CHAIRMAN: Good afternoon Ladies and Gentiemen, let me say to begin with how happy I am to be back in the family, to be with you. It is a sincere pieasure, and once again an honour.
During the week that I have been away and on my return yesterday I have read various reports of the proceedings of various Commissions and Committees of this august House. It gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to express that the past week has been an excellent week as I read from documents, and all thanks go to you, the honourable Delegates and the Chairmen of the various Committees and Commissions. Therefore you have my gratitude. Also my thanks are due to the three Vice-Chairmen who acted in my absence and who, I believe, presided very smoothly over this august House, with very satisfactory results so far, and full of content.
With this, I declare the Seventeenth Plenary meeting open. Now, I give the floor to the honourable distinguished delegate from the Netherlands.
Frederik Ch. PRILLEVITZ (Netherlands): May I start by saying, perhaps on behalf of the whole family, that we are very happy to see you back in the Chair. But I want to come back to what has been said by the Legal Counsel before lunch about a letter that was received from the President of the Council of the European Communities. I believe that letter is now distributed.
The Legal Counsel read out a request of the presidency of the FAO Conference to consider the suspension of Rule XIX of the General Rules of the Organization. I would like to confirm to the Conference that the Netherlands, as a member country of this Organization, which has now the presidency of the European Economic Community, has requested and is requesting for this suspension, namely in order to allow the EEC application for membership in the FAO to be considered at the present session of the FAO Conference.
CHAIRMAN: Ladies and Gentlemen, you have just heard the honourable delegate from the Netherlands on the suspension of the rule for the application by the EEC for membership of FAO. Normally, such applications, once presented to the FAO Secretariat, are voted upon 24 hours after the submission of the application. This is at the moment just for information, so may I proceed further with the proceedings of the Conference.
We now have the results of the vote on the election of Council members, which took place just before lunch. It concerns the regions of Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Near East and North America.
CHAIRMAN: Ladies and Gentlemen, as you have heard, with regard to Latin America and the Caribbean we have to proceed to a second ballot. Three countries out of six have obtained the required majority. We will therefore have to vote again in order to fill the remaining seats. Candidates for these two posts are Cuba, Nicaragua and Trinidad and Tobago. Since you are all quite familiar with the procedure, we will now proceed to the vote.
For your information we have the required quorum in the august House. May I ask the representatives of Denmark and the Netherlands to serve as tellers and to proceed to the voting area.
If you agree, when the tellers leave to count the votes we will proceed to adopt the Report of Commission I.
Vote
Vote
Votación
PROYECTO DE INFORME DE LA PLENARIA - PARTE 9 (de la Comisión I)
DRAFT REPORT OF PLENARY - PART 10 (from Commission I)
PROJET DE RAPPORT DE LA PLENIERE - DIXIEME PARTIE (émanant de la Commission I)
PROYECTO DE INFORME DE LA PLENARIA - PARTE 10 (de la Comisión I)
PROYECTO DE INFORME DE LA PLENARIA - PARTE 12 (de la Comisión I)
CHAIRMAN: Ladies and Gentlemen, I will now ask the Chairman of Commission I to come to the podium to present the report of Commission I, but before he does so, I would like to express the appreciation of myself and all my colleagues to the Bureau of Commission I under the able leadership of Said Waleed for the excellent work that went into presenting to us what appears to be a very comprehensive report.
Waleed A. ELKHEREIJI (Chairman, Commission I) (Original language Arabic): I would like first of all to thank all member countries for having elected my country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by myself, to the Chair of Commission I. All our meetings were conducted in very constructive atmosphere, which was very edifying and forward-looking in terms of development, with a pragmatic and realistic approach. All of this had a remarkable impact on our deliberations; we were able to complete our work early. Although the total number of statements by member countries during the Commission's meetings was in the region of 360 statements, covering 11 items of the Agenda, that is, more than 30 statements for each item on the Commission's agenda, last Friday we completed the approval of the Report in respect of Commission I's business.
The Report contains three Resolutions. The first relates to the Paris Declaration of the Tenth World Forestry Congress.
The second concerns FAO's work in regard to sustainable development and the environment. The third relates to the second supplement containing the international undertaking with regard to plant genetic resources.
The Report stresses concerns relating to the agricultural and food sectors in developing countries. The Report approved inter alia the means for providing technical assistance to the Palestinian people. From this podium I would invite donor countries to take part in this humanitarian action.
We also approved the Work Plan concerning peoples' participation.
As regards the Plan of Action on Women in Development, we paid tribute to the activities of FAO concerning the Plan of Action. We invited the Member Governments to pursue their efforts to support this Plan of Action taking into account cultural and social diversities at the time of implementation.
In conclusion I would like to thank you all. I would like to thank the FAO Secretariat for the commendable efforts deployed. I would like also to thank the Commission Secretary, Mr Mulherin and his colleagues for their tireless efforts. I feel also duty bound to express my thanks to the interpreters for their great efforts, my particular thanks go to Mr Ahmed Ben Ameur, Chief Interpreter.
E. Wayne DENNEY (United States of America): As the distinguished Chairman of Commission I indicated, this Commission performed its duties in a most cordial and professional manner. It was rich in substantive debate and there was a magnificent spirit of cooperation which prevailed throughout our discussion. There was virtually no discord. We even had the pleasure of working on a Saturday to complete our work.
Thus, it seems only appropriate that the same spirit of cooperation should continue to prevail in Plenary. We would, therefore, propose that the Report submitted to Plenary be adopted en bloc.
Mustapha-Menouar SINACEUR (Maroc): Pour les mêmes raisons qui viennent d'être évoquées par le Représentant des Etats-Unis, j'aimerais soutenir son idée d'une adoption du Rapport en bloc, et à l'occasion remercier M. Waleed A. Elkhereiji pour sa présidence effective.
Mahmoud ZAREZADEH MEHRIZI (Iran, Islamic Republic of): I have no objection to this proposal but there is something missing. It concerns C 91/I/REP/3. It was approved at the Commission but has been missed. May I read it? At the end of paragraph 9 on page 4, it says Some delegations emphasized the need for FAO to develop guidelines enabling countries to undertake this process. This statement which is missing was agreed, in this regard.
Waleed A. ELKHEREIJI (Chairman, Commission I) (Original language Arabic): I believe that the distinguished representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran has before him another Report, because the report we have in front of us, C 91/REP/10, Revision of C 91/I/REP/3, contains the following reference, In this regard, the Islamic Republic of Iran invited FAO to carry out a case study on sustainable agriculture and environment in the province of Bakhtaran in that country.
I am quoting from the document I have before me. I believe that was the addition that was made to the report and which I find in the text before me.
Gonzalo BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Los representantes de Colombia queremos expresar nuestra gratitud y reconocimiento a nuestro colega y amigo Waleed A. Elkhereiji, distinguido Representante de Arabia Saudita por la forma excelente como presidió la Comisión I. Gracias igualmente a los Vicepresidentes y al Comité de Redacción.
Compartimos plenamente las observaciones hechas por el colega y amigo Sr. E. Wayne, de Estados Unidos y apoyamos su propuesta de que estos cuatro REP sean adoptados en bloque.
Daniel D.C. DON NANJIRA (Kenya): I hope I am the last person to speak before we adopt the report en bloc. It was also the Kenya delegation's view that we should adopt this report en bloc following its introduction by the Chairman. I was waiting for the Chairman to ask us to adopt it en bloc. The matters have been discussed at length and they come here as a package.
The temptation to start looking at the paragraphs and improving on them is going to re-open discussion. I hope that the many appeals which have been made to adopt it en bloc will be heeded. I hope, that you, Mr Chairman, can tell us to adopt it en bloc.
CHAIRMAN: I have it ready but I think the honourable delegates have a right to speak. I am sure they will be as positive as you are yourself in helping us to adopt this report.
Sra. Mercedes FERMIN-GOMEZ (Venezuela): Muy breve. Sólo para apoyar la adopción en bloque. Que se haga pronto.
Virgilio MONALDI (Italy): Of course, we have nothing against approving this report en bloc; however, we feel that, as far as document C 91/REP/10 on the Least Developed Countries is concerned, we should like to introduce two small changes, in order to conform to the spirit and letter of the Paris Programme of Action.
The first change concerns paragraph 27, toward the end, after “finding ways”. We would suggest the following addition: to delete “to privatize parastatals”, and to say “to reform parastatals to improve their efficiency or privatize them whenever appropriate”.
This is exactly in the spirit of the Paris Programme of Action, paragraphs 68 and 69, in which there is an explicit reference to the need for pragmatic approaches to balance public and private sector involvement in the development of LDCs.
The second addition refers to paragraph 31 on page 13: after Programme of Action, we would like to insert the following sentence, “It was also suggested that, in its approach to a structural adjustment programme, FAO should go beyond Project or Programme Approach to Country-level approach, taking into account constraints and potential of a regional and a sub-regional character”.
Mustapha-Menouar SINACEUR (Maroc): M. le Président, j'aimerais obtenir une explication de votre part. Comme vous l'avez dit vous-même, tous les délégués ont droit à la parole et nous devons tous respecter leur droit à la parole, mais je crois qu'une proposition a été introduite par le délégué des Etats-Unis, appuyée par quatre délégations; j'aimerais que nous statuions avec vous: est-ce que le rapport est adopté en bloc ou non? Je pense que c'est assez simple.
CHAIRMAN: As you have heard, there are many people in favour of the reports, although there are some minor amendments suggested, but I take the sense of the House and put it that we adopt these reports en bloc, that is REPs 9, 10, 11 and 12. Are there any objections?
In addition, we are also adopting the three Resolutions that have been suggested by the Chairman of Commission I. I take it that the Resolutions are adopted, along with the en bloc adoption of the reports.
Applause
Applaudissements
Aplausos
Draft Report of Plenary, Part 9 (from Commission I), was adopted
Le projet de rapport de la Plénière, neuvième partie (émanant de la Commission I), est adopté
El proyecto de informe de la plenaria, Parte 9 (de la Comisión I), es aprobado
Forestry (Tenth World Forestry Congress) (Resolution …/91) was adopted
Forêts (Dixième Congrès forestier mondial) (Résolution …/91) est adoptee
Silvicultura (Décimo Congreso Forestal Mundial) (Resolución …/91) es aprobada
Draft Report of Plenary, Part 10 (from Commission I), was adopted
Le projet de rapport de la Plénière, dixième partie (émanant de la Commission I), est adopté
El proyecto de informe de la Plenaria, Parte 10 (de la Comisión I), es aprobado
FAO Activities Related to Environment and Sustainable Development (Resolution …/91) was adopted
Activités de la FAO relatives à l'environnement et au développement durable (Résolution …/91) est adoptee
Actividades de la FAO en relación con el medio ambiente y el desarrollo sostenible (Resolución …/91) es aprobada
Draft Report of Plenary, Part 11 (from Commission I), was adopted
Le projet de rapport de la Plénière, onzième partie (émanant de la Commission I), est adopté
El proyecto de informe de la Plenaria, Parte 11 (de la Comisión I), es aprobado
Commission on Plant Genetic Resources and International Undertaking: Progress Report (Resolution …/91) was adopted
Commission des ressources phvtogénétiques et Engagement international: Rapport intérimaire (Résolution …/91) est adoptee
La Comision de Recursos Fitogenéticos y el Compromiso Internacional: Informe parcial (Resolución …/91) es aprobado
Draft Report of Plenary, Part 12 (from Commission I), was adopted
Le projet de rapport de la Plénière, douzième partie (émanant de la Commission I), est adopté
El proyecto de informe de la Plenaria, Parte 12 (de la Comisión I), es aprobado
The meeting rose at 16.00 hours.
La séance est levée à 16 heures.
Se levanta la sesión a las 16.00 horas.
