GENERAL ASSEMBLY DECIDES TO HOLD DEBATE, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, ON ELIMINATING TERRORISM

Fifty-sixth General Assembly
Plenary
19 September 2001
3rd Meeting (AM)




Adopts 176-Item Agenda, Including New Item
on Convention against Human Cloning


Adopting an agenda of 176 items for its fifty-sixth regular session, the General Assembly decided that the initial debate on the item “Measures to eliminate international terrorism” be held in plenary meetings as soon as possible.

This decision was taken on the proposal of Belgium’s representative, on behalf of the European Union, on the understanding that the technical aspects of the item would continue to be discussed in the Sixth Committee (Legal). In this respect, the representative of South Africa, while supporting the proposal, warned that the African Group could not be represented at its highest level, as the general debate had been postponed.

Considering the report of its General Committee (document A/56/250), the Assembly also decided that its fifty-sixth session should recess not later than Tuesday, 11 December, and would close on Monday, 9 September 2002.

Among new items included in its agenda are “an international convention against the reproductive cloning of human beings”; “the administration of justice at the United Nations”; “observance of the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict”; “cooperation between the United Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum”; and observer status for the International Development Law Institute, the International Hydrographic Organization and Sahelo-Saharan States in the General Assembly.

The Assembly was informed by its President, Han Seung-soo (Republic of Korea), that its general debate, scheduled for 24 September-5 October, would be postponed to later dates. In that connection, the Assembly decided that its Main Committees should meet in substantive sessions as soon as possible during the current session. The first item the Assembly would consider in plenary would be the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization, to be taken up on Monday, 24 September.

For allocation of the other items on its agenda, the Assembly followed the General Committee’s recommendations. The number of items on the Assembly’s agenda was derived from the total considered by the General Committee, which had decided General Assembly Plenary to subsume a number of agenda items into one, entitled “cooperation between the United Nations and regional and other organizations”.

The Assembly also was informed by the President that the resumed third session of the Preparatory Committee for the International Conference on Financing for Development would be held from 15 to 19 October 2001.

Among procedural matters, the Assembly’s President emphasized the importance of punctuality in starting the meetings. He impressed on delegates that a 10 minutes’ delay for the start of every meeting at Headquarters would result in a waste of approximately $800,000 a year.

The General Assembly will meet again tomorrow, Thursday, 20 September, at 10 a.m. to start its high-level dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership.

Adopted Agenda

1. Opening of the session by the Chairman of the delegation of Finland (P. 1).

2. Minute of silent prayer or meditation (P. 2).

3. Credentials of representatives to the fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly (P. 3):

(a) Appointment of the members of the Credentials Committee;

(b) Report of the Credentials Committee.

4. Election of the President of the General Assembly (P. 4).

5. Election of the officers of the Main Committees (P. 5).

6. Election of the Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly (P. 6).

7. Notification by the Secretary-General under Article 12, paragraph 2, of the Charter of the United Nations (P. 7).

8. Adoption of the agenda and organization of work: reports of the General Committee (P. 8).

9. General debate (P. 9).

10. Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization (P. 10).

11. Report of the Security Council (P. 11).

12. Report of the Economic and Social Council (P. 12).

13. Report of the International Court of Justice (P. 13).

14. Report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (P. 14).

15. Elections to fill vacancies in principal organs (P. 15):

(a) Election of five non-permanent members of the Security Council;

(b) Election of eighteen members of the Economic and Social Council;

(c) Election of a member of the International Court of Justice.

16. Elections to fill vacancies in subsidiary organs and other elections (P. 16):

(a) Election of the members of the International Law Commission;

(b) Election of twenty-nine members of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme;

(c) Election of seven members of the Committee for Programme and Coordination;

(d) Election of the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme.


17. Appointments to fill vacancies in subsidiary organs and other appointments (P. 17):

(a) Appointment of members of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions;

(b) Appointment of members of the Committee on Contributions;

(c) Appointment of a member of the Board of Auditors;

(d) Confirmation of the appointment of members of the Investments Committee;

(e) Appointment of members of the United Nations Administrative Tribunal;

(f) Appointment of members of the International Civil Service Commission;

(g) Appointment of members of the Joint Inspection Unit;

(h) Appointment of members of the Committee on Conferences;

(i) Approval of the appointment of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

18. Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (P. 18).

19. Admission of new Members to the United Nations (P. 19).

20. Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance (P. 20):

(a) Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations;

(b) Special economic assistance to individual countries or regions;

(c) Strengthening of international cooperation and coordination of efforts to study, mitigate and minimize the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster;

(d) Participation of volunteers, “White Helmets”, in the activities of the United Nations in the field of humanitarian relief, rehabilitation and technical cooperation for development;

(e) Assistance to the Palestinian people;

(f) Emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan.

21. Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and other organizations:

(a) Cooperation between the United Nations and the Latin American Economic System (P. 21);

(b) Cooperation between the United Nations and the International Organization of la Francophonie (P. 22);

(c) Cooperation between the United Nations and the Council of Europe (P. 23);

(d) Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (P. 24);

(e) Cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States (P. 25);

(f) Cooperation between the United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (P. 26);

(g) Cooperation between the United Nations and the Economic Community of Central African States (P. 27);

(h) Cooperation between the United Nations and the Economic Cooperation Organization (P. 28);

(i) Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (P. 29);

(j) Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (P. 30);

(k) Cooperation between the United Nations and the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (P. 31);

(l) Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (P. 32);

(m) Cooperation between the United Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum (P. 184) (see para. 63).

22. Final review and appraisal of the implementation of the United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s (P. 33).

23. Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal (P. 34).

24. Review of the problem of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in all its aspects (P. 35).

25. United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations (P. 36).

26. Follow-up to the outcome of the special session on children (P. 37).

27. Implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development and of the twenty-fourth special session of the General Assembly (P. 38).

28. Culture of peace (P. 39).

29. Follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit (P. 40).

30. Oceans and the law of the sea (P. 41):

(a) Oceans and the law of the sea;

(b) Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks.

31. University for Peace (P. 42).

32. Multilingualism (P. 43).

33. Return or restitution of cultural property to the countries of origin (P. 44).

34. Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba (P. 45).

35. Support by the United Nations system of the efforts of Governments to promote and consolidate new or restored democracies (P. 46).

36. Zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic (P. 47).

37. The role of diamonds in fuelling conflict (P. 48).

38. Assistance in mine action (P. 49).

39. Towards global partnerships (P. 50).

40. The situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (P. 51).

41. Question of Palestine (P. 52).

42. The situation in the Middle East (P. 53).

43. The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security (P. 54).

44. The situation in Central America: procedures for the establishment of a firm and lasting peace and progress in fashioning a region of peace, freedom, democracy and development (P. 55).

45. Question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) (P. 56).

46. The situation in East Timor during its transition to independence (P. 57).

47. The situation of democracy and human rights in Haiti (P. 58).

48. Causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa (P. 59).

49. Question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters (P. 60).

50. Report of the International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 (P. 61).

51. Report of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Genocide and Other Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of Rwanda and Rwandan Citizens Responsible for Genocide and Other Such Violations Committed in the Territory of Neighbouring States between 1 January and 31 December 1994 (P. 62).

52. Declaration of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity on the aerial and naval military attack against the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya by the present United States Administration in April 1986 (P. 63).

53. Armed Israeli aggression against the Iraqi nuclear installations and its grave consequences for the established international system concerning the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and international peace and security (P. 64).

54. Consequences of the Iraqi occupation of and aggression against Kuwait (P. 65).

55. Implementation of the resolutions of the United Nations (P. 66).
56. Launching of global negotiations on international economic cooperation for development (P. 67).

57. Question of the Comorian island of Mayotte (P. 68).

58. United Nations reform: measures and proposals (P. 69).

59. Strengthening of the United Nations system (P. 70).

60. Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly (P. 71).

61. Restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields (P. 72).

62. Question of Cyprus (P. 73).

63. Armed aggression against the Democratic Republic of the Congo (P. 74).

64. Reduction of military budgets (P. 75):

(a) Reduction of military budgets;

(b) Objective information on military matters, including transparency of military expenditures.

65. Verification in all its aspects, including the role of the United Nations in the field of verification (P. 76).

66. Implementation of the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace (P. 77).

67. African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (P. 78).

68. Maintenance of international security — good-neighbourliness, stability and development in South-Eastern Europe (P. 79).

69. Developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security (P. 80).

70. The role of science and technology in the context of international security and disarmament (P. 81).

71. Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East (P. 82).
72. Conclusion of effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons (P. 83).

73. Prevention of an arms race in outer space (P. 84).
74. General and complete disarmament (P. 85):

(a) Notification of nuclear tests;

(b) Further measures in the field of disarmament for the prevention of an arms race on the seabed and the ocean floor and in the subsoil thereof;

(c) Prohibition of the dumping of radioactive wastes;

(d) Missiles;

(e) Preservation of and compliance with the Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems;

(f) Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world: the need for a new agenda;

(g) Assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and collecting them;

(h) Consolidation of peace through practical disarmament measures;

(i) Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction;

(j) Nuclear-weapon-free southern hemisphere and adjacent areas;

(k) Observance of environmental norms in the drafting and implementation of agreements on disarmament and arms control;

(l) Relationship between disarmament and development;

(m) Convening of the fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament;

(n) Reducing nuclear danger;

(o) Regional disarmament;

(p) Conventional arms control at the regional and subregional levels;

(q) Illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons;

(r) Nuclear disarmament;

(s) Transparency in armaments;

(t) Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction;

(u) Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia;

(v) Follow-up to the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons;

(w) Small arms.

75. Review and implementation of the Concluding Document of the Twelfth Special Session of the General Assembly (P. 86):

(a) Regional confidence-building measures: activities of the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa;

(b) United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa;

(c) United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean;

(d) United Nations regional centres for peace and disarmament;

(e) Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons;

(f) United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific.

76. Review of the implementation of the recommendations and decisions adopted by the General Assembly at its tenth special session (P. 87):

(a) Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters;

(b) United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research;

(c) Report of the Conference on Disarmament;

(d) Report of the Disarmament Commission.

77. The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East (P. 88).

78. Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (P. 89).

79. Strengthening of security and cooperation in the Mediterranean region (P. 90).

80. Consolidation of the regime established by the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco) (P. 91).

81. Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction (P. 92).

82. Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (P. 93).

83. Compliance with arms limitation and disarmament and non-proliferation agreements (P. 94).

84. Review of the implementation of the Declaration on the Strengthening of International Security (P. 95).

85. Effects of atomic radiation (P. 96).

86. International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space (P. 97).

87. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (P. 98).

88. Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (P. 99).

89. Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects (P. 100).

90. Questions relating to information (P. 101).

91. Information from Non-Self-Governing Territories transmitted under Article 73 e of the Charter of the United Nations (P. 102).

92. Economic and other activities which affect the interests of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories (P. 103).

93. Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations (P. 104).

94. Offers by Member States of study and training facilities for inhabitants of Non-Self-Governing Territories (P. 105).

95. Macroeconomic policy questions (P. 107):

(a) Trade and development;

(b) International financial system and development;

(c) Science and technology for development;

(d) External debt crisis and development.

96. Sectoral policy questions (P. 108):

(a) Business and development;

(b) Industrial development cooperation.

97. Sustainable development and international economic cooperation (P. 109):

(a) Women in development;

(b) Human resources development;

(c) High-level dialogue on strengthening international economic cooperation for development through partnership;

(d) Implementation of the commitments and policies agreed upon in the Declaration on International Economic Cooperation, in particular the Revitalization of Economic Growth and Development of the Developing Countries, and implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Fourth United Nations Development Decade.

98. Environment and sustainable development (P. 110):

(a) Implementation of Agenda 21 and the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21;

(b) International strategy for disaster reduction;

(c) Implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa;

(d) Convention on Biological Diversity;

(e) Further implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States;

(f) Protection of global climate for present and future generations of mankind;

(g) Promotion of new and renewable sources of energy, including the implementation of the World Solar Programme 1996-2005.

99. Operational activities for development (P. 111):

(a) Triennial policy review of operational activities for development of the United Nations system;

(b) Economic and technical cooperation among developing countries.

100. International migration and development, including the question of the convening of a United Nations conference on international migration and development to address migration issues (P. 112).

101. Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources (P. 113).

102. Implementation of the Habitat Agenda and outcome of the special session of the General Assembly on this topic (P. 114).

103. Implementation of the first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006) (P. 115).

104. Training and research (P. 116).

105. Globalization and interdependence (P. 117).

106. Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (P. 118):

(a) Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries;

(b) Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010.

107. High-level international intergovernmental consideration of financing for development (P. 119).

108. Social development, including questions relating to the world social situation and to youth, ageing, disabled persons and the family (P. 120).

109. Follow-up to the International Year of Older Persons: Second World Assembly on Ageing (P. 121).

110. Crime prevention and criminal justice (P. 122).

111. International drug control (P. 123).

112. Advancement of women (P. 124).

113. Implementation of the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women and of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century” (P. 125).

114. Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, questions relating to refugees, returnees and displaced persons and humanitarian questions (P. 126).

115. Promotion and protection of the rights of children (P. 127).

116. Programme of activities of the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (P. 128).

117. Elimination of racism and racial discrimination (P. 129).

118. Right of peoples to self-determination (P. 130).

119. Human rights questions (P. 131):

(a) Implementation of human rights instruments;

(b) Human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms;

(c) Human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives;

(d) Comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action;

(e) Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

120. Financial reports and audited financial statements, and reports of the Board of Auditors (P. 132):

(a) United Nations peacekeeping operations;

(b) Voluntary funds administered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

121. Review of the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations (P. 133).

122. Programme budget for the biennium 2000-2001 (P. 134).

123. Proposed programme budget for the biennium 2002-2003 (P. 135).

124. Pattern of conferences (P. 136).

125. Scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations (P. 137).

126. Human resources management (P. 138).

127. United Nations common system (P. 139).

128. Joint Inspection Unit (P. 140).

129. Improving the financial situation of the United Nations (P. 141).

130. Report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (P. 142).

131. Financing of the International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 (P. 143).

132. Financing of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Genocide and Other Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of Rwanda and Rwandan Citizens Responsible for Genocide and Other Such Violations Committed in the Territory of Neighbouring States between 1 January and 31 December 1994 (P. 144).

133. Administrative and budgetary aspects of the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations (P. 145).

134. Financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East (P. 146):

(a) United Nations Disengagement Observer Force;

(b) United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

135. Financing of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (P. 147).

136. Financing of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (P. 148).

137. Financing of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (P. 149).

138. Financing of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission and the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (P. 150).

139. Financing of the activities arising from Security Council resolution 687 (1991) (P. 151):

(a) United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission;

(b) Other activities.

140. Financing of the United Nations Mission in East Timor (P. 152).

141. Financing of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (P. 153).

142. Financing of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (P. 154).

143. Financing of the United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (P. 155).

144. Financing of the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (P. 156).

145. Financing and liquidation of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (P. 157).

146. Financing of the United Nations Protection Force, the United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia, the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force and the United Nations Peace Forces headquarters (P. 158).

147. Financing of the United Nations Operation in Somalia II (P. 159).

148. Financing of the United Nations Operation in Mozambique (P. 160).

149. Financing of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (P. 161).

150. Financing of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (P. 162).

151. Financing of the United Nations Mission in Haiti (P. 163).

152. Financing of the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (P. 164).

153. Financing of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (P. 165).

154. Financing of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (P. 166).

155. Financing of the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium and the Civilian Police Support Group (P. 167).

156. Financing of the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti, the United Nations Transition Mission in Haiti and the United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti (P. 168).

157. Financing of the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (P. 169).

158. Financing of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (P. 170).

159. United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law (P. 171).

160. Convention on jurisdictional immunities of States and their property (P. 172).

161. Report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on the work of its thirty-fourth session (P. 173).

162. Report of the International Law Commission on the work of its fifty-third session (P. 174).

163. Report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country (P. 175).

164. Establishment of the International Criminal Court (P. 176).

165. Report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization (P. 177).

166. Measures to eliminate international terrorism (P. 178).

167. Scope of legal protection under the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel (P. 179).

168. Observer status for the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance in the General Assembly (P. 180).

169. Administration of justice at the United Nations (P. 181).

170. Observer status for the International Development Law Institute in the General Assembly (P. 182) (see para. 61).

171. Observance of the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict (P. 183) (see para. 62).

172. Observer status for the International Hydrographic Organization in the General Assembly (P. 185) (see para. 64).

173. Observer status for the Community of Sahelo-Saharan States in the General Assembly (S. 1) (see para. 65).

174. International convention against the reproductive cloning of human beings (S. 2) (see para. 66).

175. Peace, security and reunification on the Korean peninsula (S. 4) (see para. 68).

176. Observer status for Partners in Population and Development in the General Assembly (A/55/241 and decision 55/402 B of 7 September 2001) (see para. 69).







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