| Date | 8 December 2005 |
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Agenda item 36
Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations
Report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/60/482)
The Acting President
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) in paragraph 8 of its report.
I give the floor to the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic.
Mr. Mekdad (Syria)
With regard to the agenda item under discussion, I have the honour to take the floor, in my national capacity and as Rapporteur of the Special Committee of 24, to propose oral amendments to the draft resolution entitled "Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations" in the report of the Fourth Committee contained in document A/60/482.
The amendments are as follows: First, delete operative paragraph 13. Secondly, re-number the subsequent operative paragraphs accordingly. Thirdly, replace the text of the old operative paragraph 14 -- which would become the new operative paragraph 13 -- with new text as follows:
"Requests the Chairman of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples to continue to maintain close contact on these matters with the President of the Economic and Social Council."
The reason for those oral amendments is to synchronize the text of the proposed General Assembly draft resolution with the text of the resolution on the same subject adopted last July by the Economic and Social Council. The proposed amendments were agreed in the process of informal consultations between the interested delegations of the Special Committee of 24 and the European Union. It is the wish of interested parties that these amendments be adopted without a vote.
The Acting President
The representative of the Syrian Arab Republic has submitted oral amendments to operative paragraphs 13 and 14 of the draft resolution. In accordance with rule 90 of the rules of procedure, the Assembly will first take a decision on the oral amendments to operative paragraphs 13 and 14 of the draft resolution.
May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to adopt the oral amendments to operative paragraphs 13 and 14 of the draft resolution?
The Acting President
The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution, as orally amended.
| favour |
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| abstain |
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The draft resolution, as orally amended, was adopted by 123 votes to none, with 50 abstentions (resolution 60/112).
favour=123 against=0 abstain=50 absent=18
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
The Acting President
I call on the representative of Saint Lucia, who wishes to speak in explanation of vote on the resolution just adopted.
Ms. Joseph (Saint Lucia)
With regard to the vote just taken on the resolution entitled "Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations", my delegation voted in favour of the resolution, because it provides the basis for assistance from the wider United Nations system to the non-self-governing territories.
Delegations should recall that a number of United Nations bodies already provide for participation in these territories in their work programme, while other United Nations institutions have granted them observer status or associate membership with the concurrence of the Administering Powers concerned.
This resolution merely requests those United Nations bodies that have not done so to make the necessary adjustments within their respective mandates to assist these territories. Such a request pays due respect to the respective mandates of these agencies, so any concerns on this matter are unwarranted.
The General Assembly routinely adopts resolutions by consensus which call on the specialized agencies and other United Nations bodies to undertake certain options. The resolution on providing assistance from the specialized agencies to these territories is no different from those other resolutions that have enjoyed consensus.
If we are serious about assisting the non-self-governing territories in their realization of the right to self-determination, then the entire United Nations system should do its part by providing assistance and access to these territories in accordance with consensus resolutions consistently adopted by the General Assembly.
We are hopeful that, through dialogue at the Fourth Committee level, Member States can adopt a resolution on this matter by consensus next year.
The Acting President
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 36?
