UN INVITES INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE AS

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001027

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNGA KOLY SCUL SOCI AORC
SUBJECT: UN INVITES INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE AS
PERMANENT OBSERVER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY


1. On October 19, the UN General Assembly invited the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) to participate as a
Permanent Observer in the sessions and the work of the
Assembly. The United States was one of over 100 co-sponsors
of this initiative that had begun in 2008. Prince Albert II
of Monaco, speaking for the International Olympic Committee
as a member, accepted the invitation. Other IOC senior
leadership in the Hall included its Vice President for
International Relations Mario Pescante (Italy) and U.S.
member of the IOC Anita Defrantz; U.S. Olympic Committee
Chief of International Relations Robert Fasulo was also in
attendance. Video of the Assembly's consideration of this
and related issues regarding sport for peace and development
is at
http://webcast.un.org/ramgen/ondemand/ga/64/2 009/ga091019pm-orig.rm;
also see UN press release at
http://un.org/news/press/docs/2009/gal3369.do c.htm


2. Italy introduced a draft resolution, "Observer Status for
the International Olympic Committee in the General Assembly"
(A/C.6/64/L.5),in the Legal Committee (sixth) on October
15th, inviting the IOC to observe the sessions and the work
of the assembly. Egypt, Argentina, China, Iran and Pakistan
spoke after adopting the decision. They noted that
observership was extended usually to a state or an
intergovernmental organization, and therefore stipulated that
the invitation to the IOC was an exception that should set no
precedent. The Committee's report A/64/458 was adopted by the
Plenary on October 19.


3. Secretariat document A/64/145 contained an explanatory
memorandum qualifying the IOC for observer status by merits
of its mission to place sport at the service of humanity.
Rice