DYB2011-Part-II-web

United Nations Disarmament Yearbook 2011: Part II
102
Another matter of concern was the relatively high number of States parties
that had failed to meet the 10-year deadline under article 5 and were forced to
request extension.
The question on the financial situation of the ISU was a sensitive
issue throughout 2011, particularly in the context of the discussions in
the open-ended working group on the new models for the financing of the
ISU. Due to the continued divergent views and the economic and financial
situation in several States parties, the open-ended group could not agree on
a new funding model. Therefore, the President of the Tenth Meeting reported
that the ISU would continue to be financed through the present financing
scheme and recommended that: (a) the results achieved be preserved so that
the process aimed at improving the current model could be resumed at a later
stage when external economic and financial circumstances would be more
favourable; (b) the States parties meanwhile engage in an exchange of views
on how to enhance the current system based on voluntary contributions with
the objective to improve the financial situation of the ISU; and (c) all States
parties, in particular those that had not been able to provide contributions so
far, be encouraged to contribute to the Voluntary Trust Fund of the ISU.
In the same context, and pursuant to the “Directive from the States
parties to the ISU” adopted at the Tenth Meeting, the States parties approved
the work plan and budget for the activities of the ISU in 2012, as endorsed
by the Coordinating Committee, as well as the report on the activities and
finances of the ISU and the 2010 audited financial statement of the ISU.
The Meeting also pointed to the persisting unsatisfactory level of
submission of national transparency reports by the States parties under
article 7 of the Convention in terms of overall compliance rate, which was
slightly over 50 per cent in 2011.
Pursuant to the relevant decisions of the Second Review Conference and
the Tenth Meeting, the States parties continued to review the Intersessional
Work Programme and focused, in particular, on the possibilities to rationalize
the number of States in leadership positions (Co-Chairs and Co-Rapporteurs)
in the Standing Committees. In this regard, the States parties approved the
proposal presented by the President of the Tenth Meeting, by which the
number of States parties in leadership positions in each Standing Committee
was reduced from four to two. This decision would be implemented in two
phases from 2012 to 2013.
The Eleventh Meeting also decided to consider ways to enhance the
interactive character of the annual Meetings of the States Parties, shortening
their duration and increasing their overall effectiveness.
It was agreed that the Twelfth Meeting of the States Parties would be
held in Geneva from 3 to 7 December 2012 and would be chaired by Matjaž
Kovačič (Slovenia). Furthermore, the meetings of the Standing Committees