General Assembly Session 62 meeting 79

The President

The Assembly has before it the report of the Credentials Committee, document A/62/596, which contains a draft resolution recommended by the Committee in paragraph 12. The draft resolution reads as follows:

"The General Assembly,

"Having considered the report of the Credentials Committee and the recommendations contained therein,

"Approves the report of the Credentials Committee".

I now give the floor to the Chairman of the Credentials Committee, Mr. Vanu Gopala Menon of Singapore.

Mr. Menon (Singapore)

It is my honour to inform the Assembly that after the meeting of the Committee, in addition to the Member States listed in paragraph 5 of the report of the Credentials Committee for the sixty-second session of the General Assembly, credentials have been duly submitted under rule 27 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly by Côte d'Ivoire.

In addition to the Member States mentioned in paragraph 6 of the report of the Credentials Committee, Cape Verde and Timor-Leste have communicated to the Secretary-General information concerning the appointment of their representatives to the sixty-second session of the General Assembly by means of a facsimile communication from the head of State or Government or Minister for Foreign Affairs or by means of a letter or note verbale from the permanent mission concerned.

The President

The General Assembly will now take a decision on the draft resolution recommended by the Credentials Committee in paragraph 12 of its report. The Credentials Committee adopted this draft resolution without a vote. May I take it that the Assembly wishes to do the same?

Mr. Salsabili (Iran)

My delegation joined the consensus today on the resolution just adopted. However, I would like to express my delegation's reservations on those parts of the report contained in document A/62/596 that may be construed as recognition of the Israeli regime.

The President

The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 3.

The President

The Assembly will now take action on draft resolution A/62/L.35/Rev.1. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to adopt draft resolution A/62/L.35/Rev.1?

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 50?

The President

Members will recall that, at its 75th plenary meeting, on 17 December 2007, the Assembly decided that the report of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Assistance and Support to Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse would be considered under agenda item 116. The report is now before the Assembly and is contained in document A/62/595.

The Assembly will now take action on the draft resolution contained in paragraph 14 of the report of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group, which is entitled "United Nations Comprehensive Strategy on Assistance and Support to Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by United Nations Staff and Related Personnel". May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt the draft resolution?

Mr. Traystman (United States)

The United States is very gratified to note that the General Assembly has now taken action on this important pillar of the Organization's response to sexual exploitation and abuse. Victims of sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations staff and related personnel will now receive the assistance they need to address the very real needs arising out of those reprehensible acts.

My delegation is especially pleased to note that, in adopting this text, the international community strongly condemns all acts of sexual exploitation and abuse and reiterates its support for the Secretary-General's zero-tolerance policy. We call on all Member States to strengthen their resolve to change the culture of impunity that allows such horrific acts to take place.

Mr. Ballestero (Costa Rica)

My delegation would like to take the floor at this time just to express our gratitude for the effective commitment of all the delegations that participated actively and constructively to ensure that this agreement, which is an historic one in our view, could be adopted by consensus. After many months and in fact years of discussing and debating this issue -- to which we are all committed but the final result of which seemed to evade us -- thanks to the sacrifice, commitment and, of course, the creativity of all those involved, we have managed to reach an agreement that, for many, will represent a true Christmas gift in this holiday season.

My delegation was the chair of the Working Group thanks to you, Mr. President, and we would like to avail ourselves of this opportunity to report back to you and state with a sense of satisfaction and humility that we have completed our task. We would like to thank you, Sir, and all the delegates who have aided us in this task.

The President

The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 116.

The Assembly will take up sub-item (a) of agenda item 77, and the remaining reports of the First Committee on agenda item 99, the report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) on agenda item 31, the reports of the Third Committee on agenda items 65 and 68 and sub-items (b) and (c) of agenda item 70, and the reports of the Fifth Committee as soon as the Fifth Committee has concluded its work.

I should like to consult members regarding an extension for the work of the Fifth Committee. Members will recall that at its 73rd plenary meeting, on 13 December 2007, the Assembly agreed to extend the work of the Fifth Committee to Wednesday, 19 December.

However, I have been informed by the Chairperson of the Fifth Committee that the Committee will need an additional meeting to complete its work. May I therefore take it that the Assembly agrees to extend the work of the Fifth Committee for an additional meeting?

The President

Members will recall that the Assembly held a debate on this item at its 64th, 65th and 77th plenary meetings, on 10 and 18 December 2007. The report of the Fifth Committee on the programme budget implications of draft resolution A/62/L.27 is contained in document A/62/617.

We will now proceed with the consideration of draft resolution A/62/L.27. Before giving the floor to the representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, who wishes to speak in explanation of vote before the voting, may I remind delegations that explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.

Ms. Cabello (Venezuela)

My delegation would like to refer to the draft resolution contained in A/62/L.27 on agenda item 77 (a), "Oceans and the law of the sea", on which the Assembly will soon be voting.

On this matter, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reaffirms its commitment to cooperating with efforts to promote coordination on questions related to oceans and the law of the sea, in accordance with international law and without reference to any particular convention. In spite of committed, flexible negotiating efforts with a view to drafting a text covering the interests of all States and accommodating the legal freedom of non-party States, in accordance with the outcome of the Open-ended Informal Consultative Process, and in particular that of the recent negotiations, the text that is before States for their consideration does not, in our view, reflect a consensus.

My delegation would like to repeat, as we said in informal consultations in June 2007 and in the negotiations recently concluded, that the reasons that prevent Venezuela from becoming a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea persist today. Accordingly, my delegation is not in a position to agree with States supporting this draft resolution inasmuch as the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is not party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982; nor are the standards of such Convention applicable to it as customary international law, except for those which the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has expressly recognized or will recognize in the future through their incorporation into its national legislation.

Thus, my delegation would like to reaffirm its historic position on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea whereby some aspects contained in the document before the Assembly today lead my delegation to abstain in the vote to be taken.

The President

We have heard the only speaker in explanation of vote before the voting. The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/62/L.27, entitled "Oceans and the law of the sea". Additional sponsors of the draft resolution are Australia, Austria, Belize, Bulgaria, China, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Kenya, Malta, the Federated States of Micronesia, Namibia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Palau, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. A recorded vote has been requested.

The President

I now call on representatives who wish to speak in explanation of vote on the resolution just adopted.

Mr. Shah (Pakistan)

I would take this opportunity to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. The Group of 77 and China had made a concrete proposal on sections X and XIV of the resolution just adopted. Those two sections deal respectively with matters relating to marine biodiversity and the Open-ended Informal Consultative Process. The Group's position was carefully reflected in its proposal, but an agreement on the proposal could not be reached. It was for the sake of compromise that the Group accepted a joint proposal made by Pakistan and the United States. As this proposal, for the first time, acknowledged problems related to legal regimes beyond exclusive economic zones and addressed issues related to capacity-building and goods and services derived from marine genetic resources. The proposal also kept the doors open for future consultation on these issues. There is a need to ensure better reflection of these issues and of matters related to intellectual proprietary rights. Hence, the Group remains committed to continue its efforts to elaborate its position on these issues in the future.

Mrs. Seçkin (Turkey)

Turkey voted against the draft resolution contained in document A/62/L.27, entitled "Oceans and the law of the sea". I would like to underline that the reasons that have prevented Turkey from becoming party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea remain valid. Turkey supports the international efforts to establish a regime of the sea that is based on the principle of equity and that can be acceptable to all States. However, in our opinion, the Convention does not make adequate provisions for special geographical situations and, as a consequence, cannot establish an acceptable balance between conflicting interests. Furthermore, the Convention makes no provision for registering reservations on specific clauses. Although we agree with the Convention in its general intent and most of its provisions, we are unable to become a party to it owing to these serious shortcomings.

That being the case, we cannot support the resolution, which calls upon States to become parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and to harmonize their national legislation with its provisions.

Mr. Yokota (Japan)

Japan supported the adoption of resolution 62/215. However, we would like to put on record the following explanation of our position regarding the resolution. As was expressed in our general statement, Japan shares with other States parties a recognition of the need to strengthen the functioning of the secretariat of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. However, such efforts must be made within overall existing budget levels, as well as within the limit approved in accordance with the established budget request process.

In this regard, it is highly regrettable that budgetary implications were attached to some paragraphs of the resolution, which were intended to go around the established budget process. The United Nations budget itself is increasing at a pace, which exceeds the ability of Member States to contribute, and Japan has been taking the position that programme budget implications, which lead to further increments in the budget, cannot be allowed.

The President

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 (a) of agenda item 77 and of agenda item 77 as a whole?

The President

The General Assembly will now take up the remaining reports of the First Committee, on agenda item 99; of the Special, Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee), on agenda item 31; and of the Third Committee, on agenda items 63, 65 and 68, and sub-items (b) and (c) of agenda item 70. Thereafter, the General Assembly will take up the reports of the Fifth Committee on agenda items 125, 129, 131, 134, 135, 137 to 140, 161, 164, 136 together with 128, 126, 127 and 128.

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 First, Fourth, Third and Fifth Committees which 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 these Committees have been made clear in the Committees, and are reflected in the relevant official records.

May I remind members that under paragraph 7 of decision 34/401, the General 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 further 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 First, Fourth, Third and Fifth Committees, I should like to advise representatives that we are going to proceed to take decisions in the same manner as was done in the Committees, unless notified otherwise in advance. This means that where separate or recorded votes were taken we will do the same. I should also hope that we may proceed to adopt without a vote those recommendations that were adopted without a vote in the respective Committees.

The President

The Assembly will now take action on draft resolution IV, recommended by the First Committee in paragraph 25 of its report. The report of the Fifth Committee on the programme budget implications of draft resolution IV is contained in document A/62/612.

Draft resolution IV is entitled "United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa". A recorded vote has been requested.

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 99?

The President

The General Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of all the reports of the First Committee.

The President

The Assembly will now take action on draft resolution II, recommended by the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) in paragraph 14 of its report. The report of the Fifth Committee on the programme budget implications of draft resolution II is contained in document A/62/615.

I now give the floor to the representative of the United States, who wishes to speak in explanation of position on draft resolution II.

Mr. Rees (United States)

The United States wishes to dissociate itself from the consensus on draft resolution II, on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. We regret that we are unable to join the consensus, but the implications of this draft resolution for the regular budget of the United Nations are unacceptable to the Government of the United States.

The President

A separate vote has been requested on paragraph 42 of draft resolution II. Is there any objection to that request? I see none. A recorded vote has been requested.

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution II as a whole. The Special Political and Decolonization Committee adopted draft resolution II 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 31?

The President

The General Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of all the reports of the Special Committee and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) before it.

The President

The General Assembly will now take action on draft resolution VI, recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 43 of its report. The report of the Fifth Committee on the programme budget implications of draft resolution VI is contained in document A/62/616.

I now give the floor to the representative of Egypt, who wishes to speak in explanation of vote before the voting.

Mr. Abdelaziz (Egypt)

Egypt believes in the importance of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and in its constructive role in eliminating all forms of discrimination against women. Egypt was also among the first countries to sign the international Convention that led to the establishment of the Committee. For those reasons, Egypt today will vote in favour of draft resolution VI as a whole.

Egypt voted against paragraph 15 in the Third Committee, because it would have a negative impact on the proceedings of the Committee and undermine its efficiency, as three of its sessions would occur in parallel chambers. Nevertheless, we support the other elements of the draft resolution, including the increase in the number of the Committee's meetings, which would help it to better carry out its duties within specific time frames and in a more effective way. We shall abstain in the voting on paragraph 15 today.

The President

Draft resolution VI is entitled "Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women". Separate votes have been requested on paragraphs 14 and 15 of the draft resolution. Are there any objections to that request? I see that there are none. I shall first put to the vote paragraph 14 of draft resolution VI. A recorded vote has been requested.

The President

I shall now put to the vote paragraph 15 of draft resolution VI. A recorded vote has been requested.

The President

The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution VI as a whole. A recorded vote has been requested.

The President

I shall now give the floor to representatives who wish to speak in explanation of vote on the resolution just adopted.

Mr. Hallak (Syria)

The Syrian Arab Republic voted in favour of this important resolution, resolution 62/218, because we fully believe in the need to eliminate all forms of violence and discrimination against women. The Syrian Arab Republic is a party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and attaches special importance to women's full enjoyment of human rights in accordance with its national laws and international commitments.

The Syrian Arab Republic attaches great importance to the work of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women with a view to arriving at the desired objective in the best possible and transparent manner. For that purpose, the Syrian Arab Republic voted against paragraph 15 of the resolution, because we believe that that paragraph includes an inefficient mechanism that endorses parallel and simultaneous meetings for the Committee. The Syrian Arab Republic believes that that division will be an obstacle to objectivity and transparency in the discussion of reports. We would like this reservation to be recorded in the verbatim record of this meeting.

Mr. Suárez (Colombia)

Before we conclude our consideration of the question of the advancement of women, my delegation would like to state that Colombia reiterates the interpretive considerations and clarifications presented by our delegation in the Third Committee during the consideration and adoption of draft resolutions II, entitled "Intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women", and V, entitled "Improvement of the situation of women in rural areas", as contained in document A/62/433, Part II. Colombia reiterates its support for the adoption of those important draft resolutions.

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 63?

The President

The Assembly has before it a draft resolution recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 16 of its report. The report of the Fifth Committee on the programme budget implications of the draft resolution is contained in document A/62/613.

I now call on representatives who wish to explain their vote before the vote.

Mr. Rees (United States)

The United States is compelled to vote "no" on the institution-building package considered by the Assembly today.

We had hoped that the Human Rights Council's institution-building session would address the deficiencies that had politicized the Council and prevented it from acting as a serious and effective human rights institution. But so far the Council's record has not only failed to fulfil our hopes, it has even fallen short of our limited expectations.

First, there was the Council's relentless focus during the year on a single country -- Israel. At the same time, the Council failed, during that year, to address serious human rights violations taking place in other countries such as Zimbabwe, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Belarus and Cuba.

Key provisions of the institution-building package before us today appear likely to compound the Council's institutional weaknesses. It is particularly disappointing that the package prematurely terminates the mandates of the United Nations Special Rapporteurs charged with monitoring and reporting on two of the world's most active perpetrators of serious human rights violations, the Governments of Cuba and Belarus.

Another disturbing feature of the package is that the permanent agenda of the Human Rights Council contains one, and only one, item having to do with a specific country. Once again, that country is Israel. That raises serious questions about the Council's institutional priorities, its ability to make unbiased assessments of human rights situations and whether it will take seriously its responsibility to protect and promote human rights around the world with particular attention to the most serious violations of human rights. Finally, deeply unfair and untransparent procedures were employed to deny Council members the opportunity to vote on the package we are now considering. If a tactic like this had been used in a national election in any country in the world, if a Government had announced that the election would be held on a certain day and then told voters who showed up on the appointed day that the election had actually been held at midnight the night before, the world would rightly regard that election as unfree and unfair.

The proceedings of all United Nations bodies should be models of fairness and transparency. That is particularly true of the Human Rights Council, which was intended to be the world's leading human rights protection mechanism. The procedure by which this package was adopted calls into serious question whether it can ever realize that goal.

The Human Rights Council will not be the world's most important human rights mechanism until it consistently focuses on the world's worst human rights violations, including extrajudicial killing, the use of rape for military and political purposes and the imprisonment of people for their political or religious opinions, and calls those acts -- which the Universal Declaration of Human Rights called "barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind" -- by their right names.

In short, we hope that the Human Rights Council will stand in solidarity with victims of human rights violations around the world, and not with the perpetrators.

Ms. Nassau (Australia)

The new Australian Government is strongly committed to the promotion of human rights and wants the Human Rights Council to play a strong, positive role in promoting and protecting human rights around the world. The Council's institution-building package contains a potentially useful set of tools and working practices, including the innovative universal periodic review mechanism.

We welcome the continuing role in the Council of United Nations Special Rapporteurs and the increasingly interactive dialogues with them, which have generally improved and assisted Council consideration of country and thematic human rights issues, including on issues of particular concern to Australia and countries of the Asia-Pacific region. The new special sessions have also proved useful in dealing with pressing situations in the Sudan and, recently, Myanmar.

That said, we remain of the view that the Human Rights Council's institution-building package is unbalanced. We were deeply disappointed at the unnecessary inclusion of a separate standing item focusing exclusively on the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories, which contradicts the Council's founding principles of non-selectivity and objectivity.

Given these concerns, Australia will maintain its vote against this resolution. We remain strongly committed to working constructively and actively with Council and non-Council members alike to ensure this new United Nations body is able to respond effectively to urgent human rights situations.

The President

We now turn to the draft resolution. A recorded vote has been requested.

I call on the representative of Egypt on a point of order.

Mr. Abdelaziz (Egypt)

I am taking the floor on a point of order. I note that Israel is voting on this draft resolution. At the same time, I see that a representative from the delegation of Andorra is sitting in the seat of Israel and exercising the vote on behalf of Israel. I would like to seek clarification and to determine the credentials of the representative sitting in the seat of Israel to vote on its behalf.

The President

There is an explanation for that. The necessary document was already submitted to the Credentials Committee of the Secretariat so that that representative may vote on behalf of Israel.

The President

I call on the representative of Egypt on a point of order.

Mr. Abdelaziz (Egypt)

I am sorry to take the floor again on this, but has this matter been notified to the Credentials Committee or the General Committee? I am not aware of any notification to the General Committee or the Credentials Committee about this arrangement. I think that, according to the rules of procedure, such arrangements must be approved by the Credentials Committee or the General Committee, as appropriate.

The President

The explanation of the Secretariat is that it has been submitted to the Office of Legal Affairs, in accordance with the practice which we are following.

I shall now call on those representatives who wish to explain their votes on the resolution just adopted.

Mr. Amorós Núñez (Cuba)

We wish to explain our vote as follows.

We know why the United States Government continues to seek to stigmatize Cuba. It does so because it cannot dispense with its odious fabrications, because it requires a pretext to pursue its policy of hostility, blockade and aggression against the Cuban people, and because it cannot renounce its intention to destroy our way of living. We also know why the United States does not want a credible and dignified Human Rights Council. That is because it preferred the discredited Commission on Human Rights, in which it managed to avert consideration of its horrendous violations of human rights in the base at Guantánamo Bay, an illegally occupied territory of Cuba, and in which, through pressure and blackmail, it was able to impose selective and politicized solutions against third world countries.

Where is the morality in the United States position when it practices torture and humiliation in the concentration camp in the Guantánamo base and in Abu Ghraib and bears responsibility for secret detention and torture centres operated in Europe by the Central Intelligence Agency, where it commits grave violations of human rights through its hundreds of covert flights? That Government does not even have the valour to stand up to international scrutiny by running for election in the Human Rights Council out of fear of not being elected -- unlike Cuba, which has been elected -- because of its dubious and questionable human rights record and misdeeds throughout the world.

Hypocrisy and cynicism do not belong in this debate. The Cuban people are ready to cooperate and fully participate in all efforts to build a Human Rights Council that will offer an effective response to the claims for justice of the peoples of the South and the major social sectors in developed countries that have also been condemned to marginalization and poverty.

Mr. Saeed (Sudan)

My delegation wishes to explain its vote on resolution 62/219 on institution-building of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

My delegation voted in favour of the resolution pursuant to its vote in favour of the draft resolution in the Third Committee. We did so because our delegation believes that the package of proposals we put together on institution-building of the Human Rights Council was a consensus package. All parties agreed to it, and we believe that institution-building must take many elements into consideration.

The few countries that voted against the resolution based their votes on political considerations and because they wish the Council to be an extension of the infamous former Commission on Human Rights. Among those delegations was that of Australia. Australia has a human rights record that is not especially honourable, particularly with respect to its position on indigenous populations and immigrants, whom it marginalizes politically and economically.

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 65?

The President

I call on the representative of the United States for an explanation of vote before the voting.

Mr. Rees (United States)

The United States reiterates its opposition to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Our record of domestic legislation and policies to combat vigorously such activities and attitudes demonstrates our commitment. The United States has long been a party to the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Although we supported the stated objectives of the World Conference held in Durban in 2001 and continue to support those objectives, the Conference itself was deeply flawed and divisive. The draft resolution now before us endorses a continuation of that flawed outcome and is therefore itself seriously problematic, even aside from the inadequacy of the budget preparations that have been noted in the Fifth Committee.

We believe that Durban follow-up activities being carried out by the Preparatory Committee in Geneva, an organ of the Human Rights Council, are duplicative of the work done by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and by the Human Rights Committee for the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and of the work related to the conventions of the International Labour Organization that address workers' rights. At a time of limited resources and many great needs, we do not support the continuation of such duplicative work.

For those reasons, and as we have stated before, we do not believe it would be appropriate to spend United Nations resources on preparatory activities for a Durban review conference. And we believe that the Human Rights Council should dedicate itself to the role for which it was created: addressing human-rights situations around the world, particularly emerging situations. Similarly, we strongly believe that, with so many pressing issues before us, the Secretary-General should not be asked to fund regional preparatory meetings that duplicate work already under way. We also believe that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights should provide more substantial programming and cooperative assistance in countries around the world to combat the scourge of racism, rather than putting its valuable resources towards more conferences.

Each country must have a legal framework in place to protect people from discrimination and to preserve other individual rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of religion.

At this time, States should be focusing on the implementation of existing commitments, rather than on the follow-up of a flawed process or the creation of new processes and instruments. The essential elements in multilateral efforts to combat contemporary forms of racism are universal ratification and effective implementation of the existing International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

For those reasons, the United States will vote against the draft resolution.

The President

We have heard the only speaker in explanation of vote.

The Assembly will now take action on draft resolution II, recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 26 of its report. Draft resolution II is entitled "Global efforts for the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action". A recorded vote has been requested.

The President

May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 68?

The President

The Assembly will take action on draft resolution X, recommend by the Third Committee in paragraph 173 of its report. The report of the Fifth Committee on the programme budget implications of the draft resolution is contained in document A/62/618.

Draft resolution X is entitled "Subregional Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa". The Third Committee adopted draft resolution X 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 sub-item (b) of agenda item 70?

The President

The Assembly will now take action on draft resolution II, recommended by the Third Committee in paragraph 49 of its report. The report of the Fifth Committee on the programme budget implications of draft resolution II is contained in document A/62/614.

We shall now take a decision on draft resolution II, entitled "Situation of human rights in Myanmar". A recorded vote has been requested.