FOR IN FIFTH COMMITTEE DEBATE19981120
Committee Begins Consideration of International Tribunals' Financing, Concludes Discussion of Board of Auditor's Reports
There should be an independent investigation of the operations and functioning of the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and
for the Former Yugoslavia, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) was told this afternoon as it began discussing their
financing.
When it came to financing the Tribunals, there was a tendency to request posts and resources to address every possible future
development, the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), C.S.M. Mselle, also
noted. Current vacancy rates must be reduced before it could be determined whether new posts were needed.
The Secretary-General's reports on revised 1998 estimates and proposed resource requirements for 1999 for both Tribunals were
introduced by the Director, Programme Planning and Budget Division, Office of Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts, Warren
Sach. He explained that increases in resources requested for 1999 were a consequence of Security Council decisions and the resulting
expected increases in trials and investigations.
The representatives of Pakistan, Austria (for the European Union) and Syria spoke.
(...)
Mr. MSELLE said he had neglected to mention that the ACABQ recommended some $103.1 million gross for 1999 for the International
Criminal Tribunal for
Fifth Committee - 7 - Press Release GA/AB/3269 32nd Meeting (PM) 20 November 1998
the Former Yugoslavia, compared with the $106.4 million proposed by the Secretary-General.
AMJAD SIAL (Pakistan) regretted that the late submission of the Secretary-General's reports had delayed the reports of the ACABQ and
presented an obstacle to the Committee's consideration of the matter. The late issuance of documents needed to be addressed seriously.
The reports did not comply with the provisions of resolution 52/214B. Both Tribunals should be provided with adequate resources for
their smooth functioning.
The ACABQ's proposal for an evaluation of both Tribunals was important, he said. The Advisory Committee proposed that the
investigation cost be borne by the two Tribunals, but there was need for further clarification. Would extra costs be involved or the
Tribunals' functioning be impeded? he asked.
He recalled that among the recommendations stemming from the Office of Internal Oversight Services' audit of the Rwanda Tribunal, the
legal adviser to the Registrar was to be reassigned, having been involved in an exchange of private funds with defense counsel. However,
the legal adviser had been exonerated after investigation by a panel. He commended the action taken by the Secretary-General who, as
Chief Administrative Officer, was responsible for ensuring justice and adherence to the rules and regulations of the General Assembly.
The Assembly had determined that gratis personnel were to be phased out by December 1998, he said, but some had been accepted in
August 1998. The Assembly's resolutions must be implemented, he stressed.
ULRIKE BUTSCHEK (Austria), for the European Union, regretted that the documents had come out late. She reserved the Union's right
to speak at a later stage. Since the matter was of such importance, the reports should be studied properly.
TAMMAM SULAIMAN (Syria) said Syria would like to endorse the statement made by the representative of Pakistan concerning the
Oversight Office's recommendation on the legal advisor that had not been implemented by the Secretary-General. That situation should
be considered in the review of the activities of the Oversight Office.
Statements on Other Matters
The representative of Costa Rica said she sought information from the Secretariat on a meeting of the Committee on the Host Country
which had discussed several matters raised in the Fifth Committee. The Chief of the Safety and Security Service had explained that all
the problems being
Fifth Committee - 8 - Press Release GA/AB/3269 32nd Meeting (PM) 20 November 1998
experienced were due to staff cuts. As he had advised the Fifth Committee that the United Nations was experiencing constant threats, she
asked how staff from that Service could be reduced. She would like to know how many staff had been cut from the Service in the last
two years, and for what reason. Additionally, she sought information on the Service's current staff levels, and how many staff would be
needed for it to operate properly. It seemed there was a trend to resort to outside recruitment, and that should be based on equitable
geographical representation.
Also, a dog had been seen in the conference room used by the Fifth Committee, she said. She asked if that was an indication of a threat.
She would like to be informed if that dog was a United Nations dog, what type of contract it had and how much it was paid.
MOVSES ABELIAN (Armenia), Committee Chairman, said he would seek the information requested.
The representative of Syria said he supported the statement by the representative of Costa Rica. The ongoing problems with Security staff
had prompted him to raise the issue again and again, and they required an immediate solution.
He also drew attention to a problem in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) with translations. When the Fourth
Committee had begun its discussion of a report on Israeli practices in occupied Palestinian territories, only an English version of the
report -- which had been distributed without translation into other languages -- had been available. He strongly protested against that.
Lack of availability of documents in all languages was not just a problem but had become normal. An addendum to that report would
become available in Arabic six weeks after it had been discussed, not six weeks before. He requested the Chairman to convey to those in
charge that all necessary documents must be made available to all delegations six weeks in advance of discussions, so that they could be
properly discussed properly.
The CHAIRMAN said he would transmit those concerns to the Office of Conference Services.
The representative of Uganda asked the Chairman if copies of his letter to the President of the General Assembly (drawing attention to
the need to abide by General Assembly resolutions and the Rules of Procedure that administrative and budgetary matters should be the
sole purview of the Fifth Committee) were available. If it had been issued as an official document could he be advised of its document
number? he asked. He would also like a copy of any relevant letter from the General Assembly President sent to the Chairmen of the
Main Committees, and wished to be advised of any response received, particularly from the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and
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Cultural). In addition, he asked when the Committee would have an opportunity to discuss the status of its programme of work.
The CHAIRMAN said that his letter had been issued as an official document this morning. He understood that the Third Committee
planned to take action on the concerned draft resolution this afternoon. The letter had been distributed. However, it did not ask for
responses and he had not received any.
He said that the Fifth Committee intended to hold informal discussions on its programme of work this coming Monday afternoon.
The representative of Morocco said he wished to draw the Secretariat's attention to an error in document A/53/662 on the Integrated
Management Information System (IMIS). Only the first page of the Arabic version of that document -- some eight lines -- was in Arabic.
The remainder was in English.
The CHAIRMAN advised the Committee that the problem applied to all non-English versions of that document, and that he would
inform the Office of Conference Services of the problem.
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