UN BUDGET: GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 002210

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC UNGA KUNR
SUBJECT: UN BUDGET: GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON
RENOVATION OF SECRETARY-GENERAL'S RESIDENCE

REF: USUN 2039


1. SUMMARY: On November 28, the Plenary adopted a resolution
on the "Renovation to the residence of the Secretary-General"
(A/C.5/61/L.8) after the Fifth Committee adopted the draft
resolution on November 22. Member States were able to reach
agreement on endorsing the recommendations and observations
of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary
Questions (ACABQ),thereby stressing the need to adhere
strictly to the time schedule for the work and for the full
cost of the renovation to be absorbed within the existing
appropriation. The resolution also regrets that this
proposal was not included in the proposed program budget for
the biennium 2006-2007, authorizes the Secretary-General to
enter into commitments of 4,490,400 dollars and to report on
expenditures in the context of the second performance report.
The resolution was adopted ahead of other Fifth Committee
resolutions in order to allow the renovation to proceed
expeditiously. END SUMMARY.


2. After the adoption of the draft resolution in the Fifth
Committee, South Africa (on behalf of the Group of 77 and
China),Finland (on behalf of the European Union) and the
U.S. (see para 4) made statements in explanation of position.
South Africa said the renovation of the Secretary-General's
residence should have been addressed sooner to avoid cost
escalations and ensure the Secretary-General and his family
lived comfortably and safely. The G77 joined the consensus
on the text after receiving assurances from the Secretariat
that absorbing the cost of the project (which was recommended
by the ACABQ) would not lead to delays in projects the
Assembly approved under Section 32 of the 2006-2007 programme
budget. The G77 had also been assured that expenditures
would be reported in the second performance report. South
Africa also said the G77 expected every effort would be made
to conclude negotiations with the host country on the fourth
supplemental headquarters agreement.


3. Finland (on behalf of the EU) welcomed adoption of the
resolution and trusted every effort would be made to absorb
the full cost of the renovation and security upgrade within
the approved appropriations for the 2006-2007 program budget.
The EU looked forward to returning to the issue in the
context of the second performance report for the current
biennium.


4. The U.S. delivered the following explanation of position:

BEGIN TEXT.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

As my delegation has previously stated, we are concerned by
the current conditions of the Secretary-General's residence
and therefore support the proposal to renovate his residence.
We are pleased that the Committee has been able to reach
agreement on this matter, allowing the renovation to move
forward expeditiously. We note that the draft resolution
before us today endorses the observations and recommendations
of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary
Questions, which we support. We understand that by endorsing
these observations and recommendations, the General Assembly
stresses the need to adhere strictly to the time schedule for
the work and for the full cost of this renovation to be
absorbed within the existing appropriation.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

END TEXT.
BOLTON