasizes the importance it attaches to the submission - on the dates envisaged in the programme of work - of the documents on the proposals for strengthening staff security, on the draft budgets of the International Criminal Tribunals and on the 2001-2002 programme budget impact of draft resolution A/C.4/55/L.23 on the comprehensive review of all aspects of all peace-keeping operations. It welcomes the fact that this impact statement was submitted in accordance with Article 153 of the General Assembly's Rules of Procedure, which will allow for a calm debate.

Furthermore, the European Union recalls its determination to strengthen measures to ensure the timely, unconditional and full payment of Member States' contributions to the United Nations.

Mr. Chairman,

The European Union is satisfied with the programme of work for the Fifth Commission, as proposed by the Secretariat. Sufficient time has been allowed for discussing and deciding on the most important matters, which we have before us in this key part of the 56th General Assembly. The bulk of our work will be carried out in informal consultations and the European Union will do its best to avoid overstepping the time allowed.

On this subject, the European Union recalls the relevant articles of the General Assembly's Rules of Procedure, its decisions on the organization of the 56th session and the recommendations by the Committee on Conferences on limiting the duration of meetings.

We attach particular importance to the revitalization of these rules and to following up the recommendations.

Allowance must, of course, be made for the need for Member States for take decisions by consensus and in full awareness of the facts - a process which requires time.

But limiting the duration of meetings is not an obstacle to reaching consensus. It lightens the workload borne by the Secretariat and the interpreters. It gives the representatives of the Member States a timetable, which is more compatible with their daily lives and their many obligations. It makes it easier to plan conferences and releases financial resources for General Assembly business and conference services.

This limitation is necessary for small and medium-sized delegations, whose limited staff cannot be present at all times and in all places. The fact is that the extension and proliferation of meetings of the Assembly, the Committees, the subcommittees and the major conferences prevent such delegations from participating and contributing fully and do not allow for equality in the intergovernmental decision-making process.

We are aware that maximum use of the time available depends primarily on the Member States showing greater discipline. In order to help show such discipline now and thus speed up discussions, the European Union will keep its statements to a minimum in the general discussion and, as far as possible, will submit in writing to the coordinators of informal consultations its questions on the proposals, reports and documents on which our decisions are to be based.

The European Union would also like to see the coordinators play a more proactive role in the running of the informal sessions, in limiting the time for speeches and in preparing the draft resolutions. The experience of the last session was very instructive in this regard, as testified by the excellent spirit in which the work of the Fifth Committee has been conducted throughout 2000-2001.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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