- Scale of Contributions 1978-79 (continued)
- Barème des contributions 1978-79 (suite)
- Escala de Cuotas para 1978-79 (continuación)
CHAIRMAN: I would like to take first the question of the Scale of Contributions 1978-79 . There are a number of papers on this but you will recall that on Friday afternoon we had distributed to us Document C 77/LIM/47. That document lists three scales of contributions.
The first column of Appendix A of that paper sets out the percentages which each Member Government would contribute, supposing we decided to use the United Nations scale as a basis for the FAO scale, using the United Nations scale as it stands at present.
The second column sets out the percentages that would apply to each Member Nation if this Conference were to decide now to bring into effect for the next biennium a scale based on the United Nations scale as it is likely to be voted by the end of this year.
The third column just shows the existing 1976-77 scale for purposes of comparison. The decision that we have to take - and I hope we shall be able to do so quickly - is between two alternatives. Alternative A is to bring in a scale for the next biennium based on the United Nations scale as it will be brought into effect by the end of this year at New York. Alternative Β is to bring into use the scale as it is reflected in the first column which is to apply a scale based on the United Nations scale as it exists at the moment.
I must just utter a word of caution in formulating that as A and B, A applies to the second column, Β applies to the first column. This is a decision that I hope we can approach very quickly, and since we have had some discussion about this on Friday, and since we have even had quite some advocacy of applying alternative A, that is, the second column, could I call first of all for speakers who are of the opposite view; that is to say, speakers who would find it difficult or impossible to accept Alternative A, that is, the scale 1978-79, column B.
P.A. MORALES CARBALLO (Cuba): En aras de la necesidad de ahorrar tiempo, vamos a ser muy breves y no repetiremos la exposición que hicimos el viernes.
Hemos analizado cuidadosamente el documento que nos ha presentado la Secretaría, y para ser consecuen-tes con lo que nosotros manifestamos el viernes, he de decir que estamos de acuerdo en la aplicación de la escala central, la B, porque esa escala responde a una decision reciente tomada por la Quinta Comisión de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas, resolución que fue aprobada por una mayoría muy grande y que, con toda seguridad,como el señor Presidente indicaba, esperamos que tendrá el voto fa-vorable de la plenaria.
Por consiguiente, nuestro país está de acuerdo en adoptar la escala que aparece en la columna central, porque, examinando esa columna, se aprecia que 73 países pobres, la mayoría de ellos las más pobres del mundo, se verán beneficiados con la aplicación de una escala mínima que les permitirá con toda seguridad afrontar sus compromisos financieros con la Organización.
Reitero, pues, que, estimando como razón de justicia la aplicación de esa escala que va a favorecer a un sinnúmero de países pobres, estamos de acuerdo en votar a favor de la columna del centro.
No quisiéramos terminar nuestra intervención de este momento sin agradecer a la Secretaría el trabajo realizado - que ha llevado a efecto de una manera tan eficiente y rápida - que le pedimos a ultima hora del viernes y que en pocos minutos nos brindó esta información muy util, que nos permite a todos saber qué decisión habremos de tomar.
Ζ. SZEDLACSKO (Hungary): After considering the relevant documents, the delegation of Hungary has come to the following standpoint. Since the FAO Conference at its Eighth Session in 1955 decided by Resolution 42/55 that the FAO scale of contributions would be derived directly from the United Nations scale of assessments in most cases the FAO scales of contributions were in line with the United Nations scales; and furthermore the periods covered by the United Nations scales were in conformity with the periods covered by the FAO scales. The draft resolution proposed in document C 77/LIM/15-Rev.2 is not completely in line with the purposes and spirit of the above-mentioned practice and resolution.
My delegation believes that the FAO scale of contributions for the years 1978-79 should be derived from the United Nations scale recommended by the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly in December, and not from a United Nations scale which was proposed before the present General Assembly Session.
The delegation of Hungary, bearing in mind the advantages of the new United Nations scale for the least developed countries, too, supports the adoption of á draft resolution in wich the FAO scale of contributions for the years of 1978-79 is based on the United Nations scale recommended by the Fifth .Committee of the General Assembly of 24 October 1977 and as it is in the document C 77/LIM/47 Appendix A in the centre column.
CHAIRMAN: Before I call on the next speaker may I remind you that I have also called for speakers who will be taking different views from those which we have just heard; both speakers hitherto have spoken for the centre column.
J, GARCIA E,(El Salvador): Nuestra delegación apoya la escala propuesta en la columna central, Β, para el perìodo 1978-79, según lo recomendado por la Quinta comisión de la Asamblea General de las Na-ciones Unidas.
Contamos con los antecedentes de lo ocurrido en los años 55, 57, 61 y 73 para el establecimiento de la escala de cuotas en que la Conferencia decidió que la misma, para los bienios sucesivos, se basaba en la escala de cuotas de las Naciones Unidas para los años civiles siguientes a los períodos de se-siones de la Conferencia:1956, 58, 62 y 74.
Esto permitiría incorporar a la escala de cuotas actuales los cambios importantes que se reflejan en las nuevas escalas de las Naciones Unidas.
La analogía que se presenta en el caso de hoy es convincente y por ello damos nuestro apoyo para la escala de cuotas que ha de regir durante 1978-79 a la figurada en la columna central B.
CHAIRMAN: Could I appeal to delegates: we want as wide an expression of opinion as possible.Could I appeal to you to use the utmost brevity in expressing your views. We do not need a lot of advocacy any more; we need to move towards a decision.
M.A. BENDJENNA (Algerie):La delegation algérienne joint sa voix à celle des délégations qui l'ont précédée pour considérer qu'il serait utile, à ce stade, de tenir compte du barème recommandé par la cinquième Commission des Nations Unies, En conséquence, ma délégation appuie l'application dubarème figurant dans la colonne du milieu du document C 77/LIM/47.
I. MOSKOVITS (Malta): I thank the delegation of Cuba very much for their speech which I fully support.
T. HAYAKAWA (Japan): Briefly, the delegation of Japan prefers the figures appearing in the first column, column A.
Β. SAMANEZ CONCHA (Perú): Se propone que la escala de cuotas a aplicar para el proximo bienio en la Organización sea la recomendada y aprobada por la quinta comisión de las Naciones Unidas, por la que se establecen cuotas mínimas para los países más pobres y cuotas tope para algunos países desarrolla-dos, y la diferencia sea prorrateada entre los demás países, tanto desarrollados como en vías de desarrollo.
Al hacer un análisis del documento C 77/LIM/47, vemos que, aplicando la nueva escala de cuotas pro-puesta por la Comisión de las Naciones Unidas, y que sería aprobada en diciembre por la Comisión Ple-naria de las Naciones Unidas, cinco países pobres o en vías de desarrollo, como son Argentina, Brasil, Mexico, Perú y Yugoslavia, incrementarían su aportación con relación a si la cuota fuera calculada con la escala actualmente vigente.
Si nosotros, para el caso concreto de Perú, aplicamos el coeficiente que ha servido de cálculo, vemos que la escala de cuotas sería 0,0742 y no 0,08.
Mi país, como es conocido, atraviesa por un momento difícil en su balanza de pagos y va a ser muy difícil que pueda cumplir con este incremento, si calculamos que cada punto de la escala representa aproximada-mente 21 000 dólares con la nueva escala de cuotas propuesta. Quisiera que constara esto en el acta y sobre todo la dificultad que va a tener que afrontar mi país para cubrir su cuota, caso de que la mayoría se pronuncie, como lo viene haciendo, por la aplicación de la cuota en base a la recomendación de la V Comisión de las Naciones Unidas.
J. DE LA CRUZ HERNANDES R. (Honduras): Mi delegación apoya firmemente la escala que aparece en el documento C 77/LIM/47, punto(b), y que fue propuesta por la delegación de Cuba.
J.L. TOFFIN (France): Ma délégation aimerait faire des réserves en ce qui concerne la modification du barème de référence et l'application du barème recommandé par la cinquième Commission.Ce changement allège peut-être la charge de certains pays, mais il aurait pour effet d'en pénaliser certains autres, dont la France, dont la contribution au lieu d'être réduite à 6,98 pour cent, comme il est prévu selon le calcul de l'Assemblée générale des Nations Unies en 1975, serait relevée à 7,20. Je suis donc obligé de dire que si la majorité se prononce en faveur d'une modification du barème prévu et de l'adop-tion du barème proposé par la cinquième Commission, je ne pourrai pas m'associer au consensus qui se dégagerait dans ce sens.
A. LOUCA (Cyprus): We have studied the document C 77/LIM/47 and for the reasons which have been expressed by the delegate of Cuba, mainly because more than 70 countries will benefit from the new scale, my delegation supports that the scale of contributions should be based upon the United Nations revised scale of assessment for 1978/79 as recommended by the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations.Therefore my delegation supports the view that the scale of contribution for FAO for 1978/79 should be based on the central column of document C 77/LIM/47.
RAMADHAR (India): My delegation supports the central column of appendix A of document C 77/LIM/47 as recommended by the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
E. SAENZ (Colombia):Nuestra delegación ha hecho un análisis completo del documento C 77/LIM/47 y estamos de acuerdo que se tome como cuota la escala(b) para el bienio 1978/79. Hemos apreciado que con esta escala son 73 países pobres los que se benefician y un total de 84. A pesar de que en nuestro país, Colombia, no tiene ninguna alteración en ninguna de las cuotas, queremos que esto tenga su impor-tancia y que se determine y que sea esta escala la que se tenga en cuenta.
CHAIRMAN: Before I call the next speaker I would like to draw the attention of the Commission to the fact that as the discussion is going at present we seem to be moving very fast towards a consensus or at least a strong majority view that column B, the centre column in appendix A of C 77/LIM/47 should be adopted. Now if possible I want to move as quickly forward to a consensus if I can, if there is a consensus to be established. So what I would like to do once again is urge those who have reservations to express on a proposal which seems to be reflecting a very large majority behind it to come forward soon and express those reservations.
P. MASUD (Pakistan):I would not like to do anything to disturb the consensus that is building up but nonetheless I would like to point out that Pakistan is perhaps one of the very few developing countries which has to pay more, according to the central column, than as compared to the scale given • in column A. I would like to know from the Secretariat what are the reasons for this. After all, if we are a developing country we should be treated like the other developing countries and according to this scale all of them have to pay less. Why has Pakistan to pay more?
CHAIRMAN:I take it you will not come down one way or the other as regards to the scale until you have had the explanation and so perhaps with the permission of the Conference I could ask for Mr. Smith to give a reply to that question right away then if desired I will call the delegate of Pakistan once more.
W.A, SMITH (FAO Staff): This scale, of course, is based on the United Nations scales, these scales before you, so I must in response refer to the scales of the United Nations. For the 1974/76 biennium the assesment of Pakistan was 0.14 percent.,Based on the scale for 1977 in the United Nations the assessment rate for Pakistan was 0.06. In the scale proposed to the General Assembly by, the Fifth Committee the assessment for Pakistan has moved ahead from 0.06 in 1976 to 0.07 in 1977. The underlying statistical reason for this increase is known only to the United Nations committee on contributions but mathematically it derives from the increase there.That is why Pakistan appears to go up.
P. MASUD (Pakistan):According to the document which I have C 77/LIM/47, according to the United Nations scale for 1975 to 1977, United Nations scale 75 Pakistan was to pay 0.18 and according to the scale1978/79, the United Nations scale 77 Pakistan has to pay 0.07.I wonder where the Secretariat has got the figure 0.06 from?
CHAIRMAN: I hope the Commission can try to avoid discussion of individual quotas, as it were but once again, with the permission of the Commission, I will ask Mr. Smith whether he can respond to this and give the floor once more to the delegate of Pakistan but then we shall have to close the discussion on the position of Pakistan.
W.A. SMITH (FAO Staff): The figure of 0.06 percent that I referred to is the United Nations rate of assessment for Pakistan for the year 1977. As I explained on Friday there is a difference in membership between the two Organizations, a coefficient to allow for that has to be applied and in applying the coefficient to Pakistan on the basis of 0.06 percent that becomes 0.07 percent if the FAO scale were based on UN 77.So the 0.06 is the United Nations rate for Pakistan for 1976.I believe that was the question.
CHAIRMAN: I will call on the delegate of Pakistan once more and then I would be very grateful if he would give an indication now as itowhether he comes down in favour of adopting for the whole membership the centre scale or the left-hand scale.
P. MASUD (Pakistan): Since a larger number of countries stand to benefit by the adopting of the centre scale my delegation would also go along with this butnonthelessI would like to take this opportunity of requesting the Secretariat to give a more detailed explanation later on as to how this has been worked out because coefficients are not quite clear to me.
CHAIRMAN: Certainly I am sure the Secretariat will respond to what you wish and if you wish to consider putting something in the report no doubt that will be considered too.
Sra. M. IVANKOVICH de AROSEMENA (Panama): Mi delegación ha estudiado detenidamente el documento sobre las escalas de cuotas presentado por la secretaría.Aunque la nueva escala de cuotas no beneficia particularmente a mi país, pues se mantiene el mismo promedio de 0,02, mi delegación apoya el estable-cimiento de la escala de cuotas contenida en la columna central del documento C 77/LIM/47 para los años 1978 y 1979, como lo recomienda la V Comisión de las Naciones Unidas, pues beneficia a un sinnúmero de países en vías de desarrollo.
J.O. ALABI (Nigeria): We have examined document C 77/LIM/47. My delegation is in favour of the centre scale shown in the centre column of the said Appendix A.
A. OULD HAMZA (Mauritanie): Ma delegation se prononce en faveur de la deuxième colonne, tellequ'elle est recommandée par la cinquième Commission.Cela pourrait en effet aider les pays les plus pauvres se trouvant dans une situation difficile sur le plan agricole dans bien des pays du monde.
J.E.J. RODRIGO (Sri Lanka): You must pardon me if I predict an entirely new line of thought. Sri Lanka would neither gain nor lose by the adoption of the middle scale as indicated in the middle row. But there are to my mind certain other considerations which I think we should consider.In the first place I am very chary and reluctant to accept something which I don't understand.Everybody, or most of us, don't understand this coefficient, and if we don't understand this coefficient I don't know how we are going to accept these schemes.On the other hand, I appreciate that this matter is being considered by the UN General Assembly Fifth Committee.It would appear that they understand the coefficient.It would appear that our delegations working on that Committee do understand this coefficient. May I, therefore, as a middle line predict this line of thought;that we await the decision of the UN General Assembly on the 14th of November and accept their scales of recommendations. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN: Of course one has to bear in mind it is before the General Assembly has made its decision. But I think you have come down on the side of those who think that when the time comes for the General Assembly to accept that new line then the scale for FAO should be based on that new calculation and not on the one that exists at present as approved at the last General Assembly.So Distinguished Delegate of Sri Lanka, I am going to put you down among those in favour of the centre column.
L. LACORTE (Venezuela): La mayoría de las naciones representadas que estuvieron en la V Comisión de las Naciones Unidas estuvieron de acuerdo en recomendar una escala de cuotas para las Naciones Unidas. Entre estas naciones se encontraba Venezuela.Por lo tanto, tanto acá en la FAO como en las Naciones Unidas, manifestamos nuestro apoyo a la escala que es consecuencia de las recomendaciones que se hicie-ron en las Naciones Unidas.
Mrs. P.F.M. van der TOGT (Netherlands): Mr. Chairman, the normal procedure in FAO is to follow the UN scale of assessment in force at the moment. Although my delegation accepts if the Conference decides to divert from this principle, we have no objection to the scale of assessment based on that proposed and accepted in the Fifth Committee of the United Nations. I want to add, however, that for reasons that I will not mention here the Netherlands were absent when the United Nations scale of assessments were voted upon.
M.S. ZEHNI (Libya) (interpretation from Arabic): My delegation would like to support the adoption of the centre column as regards contributions of Member States to this Organization.
S. AIDARÀ (Sénégal): La délégation sénégalaise a étudié avec beaucoup, d'intérêt le document C 77/LIM/47 et comme beaucoup d'autre pays, compte tenu de certains facteurs que ma délégation a dû considérer, mon pays s'aligne sur le barème 78/79 tel qu'il est recommandé par la cinquième Commission de l'Assemblée générale des Nations Unies.
N. AL-SALEH (Saudi Arabia) (interpretation from Arabic): After studying the document before us and considering that scale b/ would benefit about 73 countries, in spite of the fact that the contribution of Saudi Arabia has substantially increased to about 4 times of what it was.In spite of all these facts we support scale b/ because it is in the interest of all nations and in the interest of all Member Countries.
CHAIRMAN: I think this more or less brings our discussion to an end. We have a decision quorum here, I would estimate that - in fact I know - that 20 speakers have spoken in favour of adopting the centre scale in C 77/LIM/47 Appendix A. Most on the ground that this would benefit those most in need. On the basis of the speakers we have heard I don't think the Commission will disagree with me that we do have a consensus in favour of that solution. Although it will be noted that certain delegations, notably the delegation of France, have found it necessary to make reservations or comments. Those comments, of course, will be suitably noted in the report, and if the Commission is agreed we will record in our Report that the consensus is as I have indicated. Now this means, of course - and here I want to ask the Secretariat to make a brief statement - this means, I think, that we shall need to have a re-draft of the resolution. Would I be right about this, Mr. Scoufis? That re-draft of the resolution, which would be broadly on the same lines as the present draft and will appear in the draft report and you will have an oppourtúnity of looking at it accordingly.
We have no time to take the second item, which you will recall, concerns the item on the Phytosanitary Convention amendments thereto... The Distinguished Delegate of Norway wishes to speak.
A. LØCHEN (Norway): Just a question. Since the centre column is not yet approved by the Plenary of the United Nations we must be very careful how we word our Resolution and the Report.I just want to call attention to that question. I don't know if you can resolve it yourself, Mr. Chairman, you are always very able in solving such questions and I would like to hear your reaction to this.
CHAIRMAN: I think all of us agree, including those responsible in the Secretariat for drafting of resolutions, it will require very great care. I can only add that in the past there have been precedents for drafting that kind of resolution which, in effect, is anticipatory of decisions taken elsewhere. What we do know - at least what we can be reasonably certain of - is that United Nations Plenary will take its decision well in advance of January 1 next. On which basis I think it will be quite easy to follow those previous precedents, which I do recall generally, and to present to the Commission a resolution which will hold water in every respect.
W.A. SMITH (FAO Staff): The Conference may if it wishes determine the scale on the basis of that as approved by the Fifth Committee and if we were to await the General Assembly's decision it would have other ramifications on putting out contribution letters and draft resolutions we had in mind required the Conference adopting the scale as approved by the Committee.
CHAIRMAN: Perhaps the Commission will note an indication of what they can expect to see in the draft report and we can then see if that is the right way to do it when we come to the draft report.
As regards the second item which we were to have dealt with this morning - Phytosanitary Convention item, I am asked to announce that we shall take it up this afternoon in our afternoon session after the adoption of part 3 of the report. Now may I recall two things. The first is that the Commission will meet in the Plenary Hall here this afternoon to take part 3 of the report, and thereafter the amendments to the International Plant Protection Convention. May I please impress on all delegates he need to provide us with a discussion quorum so that e can start our work on time. These things depend on you and we need a discussion quorum, and we shall need a decision quorum for this afternoon, too. I would like to thank you for your very great cooperation this morning in helping us to get through one important item in such a short time.
M.A. BENDJENNA (Algerie): Je m'excuse de reprendre la parole à ce stade de la discussion, mais ma délégation voudrait apporter une contribution en ce qui concerne le projet de Résolution qui doit être soumis à notre Conférence.
Ma délégation estime que la Conférence devrait donner mandat au Directeur général de notre Organisation pour appliquer le barème qui serait décidé par l'Assemblée générale vers la mi-décembre ou la fin dé-cembre.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much, delegate for Algeria. I can promise you that will be noted very closely by the drafters.
R. CONTRERAS CORTES'(España): Deseo unicamente apoyar la propuesta que acaba de hacer el distinguido representante de Argelia, ya que en la cotización de mi país existe una diferencia del 50 por ciento respecto de la escala anterior.
Hay que estar, por lo tanto, bien seguros de que vamos a adoptar realmente la escala de las Naciones Unidas.
CHAIRMAN: With those remarks I bring this session of the Third Commission to a close.
The meeting rose at 10.30 hours
La séance est levée à 10 h 30
Se levanta la sesión a las 10.30 horas
