Mr Chairman,

1. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China during this general debate on agenda item 148 : Administrative and Budgetary Aspects of Financing United Nations Peacekeeping Operations - closed Peacekeeping Operations. We express our appreciation to the Assistant-Secretary General/Controller, Ms Bettina Tucci Bartsiotas and Mr Carlos Ruiz Massieu for introducing the relevant reports of the Secretary General and the Advisory Committee on this item.

2. The Group remains concerned by the cash deficit situation in several closed peacekeeping missions owing to the continued non-payment of arrears by some Member States, which has resulted in turn in substantial and long outstanding dues owed by the United Nations to troop and police contributing countries that have fulfilled their financial obligations to the organisation.

3. In this regard, the Group recalls the legal obligation under the Charter of the United Nations for all Member States to pay in full, without conditions and in a timely manner the full amount of their assessed contributions. Thus, the G77 and China concurs with the Secretary General on the importance of properly addressing the cash requirements of peacekeeping operations. However, it also reasserts the importance of finding a viable solution to the issue of outstanding payments to troop and police contributing countries in closed peacekeeping operations, regardless of the problem of cash deficits in these missions.

4. The General Assembly in its resolution 65/293 requested the Secretary General to submit for its consideration and approval concrete proposals and alternatives to address the issue of outstanding dues to Member States from closed peacekeeping operations that are faced with a cash deficit. We are grateful for the Secretary General for his proposals to address the issue, yet we perceive any proposal other than the full payment of these outstanding payments to troop and police contributing countries as unfeasible, given the fact that they are long overdue.

5. Finally, the Group would like to assure you, Mr Chairman that it will engage actively and constructively in the forthcoming deliberations on this important issue.

I thank you Mr Chairman.