UNESCO. General Conference; 30th; Records ... - unesdoc - Unesco

120. Mr SCHÖFTHALER (Germany):
Madam President, the duty of the plenary is to consider a report by the Administrative Commission. We
are not considering any original or earlier proposals made. This is according to all rules of procedure known to
me. Please let us not go beyond rules of procedure. The basis of our work is the report, including the proposed
resolution, by the Administrative Commission, nothing else.
121. The PRESIDENT:
I seek the advice of the Legal Adviser. I really believe that we should be voting, as Germany has said,
but I would like to see if there is any support for what Germany is saying. The Secretary of the Conference would
like to make an announcement.
122. Le SECRETAIRE :
Merci, Madame la Présidente. Les usages de la Conférence générale veulent que, lorsque les rapports de
ses organes subsidiaires sont présentés en séance plénière, elle se prononce formellement sur les projets de
résolution qui lui sont soumis par ces organes subsidiaires. Les rapports eux-mêmes ont déjà été approuvés par
les organes subsidiaires, commissions ou comités. Ils sont en quelque sorte la propriété de ces organes et la
Conférence générale en séance plénière se borne à en prendre note. Merci, Madame la Présidente.
123. The PRESIDENT:
So the General Conference takes note of the report and adopts the draft resolution of the Administrative
Commission. I should like to make that quite clear. This means we are not going back to the original document.
Could I have a show of hands on this please? I think it is now clear what we are voting about. Mr Marshall?
124. Mr MARSHALL (New Zealand), Chairperson of the Administrative Commission:
Madam President, I apologize. I probably helped to create the confusion. Given what Mr Kol has said,
and I am sure it is correct, the important decision we need to make now is whether or not to adopt the words I
read out, that is, to simply take note of the documents. The recommendations of the Commission are, I quote,
"The General Conference, having examined documents 30 C/42 and Corr. takes note of the content of documents
30 C/42 and Corr.". My colleagues from Nigeria and India have sought to point out the implications of those
decisions. The short text I have read out is what we have to decide now or defer.
125. The PRESIDENT:
Is that clear? I wish it was. I see more points of order, Nigeria and the United Republic of Tanzania. If
those are points of order, then I shall give you the floor. I can see the hesitancy to have a show of hands, because
I am afraid that some of the delegates do not really understand what we are voting on. I hope it has by now been
made sufficiently clear. I give the floor to Nigeria.
126. Mr LIJADU (Nigeria):
Madam President, as far as we are concerned this is very simple. I would like to think that we all are
conscious of what we are doing but the Chairperson of the Administrative Commission himself clearly said that
he is a little worried that there are perhaps Member States here who did not quite understand the implications of
that decision. What is usually expected of us in regard to any centrally decided issue by the International Civil
Service Commission or the United Nations is that we, as the governing body of UNESCO, should take on board
those decisions and this is done here, at the General Conference. If we now say we "take note" of this, we do not
give the Director-General the authority he needs to implement this matter: it means we are doing nothing. We
cannot just "take note" of it and explain to the General Conference why we have decided to defer this issue for
two years. This is the point I am trying to make. I was ready, Madam President, if the narrative part had been
taken separately from the resolution, to discuss this under the resolution. I fully support Mr Rao that we should
separate the two elements, and find the time to discuss the resolution aspect. If and when I am satisfied that we
are really taking our decision in full knowledge of all the facts, I will be quite willing to bow to the will of the
majority, whatever that majority decides. I do not think we have reached that point. This is a very important
decision which we must take with all our eyes open. Thank you, Madam.
127. The PRESIDENT:
Thank you Sir. I give the floor to the representative of the United Republic of Tanzania.
128. Mr BAVU (United Republic of Tanzania):
Madam President, that is what the point of order is all about, as expressed by the representative of
Nigeria. We do not know what we are voting on. The Chairperson of the Administrative Commission is
suggesting that we vote on the narrative report. We take note, full stop. The President of the Conference is
suggesting, I think, as proposed by the Legal Adviser, that we take note of the report and also adopt the decision
proposed by the Administrative Commission - a decision which we have not examined. So which of the two are
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