CHAIRMAN: Yesterday we adjourned discussions on a section of proposals on the arrangements for the Provisional Agenda of Conference. Council,I think quite rightly, agreed to discuss the matter. The discussion was opened not only for formal debate but also for dialogues. We allowed yesterday afternoon and overnight and we thought perhaps better counsel would prevail and that some solution might be found, and I hope that this is so. Therefore we will resume discussion of this subject and conclude it as soon as we can without disrupting the House, without emotional voting and so on, if at all possible. But if it becomes necessary and absolutely essential, then of course I will divide the House. The subject is now open for discussion.
A. ECHEVERRIA ZUNO (México): Muchas gracias, señor Presidente; le agradezco la oportunidad que me da para hacer uso de la palabra en la reanudación de nuestros amigables intercambios sobre este tema.
Nuestra delegación ha seguido atentamente el debate; no hemos estado ausentes y conocemos los datos y las informaciones que en torno a este tema se han comunicado y se han manejado.
Siendo este un asunto del Consejo y con un profunde ánimo de colaborar y conociendo detalladamente la actual situación, mi delegación se siente facultada muy cordialmente para hacer un llamamiento a todos los distinguidos delegados, y de manera muy particular al señor Embajador de la Arabia Saudita que ha sido un vocero de su grupo, así como a nuestro buen amigo el señor Embajador de Egipto. Lo hacemos por que este fenómeno se ha desarrollado de manera muy particular y quizá sin precedentes en este Consejo, por lo que los invitamos a un fraternal esfuerzo de flexibilidad y de comprensión. Ninguna otra cosa nos convence, si no que el entendimiento entre las partes sea la norma, y también estamos convencidos que la voluntad de las partes se encuentra orientada en éste y en ningún otro sentido.
Tomamos una amigable iniciativa y proponemos un compromiso, del que estamos convencidos que todos lo recibirán con simpatía y gozará de unánime apoyo. Lo formulamos, señor Presidente, a sabiendas de que de esta acción saldremos positivamente.
Concretamente, y estando fundamentados también en algunas de las palabras que usted, señor Presidente, ha pronunciado en torno al procedimiento de la votación, recordamos por una parte la necesidad de que en la Conferencia que se celebrará a fines de este año se avoque el asunto y, por otra parte, una propuesta concreta que hay de que se estudie detallada y meticulosamente este asunto y que las conclusiones se registren en un documento. Señor Presidente, sugerimos que el tema al que hacemos referencia se denomine de la siguiente manera: "Examen del estudio comprensivo sobre el funcionamiento de la Oficina Regional de la FAO para el Cercano Oriente, considerando la solicitud de diversos países de la región, relativo a la necesidad de reexaminar su actual ubicación".
En aras de la precisión y sabiendo de la propias limitaciones de quien habla y con objeto de ayudar a los distinguidos delegados que usan el inglés por idioma de trabajo, le pido autorización, señor Presidente, para leer este mismo texto en inglés y así también pudiéramos certificar, una vez más, su contenido y traducción.
"Examine the comprehensive study of the functioning of the FAO Regional Office for the Near East, taking into account the request of some countries from the Region, related to the necessity of re-examining its present location."
Debo subrayar que este planteamiento, este compromiso al que hemos hecho un llamamiento lo hacemos bajo un profundo convencimiento de que esté Consejo lo recibirá positivamente.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you, Mexico, for this very instructive and comprehensive proposal which seems to take into account the feelings of the two sides.
Q.H. HAQUE (Bangladesh): We also join the appeal made by the distinguished Ambassador of Mexico and also the appeal made by you, Mr. Chairman. It was very painful for us to see that you had to call for a division of the Council yesterday. In this House, which is dedicated to the benefit of the hungry and malnourished, we feel an atmosphere of cordiality and friendship is a must. I have been working in this House for the last three years and never has there been an occasion where we had to call for a division. We had always worked in an atmosphere of cordiality and friendship, an atmosphere of cooperation, never in an atmosphere of "take it or leave it". We feel that we are in a position to see things from an objective perspective.
We feel that today, after a night's sleep, we have acquired more wisdom and reason. Towards the end of the day yesterday, some spirit of compromise was demonstrated. We feel that both parties should come half way as brothers to meet, never expecting one or the other to come more of the way than the other. It is necessary that both parties should come half way as brothers and that is the spirit we find in the proposal of the distinguished Ambassador of Mexico. Here lies a solution where both parties could accommodate while protecting the points made by them yesterday to meet in a spirit of compromise and spare this august House from another painful exercise.
In that spirit, Mr. Chairman, we again appeal and join the appeal of the distinguished Ambassador of Mexico to both the parties to agree to this compromise formulation suggested by Mexico. Mr. Chairman, the distinguished delegate of Mexico was not reading it at dictation speed. If you allow me I will read the suggested proposal of Mexico at dictation speed: "Examine the comprehensive study of the functioning of the FAO Regional Office for the Near East, taking into account the request of some countries from the Region, related to the necessity of re-examining-its present location". It says "some" in a spirit of compromise, Mr. Chairman, without making a judgment of how many.
We feel this formulation will be acceptable by our brothers from Egypt as well as our brothers from other Arab countries sitting in this Council as members. We appeal to them to accept this formulation.
A.Y. BUKHARI (Saudi Arabia) (interpretation from Arabic): Everybody knows, as you know, Sir, that we have not decided to belong to this Organization fixing as an objective for ourselves the launching of challenges. This is not according to our nature, neither does it belong to our tradition. Everybody knows, Mr. Chairman, that the countries that belong to this group are countries that belong to this Organization and that also belong to other international institutions. They belong to all these Organizations with the conviction that their presence can contribute to participation in an honest and sincere manner to the information of the international community. These are countries that participate endeavouring to bring a contribution so as to bring something to the lands tilled by these people so that wheat can grow there.
We have presented this proposal - and I would not really like to use this word "proposal" - but I would be allowed to say the request that we have submitted to you, Mr. Chairman, is only the expression of a legitimate right; not only our right but the right of everyone in the international community.
We would have liked for this Council to reply and to react with wisdom and in a clear manner and with conviction. We would have liked to see this reaction of the Council to the technical questions that have arisen and that induced us to make this proposal, to make this request*
Since this suggestion that has been made has been made by a dear friend who belongs to a dear group, to a group dear to everybody, not only to the Near East countries, and since we have always shown that this regional group sincerely collaborates with the other regional groups, collaborates, I am saying, while the majority of member countries that belong to it is not presenting a request, be it directly or indirectly. As you know, we collaborate and we are willing to give a hand, even if we are also developing countries, and we know that the world is suffering from poverty and malnutrition, and in our large majority we have not asked for anything yet, and since we do not wish to expand any longer on this question, and to show you and everyone that we always want to demonstrate that we have a spirit of collaboration, so as to show you how sincere we are and to give you such proof, Mr. Chairman, I can on behalf of the Near East countries say to you, Sir, that we accept the solution that has been presented with the hope that everyone will accept it so that we put an end to these discussions that after all will only bring us to a situation which would be too extreme, which would prevent us from working.
M. SAMIR AHMED (Egypt): I would like to thank the delegate of Mexico and our colleagues from the Latin American Group for trying their best to find a compromise. In their wish to speedily arrive at such a compromise, they thought it fit to consult the Arab Group, the sponsors of this original motion. They failed to consult with me, however, and my opinion was not asked on the compromise they made.
Therefore I seek the Council's indulgence and your permission, Sir, to break for just two or three minutes while you all remain seated. I would like to have a word with the Latin American Group over their compromise solution which I had not seen before it was made in this room.
CHAIRMAN: A request has been made by Egypt to suspend the meeting for a few minutes for consultation, and it is only right that he should ask for this consultation if he wishes. If Council, will agree, I will suspend the meeting for five minutes.
A. ECHEVERRIA ZUNE (México): Antes de que Ud. suspenda nuestros debates para que se realice la consulta que se ha propuesto, yo quisiera subrayar que la intervención que tuve hace algunos minutos fue en nombre de nuestra Delegación, por lo que las referencias que se han hecho al Grupo al que pertenece mi país, no tienen la precision del caso.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much, delegate of Mexico, for this explanation. Delegate of Egypt, do you insist?
M. SAMIR AHMED (Egypt): I think there is all the more reason to ask for this break in order to have a word with the delegate of Mexico, and whomsoever wishes from the Latin American Group, if they would like to join us outside for a few minutes.
CHAIRMAN: If Council will agree, before further discussion I would adjourn for five minutes - and then when we come back I have on my list Venezuela and Argentina.
The meeting was suspended from 11.35 hours to 12.15 hours
La seance est suspendue de 11 h 35 a 12 h 15
Se suspende la sesión de las 11.35 a 12.15 horas
CHAIRMAN: The meeting is called to order. The five minutes have been very elastic, and since now it is almost lunchtime we will adjourn the meeting.
The meeting rose at 12.15
La séance est levée à 12 h 15
Se levanta la sesión a las 12.15 horas
