STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA BY THE DELEGATION OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA IN THE FIFTH COMMITTEE OF THE U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLYON GRATIS PERSONNEL

New York, 6 October 1997

Mr. Chairman,

During the negotiations on the issue of gratis personnel, it was agreed in the Fifth Committee that this issue will be considered in the first part of the 52nd regular session of the General Assembly. Therefore, in the resolution adopted in the informal consultations had mentioned "regular session" in paragraphs 9, 11, 13 and 14 of resolution 51/243. It was omitted at the time of final adoption of the resolution during the formal meeting of the Fifth Committee. At the request of the coordinator of this agenda item, the phrase "regular session" was included in the resolution formally adopted by the Fifth Committee.

When the General Assembly was to adopt the report of the Fifth Committee on this agenda item, it was noticed that the phrase was once again missing from the resolution to be adopted in the plenary. In accordance with the understanding reached in the Fifth Committee, the rapporteur of the Fifth Committee made a formal statement from the podium that the phrase "in the first part of the 52nd session" should be inserted in paragraphs 9, 11, 13 and 14 of resolution 51/243. The General Assembly adopted the resolution with this minor technical amendment to the resolution.

The Group of 77 and China has noted with deep regret that the phrase "in the first part of the 52nd session" has been omitted once again in the final printing of resolution 51/243. The Group reaffirms its position that the legislative process undertaken by Member States should not be interfere with by the Secretariat. Therefore, the Group requests that the resolution 51/243 should be reissued with the aforementioned technical changes as it was adopted by the General Assembly in the plenary.

The Group of 77 and China is of the view that the resolution adopted by the General Assembly by consensus has to be fully implemented in letter and spirit. Therefore, the Secretariat is once again urged to bring out the requested reports to enable the Fifth Committee to consider this agenda item in the first part of the 52nd regular session of the General Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.