Having regard to the need for careful preparation for the Annual Review of the World Food and Agriculture Situation, the Council instructs the Director-General to convene the next regular session of the Conference on 15 November 1948. By that time the reports on the summer harvests in the Northern Hemisphere as well as information on fall plantings will be available and the Secretariat will have had time to prepare an analysis of the annual progress and program reports.
The Council has given consideration to the invitations extended by the Governments of Egypt, Uruguay, and Venezuela that this session be held in their respective countries. It requests the Director-General to convey to these Governments its appreciation of these invitations but feels that in the light of financial prospects for 1948, this session should be held at the Headquarters of the Organization, since any other course would involve considerable additional expenditure.
This decision, however, should in no way be understood to mean that a similar decision should apply to all future Conference or Council meetings. The Council agrees that there are policy considerations which make it desirable for these bodies to meet in the different regions. This matter needs to be investigated by the Conference and should be placed on the agenda of the next regular session.
The Council further decides that the Policy Committee on Production and Distribution will meet in Washington on 25 October 1948 and that the Council will be convened on 1 November 1948.
However, since the Council is required under the Rules and Regulations to approve the Draft Budget for 1948, to report on the audited accounts of the Second Financial Year, and to approve the draft agenda for the Conference, and since these documents must be circulated to Member Governments well in advance of the session, the Council requests the Director-General to communicate his proposals to the members of the Council so that the latter may give all necessary instructions to their respective embassies in Washington. In this way, the necessary consideration of these documents can take place in July or August, without requiring the appointed members of the Council to travel to Washington.
It is understood, however, that should the Director-General find it necessary to convene a regular session of the Council before November next he has full authority to do so under Rule XXV, para. 2, of the Rules of Procedure.
