United Nations

 NEW YORK, 19 December (UN Headquarters) -- The General Assembly this morning strongly condemned the fact that foreign military support to the Afghan parties had continued unabated through 2000.  As it adopted, without a vote, a two-part resolution on emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan and the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security, it called upon all States to strictly refrain from any outside interference and to end immediately the supply of arms, ammunition, military equipment, training or any other military support to the parties to the conflict.

 It further called upon the Afghan parties, in particular, the Taliban, to cease immediately all armed hostilities, to renounce the use of force and to pursue the political dialogue under United Nations auspices aimed at achieving a lasting political settlement of the conflict, leading to the establishment of a broad-based, multi-ethnic and fully representative government, which would protect the rights of all Afghans and observe the international obligation of Afghanistan.  It strongly urged the Taliban and other Afghan parties to refrain from all acts of violence against civilians, in particular, women and children.  

 The Assembly also condemned the acts of terrorists based in Afghanistan, and demanded that, in particular, the Taliban refrain from providing safe haven to international terrorists and their organizations.

 The Assembly stressed that the responsibility for the humanitarian crisis lies with all warring parties, in particular, with the Taliban.  It urged all Afghan parties, in particular, the Taliban, to immediately end all armed hostilities and called upon the leaders of all parties to place the highest priority on national reconciliation, acknowledging the desire of the Afghan people for rehabilitation, reconstruction and economic and social development.

 The representatives of Germany, France (on behalf of the European Union and associated States), Iran, Australia, Russian Federation, Turkey, Japan, Afghanistan and Pakistan addressed the Assembly before action was taken on the draft text. 

Turning to the “strengthening of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance”, the Assembly adopted, without a vote, a draft resolution on the safety and security of humanitarian personnel and protection of United Nations personnel.  By its terms, it called upon governments and parties in complex humanitarian emergencies to ensure the safe and unhindered access of humanitarian personnel.  It also strongly condemned any act or failure to act which obstructs or prevents humanitarian personnel from discharging their humanitarian functions, or which entails them being subjected to threats or physical attack, and affirmed the need to hold accountable those who commit such acts.

 Under the same agenda item, again without a vote, the Assembly also adopted, a resolution on assistance for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Liberia.

 Addressing the item entitled “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”, the Assembly adopted two resolutions without a vote:  one on the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala -- authorizing the renewal of the mandate of the Mission from 1 January to 31 December 2001 -- and one on the situation in Central America -- reaffirming the need to continue to improve the electoral processes that had been taking place in that region.

 In a recorded vote of 147 in favour and 1 against (Armenia) (see Annex I), --  the Assembly adopted an amended resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).  By that resolution, the Assembly underlined the importance of regional cooperation as a means of fostering good-neighbourly relations, stability and economic development.  It encouraged the OSCE’s further efforts to foster security and stability through early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation, as well as through continued promotion of democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms.

 Also in a recorded vote -- 62 in favour, 1 against (Armenia) and 65 abstentions (see Annex II) -- the Assembly adopted an amendment to that resolution proposed by Azerbaijan, stating that it fully supported the efforts of the OSCE to achieve a peaceful solution to the conflict in and around the Nagorno-Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

 The representatives of Austria and Azerbaijan spoke on the subject, and the representatives of the United States and Egypt explained their vote.

 Regarding the financing of United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East, the Assembly voted on a resolution recommended by the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), first on separate parts of that resolution –- with 85 votes in favour, 3 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, United States) and 47 abstentions (see Annex III), and then on the whole -– with 140 votes in favour and 3 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, United States) (see Annex VI).

 The representatives of Israel, United States and Egypt spoke in explanation of their votes, while the representatives of Lebanon and Israel exercised their right of reply.

In other action, the Assembly decided to take note of the President’s appointment of Argentina, Benin, Finland, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Peru and Sierra Leone as members of the Committee on Conferences to serve for a period of three years, beginning on 1 January 2001.

 The Assembly also decided to defer consideration of the item entitled “the situation in East Timor during its transition to independence” and to include it in the provisional agenda of its fifty-sixth session.

 Finally, the Assembly adopted without a vote the draft decision recommended by the Fifth Committee in its report on the Report of the Economic and Social Council.

 The Assembly will meet again tomorrow, 20 December, at 10 a.m., to consider the reports of the Second Committee (Financial and Economic).  On Thursday, 21 December, at 10 a.m., it will take up other outstanding matters.

Assembly Work Programme

 The General Assembly met this morning to appoint members of the Committee on Conferences, and to take up consideration of the following issues:  the situation in East Timor during its transition to independence; emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan and the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security; strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance; the situation in Central America; cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE); financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East:  United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL); and the report of the Economic and Social Council.

Appointment of Members of the Committee on Conferences

 Before the Assembly was a note by the Secretary-General (A/55/108), stating that since the terms of office of Argentina, Bahamas, Belgium, Benin, Georgia, Iran and Lesotho will expire on 31 December, the Assembly’s President will have to appoint seven members to fill the resulting vacancies.  The appointed members will serve for a period of three years, beginning on 1 January 2001.

The Situation in Afghanistan

 The Assembly had a report of the General-Secretary on emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan, (document A/55/348) submitted pursuant to resolution 54/189 B of 17 December 1999.  According to the report, the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan continued to deteriorate during the period 1 July 1999 to 30 June 2000.  Fighting escalated in the summer of 1999, further compounding the vulnerability of millions of Afghan civilians.  A major air and ground offensive launched by the Taliban against the United Front caused the displacement of over 100,000 people into the Panjshir Valley and Kabul.  During the reporting period, combatants denied humanitarian agencies effective access to many areas, which increased the difficulties in reaching affected populations.  

 The severely war-disrupted economy, the Secretary-General’s report stated, showed a high incidence of poverty and unemployment.  The Taliban’s reorganization of the public sector had worsened urban poverty, specifically the reduction of the Ministry of Higher Education by 6,000 employees and the Ministry of Education by 12,000.  Female teachers who were no longer allowed to work also were removed from the payroll.  Depreciation of the afghani and a regional drought were two factors affecting the socio-economic situation.  The imposition of limited economic sanctions on Afghanistan by the United Nations took effect from November 1999, canceling all commercial flights to the war-torn country.  However, flights of the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and non-governmental assistance operations have continued.  Access to food was exacerbated for most of the population of approximately 22 million.  The World Food Programme (WFP) planned to provide 117,166 tons of wheat to victims of drought.  The price increase for a kilogram of wheat flour, from September 1999 through May 2000, varied from 40 per cent in Kabul to 119 per cent in Mazar.

 The Secretary-General said that the past 12 months had brought no respite to the Afghani population, with the prospects for the next 12 months equally bleak because no peace was in sight.  In fact, both sides had reinforced their military capability, leading to a likely upsurge in military activity.  Little or no employment in the cities and drought conditions in rural areas left many families barely surviving on famine foods such as grasses, roots and alfalfa.  The safety net provided by the international community’s humanitarian assistance was threadbare.  Afghans were renowned for their resilience, but the 22 years of war and the attendant development and human rights deficits were driving out the last vestiges of hope.  Moreover, the brain drain and the collapse of the education system would have a devastating effect on future generations and on development prospects.  Unfortunately, most Afghans felt that the international community had forgotten them, and failed them.  In conclusion, the report noted that the humanitarian imperative to assist Afghanistan remained acute and hoped that, with support from Member States, the United Nations would increase its presence in the country and ensure that vital humanitarian assistance could continue.

 Before the Assembly was a two-part  resolution (document A/55/L.62/Rev.1) on emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan and the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security.  The first part of the resolution was on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security.  By the terms of the text, the General Assembly would urge the Taliban and the United Front to honour the written agreement communicated to the Secretary-General’s Personal Representative in separate letters dated 30 October 2000 to enter into a process of dialogue, without preconditions and under the good offices of the Secretary-General or his Personal Representative, aimed at achieving a political solution to the conflict in Afghanistan.

 The Assembly would call upon the Afghani parties, in particular the Taliban, to cease immediately all armed hostilities, to renounce the use of force and to pursue without delay the political dialogue under United Nations auspices aimed at achieving a lasting political settlement of the conflict and leading to the establishment of a broad-based, multi-ethnic and fully representative government, which would protect the rights of all Afghans and observe the international obligations of Afghanistan.

 The Assembly would also strongly urge the Taliban and other Afghan parties to refrain from all acts of violence against civilians, in particular women and children.  It would strongly condemn the fact that foreign military support to the Afghani parties continued unabated through 2000, and would call upon all States to strictly refrain from any outside interference and to end immediately the supply of arms, ammunition, military equipment, training or any other military support to all parties to the conflict in Afghanistan.  

 The Assembly would also call upon all signatories to the Tashkent Declaration on Fundamental Principles for a Peaceful Settlement of the Conflict in Afghanistan of 19 July 1999 to implement the principles contained in that Declaration in support of the efforts of the United Nations towards a peaceful resolution of the Afghani conflict.  The Assembly would also strongly condemn the armed attacks on and the killing of United Nations and other humanitarian personnel, and would strongly call upon the Taliban to fulfil their stated commitment to cooperate in urgent investigations of these heinous crimes. 

 The Assembly would also strongly condemn the widespread violations and abuses of human rights, including reports on summary executions and an alleged mass killing of detainees in Samangan in May 2000, and would strongly urge all Afghan parties to recognize, protect and promote all human rights and freedoms, including the right to life, liberty and security of persons, regardless of gender, ethnicity or religion. 

 The Assembly would condemn the acts of terrorists based in Afghanistan, including those in support of extremist groups operating against the interests of Member States and against their citizens, and would strongly demand that in particular the Taliban refrain from providing safe haven to international terrorists and their organizations, cease the recruitment of terrorists, close down terrorist training camps inside Afghanistan, and take effective measures to ensure that the territory under its control is not used to sponsor international terrorist operations. 

 The Assembly would also request the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) to continue its crop monitoring work inside Afghanistan, within the context of the United Nations common programme, and to consider enlarging its alternative development work there should the assessment show significant implementation of the decree.  Finally, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to report to it every four months during its fifty-fifth session on the progress of the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan, and to report to the Assembly at its fifty-sixth session on the progress made in the implementation of the present resolutions.  
 In the second part of the resolution, on emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan, the Assembly would stress that the responsibility for the humanitarian crisis lies with all warring parties, in particular with the Taliban.  The Assembly would also strongly condemn the resumption of major fighting by the Taliban during the past summer, especially in the Taloqan area and the Shomali Plains, resulting in further forcible displacement of civilian populations and destruction of infrastructure.

 The Assembly would urge all parties, in particular the Taliban, to immediately end all armed hostilities and would call upon the leaders of all Afghan parties to place the highest priority on national reconciliation, acknowledging the desire of the Afghan people for rehabilitation, reconstruction and economic and social development.  It would urge all Afghan parties, in particular the Taliban, to respect international humanitarian law, to ensure the safety, security and free movement of all United Nations and humanitarian personnel as well as their safe and unimpeded access to all affected populations and to protect the property of the United Nations and of humanitarian organizations, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), so as to facilitate their work. 

 The Assembly would demand that all Afghan parties fully cooperate with the United Nations and associated bodies as well as with other agencies and humanitarian organizations in their efforts to respond to the humanitarian needs of the people of Afghanistan, would condemn all interference in the delivery of humanitarian relief supplies and would demand the secure and uninterrupted supply of humanitarian aid to all in need of it, especially in the Panjshir valley. 

 Further to the draft, the Assembly would strongly condemn substantial restrictions introduced by the Taliban authorities on the operations of the United Nations, in particular the recent decree banning the employment of Afghan women in United Nations and non-governmental programmes.  The Assembly would further denounce the continuing discrimination against girls and women as well as ethnic and religious groups, including minorities, and other violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Afghanistan, notably in areas under the control of the Taliban.  

 The Assembly would strongly urge all the Afghan parties to end discriminatory policies and to recognize, protect and promote the equal rights and dignity of women and men, including their rights to full and equal participation in the life of the country, freedom of movement, access to education and health facilities, employment outside the home, personal security and freedom from intimidation and harassment, in particular with respect to the implications of discriminatory policies for the distribution of aid. 

 It would urge all Afghan parties to prohibit conscripting or enlisting children or using them to participate in hostilities in violation of the provisions of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflicts.  It would appeal to all States and to the international community to ensure that all humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan integrates a gender perspective, that it actively attempts to promote the participation of both women and men, and that women benefit equally with men from such assistance. 

 The Assembly would call upon the international community to respond to the inter-agency consolidated appeal for emergency humanitarian and rehabilitation assistance for Afghanistan, launched by the Secretary-General on 29 November 2000 for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2001, bearing in mind the availability also of the Afghanistan Emergency Trust Fund.  It would request the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session a report on the actions taken pursuant to the resolution.  

 The two part draft was co-sponsored by Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius,  Monaco, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Tajikistan, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia. 

 The Assembly also had before it a report of the Fifth Committee (document A/55/698) whereby the Committee informed the Assembly that, should it adopt the draft resolution, a total additional appropriation of $6,315,600, comprising the requirements of $6,001,500 for 2001 and the additional requirement of $314,100 for 2000, would be required under section 3, Political Affairs, of the programme budget for the biennium 2000-2001.

 The Assembly also had a report by the Secretary-General (document A/55/393) on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security, stating that it is all too obvious that any gains on the battlefield would not bring about an end to the Afghan conflict.  The conflict cries out for a comprehensive political solution in keeping with the aspirations of the Afghan people and the legitimate concerns of the international community.  The current drought, the worst for over 30 years, is having a devastating effect on the population of Afghanistan, particularly in the rural areas, where the index of vulnerability is already extremely high.  The Secretary-General appeals to the donor community to respond generously to requests for support.  

According to the report, the recent Taliban decree, imposing for the first time a total ban on opium poppy cultivation in their territory, is an encouraging development that deserves a positive response.  It is unfortunate, however, that positive developments are offset by other actions such as the edict against women and the unwillingness to receive the Special Rapporteur.  

Prior to the onset of the fighting, there had been signs that the two sides might consider embarking upon some kind of dialogue under the auspices of the United Nations.  The report said that, while other international organizations and third countries can and should play a useful role in the search for peace, it is desirable that any initiative be undertaken in close cooperation with, and under the umbrella of, the United Nations, whose central role in the settlement of the conflict has repeatedly been recognized by the Security Council and the General Assembly as well as by countries in the region.  

 The Secretary-General concludes by expressing an element of  disappointment that there has been no significant shift as yet in the well known positions of those countries that have interests in and influence in Afghanistan.  The recent incursions by Islamic militants into the territory of Central Asian countries highlight the danger of further spread of the conflict, and the need for a comprehensive rather than a piecemeal approach to the Afghan crisis.  

Also before the Assembly was the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security (document A/55/633-S/2000/1106), submitted in response to requests by the Security Council for regular information on the main developments in Afghanistan.  According to the report, most Afghans faced war, widespread poverty exacerbated by the worst drought in 30 years, and continued gross violations of human rights amid the destruction and criminalization of the economy, resulting in a “bare bones” existence likely to deteriorate over the winter months and throughout 2001.

The Secretary-General was deeply distressed that Pakistani madrassahs were taking an active role in the fighting on the side of the Taliban.  He took note of other forms of interference by certain governments in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.  On the recent Taliban decree imposing a total ban on opium poppy cultivation in territory under its control, the Secretary-General found this step to be positive.  However, he felt this was offset by other actions of the Taliban, notably the edict against the employment of Afghan women.

Furthermore, the Secretary-General deplored the Taliban’s failure to comply with Security Council resolution 1267 (1999), which demanded turning over Osama bin Laden.  In addition, there was no apparent progress in the investigation of the murders of the Iranian diplomatic and consular staff in Mazar-e-Sharif, nor in bringing the perpetrators of the murder of Lieutenant Colonel Calo, the military adviser to the Special Mission, to trial.

Although the United Nations country team for Afghanistan and its non-governmental partners continued their efforts to alleviate the problems faced by the Afghan people, the report pointed out that funding for the Consolidated Appeal for Afghanistan had reached only 50 per cent of the amount needed, which affected the critically important mine clearance and anti-narcotics programmes.  The Secretary-General called upon the international community to respond to this humanitarian crisis.

On 2 November 2000, the Taliban and the United Front agreed to enter into a process of dialogue without preconditions in order to bring to an end the Afghan conflict by political means, thus providing “a glimmer of hope”.  While the agreement was purely procedural in nature, it was the first step on the difficult journey towards peace.

The Secretary-General expressed the view that the "six plus two" group (composed of Afghanistan’s neighbours, plus Russian Federation and United States) should support the establishment of a unified government in Afghanistan that was a genuine reflection of the aspirations of the Afghan people.  He was encouraged by the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan’s military component, which succeeded in developing contacts with the military authorities of both warring factions.  In closing, the report hoped to counteract the tendency to view Afghanistan as a series of compartmentalized problems -- narcotics, terrorism or refugees -- and to solve them in isolation, rather than through a comprehensive approach.  The Secretary-General urged the Security Council and the General Assembly to set clear and achievable objectives for Afghanistan in the hope of bringing about a lasting solution to the conflict.

Before the Assembly was also a letter from the Secretary-General of 8 November, transmitting the texts of letters dated 30 October addressed to his Personal Representative for Afghanistan by the two Afghan warring parties, expressing their agreement to a process of dialogue under his good offices aimed at bringing about, in the shortest possible time, an end to the armed conflict in Afghanistan through political means.

 The Assembly is expected to take action on a draft resolution on the safety and security of humanitarian personnel and protection of United Nations personnel (document A/55/L.64).  By the text, the Assembly would urge all States to take necessary measures to ensure full implementation of the relevant principles and rules of international law related to humanitarian personnel and United Nations personnel, and to respect the inviolability of United Nations premises.  It would call upon governments and parties in complex humanitarian emergencies to ensure the safe and unhindered access of humanitarian personnel.  The Assembly would strongly condemn any act or failure to act which obstructs or prevents humanitarian personnel from discharging their humanitarian functions, or which entails them being subjected to threats or physical attack, and affirm the need to hold accountable those who commit such acts.  Any such threats or aggression should be fully investigated, in accordance with international law and national legislation.

 The Assembly would request the Secretary-General to take the necessary measures to ensure full respect for the human rights, privileges and immunities of United Nations and other personnel and to continue to consider ways and means in which to strengthen the protection of United Nations and other personnel.  It would call upon all States to provide adequate and prompt information in the event of detention of humanitarian personnel, to afford them the necessary medical assistance, and to take action to ensure the speedy release of United Nations and other personnel carrying out activities in fulfilment of the mandate of a United Nations operation who had been arrested or detained in violation of their immunity.

 The Assembly would call upon all other parties involved in armed conflicts, in compliance with their obligations under the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocols thereto, to ensure the safety and protection of humanitarian personnel, to refrain from abducting or detaining them in violation of their immunity, and to speedily release any abductee or detainee without harm.

Further to the draft, the General Assembly would request the Secretary-General to take the necessary measures to ensure that security matters were an integral part of the planning for existing and newly mandated United Nations operations and that such precautions extended to all United Nations and associated personnel.  It would also request the Secretary-General to ensure that personnel carrying out activities in fulfilment of the mandate of a United Nations operation are properly informed about the conditions under which they were called to operate, and the standards that they are required to meet, and that adequate training in security, human rights and humanitarian law is provided.  It would stress that all United Nations staff members receive adequate security training prior to their deployment in the field, and stress the need to improve stress-counseling services.  The Assembly would call upon all States to consider becoming parties to the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencies.

The draft is sponsored by Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Tajikistan, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the United States.

The Assembly is also expected to take action on a draft resolution on assistance for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Liberia (document A/55/L.66).  By the terms of the draft, the Assembly would call upon all States and intergovernmental organizations to provide assistance to facilitate the implementation of Liberia's National Reconstruction Programme submitted at the Donor's Conference.  

 The Assembly would also urge the Government of Liberia to provide an enabling environment for the promotion of socio-economic development and a culture of sustained peace in the country, including a commitment to upholding the rule of law, national reconciliation, human rights and to implementing ways and means of reducing tension and promoting a sustainable and peaceful political development in the subregion.  It would urge the United Nations system and all States, in working towards the reconstruction and development of Liberia, to direct their assistance to or through intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.  

 It would also call upon all parties to respect fully the provisions of international humanitarian law, and, in this regard, to ensure safe and unhindered access of humanitarian personnel to all affected populations throughout the territory of Liberia.  It would call on them to ensure the safety of United Nations and humanitarian personnel and would request the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session on the implementation of the present resolution.  

 The draft resolution is co-sponsored by Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal, Swaziland, Togo, Tunisia, Tanzania and Zambia. 

 The Assembly is expected to take action on a draft resolution on the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (document A/55/L.33/Rev.1), whereby it would decide to authorize the renewal of the mandate of the Mission from 1 January to 31 December 2001.  The Assembly would stress that the Mission had a key role to play in promoting the consolidation of peace and the observance of human rights and in verifying compliance with the newly approved timetable for the implementation of pending commitments under the peace agreements.

 By the terms of the draft, the Assembly would call on the Government of Guatemala to follow up the recommendations of the Commission for Historical Clarification, with a view to promoting national reconciliation, upholding the right to truth and providing redress, in accordance with Guatemalan law, for the victims of human rights abuses and violence committed during the 36-year conflict, and would call upon Congress to establish the Commission for Peace and Harmony.

 The Assembly would encourage the Government to implement the recommendations contained in the reports of the Mission on human rights, in particular, in view of the persistent shortcomings in the overall human rights situation and the troubling increase in incidents directed at people working on such issues.  It would encourage the parties and all sectors of Guatemalan society to intensify their efforts to achieve the goals of the peace agreements, in particular, the observance of human rights, including the rights of indigenous peoples, equitable development, participation and national reconciliation.

 The Assembly would invite the international community and the agencies, programmes and funds of the United Nations to continue to support the consolidation of the peace-building process and to consider the implementation of the peace agreements as the framework for their technical and financial assistance programmes and projects.  It would urge the international community to support financially the strengthening of the capacities of the United Nations agencies and programmes as they assume a more active role in working with the Mission to ensure the consolidation of the peace process in Guatemala.

 The draft is sponsored by Belgium, Colombia, France, Guatemala, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States and Venezuela.

 The Assembly also has a related report of the Fifth Committee (Budgetary and Administrative) on the draft’s programme budget implications (document A/55/694), according to which the Committee decided to inform the Assembly that, should it adopt the draft, additional requirements of $16,235,400 would arise for 2001.  Of that amount, $7,243,200 would be charged against the existing provision of special political missions, and an additional appropriation of $8,992,200 for the balance of the requirements would be required under section 3, Political Affairs, of the programme budget for the biennium 2000-2001.

 The Assembly was further expected to take action on a draft resolution (A/55/L.42/Rev.1) on 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, by whose terms the Assembly would reaffirm the need to continue to improve the electoral processes that had been taking place in Central America, which were conducive to the consolidation of democracy in the region and would encourage greater participation of citizens in elections.

 By the text, the Assembly would stress the importance of lending support to the meeting of the regional consultative group for the transformation and modernization of Central America, which will be held in Madrid in January 2001, in order to continue to help to consolidate the modernization and improvement of the principal structures of the region, in accordance with the model established by the Alliance for Sustainable Development.

 By the terms of the draft, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General, the United Nations and the international community to continue to support and verify in Guatemala the implementation of all the peace agreements signed under United Nations auspices, and to consider the implementation of the Peace Agreements as the framework for their technical and financial assistance programmes and projects, stressing the importance of constant and close cooperation among them in the context of the United Nations framework of assistance for the development of Guatemala.  

 The Assembly would also request the Secretary-General to continue to lend his full support to the initiatives and activities of the Central American Governments, particularly their efforts to consolidate peace and democracy through the promotion of integration and the implementation of the comprehensive sustainable development programme, emphasizing the potential repercussions of natural disasters, in particular, of hurricane Mitch, for the peace processes and the vulnerable economies of the region.  

 The draft was sponsored by Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States and Venezuela.

 Regarding that draft, the Assembly had a report (A/55/695) of the Fifth Committee on its programme budget implications, by which it was informed that, should it adopt the draft resolution, an additional appropriation of $191,800 would be required under section 3, Political Affairs, of the programme budget for the biennium 2000-2001.

 Before the General Assembly was a resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (document A/55/L.69).  By the text, the Assembly would underline the importance of regional cooperation as a means of fostering good-neighbourly relations, stability and economic development and encourage the organization’s further efforts to foster security and stability through early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation, as well as through continued promotion of democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms.  Further to the text, the Assembly would welcome the admission of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia into the OSCE, and the role of the OSCE in the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  The Assembly would also express its appreciation for the Organization’s contribution to the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) in implementing Security Council resolution 1244. 

 The Assembly would fully support the activities of the OSCE to achieve a peaceful solution to the conflict in Nagorny-Karabakh.  It would also stress that all parties should do their utmost to ensure that the ceasefire along the line of contact was strictly observed until an agreement resolving the conflict is signed.  Further to the draft, the General Assembly would also welcome the efforts of the OSCE with regard to Georgia and the Republic of Moldova, and the establishment of an enhanced dialogue of the organization with the Central Asian participating States.  The Assembly would decide to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-sixth session the item entitled “cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe”.

 The draft was sponsored by Andorra, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Georgia, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland, Republic of Moldova, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

There was also an amendment to the draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, (document A/55/L.69) sponsored by Azerbaijan.  After operative paragraph 14, a new operative paragraph should be inserted, stating that the General Assembly fully supports the activities of the OSCE to achieve a peaceful solution to the conflict in and around the Nagorny-Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and welcomes the cooperation between the United Nations and the organization in this regard.

 The Assembly also had a report of the Fifth Committee on the financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East:  United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (document A/55/681), recommending that the Assembly adopt a draft resolution approved by the Committee in a recorded vote of 109 in favour and 3 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, United States).  By the terms of the draft, the Assembly would take note of the status of contributions to that Force as at 31 October 2000, including the outstanding contributions in the amount of $139.4 million, representing some 3.9 per cent of the total assessed contributions since the inception of the mission.  It would also note that some 21 per cent of Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full, and urge all others concerned, in particular, those in arrears, to ensure the payment.

 Expressing its deep concern that Israel had not complied with resolutions 51/233, 52/237, 53/227 and 54/267, the Assembly would stress the need for that country to strictly abide by them.  It would also reiterate its request to the Secretary-General to take necessary measures to ensure full implementation of relevant resolutions, stressing that Israel must pay the amount of some $1.28 million resulting from the incident at Qana on 18 April 1996, and request the Secretary-General to report on this matter at the resumed fifty-fifth session.

 Urging all Member States to make every possible effort to ensure payment of their assessed contributions to the Force in full and on time, the Assembly would also express concern about the financial situation with regard to peacekeeping, in particular, as far as reimbursements to troop contributors are concerned, and about the delay in deploying and providing adequate resources to some recent peacekeeping missions, in particular, those in Africa.  It would emphasize that all future and existing peacekeeping missions shall be given equal and non-discriminatory treatment and provided with adequate resources.  

The Secretary-General would be requested to ensure that the Force is administered with maximum efficiency and economy and to continue efforts to recruit local General Service staff for the Force.

 The Assembly would decide to appropriate to the Special Account for UNIFIL the amount of some $86.76 million gross ($86.3 million net) for the expansion of the Force for the period from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001, in addition to the amount of some $146.83 million gross ($141.89 million net) already appropriated in resolution 54/267.  Taking into account some $61.18 million gross already apportioned for the period from 1 February to 30 June 2001, the Assembly would apportion among Member States an additional amount of some $36.15 million gross, subject to the decision of the Security Council to extend the mandate of the Force beyond 31 January 2001.

 Also before the Assembly was a report of the Fifth Committee (A/55/662) on the report of the Economic and Social Council whereby it recommended that the General Assembly adopt a draft decision whereby it would take note of chapters I, VII (sections B and C) and IX of the report of the Economic and Social Council.

Appointment of Members of Committee on Conferences

 The General Assembly’s President, HARRI HOLKERI (Finland) informed the Assembly that, after consultations with the Chairmen of the groups of African States, Asian States, Eastern European States, Latin American and Caribbean States as well as Western European and other States, he had appointed Argentina, Benin, Finland, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Peru and Sierra Leone as members of the Committee on Conferences to serve for a period of three years, beginning on 1 January 2001.

 The Assembly then decided to take note of those appointments and concluded its consideration of the item.

Situation in East Timor during Its Transition to Independence

 The Assembly decided to defer consideration of the situation in East Timor during its transition to independence and to include it in the provisional agenda of the fifty-sixth session.  It, thereby, concluded its consideration of this item for the current session.

Situation in Afghanistan

 DIETER KASTRUP (Germany) spoke on the need to present a draft resolution that sent a strong message to the warring Afghan parties, and to all States concerned, that it was the will of the international community that peace return to Afghanistan.  Germany agreed with the Secretary-General that 2000 had been an exceptionally difficult year for most Afghans because of continued fighting by both Afghan parties.  He said that the warring Afghan parties believed in a military solution, as evidenced by the offensives launched by the Taliban this past summer, resulting in the massive loss of human lives, refugee flows, harassment, the forcible displacement of innocent civilians -- in particular, of women and children -- and the arbitrary detention of civilians.

 Germany took note of the foreign military support for the Afghan parties, which produced a supply of arms, ammunition and military equipment, as well as the involvement of foreign military personnel on the ground.  The draft resolution being introduced strongly condemned the interference by certain governments in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.  That interference enabled and encouraged both factions to pursue their military aims.  This draft resolution reiterated that the main responsibility for a peaceful solution lay with the Afghan parties.  It also said that, in addition, the United Nations must continue to play the central role in international efforts to facilitate the political process towards the goal of national reconciliation and a lasting political settlement.

 Germany, he said, recognized that the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan had deteriorated in 2000 and was expected to decline further due to the drought affecting 12 million Afghans.  The war, drought, searing poverty and a dysfunctional economy with mass unemployment would place Afghanistan at the very bottom of human development next year.  He was also deeply worried about the continuing threats to the safety and security of humanitarian personnel in Afghanistan, and, once again, he called upon the Taliban authorities to fully respect and implement the Supplementary Protocol to the Memorandum of Understanding on the security of United Nations personnel.

 He expressed deep concern about the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan, especially in areas under the control of the Taliban.  Gender discrimination continued to be systematically applied.  Examples included a decree by the Taliban authorities restricting the employment of women by the United Nations.  The draft resolution stated that the international community did not accept the exclusion of women and girls from public life.  

Germany asked that both Afghan factions stop fighting immediately and engage in a political dialogue, he said.  All countries involved in the conflict should stop their military support.  All Afghan factions must stop gross violations of human rights, especially in regard to women and girls.  All Afghan parties must halt all illegal drug activities.  And the Taliban must refrain from providing a safe haven to international terrorists.  The international community must send a message to the Afghan people that it cares about their suffering, after more than 20 years of war.  

JEAN-DAVID LEVITTE (France), on behalf of the European Union and associated States, said that the long conflict in Afghanistan had caused much suffering for its people, and presented a threefold challenge to the international community:  to find an end to the fighting, a defence of human rights and a political solution to the conflict.  The continued fighting had a destabilizing effect on the region and a negative one on humanitarian conditions.  

The Union called for an immediate end to enforced displacement, and asked that people be allowed to return home, he said.  The Union also vigorously condemned the drug trafficking that fuelled the conflict and urged the Taliban to enforce its decree banning it.  It called on all parties to refrain from assisting terrorists, urging the Taliban to expel Osama bin Laden.  It deplored the continued flouting of human rights, and condemned summary executions, arbitrary detention and inadequate prison conditions.  It was also worried by religious and, particularly, ethnic and gender persecution.  It called on the factions, particularly the Taliban, to end discrimination against women and girls.  As the principal donor of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, moreover, the Union appealed to the Taliban and other parties to cooperate fully with the United Nations on all humanitarian issues, especially in guaranteeing unimpeded access to the populace.

 The European Union, he said, urged all parties to observe a ceasefire and seek a political solution.  It supported the efforts of the Secretary-General's Personal Representative in that regard, as well as the dialogue promised by the 30 October exchange of letters.  The goal should be a multi-ethnic, representative government rooted in Afghan traditions.  Finally, the Union deplored military interference in the internal affairs of the country by non-Afghans.  On this and other issues, it fully subscribed to the Secretary-General's report.  It also fully supported the draft resolution prepared by Germany, citing, in particular, its treatment of atrocities and political solutions.

 HADI NEJAD HOSSEINIAN (Iran) said that it was very unfortunate that, during the year which followed the last debate on Afghanistan in the General Assembly, the situation showed no sign of improvements.  The Taliban persisted in their futile search for military gain and rendered all efforts aimed at restoration of peace and security in Afghanistan fruitless.  As a result, the plight of the Afghan people continued unabated, stability in the region remained elusive, various threats against the security of the countries surrounding Afghanistan persisted, and the whole world continued to feel threatened due to threats originating from Afghanistan.  He said that the Taliban militarist policy and their illusions about settling the complex crisis in Afghanistan through the barrel of a gun, had only lead to a worsening of the situation and impeded any progress in negotiations.

 The recent offensives by the Taliban, similar to those in the past, had created enormous hardships for civilians in the north-east of Afghanistan, he said.  According to reports from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the heavy fighting between the Taliban and the Northern Alliance in north-east Afghanistan had uprooted about 150,000 people.  What was much more alarming, he said, was the way the Taliban treated the innocent inhabitants of the conquered territories.  With the winter setting in, the situation of those people driven from their homes by the Taliban and those already displaced was getting worse.  In view of inhuman, harsh and ethnically biased treatment of the local population, it was very difficult to envisage any return of displaced persons to their homes while the area was under Taliban occupation.  There was a pressing need for the international community to maintain its commitment to the Afghan people and spare no efforts to provide them with humanitarian assistance, he said.

 Trafficking in drugs, terrorism and extremism emanating from the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan were creating instability in the region, and caused constant threats against the national security and interests of the countries surrounding Afghanistan, he said.  Borders had been turned into landing places by traffickers of illicit drugs smuggled from eastern neighbouring countries who planned to transit their illicit cargo to consumer markets in Europe and the Persian Gulf States.  During the last year, 174 Iranian anti-drug personnel had lost their lives in confrontations with armed traffickers.  The areas under Taliban control remained the world’s largest supplier of opium, and the Taliban had not shown any sign that they had decided to do away with the scourge of the drug.  Rather, they were intent on relying on income generated from illicit drugs to finance their war-making activities, and, therefore, the situation in Afghanistan and in neighbouring countries might continue to worsen.  The international community must hold the Taliban accountable for their crimes, and continue to address that in parallel with the political process, he said.  The Taliban must not be allowed to use the peace process and humanitarian assistance as a cover for escaping accountability for trade in illicit drugs and terrorism.  

 ROD SMITH (Australia) said that the Australian Government strongly supported international efforts to bring the long-running conflict in Afghanistan to an early and lasting resolution.  He urged all factions involved in the conflict to conclude a durable ceasefire and form a viable government that represented the interests of all Afghan people.  He also called upon parties in Afghanistan to adhere to universal human rights standards.  He drew attention to the ongoing plight of the 2.6 million Afghan refugees -- the largest single refugee group in the world -- living in the countries neighbouring Afghanistan, and to the urgent need to find durable solutions for them.  Australia commended the efforts of Iran and Pakistan, which together had shouldered the major part of the significant task of providing asylum to Afghan refugees.  In recognition of this, Australia was currently considering the provision of greater levels of assistance, focusing particularly on the problems of refugee and people movement throughout the region.

 Australia strongly supported enhanced and coordinated efforts to address the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, he said.  Such efforts were essential to minimizing the movement of people out of Afghanistan and to creating conditions favourable to voluntary return.  Australia had recently earmarked $A 26.8 million for expenditure over four years on aid activities aimed at addressing the situation of Afghan and Iraqi refugees.  A central goal of this assistance was to help people remain in their homes rather than being forced to leave and join the already large population of displaced people in the region.  The need for an increased commitment by the international community to support initiatives to find durable solutions for Afghan refugees was becoming critical, he said.  

 The appropriate solution for the majority of Afghans currently displaced in the region was repatriation, he said.  The international community needed to support this by providing humanitarian and development assistance to ensure the safe, dignified and sustainable return of those people who elect to return voluntarily, and protection under international law for those people determined not to.  For a small minority, local integration or resettlement to a third country would be a more appropriate response to their particular protection needs.  The international community must support these outcomes by providing assistance to countries of first asylum for local integration and by ensuring that adequate resettlement places were available.  The provision of resettlement places, in particular, was essential if the international community wished to continue to manage the movement of refugees throughout the world in an orderly manner and to dissuade people from using the services of people smugglers.  

 ANDREI E. GRANOVSKY (Russian Federation) said that the Russian Federation was seriously concerned by the ongoing conflict within Afghanistan and its ever-increasing fierceness, including the forced migration of refugees and displaced persons and gross violations of international law.  The General Assembly and Security Council had repeatedly cited the Taliban as the responsible party for the ongoing conflict, and their responsibility had been reiterated in the report of the Secretary-General.  Constant efforts by the international community to involve the Taliban in dialogue had remained futile.  There had been some hope for dialogue between the Taliban and the United Front without preconditions.  However, this pledge, too, had been broken by the Taliban.  

 He was seriously concerned at the internationalization of the Afghan conflict, particularly in the form of assistance to the Taliban and the provision military support to it.  It was important to remember that Afghanistan remained the prime producer of drugs -- 70 per cent of all illicit drugs originated from Afghanistan.  In this connection, he welcomed the efforts of the international community, particularly the Six plus Two Group, in the adoption of a regional plan of action.  Another source of concern was the threat of terrorism from the Taliban-controlled area, which destabilized not only Afghanistan but also the region as a whole.  It was particularly telling that the most famous terrorist, Osama bin Laden, was a guest of the Taliban. 

In 1999, the Security Council had established a sanctions regime against the Taliban movement, he said.  The Taliban continued to ignore all appeals from the international community.  It was vital that the Taliban renounce their support for international terrorism and that the supply of weapons to the Taliban was halted.  He recognized that sanctions could have negative impacts on humanitarian efforts in some situations.  However, this was not the situation in Afghanistan, where the dire humanitarian situation was caused solely by continuing fighting.  He stressed that assistance must be distributed fairly to people affected by fighting and people living in areas of drought, and he called upon the international community to increase its efforts to provide assistance to the people of Afghanistan.  The Russian Federation would give whatever humanitarian assistance it could.  At the beginning of the year, the Russian Government had decided to provide food and medicine for the children and people of Afghanistan, and 30 tons of medicines had already been sent.  He stressed the importance of the draft resolution before the Assembly and reaffirmed the Russian Federation’s willingness to work with all interested parties to promote peace and security in Afghanistan.  

 UMIT PAMIR (Turkey) noted Turkey’s deep-rooted historical and cultural ties with the Afghan people in putting forward the view that there could be no military solution to the Afghan crisis -- that the only viable way to solve it was the establishment of a broad-based, multi-ethnic government embracing all parties of Afghan society, and that a lasting peace could only be achieved in Afghanistan after a durable cease fire.  His Government felt that the ongoing conflict had been exacerbated by attempts by one of the parties to gain control through the use of force.  This perpetuated the precarious situation in the region and also provided a fertile ground for terrorism, drug trafficking and religious extremism.

 Turkey called upon the international community to recognize the aggression in Afghanistan and stand firm against the Taliban’s violation of the ideals enunciated in the Charter of the United Nations, he said.  Further, he called on the United Nations to take effective steps to put an end to the suffering of the Afghan people.  He expressed Turkey’s concern about human rights violations, the discrimination against girls and women, and acts of religious fundamentalism by the Taliban.  The resumption of fighting by the Taliban last July had added new problems to an already grave humanitarian and human rights situation and had led to the further displacement of the civilian population.

 Afghanistan, he stated, was in ruin.  Human and natural resources were devastated.  Basic rights and fundamental freedoms of the majority of its population were constantly and flagrantly violated.  Moreover, internally-displaced people faced an urgent need of basic assistance, such as shelter, heating, food and medicine.  Turkey had provided shelter for more than 1200 displaced families in northern Afghanistan and would continue to stand by the Afghan people in these harsh times.  Turkey supported the Afghan people’s aspiration for national reconciliation and was ready to contribute to such an outcome, as evidenced by its co-sponsorship of the draft resolution before the General Assembly.

 HIDEAKI KOBAYASHI (Japan) said that the conflict in Afghanistan could only be settled through negotiations, and with the establishment of a broad-based multi-ethnic and representative Government.  The countries concerned, and neighbouring countries in particular, should not interfere in the conflict, but should use their influence on the warring parties to bring the fighting to an end.  It was especially important that all concerned stop extending military assistance or supplying arms to the warring parties, and that they refrain from any other measures that could prolong hostilities.  One very regrettable factor in the situation of Afghanistan was the barrier of mistrust that existed between the Taliban and the international community.  His country called upon the Taliban to recognize the need to build a relationship with the international community, based on genuine trust.

 The Afghan problem, he continued, could not be reduced to a single issue.  It was not only the conflict itself, but a multitude of related issues including drugs, terrorism, military support from foreign powers, human rights violations, humanitarian issues, and sanctions.  Those issues could not be solved by tackling each issue in isolation:  the international community must implement a comprehensive approach.  Japan attached great importance to assistance to Afghanistan and reaffirmed its intention to provide further assistance for the country’s development once peace was achieved and a broad-based, multi-ethnic and representative Government was established. 

 RAVAN FARHADI (Afghanistan) said that since last year’s Assembly consideration of the situation in Afghanistan, direct involvement by Pakistanis and non-Afghan combatants in the Afghan conflict had escalated.  The international community had become more conscious of direct participation in the armed conflict by Pakistani soldiers and officers, as had been indicated in the Secretary-General’s report.  That was not a new phenomenon.  The battle of Taloqan this past summer had been waged not only by the Taliban but also by armed Pakistanis, including elements of the regular Pakistan Army, as well as people from several other countries.  Tens of thousands of refugees had to suffer the atrocities of winter in refugee camps.

 Pakistani leader General Musharraf had declared that Pakistani policy was being pursued because the Taliban were part of the Pashtoun community.  He was astonished at that declaration, which was also a confession.  Afghanistan was a multi-ethnic country in the heart of the Asian continent.  All Afghanistan ethnicities were firmly united by Afghan history.  Pashtoun personalities in Afghanistan had rejected Gen. Musharraf’s declaration.  No ethnic group in Afghanistan had a majority.  No neighbours had the right to incite any ethnic group in Afghanistan against another.  He called upon the Security Council to dispatch a fact-finding mission to Afghanistan and talk also to Pakistani prisoners there.

 For four years, Afghanistan had warned of the danger from the Taliban and the expansionist policy of Pakistan.  The effects of the Pakistan intervention were more and more felt in the countries of the region.  On the basis of the Secretary-General’s reports, he asserted that the ideological, organizational, political and military ties between the international terrorist networks and Pakistan’s department of military intelligence were affirmed.  The Pakistani military intelligence service was a criminal organization responsible for a war of aggression, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

 He hoped that Pakistan would be subject to Security Council sanctions.  Last year, there had been systematic violation of human rights committed by the Pakistan-Taliban-Bin Laden axis.  Ethnic cleansing, a scorched-earth policy and discrimination against women continued unabated.  The Islamic State of Afghanistan had only fraternal feelings for Pakistan.  It was the military junta and military intelligence that dominated Pakistani diplomacy.  Obviously, Pakistan, in its own self-interest, must abandon the policy of aggression against Afghanistan in order to promote a peace which would be in the best interest of both neighbouring countries.

 SHAMSHAD AHMAD (Pakistan) said that international efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan had been too late and too little. International reconstruction efforts had been negligible at best. In the meantime, the Afghan people continued their slide into greater depths of poverty and deprivation in an environment of instability and insecurity.  Pakistan had shouldered the main burden of the decade-long war against foreign occupation of Afghanistan.  Pakistan, therefore, could not be immune to developments in that country.  No country in the world stood to gain more than Pakistan from the return of peace and stability to Afghanistan.  Accordingly, his country had followed a policy toward Afghanistan that sought to support and supplement international efforts to promote a peaceful solution to the conflict.  He remained convinced that durable peace in Afghanistan could be better achieved through a policy of engagement of both Afghan parties and not through ostracization of one party or other.

 While his country strongly condemned all acts of terrorism, it did not subscribe to the view that the imposition of sanctions would achieve the intended results.  Sanctions were always unjust, unfair and counterproductive.  Those who had borne and would continue to bear the brunt of sanctions were the people of Afghanistan.  It was clear that the humanitarian tragedy in Afghanistan would deepen as a consequence of new sanctions the Security Council was considering.  There was at least one development, however, which could be viewed with some degree of satisfaction.  The “six-plus-two” group had initiated a Regional Action Plan to counter illicit drug production and drug trafficking.  He was also pleased to note that the Taliban leadership had banned poppy cultivation throughout the areas under their control.  It was now up to the international community to help provide the Afghan people with alternative means of income and end their dependence on poppy cultivation.

While the Secretary-General had continued to lead efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, those were being hampered by Secretariat officials who lacked the capacity to undertake objective assessments of the situation.  Pakistan was disappointed that the Secretary-General's report on Afghanistan, instead of being objective and comprehensive, was partial in both content and intent.  It reflected the opinions of those who insisted on looking at the situation from a skewed angle.  The United Nations could not and must not unduly take sides in a conflict, especially when it was clear that one side was not completely responsible for the conditions that existed.  His country hoped that the Secretariat would in future meet the essential requirements of objectivity and impartiality. 

With regard to the draft resolution before the Assembly, he noted that it placed the primary responsibility for the cumulative ills of the Afghan situation on the doorstep of only one party.  The inherent bias of the resolution would only strengthen the perception by one party of unfair discrimination, whilst it would embolden the other side to perpetuate the conflict in the belief that they would, with outside support, eventually emerge as the victors.  Additionally, the resolution did not adequately address the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and the plight of refugees in neighbouring countries.  For those reasons, Pakistan would dissociate itself from the draft resolution. 

 REDA BEBARS (Egypt) pointed out that his Government had delivered a statement on the same item last year.  The situation had not shown any improvement.  He expressed concern that the Afghan people had suffered for more than 20 years.  Egypt regarded the continuation of the Afghan conflict as a declaration of the failure of the international community to mobilize the necessary political will to bring the warring factions to the negotiating table.

He cited a number of factors that were extending the suffering.  Different factions continued to fight to seize power.  Afghanistan faced its worst drought in 40 years.  The exacerbation of the conflict had produced hundreds of thousands of refugees.  While United Nations agencies requested humanitarian assistance to aid unarmed civilians, Egypt, at the same time, called upon the international community to find an urgent solution for the Afghani refugee problem. 

He felt it was imperative to respond to the tendency to refer to the problems in Afghanistan as occurring in the name of religion, in particular the acts against women.  Islam, he went on, was not a religion of discrimination and persecution.  Egypt called on all warring factions to listen to the voice of reason, and follow the path of the Secretary-General to find a peaceful settlement.

Action on Draft Resolutions

 The Assembly was informed that Algeria, Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Peru, United Republic of Tanzania and Uruguay had joined as co-sponsors of the draft resolution as contained in document A/55/L.62/Rev.1.

The Assembly then adopted, without a vote, the draft resolution entitled “the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security; emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan.”

 The Secretariat informed the Assembly that, should the Assembly adopt draft resolution A/55/L.64, entitled “strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance” it would not give rise to any additional requirements for the biennium 2000-2001, over and above those already reported to the Assembly by the Secretary-General in his report A/55/494, which was currently under consideration by the Fifth Committee.

 Belarus, Bulgaria, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Guinea, Guyana, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, and Gabon joined as co-sponsors of the draft.

 The Assembly then adopted, without a vote, the draft resolution as contained in document A/55/L.64.

 It also adopted without a vote the draft resolution contained in A/55/L.66, entitled “Assistance for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Liberia”, of which Burkina Faso had become a co-sponsor.

 The Assembly was then informed that Austria, Belize, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, Germany, Greece, Guyana, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Peru, Russian Federation and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia had become co-sponsors of the draft resolution contained in document A/55/L.33/Rev.1, entitled “United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala”.

 It adopted the draft resolution without a vote.

 The Assembly also adopted without a vote draft resolution A/55/L.42/Rev.1, entitled “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”, to which Indonesia had become a co-sponsor.

 Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Cooperation between United Nations and OSCE

 ALEXANDER MARSCHIK (Austria), in his capacity as representative of the Chair-in-Office of the OSCE, introduced draft resolution A/55/L.69 on cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE, on behalf of the 37 sponsors listed in the document and additional co-sponsors Greece, Portugal, Latvia, and United Kingdom.  He recalled the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, which was based on a broad concept of security and stability.

 Improving and strengthening cooperation with partner organizations, in particular, the United Nations, was one of the main objectives of the Austrian Chair of the OSCE.  He felt that the central issue was cooperation between the United Nations, the European Union and the OSCE with regard to the interaction and complementarity of rapid response mechanisms to international conflicts.

 The draft resolution included two new provisions expressing support for recent initiatives of the OSCE.  Those covered strengthening of the role of the United Nations and the protection of the individual by combating various serious transnational security threats.  In closing, he recognized positive developments in south-eastern Europe, and welcomed the admission of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to the OSCE, which was included in the draft.

 ELDAR KOULIEV (Azerbaijan) introduced the amendment contained in document A/55/L.70 to draft resolution A/55/L.69 on Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.  He said his delegation deeply regretted that the OSCE Chairperson-in–Office, whilst highlighting a whole range of issues before the plenary this year, had failed to mention a serious problem facing the OSCE:  the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in and around the Nagorno-Karabakh region.  As a result of that conflict, 20 per cent of the territory of his country was still under occupation.  Azerbaijan was the only country in the OSCE area whose territory was occupied by a foreign State.  It was his country, not Armenia, which had had to cope with the humanitarian emergency brought about by the exodus of 1 million refugees and displaced persons.  Moreover, Armenia, in blatant violation of relevant provisions of the Geneva Conventions, had started to transfer populations of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan with the purpose of weighting the demographic situation in the conflict zone in its favour.  Since the Chairperson-in–Office had failed to touch upon that acute problem, what was the reason for the inclusion of operative paragraphs 15 and 16 in the draft resolution?

Regrettably, he said, it had become a tradition that his delegation was forced, year after year, to amend draft resolutions under the present agenda item.  The proposed amendment reproduced the language of a resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 15 November 1994, but unlike that resolution, it did not mention the opposite party to the conflict -– Armenia.  The reasons for proposing the amendment were still pressing and valid.  It was a matter of principle, and it directly concerned the highest national interests of his country, its sovereignty, and its territorial integrity.  Operative paragraphs 15 and 16 of draft resolution A/55/L.69, which related to the problem, were different in substance from the language adopted by the General Assembly at its five previous sessions.  Nevertheless, acting in the spirit of compromise, his delegation had proposed the language adopted by the Assembly, not to replace operative paragraphs 15 and 16, but as a new operative paragraph.  That small amendment was of vital importance to his country and its future.  He appealed to Member States to vote in favour of the amendment.

Action on OSCE Draft

 The Assembly, in a recorded vote, adopted an amendment (A/55/70) to the draft resolution contained in document A/55/69, entitled “cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe”, with 62 Member States voting in favour and 1 against (Armenia), with 65 abstentions.

 In a recorded vote, the Assembly then adopted as amended draft resolution A/55/69, with 147 Member States voting in favour and 1 against (Armenia), with no abstentions, and decided to conclude its consideration of the item.

Explanation of Vote after Vote

 GRANT SMITH (United States), in explaining his vote after the vote, expressed his appreciation of the work of the delegation of Austria in preparing the resolution.  With regard to the amendment, he stated that the United States had voted in favour without prejudice to the outcome of the settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Mr. BEBARS (Egypt) said that after a careful study of the resolution, Egypt found it preferable to abide by the resolution originally submitted by the coordinator of the item.  The resolution coincided with the Istanbul Declaration and with the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.  The draft resolution related to cooperation between the OSCE and the United Nations, and not to any regional conflict, and the text did not align itself with any parties to the conflict.  Egypt’s voting had nothing to do with its position on the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

 AARON JACOB (Israel) said he supported the financing of UNIFIL, but was opposed to preambular paragraph 4 and operative paragraphs 2, 3 and 14 of the draft resolution.  What occurred in Qana was the result of the cynical tactics of Hezbollah, which used human shields.  His country had no way of knowing that civilians were there.  Furthermore, he pointed out that Hezbollah had engaged in the deliberate targeting of civilians by rocket attacks, which imperiled the safety of United Nations personnel in the area.  The decision to seek payment for the Qana attack was the first such initiative directed against a Member State.  Israel felt that such an introduction of political objectives was not appropriate; it would therefore vote against the draft resolution if preambular paragraph 4 and operative paragraphs 2, 3 and 14 were retained.

 The report of the Fifth Committee (document A/55/681), entitled “United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon”, contained a draft resolution recommended to the Assembly.  A single separate vote had been requested on the fourth preambular paragraph and operative paragraphs 2, 3 and 14.

 By a recorded vote of 85 in favour to 3 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, United States), with 47 abstentions, the Assembly adopted the fourth preambular paragraph and operative paragraphs 2, 3 and 14 of the text.

 It then adopted the resolution as a whole in a recorded vote of 140 in favour to 3 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, United States), with no abstentions.

Explanation of Vote after Vote

 Mr. SMITH (United States) said that his Government strongly supported UNIFIL’s efforts.  However, the use of General Assembly funding to pursue claims against a Member State was not procedurally correct.  The United States had opposed those kinds of resolutions in the past.  Using a funding resolution to legislate a settlement was inappropriate and politicized the work of the Fifth Committee, and should be avoided both now and in the future.

Mr. BEBARS (Egypt), speaking on behalf of the Arab Group, called on Israel to bear its responsibility for its aggression on the Lebanese town of Qana in 1996.  The Israeli Government must not be allowed to attack the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon and then expect Member States to bear the financial burden of that aggression.  The General Assembly must send a message to those who violated United Nations resolutions.  It must not allow them to justify their aggression against peacekeeping missions.  The Arab Group had acted in a responsible manner, but Israel had disregarded the Secretary-General’s letters, which demanded $1.336 million in compensation.  He hoped the Secretary-General would force Israel to pay for the damage it had caused.  The Arab Group closed by extending its thanks to UNIFIL for the positive role it had undertaken.

Rights of Reply

 HOUSSAM ASAAD DIAB (Lebanon), exercising his right of reply, responded to the Israeli representative’s statement.  He reminded the delegates of the reason for adoption of the resolution as amended.  That resolution stemmed from the responsibility made incumbent on the Assembly by the regulations followed in the Fifth Committee concerning financing of peacekeeping forces.  The underlying principles were maintaining security of personnel working in peacekeeping forces, and protection of civilians in armed conflicts.  The resolution was not, as described by Israel, a reaction to an attack by Lebanon on Israel, but the opposite.  The Assembly had adopted the resolution on the basis of a letter of the Secretary-General dated 7 May 1966, in which he mentioned that he was concerned about the bombing of Qana. 

 United Nations reports had mentioned the deliberate nature of Israel’s bombardment of the United Nations centre, a massacre in which more than 102 Lebanese civilians were killed, most of them women, children and elderly people.  Playing with the principle of safety of United Nations peacekeeping forces would send the wrong message to the occupying power, which would lead to a threat to peacekeeping forces and the civilians they protected.  The implementation of the resolution was an imperative in enhancing the credibility of United Nations resolutions, since Israel, for the fifth year, had refrained from paying the costs of the aggression.  

 Mr. JACOB (Israel) said that, in his previous statement, he had clearly clarified the incidents in Qana.  However, the Lebanese representative had also spoken about countries living up to their obligations.  He recalled that, in May, Israel had completed its withdrawal from Lebanon, confirmed by the Secretary-General and endorsed by the Security Council.  However, Security Council resolution 425 did not only call for Israeli withdrawal, but also the return of effective Lebanese government to the area in ensuring a calm environment in South Lebanon.  Israel had fulfilled its obligations.  The responsibility now primarily fell on Lebanon and its prevention of acts of aggression against Israel, the most serious being kidnappings and killings of Israeli soldiers.  

Mr. DIAB (Lebanon), exercising his right of a second intervention, noted that the pretexts of the representative of Israel were put forward to distract attention from the main discussion.  The Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon had nothing to do with the massacre at Qana.  He said that Israel must live up to its obligations. 

 Mr. JACOB (Israel), exercising his second right of reply, said the representative of Lebanon had referred to acts of aggression committed by Israel in 1996.  That statement should be seen against the recent record of Lebanon regarding encouragement of terrorist acts.  That would tell all about the credibility of the Lebanese delegation.

 Turning to the report of the Fifth Committee dealing with those chapters of the report of the Economic and Social Council which were allocated to it (document A/55/662), the Assembly then adopted the draft decision recommended by the Committee without a vote, and decided to conclude its consideration of those chapters.

 Vote on Amendment to Draft Resolution A/55/L.69

 The amendment to the draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (document A/55/L.69) was adopted by a recorded vote of 62 in favour to 1 against, with 65 abstentions, as follow:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Djibouti, Ecuador, France, Georgia, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Qatar, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Yemen.

Against:  Armenia.

Abstain:  Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Congo, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritania, Monaco, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, San Marino, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Yugoslavia, Zambia.

Absent:  Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belarus, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Federated States of Micronesia, Gabon, Gambia, Grenada, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Palau, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Solomon Islands, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe.

 Vote on amended draft on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

 The amended draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (document A/55/L.69) was adopted by a recorded vote of 147 in favour to 1 against, with no abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia.

Against:  Armenia.

Abstain:  None.

Absent:  Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Belarus, Burundi, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Federated States of Micronesia, Guinea, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Palau, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Solomon Islands, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe.

 Vote on Preambular Paragraph 4, Operative Paragraphs 2, 3, and 14 of Draft Text A/55/681

 The relevant paragraphs of the draft resolution on financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East:  United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (document A/55/681) were adopted by a recorded vote of 85 in favour to 3 against, with 47 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia.

Against:  Israel, Marshall Islands, United States.

Abstain:  Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tonga, Turkey, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Yugoslavia.

Absent:  Afghanistan, Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Federated States of Micronesia, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nicaragua, Palau, Republic of Moldova, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Solomon Islands, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe.

 Vote on Financing of UNIFIL

 The draft resolution on financing of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East:  United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) (document A/55/681) was adopted by a recorded vote of 140 in favour to 3 against, with no abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia. 

Against:  Israel, Marshall Islands, United States.

Abstain:  None.
Absent:  Afghanistan, Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi, Cape Verde, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Federated States of Micronesia, Guatemala, Guinea, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Palau, Republic of Moldova, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Solomon Islands, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe.