\n\t\t\t\t
II.\t<\/span><\/span> Organization of the session <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 6–42<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 3<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t A.\t<\/span><\/span>General Committee <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 6<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 3<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t B.\t<\/span><\/span>Rationalization of work <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 7–11<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 4 <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n\n\n\t\t\t\t C.\t<\/span><\/span>Closing date of the session <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 12<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 5<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t D.\t<\/span><\/span>Schedule of meetings <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 13–15<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 5 <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n\n\n\t\t\t\t E.\t<\/span><\/span>General debate <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 16–19<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 6<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t F.\t<\/span><\/span>Explanations of vote, right of reply, points of order and length of statements <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 20–22<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 7<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t G.\t<\/span><\/span>Records of meetings <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 23<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 7<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t H.\t<\/span><\/span>Seating arrangements <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 24<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 8<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t I.\t<\/span><\/span>Concluding statements <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 25<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 8<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t J.\t<\/span><\/span>Resolutions <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 26–29<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 8<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t K.\t<\/span><\/span>Documentation <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 30–32<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 9<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t L.\t<\/span><\/span>Questions related to the programme budget <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 33–37 <\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 10<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t M.\t<\/span><\/span>Observances and commemorative meetings <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 38–39<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 12<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t N.\t<\/span><\/span>Special conferences <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 40–41<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 12 <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n\n\n\t\t\t\t O.\t<\/span><\/span>Meetings of subsidiary organs <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 42<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 13<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t III.\t<\/span><\/span> Observations on the organization of future sessions of the General Assembly <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 43–45<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 13<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t IV.\t<\/span><\/span> Adoption of the agenda <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 46–49<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 14 <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | \n\n\n\t\t\t\t V.\t<\/span><\/span> Allocation of items <\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/td>\n\n 50–62<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n 29 <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n <\/p>\n \n \n
\n<\/p><\/div>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n \n I. Introduction<\/strong> <\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/strong><\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/span> <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\n 1. The Secretary-General has the honour to place before the General Committee, for its consideration, the following observations and proposals in connection with the report to be made to the General Assembly by the General Committee regarding the organization of the fifty-fifth regular session and future sessions of the Assembly, the adoption of the agenda and the allocation of items. <\/p><\/div>\n \n 2. The Secretary-General wishes to recall that in its resolution 53\/202 of 17 December 1998, the General Assembly decided to designate the fifty-fifth session of the General Assembly “The Millennium Assembly of the Âé¶¹APP”. <\/p><\/div>\n \n 3. Over the years, the General Assembly has adopted a number of provisions aimed at rationalizing the procedures and organization of the Assembly. These provisions are reproduced in the annexes to the rules of procedure of the General Assembly (A\/520\/Rev.15 and Amend.1 and 2, annexes I, II and IV-VIII). <\/p><\/div>\n \n 4. The General Committee may wish to draw the attention of the General Assembly to the provisions contained in annexes V, VI, VII and VIII to its rules of procedure, in particular to those provisions reproduced below under the relevant headings. <\/p><\/div>\n \n 5. The Secretary-General wishes to draw the attention of the General Committee to the following resolutions of the General Assembly, the provisions of which are reflected in the present document under the relevant sections: <\/p><\/div>\n \n (a) Annex I (Guidelines on the Rationalization of the Agenda of the General Assembly) to resolution 48\/264 of 29 July 1994, entitled “Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly”; <\/p><\/div>\n \n (b) The annex to resolution 51\/241 of 31 July 1997, entitled “Strengthening of the Âé¶¹APP system”; <\/p><\/div>\n \n (c) Paragraph 1 of resolution 52\/163 of 15 December 1997, entitled “Amendment to rule 103 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly”. <\/p><\/div>\n \n In this connection, the Committee may wish to draw the attention of the Assembly to the reports of the Secretary-General on the implementation of Assembly resolution 48\/264 (A\/52\/856) and resolution 51\/241 (A\/52\/855). <\/p><\/div>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n \n II. Organization of the session<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n \n A. General Committee<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n \n 6. The Secretary-General wishes to draw to the attention of the General Committee rule 40 of the rules of procedure, as well as General Assembly decision 34\/401 (A\/520\/Rev.15, annex VI, paras. 1 and 2), Assembly resolutions 39\/88 B (ibid., annex VII, para. 4), the annex to resolution 45\/45 (A\/520\/Rev.15 and Amend.1, annex VIII, para. 3) and the annex to resolution 51\/241 (paras. 17, 18 and 33-35) pertaining to the functions of the Committee. <\/p><\/div>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n \n B. Rationalization of work<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n \n 7. The Secretary-General wishes to draw the attention of the General Committee to General Assembly resolution 41\/213 of 19 December 1986, whereby the Assembly decided that the recommendations as agreed upon and as contained in the report of the Group of High-level Intergovernmental Experts to Review the Efficiency of the Administrative and Financial Functioning of the Âé¶¹APP <\/span>1<\/u><\/sup><\/a> <\/span>should be implemented by the Secretary-General and the relevant organs and bodies of the Âé¶¹APP. <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\n 8. In this connection, the Secretary-General wishes to draw the attention of the General Committee to the measures undertaken in pursuance of the goal of renewal and reform, in particular to recommendations 2, 3 and 7 of the Group of High-level Intergovernmental Experts, <\/span>1<\/sup><\/span> as reflected in the progress reports of the Secretary-General on the implementation of General Assembly resolution 41\/213, entitled “Review of the efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the Âé¶¹APP”. The Secretary-General also wishes to draw the Committee’s attention to Assembly resolution 48\/264, entitled “Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly”, and annex I thereto and to resolution 52\/12 B of 19 December 1997, entitled “Renewing the Âé¶¹APP: a programme for reform”. <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\n 9. The General Committee may wish to draw the attention of the General Assembly to paragraph 5 of the annex to resolution 45\/45 (A\/520\/Rev.15 and Amend.1, annex VIII), which reads as follows: <\/p><\/div>\n \n “5. The General Committee should consider, at the beginning of each session of the General Assembly, recommending that certain Main Committees should meet in sequential order, taking into account such matters as the number of meetings required for the consideration of the questions with which they are charged at that session, the organization of the work of the whole session and the problem of participation of smaller delegations.” <\/p><\/div>\n \n In this connection, the Committee may also wish to draw the attention of the Assembly to paragraphs 30, 31 and 36 of the annex to resolution 51\/241, which read as follows: <\/p><\/div>\n \n “30. All Main Committees shall hold brief organizational sessions once the General Assembly has taken decisions on the agenda, before the commencement of the general debate. Bureaux of the Main Committees shall meet earlier to draw up recommendations on the organization and programme of work. <\/p><\/div>\n \n “31. The Main Committees shall meet in substantive session only after the end of the general debate. <\/p><\/div>\n \n …<\/p><\/div>\n \n “36. The First Committee and the Fourth Committee shall not meet simultaneously and may consider meeting in a sequential manner during the regular session of the General Assembly. This arrangement shall not apply if it affects their respective identities, programmes of work and effective consideration of their agendas.” <\/p><\/div>\n \n 10. The Secretary-General also wishes to draw the attention of the General Committee to paragraph 1 of General Assembly resolution 52\/163 of 15 December 1997, which reads as follows: <\/i><\/p><\/div>\n\n “1. Decides<\/i> to amend the first sentence of rule 103 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly to read: ‘Each Main Committee shall elect a Chairman, three Vice-Chairmen and a Rapporteur’;”. <\/p><\/div>\n\n 11. Furthermore, the Secretary-General wishes to draw the attention of the General Committee to the fact that measures introduced to reduce costs relating to overtime will be strictly enforced. <\/p><\/div>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n \n C. Closing date of the session<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n \n 12. In accordance with the provisions of rule 2 of its rules of procedure, the General Assembly should fix a closing date for the fifty-fifth session. The General Committee may wish to recommend to the Assembly that the fifty-fifth session recess not later than Tuesday, 5 December 2000; the closing date of the fifty-fifth session will be subject to a decision of the Assembly. The Committee may also wish to recommend to the Assembly that the First Committee complete its work by Friday, 3 November, the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) by Thursday, 9 November, the Third Committee by Friday, 10 November, the Sixth Committee by Tuesday, 21 November and the Second and Fifth Committees by Friday, 1 December. <\/p><\/div>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n \n D. Schedule of meetings <\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/strong> <\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n \n 13. The General Committee may wish to recommend to the General Assembly that, in accordance with established practice, morning meetings start promptly at 10 a.m. for all plenary meetings and meetings of the Main Committees during the fifty-fifth session. The Committee may also wish to recommend to the Assembly that, as a cost-saving measure, plenary meetings and meetings of the Main Committees, including informal meetings, be adjourned by 6 p.m., and that no meetings be held on weekends, with the exception of the general debate (see para. 20 (e) of the annex to General Assembly resolution 51\/241, A\/53\/PV.97 and para. 16 below). The Committee may also wish to recommend to the Assembly that this cost-saving measure apply also, for the remainder of 2000, to meetings listed on the calendar of conferences and meetings. The Secretary-General wishes to recall that in accordance with Assembly resolution 54\/261 of 10 May 2000, the morning plenary meetings during the Millennium Summit will begin at 9 a.m. <\/p><\/div>\n \n 14. The General Committee may further wish to recommend that, in order to preclude the late start of meetings, the General Assembly waive, in view of the practice at recent sessions, the requirement that at least one third of the members of the Assembly in the case of plenary meetings and one quarter of the members of a Main Committee in the case of Main Committee meetings be present in order to declare a meeting open and to permit the debate to proceed. This recommendation would be made on the understanding that such a waiver would not imply any permanent change in the provisions of rules 67 and 108 of the rules of procedure and that the requirement of the presence of a majority of the members for any decision to be taken would be maintained. <\/p><\/div>\n \n 15. Furthermore, the General Committee may wish to recommend to the General Assembly that delegations be reminded of the utmost importance of punctuality in the interest of ensuring an effective and orderly organization of work and achieving economies for the Âé¶¹APP. <\/p><\/div>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n \n E. General debate<\/strong> <\/p><\/div>\n\n | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |