General Assembly Session 52 meeting 70

The President

This afternoon, the General Assembly will consider the reports of the Third Committee on agenda items 102 to 111, 112 and sub-items (a) to (e), and 12.

I request the Rapporteur of the Third Committee to introduce the reports of the Third Committee in one intervention.

Mrs. Martínez (Ecuador)

I am pleased to introduce the following reports of the Third Committee on the items assigned to the Committee by the General Assembly for consideration.

Under agenda item 102, entitled "Social development, including questions relating to the world social situation and to youth, ageing, disabled persons and the family", the Third Committee recommends, in paragraph 25 of document A/52/634, the adoption of five draft resolutions.

Under agenda item 103, entitled "Crime prevention and criminal justice", the Third Committee recommends, in paragraph 22 of document A/52/635, the adoption of seven draft resolutions.

Under agenda item 104, entitled "International drug control", the Third Committee recommends, in paragraph 8 of document A/52/636, the adoption of one draft resolution.

Under agenda item 105, entitled "Advancement of women", the Third Committee recommends, in paragraph 32 of document A/52/637, the adoption of seven draft resolutions, and, in paragraph 33, the adoption of one draft decision. I should like to state that draft resolutions II and III were considered under both item 105 and item 106, entitled "Implementation of the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women".

Under agenda item 106, entitled "Implementation of the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women", the Third Committee recommends, in paragraph 10 of document A/52/638, that one draft resolution be adopted. I should like to point out to the General Assembly that in operative paragraph 47 of the draft resolution entitled "Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and full implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action", in the English text only, after the words "fifty-second session", delete the word "or".

Under agenda item 107, entitled "Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, questions relating to refugees, returnees and displaced persons and humanitarian questions", the Third Committee recommends, in paragraph 24 of document A/52/639, the adoption of five draft resolutions.

Under agenda item 108, entitled "Promotion and protection of the rights of children", the Third Committee recommends, in paragraph 16 of document A/52/640, the adoption of two draft resolutions and, in paragraph 17, the adoption of one draft decision.

Under agenda item 109, entitled "Programme of activities of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People", the Third Committee recommends, in paragraph 8 of document A/52/641, the adoption of one draft resolution.

Under agenda item 110, entitled "Elimination of racism and racial discrimination", the Third Committee recommends, in paragraph 22 of document A/52/642, the adoption of three draft resolutions.

Under agenda item 111, entitled "Right of peoples to self-determination", the Third Committee recommends, in paragraph 22 of document A/52/643, the adoption of three draft resolutions.

Under agenda item 112 (a), entitled "Human rights questions: implementation of human rights instruments", the Third Committee recommends, in paragraph 23 of document A/52/644/Add.1, the adoption of four draft resolutions and, in paragraph 24, the adoption of one draft decision. I should like to draw the attention of the General Assembly to the fact that in draft resolution III, "Fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights", operative paragraph 2, the words "for all" should be added at the end. Also, at the end of operative paragraph 10, add the words "including the adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development".

Turning to agenda item 112 (b), entitled "Human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms", the Third Committee recommends, in paragraph 62 of document A/52/644/Add.2, the adoption of 18 draft resolutions and, in paragraph 63, the adoption of one draft decision.

On agenda item 112 (c), entitled "Human rights questions: human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives", the Third Committee recommends, in paragraph 44 of document A/52/644/Add.3, the adoption of 11 draft resolutions and, in paragraph 45, the adoption of one draft decision. I wish to note that in paragraph 4 of draft resolution X, "Situation of human rights in Rwanda", the words "Special Representative of Rwanda" should be replaced by the words "Special Representative for Rwanda".

On agenda item 112 (d), entitled "Human rights questions: comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action", the Third Committee recommends, in paragraph 11 of document A/52/644/Add.4, the adoption of one draft resolution and, in paragraph 12, the adoption of one draft decision. I wish to note that in paragraph 5 of the report the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland should be added to the list of sponsors of draft resolution A/C.3/52/L.64.

With respect to agenda item 112 (e), entitled "Human rights questions: report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights", the Third Committee reports in document A/52/644/Add.5 that no proposals were submitted under this item.

On agenda item 12, entitled "Report of the Economic and Social Council", the Third Committee recommends, in paragraph 9 of document A/52/633, the adoption of two draft decisions. I wish to note that the title of draft decision I was omitted from the report. It should read "Organization of work of the Third Committee and biennial programme of work of the Committee for 1998-1999".

The President

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 Third Committee that are before the Assembly today.

The President

Statements will therefore be limited to explanations of vote or position. The positions of delegations regarding the recommendations of the Third Committee have been made in the Committee and are reflected in the relevant official records. May I remind members that by paragraph 7 of decision 34/401 the 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 Third 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. This means that where recorded votes and a separate vote were taken in the Committee, the Assembly will do the same.

I also hope that we shall be able to proceed to adopt without a vote those recommendations that were adopted without a vote in the Third Committee.

The President

The General Assembly will now take a decision on the five draft resolutions recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 25 of its report (A/52/634).

We turn first to draft resolution I, entitled "International Year of Older Persons: towards a society for all ages".

Draft resolution I was adopted by the Third Committee without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly too wishes to adopt the draft resolution?

The President

Draft resolution II, entitled "Follow-up to the International Year of the Family", was adopted by the Third Committee without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly too wishes to adopt the draft resolution?

The President

Draft resolution III, entitled "Implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons: towards a society for all in the twenty-first century", was adopted by the Third Committee without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to adopt this draft resolution?

The President

Draft resolution IV, entitled "Policies and programmes involving youth", was adopted by the Third Committee without a vote. May I take it that the General Assembly too wishes to adopt the draft resolution?

The President

Draft resolution V, entitled "Education for all", was adopted by the Third Committee without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes also to adopt this draft resolution?

The President

I call on the representative of Egypt.

Mr. Wissa (Egypt)

I wish to put on record that my delegation had wished to join in sponsoring draft resolution V, entitled "Education for all", but as the Third Committee had concluded its consideration of agenda item 102, we were unable to do so.

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 102?

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the seven draft resolutions recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 22 of its report contained in document A/52/635.

We turn first to draft resolution I, entitled "Follow-up to the Naples Political Declaration and Global Action Plan against Organized Transnational Crime".

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution I without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

Draft resolution II is entitled "Crime prevention and criminal justice measures to eliminate violence against women".

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution II without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

Draft resolution III is entitled "International cooperation against corruption and bribery in international commercial transactions".

The Third Committee adopted this draft resolution without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

Draft resolution IV is entitled "International cooperation in criminal matters".

The Third Committee adopted this draft resolution without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

Draft resolution V is entitled "United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders".

The Third Committee adopted this draft resolution without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

Draft resolution VI is entitled "Strengthening the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme, particularly its technical cooperation capacity".

The Third Committee adopted this draft resolution without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

Draft resolution VII is entitled "Preparations for the Tenth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders".

The Third Committee adopted this draft resolution without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 103?

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 8 of its report contained in document A/52/636.

The Third Committee adopted the draft resolution, entitled "International action to combat drug abuse and illicit production and trafficking", without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

We have concluded this stage of our consideration of agenda item 104.

The President

The Assembly has before it seven draft resolutions recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 32 of its report contained in document A/52/637 and one draft decision recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 33 of the same report.

I shall put the seven draft resolutions and the draft decision to the Assembly one by one. After all the decisions have been taken, representatives will again have the opportunity to explain their votes or positions.

I shall now give the floor to those representatives who wish to make statements in explanation of vote or position before action is taken.

Ms. Wahbi (Sudan)

We wish to explain our vote on the draft resolution entitled "Improvement of the situation of women in rural areas", contained in the report of the Third Committee to the General Assembly (A/52/637).

The Sudan has been a sponsor of draft resolutions on this subject for a long time. The Sudanese Government decided to sponsor such resolutions in the past because of the realization that rural women are very vulnerable, and there is a real need to improve their situation, particularly in developing countries, including in the Sudan.

Unfortunately, this year it was difficult for our delegation to even join the consensus on this draft, because of the controversial language introduced into the text. This has changed last year's agreed language that was acceptable to all delegations.

The reason why Sudan joined the consensus in the end was that most paragraphs of the draft resolution aim at improving the situation of rural women so that they may become effective participants in society. Moreover, the draft urges States and the international community to take the necessary measures to empower rural women, to respond to their needs and to pull them up from the economic conditions in which many live, particularly in the developing countries.

In spite of these noble aims, which we fully support, the Sudan is obliged to express its reservation on operative paragraph 2 (e). The reasons for this position are follows: first, the paragraph attempts to distort the agreed language of international conferences, particularly the language of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which were negotiated in depth. Moreover, the new language introduced into the paragraph results in unacceptable ambiguity.

Secondly, the deviation which took place in this paragraph, particularly the reference to inheritance, can be interpreted as contradicting Islamic law, the shariah.

Thirdly, the Sudan's confirmed position is to strongly reject any language that contradicts Islamic law. We do not consider ourselves parties to such language; nor can it be binding on us. Such language cannot be considered agreed language. Therefore, it cannot be used in the future as such.

Women's inheritance was a controversial issue during previous international conferences and during many negotiations on various international instruments. The bottom line for consensus was quite clear. It was evident that divergent approaches and viewpoints existed and that there were specific points on which no consensus could ever be reached. Therefore, attempts to force a consensus are completely unacceptable.

As for the position of Islamic law concerning the inheritance of women, we would like to clarify the following points: first, Islam grants all women the equal right to inherit; secondly, the division of inheritance in Islam is not based on gender; and thirdly, according to Islamic law inheritance is distributed to the relatives on the basis of the degree of relationship to the deceased -- for example, the mother of a deceased person would inherit one-eighth of the assets: money, land, et cetera. And a mother is a woman. This could be more than the share of a number of males in the family, including sons of the deceased.

The United Nations has continued to call for respect for the principle of tolerance between religions, countries and peoples. Therefore, we question today the reasons which make some compel us, as Muslims, to justify our beliefs and religion, or for others to look down on a sacred religion by calling it a "philosophy". This attitude motivates us to renew once more our call for respect for the beliefs of others and for the recognition of the diversities which really exist in the world.

Mr. Kasanda (Zambia)

At the time that the Third Committee took action on the resolution entitled "Improvement of the situation of women in rural areas", my delegation reserved its right to make a general statement in explanation of position.

Zambia became a sponsor of this resolution because we attach great importance to the situation of rural women. In Zambia, 60 per cent of our population live in rural areas, and the majority are women. In Africa, women constitute the majority of the population and are, in fact, one of the continent's greatest assets, in that they are responsible for 60 to 80 per cent of food production. Food is produced predominantly by rural women.

Zambia had the privilege of making a statement in the Third Committee on behalf of the members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), in which we elaborated on the vital importance of the right of ownership of land for rural women. We pointed out that land tenure practices usually ensure male control of activities and the allocation of the best land and agricultural input for export crops. We further pointed out that inheritance practices, whereby land traditionally passes from father to son -- thus denying women their right to inheritance, let alone their right to equal inheritance -- further reinforce male control and exacerbate the poverty of women.

In addressing the issue of the feminization of poverty, one of the key issues that has been identified is that of land ownership. A definite link has been made between poverty and the absence of land ownership. It is a proven fact that land ownership facilitates access to a range of benefits and opportunities, and the disproportionate enjoyment by men of rights to land excludes women from those benefits and opportunities. Without title to land, women's access to agricultural support services, particularly credit and extension services, where land ownership is expected as collateral or as a precondition, is drastically limited.

The majority of land in Africa is agricultural land subject to traditional inheritance practices, and therefore the right to equal inheritance of land by women becomes vitally important. It lies at the very heart of women's economic empowerment, especially for rural women who may not be able to purchase title to land. The issue is also a question of development. Any meaningful development is not possible when more than half of a population are denied the right to own land, which is a major productive resource.

It is also a question of human rights. Everyone is born equal and has the right to be treated equally. The issue of land rights discrimination is a matter of human rights. Women are being discriminated against by virtue of their being born as women.

For these reasons the delegation of Zambia will, in all appropriate forums, continue to advocate the enactment of laws that will guarantee women the right to equal inheritance. In this light, we wish to express our gratitude to the delegation of Mongolia for its excellent work and patience in striving to achieve consensus on this draft resolution. We also wish to express our gratitude to all those delegations which worked so hard to maintain the delicate consensus reached in the Commission on the Status of Women on the inheritance language. We regret that a few delegations, which were clearly a minority, chose not to respect and maintain that agreement. We shall, however, remain unrelenting in our pursuit of justice on this very important issue.

Mr. Saleh (Bahrain)

My delegation will join consensus on draft resolution I, entitled "Improvement of the situation of women in rural areas". But we would like to put on record our reservations with regard to operative paragraph 2 (e) because it contradicts our Islamic shariah. Islam has guaranteed women their full rights, including the right to inheritance. The Holy Quran provides that the male will have twice as much as the female. Therefore with regard to the issue of inheritance in Islam, there is a definite rule from which we cannot turn aside and which cannot be questioned.

Ms. Mohamed (Yemen)

With regard to the resolution entitled "Improvement of the situation of women in rural areas", we support its adoption by consensus. However, we would also like to make clear that the issue of inheritance in Islam is complex. In Islam, inheritance distribution between the sexes is governed by relationship and kinship. My delegation would like to put on record our reservations about the wording of paragraph 2 (e) of the draft resolution.

The President

We turn first to draft resolution I, entitled "Improvement of the situation of women in rural areas".

The Third Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution II, entitled "United Nations Development Fund for Women", without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution III, entitled "International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women", without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution IV, entitled "Improvement of the status of women in the Secretariat", without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution V, entitled "Violence against women migrant workers", without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution VI, entitled "Traffic in women and girls", without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to the same?

The President

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution VII, entitled "Traditional or customary practices affecting the health of women and girls", without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft decision entitled "Reports considered by the General Assembly in connection with the question of the advancement of women", recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 33 of the report.

May I consider that the Assembly wishes to adopt the draft decision?

The President

I call on the representative of Yemen, who wishes to make a statement in explanation of position.

Ms. Mohamed (Yemen)

With regard to the draft resolution on the advancement of women in the Secretariat, we were not present when it as adopted. We wish to express our official support for the draft resolution, as well as our desire to become one of its sponsors.

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 105?

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 10 of its report.

The Third Committee adopted the draft resolution, entitled "Follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and full implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action", without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

We have concluded this stage of our consideration of agenda item 106.

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the five draft resolutions recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 24 of its report contained in document A/52/639.

We turn first to draft resolution I, entitled "Assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa", which the Third Committee adopted without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution II, entitled "Follow-up to the Regional Conference to Address the Problems of Refugees, Displaced Persons, Other Forms of Involuntary Displacement and Returnees in the Countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and Relevant Neighbouring States", without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution III, entitled "Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees", without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution IV, entitled "Continuation of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees", by acclamation.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution V, entitled "Assistance to unaccompanied refugee minors", without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 107?

The President

The Assembly has before it two draft resolutions recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 16 of its report contained in document A/52/640 and one draft decision recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 17 of the same report.

We turn first to draft resolution I, which is entitled "The girl child".

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution I, without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

Draft resolution II is entitled "The rights of the child".

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution II without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft decision entitled "Reports considered by the General Assembly in connection with the question of the promotion and protection of the rights of children", recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 17 of its report.

May I consider that the Assembly wishes to adopt the draft decision?

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 108?

The President

I give the floor to the representative of Fiji, who wishes to speak in explanation of position before a decision is taken.

Mr. Bune (Fiji)

Fiji believes that observation of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People should not be an exercise just to admit that indigenous people still exist in our world. Observation of the Decade should therefore be meaningful and fruitful to the future of indigenous people. It should address the bleak future they now face, through the establishment of an international fund for their survival, development, progress and enhanced future. We must move at a greater speed to adopt the draft United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples. We must set up as quickly as possible an indigenous-people unit in our Organization. Our ultimate goal should be the adoption of an international convention on the world's indigenous people.

We are also concerned over the lack of progress on the adoption of the draft declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples. An international declaration on such rights is, in our view, an international testimony and commitment to our care, concern and profound interest in the future of our indigenous people. Yet after three meetings, only two of the 45 articles have been adopted. The two adopted are almost negligible with regard to the substantive aspects of indigenous rights, such as self-determination, ownership and control of resources and affirmative-action programmes to promote their development and progress. If observation of the Decade is to be meaningful, the international community, and Member States in particular, should display the political will to finalize the draft declaration as quickly as possible.

We are most concerned over the information on the world's indigenous people on page 43 of the 1997 Human Development Report. According to the report, indigenous people have seen their values and customs destroyed by the incoming population and have frequently turned to alcoholism or suicide. In developing countries, they mix to some extent with the majority population, but in the industrial countries, many have ended up on reservations, facing a bleak future. The report went on to state that in almost all societies where they are to be found, indigenous peoples are poorer than most other groups, fare worse in the non-income dimensions of poverty and face discrimination when it comes to employment. The report is a very sad commentary on the fate of the world's indigenous people at a time when we are observing an International Decade of the World's Indigenous People. The question my delegation wishes to ask is, what are we really observing? The bleak future of the world's indigenous people, their victimization and repression in our world, a trend in their treatment which could spell their extinction?

Surely, our observations should be more meaningful and helpful and contribute to the creation of a better future for indigenous people during the decade.

We therefore continue to call for the drafting, negotiation and adoption of an international convention on the world's indigenous people to create a legal framework for their survival, development, progress and future in our world. The indigenous people consider the adoption of the current draft critical to their survival. This was the message that came out clearly from the many representatives of indigenous peoples throughout the world who attended a regional seminar hosted by my Government last year as part of its programme of activities for observance of the Decade of the World's Indigenous People.

We believe that a positive aspect of international observance should be the setting up of a unit for indigenous peoples' affairs in the United Nations, a proposal which my delegation has been espousing consistently over the past few years. In our view, our observance of the Decade would be even more significant and meaningful if such a unit were established.

Finally, my delegation would like to see these matters reflected in the draft resolution on the Decade at our fifty-third session.

In the meantime, Fiji will join the consensus on the draft resolution before us since we still consider it a step in the right direction.

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 8 of its report.

The Third Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote.

May I consider that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

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

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the three draft resolutions recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 22 of its report contained in document A/52/642.

We turn first to draft resolution I, entitled "Measures to combat contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance".

The Third Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution II, entitled "Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination", without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution III, entitled "Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination and the convening of a world conference on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance", without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 110?

Mr. Mukhopadhaya (India)

India would like to be added to the list of sponsors of draft resolution III, on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, which forms part of the report of the Third Committee on this agenda item.

The President

The representative of India's statement will be reflected in the proceedings of the meeting.

The Assembly will now take a decision on the three draft resolutions recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 22 of its report.

We turn first to draft resolution I, entitled "Use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the rights of peoples to self-determination".

The President

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution II, entitled "Universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination", without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

Draft resolution III is entitled "The right of the Palestinian people to self-determination".

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 111?

The President

May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to take note of part I of the report of the Third Committee on agenda item 112, entitled "Human rights questions"?

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the four draft resolutions recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 23 of part II of its report and on the draft decision recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 24 of the report.

We first turn to draft resolution I, entitled "International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families".

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution I without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

The Third Committed adopted draft resolution II, entitled "International Covenants on Human Rights", without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

Draft resolution III, entitled "Fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights", was adopted by the Third Committee without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to adopt draft resolution III, as orally revised, without a vote?

The President

Draft resolution IV is entitled "Effective implementation of international instruments on human rights, including reporting obligations under international instruments on human rights".

A separate vote has been requested on operative paragraph 21 of draft resolution IV.

As there are no objections to that request, I shall first put to the vote operative paragraph 21.

The President

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution IV as a whole without a vote.

May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft decision recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 24 of its report.

The draft decision is entitled "Documents considered by the General Assembly in connection with implementation of human rights instruments".

May I take it that the General Assembly wishes to adopt the draft decision?

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 112?

The President

The Assembly has before it 18 draft resolutions recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 62 of Part III of its report (A/52/644/Add.2) and one draft decision recommended by the Committee in paragraph 63 of the same report.

I shall put the 18 draft resolutions and the draft decision to the Assembly one by one. After all the decisions have been taken, representatives will have the opportunity to explain their vote.

We turn first to draft resolution I, "Respect for the principles of national sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of States in their electoral processes".

The President

We turn now to draft resolution II, entitled "Human rights and unilateral coercive measures".

The President

We turn now to draft resolution III, entitled "Respect for the right to universal freedom of travel and the vital importance of family reunification".

The President

Draft resolution IV is entitled "Elimination of all forms of religious intolerance".

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution IV without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to likewise?

The President

Draft resolution V is entitled "Effective promotion of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities".

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution V without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

Draft resolution VI is entitled "Human rights in the administration of justice".

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution VI without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

Draft resolution VII is entitled 'Strengthening of the rule of law".

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution VII without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

We now turn to draft resolution VIII, entitled "Protection of United Nations personnel".

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution VIII without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

Draft resolution IX is entitled "United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education, 1995-2004, and public information activities in the field of human rights".

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution IX without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

The President

Draft resolution X is entitled "National institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights".

The Third Committee adopted draft resolution X without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do likewise?

The President

Draft resolution XI is entitled "Strengthening the role of the United Nations in enhancing the effectiveness of the principle of periodic and genuine elections and the promotion of democratization".