Summary: October 23, 2003: Statement on behalf of the European Union by Mr. Roberto Martini, First Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Italy to the U.N. on behalf of the European Union. Fifth Committee -- SCALE OF ASSESSMENTS FOR PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS item 133 (New York)
Mr. Chairman,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The acceding countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia, the associated countries Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and the EFTA countries, members of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) declare that they align themselves with this statement.
Allow me first of all to thank the Controller of the UN, Mr. Jean Pierre Hallbwachs for his presentation of Report A/58/157.
Mr. Chairman,
After difficult and sensitive negotiations in Fall 2000, the General Assembly reformed, with res.55/235, the methodology for the apportionment of the expenses of Peace- Keeping Operations. This new methodology is now fixed until 2009. Therefore, this year the 58th General Assembly is due only to update the composition of the levels assigned to Member States in conjunction with the review of the scale of assessments to the Regular Budget, as proposed by the Committee on Contributions in
consideration of the effective GNI data for the 1996-2001 base period.
To conduct its review of Member States' contributions, the Fifth Committee has available report A/58/157 of the Secretary General. We commend the Secretariat of the UN for the timely delivery of this report. It has been produced in the light of the results of the CoC's technical examinations and debates of last June and, again, reflects the decision of the GA three years to leave the methodology for this scale unchanged until 2009.
The S.G.'s report is in our view an important point of reference for our discussions, and we wish to confirm that we consider important the full application of all paragraphs of the above - mentioned Resolution 55/235, without exception.
In that respect, the E.U. will want to see the respect for agreements regarding Member States' placement in the scale's group structure. All transition periods agreed for specific Member States in December 2000 must be implemented.
There is no provision for - nor can the E.U. agree to - movement between groups during the course of the next three years scale period unless explicitly provided for in res. 55/235.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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