UN General Assembly Resolutions: Resolution 42/70

The General Assembly,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the financing of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force,1/ as well as the related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,2/

Bearing in mind Security Council resolution 350 (1974) of 31 May 1974, by which the Council established the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, and the subsequent resolutions by which the Council extended the mandate of the Force, the latest of which was resolution 603 (1987) of 25 November 1987,

Recalling its resolution 3211 B (XXIX) of 29 November 1974 on the financing of the United Nations Emergency Force and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force and its subsequent resolutions thereon, the latest of which was resolution 41/44 A of 3 December 1986,

Reaffirming its previous decisions regarding the fact that in order to meet the expenditures caused by such operations, a different procedure is required from that applied to meet expenditures of the regular budget of the United Nations,

Taking into account the fact that the economically more developed countries are in a position to make relatively larger contributions and that the economically less developed countries have a relatively limited capacity to contribute towards peace-keeping operations involving heavy expenditures,

Bearing in mind the special responsibilities of the States permanent members of the Security Council in the financing of such operations, as indicated in General Assembly resolution 1874 (S-IV) of 27 June 1963 and other resolutions of the Assembly,

I

Decides to appropriate to the Special Account referred to in section II, paragraph 1, of General Assembly resolution 3211 B (XXIX) the amount of $17,400,000 gross ($17,100,000 net) authorized and apportioned by section III of Assembly resolution 41/44 A for the operation of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force for the period from 1 June to 30 November 1987, inclusive;

II

1. Decides to appropriate to the Special Account an amount of $17,664,000 for the operation of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force for the period from 1 December 1987 to 31 May 1988, inclusive;

2. Decides further, as an ad hoc arrangement, without prejudice to the positions of principle that may be taken by Member States in any consideration by the General Assembly of arrangements for the financing of peace-keeping operations, to apportion the amount of $17,664,000 among Member States in accordance with the scheme set out in section II, paragraph 2, of Assembly resolution 41/44 A;

3. Decides that there shall be set off against the apportionment among Member States, as provided for in paragraph 2 above, their respective share in the estimated income of $10,000 other than staff assessment income approved for the period from 1 December 1987 to 31 May 1988, inclusive;

4. Decides that, in accordance with the provisions of its resolution 973 (X) of 15 December 1955, there shall be set off against the apportionment among Member States, as provided for in paragraph 2 above, their respective share in the Tax Equalization Fund of the estimated staff assessment income of $296,000 approved for the period from 1 December 1987 to 31 May 1988, inclusive;

III

Authorizes the Secretary-General to enter into commitments for the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force at a rate not to exceed $2,944,000 gross ($2,893,000 net) per month for the period from 1 June to 30 November 1988, inclusive, should the Security Council decide to continue the Force beyond the period of six months authorized under its resolution 603 (1987), the said amount to be apportioned among Member States in accordance with the scheme set out in section II, paragraph 2, of Assembly resolution 41/44 A;

IV

1. Stresses the need for voluntary contributions to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, both in cash and in the form of services and supplies acceptable to the Secretary-General;

2. Requests the Secretary-General to take all necessary action to ensure that the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force is administered with a maximum of efficiency and economy.

B

The General Assembly,

Having regard to the financial position of the Special Account for the United Nations Emergency Force and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, as set forth in the report of the Secretary-General,1/ and referring to paragraph 6 of the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions,2/

Recalling its resolution 33/13 E of 14 December 1978 and the subsequent resolutions in which it decided that the provisions of regulations 5.2 (b), 5.2 (d), 4.3 and 4.4 of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations should be suspended, the latest of which was General Assembly resolution 41/44 B of 3 December 1986,

Mindful of the fact that it is essential to provide the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force with the necessary financial resources to enable it to fulfil its responsibilities under the relevant resolutions of the Security Council,

Concerned that the Secretary-General continues to face difficulties in meeting the obligations of the Forces on a current basis, particularly those due to the Governments of troop-contributing States,

Recognizing that, in consequence of the withholding of contributions by certain Member States, the surplus balances in the Special Account for the United Nations Emergency Force and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force have, in effect, been drawn upon to the full extent to supplement the income received from contributions for meeting expenses of the Forces,

Concerned that the application of the provisions of regulations 5.2 (b), 5.2 (d), 4.3 and 4.4 of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations would aggravate the already difficult financial situation of the Forces,

Decides that the provisions of regulations 5.2 (b), 5.2 (d), 4.3 and 4.4 of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations shall be suspended in respect of the amount of $1,331,921, which otherwise would have to be surrendered pursuant to those provisions, this amount to be entered into the account referred to in the operative part of General Assembly resolution 33/13 E and held in suspense until a further decision is taken by the Assembly.

* * *

RECORDED VOTE ON RESOLUTION 42/70 A-B: 94-3-5
In favour: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Byelorussia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, China, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, German Democratic Republic, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Ukraine, USSR, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam*, Zaire, Zimbabwe.

Against: Albania, Libya, Syria.

Abstaining: Afghanistan, Algeria, Cuba, Iraq, Maldives.

Absent: Angola*, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana**, Central African Republic, Chile, Colombia**, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Democratic Kampuchea, Democratic Yemen, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Gabon, Federal Republic of Germany**, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau**, Haiti, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait**, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liberia**, Madagascar, Malawi**, Mali, Malta**, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Paraguay, Philippines**, Romania**, Saint Vincent**, Saudi Arabia**, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka**, St. Kitts and Nevis, Sudan*, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia**, Uganda, Yemen*, Yugoslavia, Zambia.

*Later advised the Secretariat that it had intended to abstain.
**Later advised the Secretariat that it had intended to vote in favour.

Sources: United Nations