| Date | 22 December 2006 |
|---|
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Agenda items 47 (continued), 113 (continued), 116, 117 (continued), 122 (continued), 123, 132, 147 and 149 (continued)
Integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields
Follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit
Review of the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations
Programmed budget for the biennium 2006-2007
Scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations
Human resources management
Administrative and budgetary aspects of the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations
Financing of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara
United Nations reform: measures and proposals
Report of the Fifth Committee (A/61/659)
The President
The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Fifth Committee in paragraph 6 of its report. The Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution, entitled "Human resources management". The Fifth Committee adopted it without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?
The President
I now give the floor to the representative of the Russian Federation, who wishes to speak in explanation of position on the resolution just adopted.
Mr. Kovalenko (Russia)
The Russian delegation would like to state the following with regard to the General Assembly's adoption of resolution 61/244, entitled "Human resources management".
We believe that the General Assembly has been able to agree on a generally balanced resolution that takes a constructive approach to reform in the area of human resources, thereby contributing to strengthening the management system at the United Nations in general. However, we would like to express our disappointment that the resolution does not include provisions on issues related to cases of waiving immunity for United Nations officials other than Secretariat staff. We would like to confirm that the Russian delegation believes that in cases that have arisen with regard to waiving immunity for that category of officials, the Secretary-General disregarded procedures established by resolution 56/280, which set forth a mechanism for consultations between the Secretary-General and the General Assembly on issues related to waiving immunity for elected officials.
We are also very surprised that certain delegations have prevented the Assembly from receiving information from the Secretary-General on issues related to waiving immunity for elected United Nations officials. We believe that such an approach sets a negative precedent for the Assembly's future work. The effectiveness of its work, including on issues relating to management and organization, depends greatly on the ability of delegations to receive full information about the work of the Secretariat and about its compliance with established procedures. That information is necessary for Member States to take well-considered decisions. We are certain that proposals of delegations need to be considered conscientiously.
We also believe that it is incorrect to prevent the General Assembly from considering issues that fall within its purview on the pretext that doing so may have an impact on the work of judiciary bodies of Member States. Such an approach could greatly complicate the decision-making process in the General Assembly and set a negative precedent for the future.
We anticipate that the Secretary-General will shed full light on issues pertaining to immunity in his report on the application of the regulations governing the status, basic rights and duties of officials other than Secretariat officials, which the General Assembly has once again requested.
We would like to note that we will continue to raise issues relating to immunity for elected United Nations officials in the future, as well as to discuss those matters in the General Assembly.
The President
The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda items 47, 113, 116, 117, 122, 123, 132, 147 and 149.
