PARAGRAPHS 1 to 35 (continued)
PARAGRAPHES 1 à 35 (suite)
PARRAFOS 1 a 35 (continuación)
CHAIRMAN: The one issue left from REP/6 was to get the information on paragraph 33 and if you agree I would call on Mr. Georgiadis to give the information which was asked for by the delegate of Italy.
A.Ç. GEORGIADIS (Director, Administrative Services Division): The delegate of Italy has raised a valid point in connexion with the figures in that one part of the sum of $100 000 was not actually mentioned. It is due to the purchase of photocopy paper in the local market in excess of the price of imported paper. I had mentioned that fact during the debate but I did not give the figure which is $18 930. Therefore the total is $115 930 and that explains why in the report we had inserted a sum of "in excess of $110 000". However, it is also true that the $58 000 mentioned in storage and customs due have not yet been paid. They are in respect of goods lying in customs for which the licence has not yet been granted. On the other hand they will have to be paid when the good are cleared, they cannot be avoided. So I was wondering if to reflect the fact more precisely the Council would adopt the following wording which could read: "The Council was also informed that despite steps taken by the Director-General and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs there had been no change in this attitude of the customs authorities. As a result of which the Organization had so far incurred additional costs (in storage and other charges) in excess of $110 000, of which $57 000 had already been paid and a sum in excess of $58 000 was due but not yet disbursed." The remaining sentence would remain unchanged, is this is acceptable to the Delegate of Italy.
On the same subject, the next paragraph 34, the delegate of Italy had suggested an addition of a phrase in the morning which started reading "The delegate of the host government stressed the fact that delays had sometimes occurred" etc. I wonder if Italy would accept the deletion of the words "the fact" because during the debate the Secretariat had contested such fact, and examples were given. If this is acceptable.
CHAIRMAN: I recognize the consent of the delegate of Italy.
Paragraphs 1 to 35, as amended, approved
Les paragraphes 1 à 35, ainsi amendés, sont approuvés
Los párrafos 1 a 35, así enmendados, son aprobados
Draft Report of Plenaryy Part VI, as amended, was adopted
Le projet de rapport de la pléniére, Partie VI, ainsi amendé', est adopté
El proyecto de informe de la Plenaria, Parte VI, asi enmendado, es aprobado
DRAFT REPORT - PART VII
PROJET DE RAPPORT - PARTIE VII
PROYECTO DE'INFORME - PARTE VII
PARAGRAPHS 1 to 16
PARAGRAPHES 1 a 16
PARRAFOS 1 a 16
R.A. SORENSON (United States of America): I would just like to know generally for the sake of my colleagues here in the room, that in fact if one were to redo or rewrite CL 82/LIM/1 the numter of countries with outstanding contributions to FAO would have to be reduced by one, having announced the other day that an alternative use of the American assessment might be to distribute it directly to Member States in which case we could give as much as a million dollars to each country who is not a member of OECD but is a member of the Council, or $400 000 to each non-OECD member who is not a member of the FAO. Not having had any takers we have made our final payment to FAO in the amount of $847 589.69. We did that last night.
CHAIRMAN: Your information is well taken but as far as I can see it does not need any change in the report, but thank you very much for that information.
Paragraphs 1 to 16 approved
Les paragraphes 1 à 16 sont approuvés
Los párrafos 1 a 16 son aprobados
PARAGRAPHS 17 to 23
PARAGRAPHES 17 à 23
PARRAFOS 17 a 23
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Queremos referirnos al párrafo 18; más que todo sería una pregunta al Presidente del Comité de Redacción y también a nuestros colegas del Consejo. ¿Acaso no podríamos aceptar que el párrafo 18 terminara donde se dice "70 despachos en el octavo piso del edificio D", poner un punto y suprimir todo lo demás?, ya que dice que se decidió que se abandonara definitivamente, por que no sabemos que' puede pasar en el futuro efectivamente. Es decir, que el párrafo 18 termine donde dice "70 despachos en el octavo piso del edificio D" y punto.
J. TCHICAYA (Congo): Je voudrais dire que j'appuie la proposition de la Colombie. Je ne vois pas pourquoi on a ajouté ce membre de phrase parce que, en fait, nous n'avons rien décidé à ce sujet.
CHAIRMAN: You have heard the proposal made by Colombia and supported by Congo. I hope that the Chairman of the Drafting Committee will concur with me that we should delete the rest of the sentence and stop the sentence with 'building D'. This would improve the text, it would leave the doors open, and it would also contribute to saving money because a little less paper will be used and less words spelled out here in the report. Paragraph 18, as amended, is adopted. We come to paragraphs 19 and 20.
S.S. BALANZINO (Italy): I have a very minor addition to make to paragraph 20 - "The Council acknowledged ... and welcomed the announced increase in the voluntary contribution of the government by 50 percent, namely from 300 million lire to 450 million lire for 1982-or in 1982".
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Yo creo que la redente intervención del colega de Italia es exacta y justamente era lo que justificaba nuestra propuesta. Creo que se dijo en el debate y me parece que esto corresponde a los hechos, que los 300 millones de liras que originalmente ofreció el gobierno italiano y que ahora van a ser 450 millones fueron ofrecidos para compensar, para contribuir al pago de arriendos, al pago de arriendos en que estaba incurriendo la FAO y esto no se califica en la primera frase del párrafo 20, que se cita muy ambiguamente, habría que poner, como dijo el representante de Italia, que aumentará de 300 millones a 450 millones, para contribuir al pago de arriendos, porque queda muy vaga esa expresión sin hacer referencia al objetivo para el cual se ha ofrecido esa suma.
A.G. GEORGIADIS (Director, Administrative Services Division): I think that the voluntary contribution from the Italian Government of 300 million lire every year was not really ever tied to payments of rent. It was for improvement of premises and other matters, conferred many years ago by the delegate of Italy to FAO. So I think this last proposal from Colombia is not factual and therefore should not be inserted in the report.
CHAIRMAN: I see that Colombia agrees that we should not pursue his amendment. I have seen no objections so far to the amendment put forward by Italy. So I assume that everybody agrees to this and that we can consider that paragraph 20 has been adopted with that amendment. We come now to paragraph 21.
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): En el párrafo 21, por elemental respeto a las jerarquías, hay que cambiar el orden en la frase que dice: "Entrevistas necesarias para él y para el Grupo de Trabajo nombrado por la Conferencia, Resolución 14/81", dice "con el Ministro de Asuntos Exteriores y el Presidente del Consejo de Ministros" creo que hay que poner primero al Presidente del Consejo de Ministros.
CHAIRMAN: You have heard the proposal. Are there any objections to changing the order in this context, having first the President of the Council of Ministers and then the Minister of Foreign Affairs? I see no objection, so the proposal of Colombia is well taken. Paragraph 21 is adopted. We come now to paragraph 22.
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Esta propuesta nuestra se refiere sólo al texto español, porque he chequeado el inglés, pero como tiene alguna significación, creo que bastaría haberla señalado a la Secretaría.. En el texto español, al final del párrafo 22, se dice "por un lado" primero, y luego "y el Presidente del Consejo de Ministros por otro". Creemos que esas dos expresiones deben suprimirse y decir simplemente, como se dice en inglés, "a través del Ministerio de Asuntos" Exteriores entre el Director General y el Grupo de Trabajo nombrado por la Conferencia y el Presidente del Consejo de Ministros". Suprimir las palabras "por un lado" y también "por el otro".
P. ELMANOWSKY (France): Je comprends bien ce que veut dire M. Bula Hoyos, mais, ainsi corrigé, le texte français laisse supposer que le Groupe de travail a été créé par la Conférence et le Président du Conseil des ministres. C'est un peu curieux. Donc, je crois que ce sont les entrevues entre le Directeur général et le Groupe de travail créé par la Conférence et aussi le Président du Conseil des ministres, ou alors des entrevues du Directeur général et du Groupe de travail créé par la Conférence avec le Président du Conseil des ministres. A ce moment-là ce sera parfaitement clair.
CHAIRMAN: I think we can leave it to the Secretariat to bring the Spanish and French texts in line with the English version. Please go on with paragraph 23.
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): En la mitad del párrafo 23, se dice que "se mantuviera como tema del Programa de los futuros períodos de sesiones del Consejo hasta que se dispusiera de los otros locales
necesarios". "Se dispusiera ", esto da la impresión de que vamos a tratar este tema aquí en el
Consejo hasta cuando se ponga la última teja, hasta cuando se cierre la última puerta o las ventanas de los nuevos edificios. Creo que sería más acertado decir "hasta que se tuviera seguridad de una solución satisfactoria". Porque una vez tengamos la seguridad de una solución satisfactoria, aunque no veamos todavía el techo de los edificios, pues ya no vamos a seguir tratando este asunto.
A.G. NGONGI NAMANGA (Chairman, Drafting Committee): I think that Colombia is right: if a satisfactory solution is found to the problem it does not need to come to the Council any more.
CHAIRMAN: Would you agree on that?
Paragraphs 17 to 23, as amended, approved
Les paragraphes 17 à 23, ainsi amendés, sont approuvés
Los párrafos 17 a 23, asi enmendados, son aprobados
Draft Report of Plenary, Part VII, as amended, was adopted
Le projet de rapport de la pléniére, partie VII, ainsi amendé, est adopté
El proyecto de informe de la Plenaria, Parte VII, asi enmendado, es aprobado
DRAFT REPORT - PART VIII
PROJET DE RAPPORT - PARTIE VIII
INFORME PROVISIONAL - PARTE VIII
T. AHMAD (Pakistan): I just wanted to make a brief observation on REP/8 as such before we go into any items. The chronological order has unfortunately been mixed up in this report. You start with 19.2 and then go on to 19.4 and then you have 19.3. I do not know why. Unless there is some design in doing this it would seem to be much better to have 19.2, 19.3, 19.4.
LE SECRETAIRE GENERAL: Ce désordre apparent est dû au fait que les dernières phrases ont été pré- parées très rapidement et ce désordre peut aussi résulter du fait qu'il est plus facile de rédiger un petit projet se rapportant à une question telle que celle qui constitue les paragraphes 1 et 2 qu'une autre qui se rapporte à un sujet plus long. De toute façon ce n'est qu'une situation temporaire puisque,, quand on va remettre le rapport en état, l'ordre normal sera rétabli.
CHAIRMAN: Is Pakistan satisfied? I understand that once the final report is printed, then the order will be rearranged so as to look more logical.
Paragraphs 1 and 2 approved
Les paragraphes 1 et 2 sont approuvés
Los párrafos 1 y 2 son aprobados
Paragraphs 3 to 9 approved
Les paragraphes 3 à 9 sont approuvés
Los párrafos 3 a 9 son aprobados
Paragraph 10, including Resolution, adopted
Le paragraphe 10, y compris la résolution, est adopté
El párrafo 10, incluida la Resolución, es aprobado
PARAGRAPHS 11 to 13
PARAGRAPHES 11 à 13
PARRAFOS 11 a 13
T. AHMAD (Pakistan): As I mentioned even yesterday, we have great deference for Mr. West's opinion, and he was the one who suggested to begin with the linking of the two issues, but it was finally decided that it was an independent matter altogether, so I do not see any reason for linking this again in paragraph 11. We could easily finish paragraph 11 by saying "The Council considered the abolition of the Regional Commission for Farm Management for the Far East". We do not have to say that it was considered independently. Of course, it was considered independently, but the moment you link here you give the implication that there is some linking between, and we decided that there was not, so my solution is that paragraph 11 should end at "Far East" and the rest of the portion may be deleted.
P. ELMANOWSKY (France): Je pense au contraire qu'il vaut mieux le laisser parce que, indirectement, dans les documents de base que nous avons eus pour les discussions au Conseil, il y avait une certaine liaison et c'est ce qui a amené d'ailleurs les interventions interférant un peu de l'une à l'autre. Au contraire, il est bon de dire que le Conseil a considéré la suppression comme une question indépendante de la création puisque de manière un peu erronée les documents avaient établi sur certains points un lien entre la suppression et la création.
CHAIRMAN: I recall that France quoted from the particular document where a link had been made, but I also recognize, if I got it correctly, that you said as a question independent of the establishment of another Regional Commission. Am I correct? So then, according to what you suggested, the rest on food security for Asia and the Pacific would not have to be in.
T. AHMAD (Pakistan): With due deference I do not want to belabour the point, but this is precisely what the members of the Council coming from the Asian Region pointed out, that it was unfair to link the two issues together and we were protesting the fact that they were linked together. We were suggesting that they should be dealt with independently of one another, that 19.3 was a separate item and 19.4 was a separate item. We thought it was prejudging the issue, both the issues, by linking them together. Abolition of a commission and establishment of a commission should be taken entirely on its merits, merits of whether you should need a new commission. If you do not need a new commission, do not establish it. If you do not need an established commission, abolish it. That is why we thought it was unfair to link the two things together. Therefore that is why we suggest, and it was after discussion, and the Secretariat pointed out - I remember Mr. West pointed out himself - that okay, they were independent issues of each other. That is why we suggested that we should take the first as independent of the second, and in paragraph 11 we should not have this reference to the establishment of the Food Security Commission which is being dealt with, if I may recall, in about 8, 10 paragraphs themselves, so why do we need that Commission in paragraph 11? We strongly suggest that it should end there and we should have only a reference to the abolition of the Far East Commission.
P.S. McLEAN (United Kingdom): I hesitated to enter into this debate with my good friend Pakistan, but my recollection is that the papers presented to the Council would confirm what France has said, and I believe therefore that for those who may be reading this report in relation to the papers presented, it in fact is right what France said; to make it clear that notwithstanding that fact, the Council did decide that these were two independent questions.
I wonder whether Pakistan would consider that the second half of the sentence could be left if after the words "Asia and the Far East" something like the words "which it" are added, its being the Council, "considered to be a question independent of", etc. This would reflect then a view that the Council in effect expressed.
CHAIRMAN: Does this satisfy Pakistan?
T. AHMAD (Pakistan): As a matter of fact, the combination of the French and the English formulations would be much better, and that would make me happier, and I hope that makes France and England equally happy. If we could have that plus the French suggestion that instead of referring to one particular Commission on Food Security you say "which it considered to be a question independent of the establishment of a new Commission".
P. ELMANOWSKY (France): A la rigueur on peut accepter cette formule, mais elle pose une question de principe. On peut toujours supprimer une Commission sans que ce soit lié à la création d'une autre commission. Mais dans le cas présent, je dis que dans les documents de base que nous avons sous les yeux, on nous a dit qu'on allait supprimer la Commission régionale sur la gestion des explpitations en Asie et en même temps que cela nous permettrait, par les économies ainsi réalisées, de financer la création de la Commission régionale de la sécurité alimentaire. Alors, si on s'en tient au simple point de vue des faits de ce que nous avons eu comme indications, indications erronées, je le reconnais, mais indications tout de même, il est bon de dire que la suppression est indépendante de la création de la commission de la sécurité alimentaire. En tout cas je n'ai pas l'intention sur ce point de prolonger le débat pendant trois heures.
CHAIRMAN: Pakistan, you said you would not belabour the issue any further. Could you live with the last part on Food Security for Asia and the Pacific being left out, or do you have strong feelings about that?
T. AHMAD (Pakistan): I could also live with the formulation as it is, but I was only suggesting what I thought had actually occurred during the debate, and since my French and English colleagues are kind enough to have agreed to the modified formulation, I see no other problem, unless there is somebody else who feels strongly about it.
CHAIRMAN: I think then we will adopt that paragraph with the amendment put forward by the United Kingdom, and also agree to the compromise proposal "which it considered independently of the establishment of a new Regional Commission".
Paragraphs 11 to 13, as amended, approved
Les paragraphes 11 à 13, ainsi amendés, sont approuvés
Los párrafos 11 a 13, asi enmendados, Bon aprobados
PARAGRAPHS 14 and 15
PARAGRAPHES 14 et 15
PARRAFOS 14 y 15
M. ZJALIC (Yugoslavia): A small amendment: I would suggest to insert in paragraph 15, first line, after Shri Ramadahr and between "service" to insert a word "distinguished" service.
CHAIRMAN: You have the proposal made by Yugoslavia recalling what was said yesterday, and I think nobody wants to speak against such a proposal being inserted.
Paragraphs 14 to 15, as amended, approved
Les paragraphes 14 à 15, ainsi amendés, sont approuvés
Los párrafos 14 a 15, así enmendados, son aprobados
Paragraph 16 approved
Le paragraphe 16 est approuvé
El párrafo 16 es aprobado
PARAGRAPHS 17 to 21
PARAGRAPHES 17 a 21
PARRAFOS 17 a 21
R.A. SORENSON (United States of America): My delegation would like to see just one word changed and that is the word "adoption", which should be changed to "decision", so that the first sentence in paragraph 21 will read, "The Council decided that the Draft Guidelines should be submitted directly to the 22nd Session of the Conference for its consideration and decision". This in fact would conform to the format that was used in all of the documents that are presented to the Council where we have on the first page or second page a summary of those items in the document that are for our consideration and/or decision, but to use other words which seem to imply a prior decision by this body or which would tend to prejudge the decision of the Conference we do not think is proper and correct at this point because it does not reflect the discussion that took place here.
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Participamos en el Grupo de contacto y tratamos estas cosas con mucho cuidado para evitar cualquier nuevo debate. Pensamos que el colega de los Estados Unidos ha explicado muy bien sus razones y tal vez con la palabra "aprobación", estamos diciendo que vamos a prejuzgar los resultados de la Conferencia. Creemos que "decision" es un término adecuado. Por tanto aprobamos la propuesta de Estados Unidos.
T. AHMAD (Pakistan): I am extremely sorry, I have no desire to entangle myself into any debate with the delegate from the United States of America or the delegate from Colombia, and I do not want to prolong the debate. The fact is the Guidelines were considered by the Contact Group of the Council, which is sending them back to the Council for adoption.
I would briefly draw your attention to paragraph 17 of this document. Here it says that in 1975 the Conference adopted the Guidelines, and the Conference requires the Guidelines to be revised so that they can be re-adopted. It has to be re-adopted by the Conference, so I feel the word "adopted" is necessary here.
P. ELMANOWSKY (France): Je crois qu'il faudrait dire "décision", parce que nous ne pouvons pas savoir si la décision sera positive ou négative.
Pour répondre au délégué du Pakistan, et me basant sur le par. 17, je dirai que son interprétation est quelque peu tendancieuse. En effet, "la Conférence à sa 20ème sesión (celle de 1979) était convenue qu'il était nécessaire d'examiner et de réviser les lignes d'orientation relatives à l'ajustement agricole international compte tenu des faits nouveaux intervenus depuis leur adoption en 1975".
Il fallait donc examiner et naturellement reviser les lignes d'orientation.
Qui peut me dire que les lignes que nous avons ainsi préparées, ainsi révisées correspondent à ce que veut la Conférence? Personne ne peut à l'avance nous dire que nous avons bien fait notre travail..
Il faut donc que nous laissions à la Conférence le soin de prendre la décision, positive ou négative, et non pas que nous le lui recommandions en quelque sorte d'adopter notre travail, ce qui serait peut-être présomptueux de notre part.
A.G. NGONGI NAMANGA (Chairman, Drafting Committee): The Council seems to be running into the same difficulties the Drafting Committee had. There were those who wanted "consideration" and those who wanted "adoption", so we put both "consideration" and "adoption" because clearly, as it said, there were those who wanted "consideration" and those who wanted "adoption". Perhaps that could be considered, as the delegate of the United States of America said, but we had the words and we managed to put both in for consideration, and you may adapt or correct.
CHAIRMAN: I think the delegate of France made a particularly valuable point. No one wishes to exclude that positive developments could take place between now and the Conference, and it is the Conference which is sovereign to do what it wishes to do with what is being presented to the Conference
by the Council. As we normally also see in the agendas for the Conference and Council, items are always presented for information and/or decision, so I think the meaning would be more or less the same because the Conference would adopt the proposal if it felt happy with it, and if not it would reconsider it.
P. GOSSELIN (Canada): I have no intention of trying to prolong the debate or lead us into the same sort of bog we were in this morning. I should like to support the delegates of France and the United States on this point.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: On the question of procedure, it is true that items are placed before the Council for discussion or decision. It is also true that Council transmits resolutions or texts to the Conference for adoption. This does not mean the Conference has to adopt them. If they wish, they can say no, but they generally recommend resolutions for adoption. There are other resolutions for adoption, so I do not think the procedural point is the right one.
As for the word "adoption", the Chairman in his summing-up did use the word very emphatically.
S. HASAN AHMAD (Bangladesh): What I was going to say was almost in connection with the point Mr West has just stated. May I read this sentence: "Council decided the draft Guidelines should be submitted direct to the next session of the Conference for its discussion and adoption". If we replace "adoption" by "decision" it seems to me that the sentence remains somewhat incomplete, but the sense will not be incomplete because in that case the Council would be asked to decide the Guidelines as a matter of fact. After consideration it might be all right, and if the decision is given it has to be a decision by adoption.
What the Council does is adopt or not adopt a thing. I hope the intention of adoption would be more meaningful.
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Yo comparto desde luego los deseos del colega de Pakistán y del colega de Bangladesh en el sentido de que la Conferencia apruebe estas orientaciones; sin embargo, creo que conviene hacer notar que el término "decisión" no excluye la aprobación; todo lo contrario, la Conferencia va a examinar las orientaciones y luego va a tomar une decision y ojalá que sea la aprobación; pero creo que el término "decisión" es adecuado y corresponde a la situación.
P.S. McLEAN (United Kingdom): I asked for the floor originally simply to support the delegate of France in what I thought was a very eloquent description of why the word "decision" would be retained. However, having heard the Deputy Director-General I wonder if, in fact, I am wrong in believing the word "adoption" would only be appropriate if the Council were rewriting its text for adoption. What the Council is doing in this case is simply saying the text should be submitted to the Conference.
As the delegates for the United States and France have said, and others, the word keeps the issue open. The Conference could decide, in the light of events over the last twelve months, and the matter could be taken back for further effort. Heaven help us if it did. I think the right word is really "decision".
M. ZJALIC (Yugoslavia): As far as I remember, when Council adopts a text and submits it to the Conference, it is normally for adoption. We recommend to the Conference to adopt - to consider and adopt. Conference, of course, is an autonomous and independent body and can adopt or not adopt the submitted proposals, and my feeling is that the language used in the first sentence is appropriate as drafted.
T. AHMAD (Pakistan): I am now very reluctant to take the floor because we are talking of the English language, and as there is the United Kingdom and the Unites States talking, what can Pakistan say?
But as the Deputy Director-General has pointed out, if you really read the sentence it is "for consideration and adoption". The Conference will consider. Before the USA took the floor I was going to suggest the abolition of the words "for consideration" and the retention of "for adoption", but now the US has come up with the amendment and there is consideration of this, etc., we would be happy to leave the sentence as it is because there are two aspects to it.
First is the consideration. While considering the Conference can reject and send it back for decision, and then adopt it. If you want the word "decision" here, what will the Conference do with the Guidelines? If it approves the Guidelines, then it will adopt them. The decision part is included in the consideration part. So you have the two aspects included in the two words. The first will be "consideration" and the second will be "adoption", and I see no difficulty with that, and I suggest it should be left as it is.
CHAIRMAN: My personal feeling is that the Council can submit directly to the Conference only already cleared texts. In this case I think there is still one little space in it, one part in brackets, which might be considered before it is to be adopted. This is one of the main reasons why propably this item will first, before going to the Plenary of the Conference, have to go to Commission I, and there action will be taken.
R.A. SORENSON (United States of America): I am always grateful to my friend from Pakistan, who assures me in eloquent King's English that he does not really understand the language and then proceeds to cut me into smithereens or slash me to pieces.
I am also grateful to him for the wonderful compromise he thought up like King Solomon's compromise of cutting the baby in half. It does not matter if the child dies, but at least it is a compromise.
I was impressed by the delegate of Bangladesh who said it would leave the matter incomplete. He said "to adopt or not to adopt". In fact I thought Mr West came up with the best solution, and it would be eminently clear. He said "We send these things to the Conference for adoption or rejection," so why we do not reinstate the word and send it first for consideration or adoption or rejection, and that is completely fair and unbiased and reflects the debate that took place in this distinguished body among the unbiased friends I have here.
J. TCHICAYA (Congo): J'étais effectivement tenté d'accepter le texte tel qu'il nous est présenté. Mais après les interventions d'un certain nombre de délégués, je pense également qu'il n'est pas possible, au niveau du Conseil, de présager de la position qu'aura la Conférence á l'égard de nos lignes d'orientation.
C'est pour cela que je pense que l'on pourrait plutôt retenir la formulation suivante: "pour examen et adoption éventuelle".
N. KISHORE (India): My delegation also feels that the adoption word should be there because this is preceded by the word consideration; because first, this Conference will consider. In ordinary parlance, in office parlance we say a draft is submitted for consideration and approval, so unless positive action by some authorities is taken into consideration and not negative, then we say: this draft is submitted for approval or rejection. Therefore let us take the positive type of action required by some higher authority. My delegation therefore feels this adoption word should be retained.
E. SCHROEDER (Germany, Federal Republic of): My delegation would like to support the original amendment proposed by the delegate of the United States. I would like to draw attention of the Council to the fact that the Council did not deal with the substance of the revised guidelines. The Contact Group which succeeded in elaborating the new guidelines did bring it before the Council, but the Council itself did not deal with the substance. Therefore I think that it should not be sent to the Conference for adoption because for such a transmission it would be necessary for the Council itself to have adopted it here. But it has not dealt with the substance and therefore I think this is an argument for retaining or inserting the word decision.
P. ELMANOWSKY (France): J'avais le privilège de faire partie du groupe de contact et un certain nombre de mes collègues ici présents se souviendront de ce que j'avais été amené à dire à la fin du groupe de contact, de la suggestion que nous avions faite è M. Islam quant a ce document
et à la suite de ce document. Pour autant que mes souvenirs soient bon s, d'une part aucun de nos collègues au groupe de contact n'a contredit ce que j'ai été amené à exposer mais au contraire l'a approuvé et c'est la ligne que M, Nurul Islam lui-même a suivis lorsqu'il a présente le document au Conseil. Il nous a dit et c'est ce que je lui avais indiqué, que le groupe de contact avait rempli son mandat vis-à-vis du Conseil et, c'est-à-dire sur le plan technique, faire disparaître les crochets des différentes lignes d'orientation pour lesquelles des crochets subsistaient, ou., dans un cas particulier, celui concernant le Fonds monétaire, de le mettre en harmonie avec les récentes décisions. Nous lui avons aussi recommandé qu'en présentant ce document au Conseil il indique qu'il lui paraissait opportun que ce document soit transmis purement et simplement à la Conférence, et il n'a pas dit, pour adoption, pour examen, etc. mais soit transmis purement et simplement à la Conférence en exëcutien du mandat que la Conférence avait donné au Conseil. Ce qui sous-entendait bien évidemment que cette transmission faite en vertu du mandat, la Conférence se saisisse de ce document et en fasse ce qu'elle juge bon. C'est-à-dire, elle l'adopte, elle le refuse. Donc si on veut refléter véritablement ce que nous avons fait au groupe de contactée que le président du groupe de contact a exposé au Conseil, c'est tout simplement "le Conseil décide que les projets de lignes d'orientation" et "devraient être soumis directement à la Conférence à sa vingt-deuxième session". Point final. C'est à ce moment là que la Conférence décide ce qu'elle fait.
R.A. SORENSON (United States of America): Really I appeal to my colleagues in the room to display a sense of fair play because logically, it makes no sense and certainly it would not be fair to those of us who feel that perhaps our governments still want to have the option of considering this question, to try and lock us into the appearance of having made a decision here. For example, if I were to be so absurd as to propose seriously to the Council that an alternative form of wording might be that we forward it to the Conference for its consideration and rejection, surely my colleagues from Pakistan and other countries would rise up in arms and say how outrageously unfair that we should so prejudge the outcome of the thing.
But surely they must see that to have a phraseology which says 'for consideration and adoption' is equally absurd and unfair. I would suggest that we are really going round and round on this because it is transparently an effort to lock some of us, our governments, into a decision. Though I hope they will adopt it, I simply cannot prejudge it and I think that we must really, out of a sense of fair play and balance, either say 'for its consideration', full stop; 'for its consideration and decision', full stop; 'for its consideration, adoption and/or rejection', full stop. Or something like that, that does not prejudge the outcome.
T. AHMAD (Pakistan): The appeal of the delegate of the United States has gone straight to my heart, so may I, as a compromise, suggest another alternative which I hope would meet the requirements of the United States delegation. I must confess that the idea is borrowed from my neighbour, the delegate of Norway, that we say: "its consideration and possible adoption." So you have the word 'possible' adoption there, the positive thing that the other delegates are worried about; and it would meet our concern also.
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Señor Presidente, recordará usted que cuando el señor Islam presento el informe del Grupo de Contacto que él presidió yo fui el primero de los oradores que intervinieron en el debate; concluí mi intervención, aquí tengo el acta respectiva, con la siguiente solicitud: pedí textualmente que el Consejo se limite a transmitir a la Conferencia este texto que le hemos presentado en el LIM/4, eso dije yo y recordarán que durante el debate en varias ocasiones el Presidente Swaminathan tuvo la gentileza de repetir la propuesta de Colombia y de insistir ante el Consejo que estuviera de acuerdo. La forma amplia de aceptación que tuvo en el Consejo justifica plenamente la propuesta que hace Estados Unidos. Creo que en realidad no nos conviene ir a los extremos en defensa de ciertos principios que yo comparto también.
P.S. McLEAN (United Kingdom): Mr. Chairman, we are all trying to make your task easier, but I fear we may be making it far too complicated with a large number of options. I had asked for the floor before the delegate of France spoke because in a sense I believe he is right, one could say that this is submitted directly 'to the Conference for consideration', full stop. However, I recognize that leaves open the very issue we are trying to debate which is a question of the use of one word or another, adoption or decision. If a word cannot be deleted without detracting from the sense, there is sometimes virtue in trying to use both of them, and although this is in fact another formulation which is probably along the lines of the delegate of Pakistan's last suggestion - and I hope it will not be thought facetious - one could say: "for adoption if it so decides," full stop.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you for contributing so constructively to our work.
L. ARIZA HIDALGO (Cuba): No sabemos quá se está discutiendo porque si hay una decision del Consejo de someter esto a la Conferencia para su examen creemos que la Conferencia tiene que tomar una decisión. Yo estoy totalmente de acuerdo que si no quiere dejarse solamente la aprobación por temerse que este párrafo del Consejo le de una orden a la Conferencia, que tiene que aprobarlo, podíamos aceptar que se ponga "la aprobación o no por la Conferencia", porque creo que no debemos pretender que la Conferencia lo examine para tomar nota, sino para decidir.
CHAIRMAN: I have a personal feeling that perhaps the formula put forward by the United Kingdom could meet the concerns of all around, so I am just wondering, shall I read it to you? The United Kingdom proposed "for its consideration and adoption if it so decides." This is the proposal put forward by the United Kingdom and it seems to cover the points which have been made without pre-empting whatever decision is going to be taken, whatever possible amendments could be made, and so on.
J. THICAYA (Congo): En fait, c'était pour appuyer ce que vous venez de dire parce que la proposition du Royaume-Uni ne fait que rejoindre la proposition que j'avais faite moi-même en disant qu'il fallait examiner et adopter "éventuellement". Je pense que "s'il le juge nécessaire" ou "éventuellement" c'est la même chose. Donc je propose qu'on adopte ce libellé dans la mesure même où en vérifiant le procès-verbal j'ai noté que M. le Président lui-même a utilisé le mot "adoption", alors je crois que la proposition est bienvenue.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you for giving your approval to a marriage of your own proposal with the one of the United Kingdom.
Paragraphs 17 to 21, as amended, approved
les paragraphes 17 à 21, ainsi amendés, sont approuvés
Los párrafos 17 a 21, así enmendados, son aprobados
Paragraphs 22 to 24 approved
Les paragraphes 22 à 24 sont approuvés
Los párrafos 22 a 24 son aprobados
PARAGRAPH 25
PARAGRAPHE 25
PARRAFO 25
T. AHMAD (Pakistan): Only a slight modification of language in the English text. In the third line it says "And lately Deputy Executive Director". I believe they want to say "Recently", "till recently Deputy Executive Director". In the last sentence "The Council wished them a very happy retirement" I would suggest amending that by saying "The Council wished them a very happy retired life".
CHAIRMAN: Both amendments seem to improve the text.
Paragraph 25, as amended, approved
Le paragraphe 25, ainsi amendé est approuvé
El párrafo 25, así enmendado, es aprobado
Draft Report of Plenary, Part VIII, as amended, was adopted
Le projet de rapport de la plèniêre, Partie VIII, ainsi amendé est adopté
El proyecto de informe de la Plenaria, Parte VIII, así enmendado, es aprobado
DRAFT REPORT - PART IX
PROJET DE RAPPORT PARTIE IX
PROYECTO DE INFORME - PARfiTTX
PARAGRAPHS 1 to 18
PARAGRAPHES 1 à 18
PARRAFOS 1 a 18
B.N. SEQUEIRA (Angola): I really have quite large and substantial amendments to this item. However, taking into account that some of the delegates have already nicely planned their weekends and returns I think I should retrieve some of the proposal which I have in mind, for the time being at least. However, going to paragraph 2, I have just one minor change and that is on line 3, after the word "Italy", we have "However, on the suggestion" and my addition would be to write the word "written" before the word "suggestion".
CHAIRMAN: I think this is a factual statement which was expressed here so I think there will not be any objection. I see none. Paragraph 5 adopted. Paragraphs 6 to 11?
S.S. BALANZINO (Italy): I refer to paragraph 9, the second part "And that the parties had at that time clearly not envisaged that FAO's immunity" etc., etc. Certainly as far as Italy is concerned we cannot say now what was in our mind about this. It is not even in my instructions. If the memory of FAO is that good we have no objection or we have no need to make any but as far as Italy is concerned we certainly do not have such a good recollection, therefore we propose to delete this part and make a full stop after "concluded".
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: I understand that the issue as far as the host government is concerned, is obviously a sensitive question for the present Italian representatives but I would suggest that it should be retained in a different form because the Headquarters Agreement was, of course, concluded with the agreement of the Council and, I presume. the Conference and therefore it would be fair to say I think "and that the member governments at that time had clearly not envisaged" and this would not be too speculative since the Member Governments now do not consider it to be this way and they certainly did not at the time. That ware substitute "the parties" in the third line with "the Member Governments".
S.S. BALANZINO (Italy): I would like to clarify for Mr West that this is not only my concern, this is an instruction from my Ministry that I have quoted and so therefore it is a position of the government or of the administration so this doubt should be cleared as far as Italy is concerned. Therefore this is why under the words "parties" or even "Member Governments" Italy would be included and this is not a point that I can accept, according to my instructions.
CHAIRMAN: One could say also "and that Member states" instead of saying "the Member state".
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: Well I think your suggestion would be valid. An alternative one which I was going to suggest, "the governing bodies" which does not necessarily include Italy but includes a majority.
CHAIRMAN: Now the proposal made by Mr West would be "and that the governing bodies at that time had clearly not envisaged". With the explanation and clarification given by Mt West I wonder if this would be acceptable to Italy.
S,S. BALANZINO (Italy): I ara very sorry to prolong this debate. We have already suffered enough. I hope we will get out of this entanglement very quickly. The wording disturbed me a little bit because how could the governing bodies clearly envisage what the Corte di Cassazione decided? There is a linkage here that seems to be a bit strange, so really I do not see how this wording, even if modified could stand,
CHAIRMAN: I was just wondering myself if we could make a full stop after "concluded" and start with a new sentence and reword that sentence.
A. PINOARGOTE (Ecuador): Yo pienso que luego de lo que se ha propuesto se debería tener un poco más de cuidado en la redacción del punto 7, el cual dice que el Consejo fue de la opinion que la cuestión del alcance de inmunidad .... etc., dependía principalmente de la interpretación del Artículo, si esto queda exactamente así. Se podría entender que el Consejo está aceptando que depende de la interpretación. Ahora ¿quién debe interpretar, el Consejo, el Parlamento italiano, la Corte di Cassazione, la Corte Internacional de La Haya?
Esto deja la puerta abierta, la palabra "interpretación" a un problema en el futuro. Yo pienso que, de acuerdo a lo que se trató aquí en el Consejo y que fue el espíritu y la idea prevaleciente, se debe decir que el Consejo fue de la opinión que la cuestión del alcance y la inmunidad dependía principalmente del texto del Artículo tal . '.., porque cuando un texto es claro no se puede interpretar, acudiendo a otras fuentes que no sean el mismo texto. Esa es mi sugerencia.
CHAIRMAN: Your suggestion would probably be an improvement of the text and if it would not pose any difficulty to member states I think we could then amend the text of paragraph 7, although we had already finished with paragraph 7 but we could improve it in that way as you suggested. I have • the feeling that this does not help up very much with paragraph 9.
S.S. BALANZINO (Italy): Could we have the rewording of Article VIII in English.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: I think in English it simply changes the word "interpretation" to "text" and so "turned principally on the text of Article VIII", which I think is quite correct.
On paragraph 9, if I may continue, we are anxious to avoid making things more difficult but I think this is an important point. We understand that the Italian government does not wish to be associated with this though and I accept that, so I think we could say "It was also felt that the governing bodies could not at that time have envisaged" which is as much a statement of fact as of speculation. It could not have envisaged what would happen. That is perfectly true. So a new sentence, "It was also felt that the Governing Body could not at that time have envisaged ..."
CHAIRMAN: And then continue to the end of the sentence. I would like to ask Italy if, put in such a more neutral manner, he can go along with this amendment.
S.S. BALANZINO (Italy): Yes, because I feel that otherwise we would be here until tomorrow. So I accept.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you vey much for your cooperation. With the amendment read out, paragraph 9 is adopted.
S.S. BALANZINO (Italy): The third line of paragraph 14 after 'of the Italian courts', I would like to add 'in the light of Article VIII, Section 17, of the Headquarters Agreement..
CHAIRMAN: I recall that you yourself referred to the same Article in your intervention.
B.N. SEQUEIRA (Angola): I do not have that Article in my notes. I wonder if I could have it read, the one referring to the proposal advanced by Italy. However, you were too fast, Mr. Chairman, and I could not get you on paragraph 13.
CHAIRMAN: First, the text which is being referred to in paragraph 14, you can find in paragraph 7. Please go ahead on paragraph 13.
B.N. SEQUEIRA (Angola): I thought it was not the same Section that was mentioned. Anyway, I attribute that to myself. On paragraph 13 we have after the words 'the Pretura Civile di Roma' words which read '(the claim for arrears)'. It is my proposal that instead of '(the claim for arrears)' we insert '(the claim for arrears of rent increased unilaterally and decided by the owners of Building F)'. I do not know whether the English is clear, but the idea is to have there that the increase of the rents was decided unilaterally by the owners of Building F, and that is a matter of fact, in the sense that it was clarified by the Director-General of FAO, and moreover the owners of Building F refused to comply with the terms of the contract which they had signed which specified that in the case of contention they should resort to arbitration.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: I appreciate the point made and fully support the sense of it, but I think it is rather difficult to put it in the parentheses here. The origin of the claim is fully explained in the earlier part of the report, so I think it would be sufficient here and would get across the point made by the delegate if you said in the parentheses instead of what is there now n(the claim for retroactive increases made by INPDAI)n. This does not bring in any judgement about their motives.
CHAIRMAN: I recognize the remarks of the delegate of Angola, but Italy ...
S.S. BALANZINO (Italy): I simply wanted to tell you that I endorse the proposal made by Mr. West.
CHAIRMAN: With this amendment we adopt paragraph 13. Paragraphs 15 to 17?
S.S. BALANZINO (Italy): This is the last amendment I have to propose on the whole paper, to reassure you. It is on paragraph 17. After the first sentence, which ends "FAO's immunity", I would like to add another sentence which reads as follows: "He also mentioned the possibility of implementing Article XVII, Section 35, of the Headquarters Agreement, which provides for an arbitration clause". Then it continues: "The Council noted with satisfaction...." etc.
CHAIRMAN: I see no objection to the proposed text, with perhaps one little amendment, just to say "which provides for arbitration" and just leave out the clause. Could you agree on that? I recogniee the consent of Italy. We have adopted paragraph 17. Now paragraphs 18 and 19, with the proposal of the text for a resolution. You will recall that a text has been drafted by our Independent Chairman and the text before you to my knowledge corresponds to the text proposed by the Independent Chairman with some little arrangements with regard to the paragraphs of the text.
Paragraphs 1 to 18, as amended, approved
Les paragraphes 1 à 18, ainsi amendés, sont approuvés.
Los párrafos 1 a 18, asi enmendados, son aprobados
Paragraph 19 including Resolution, adopted
Le paragraphe 19, y compris la résolution, est adopté
El párrafo 19 incluida la Resolución, es aprobado
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: Since you have adopted this report and the resolution, I just wanted to thank the Council, and especially the delegate of the host country, who has shown a very constructive spirit, both in the debate and on this report.
Paragraphs 20 to 24 approved
Les paragraphes 20 à 24 sont approuvés
Los párrafos 20 a 24 son aprobados
Paragraphs 25 to 27 approved
Les paragraphes 25 à 27 sont approuvés
Los párrafos 25 a 27 son aprobados
Paragraph 28 approved
Le paragraphe 28 est approuvé
El párrafo 28 es aprobado
Draft Report of Plenary, Part IX, as amended, was ; adopted
Le projet de rapport de la plêniére, Partie IX, ainsi amende, est adopté
El proyecto de informe de la Plenaria, Parte IX, así enmendado, es aprobado
CHAIRMAN: Now I feel that this almost brings our Session to a close.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: The Director-General would like to have been with you today, but it has not been possible because he had to leave Rome on an urgent duty mission, so he asks me to say a few words on his behalf. He wanted me particularly to say that he was grateful to all of you for your support and encouragement and above all your advice during this Council Session. We at this Council Session have reported to you more or less on what we have been doing during the past year and on important developments which have occurred elsewhere, and we have received counsel and instructions from you on what we have done and what we should do in the future, which is the function of the Council. We are very grateful for this guidance, and we will follow it faithfully.
The new room, this room, has permitted more intimate and closer exchanges than was possible in the old room. We have been brought down in height to a more fitting level, and you have been put together in a more friendly manner, and this has facilitated your discussions. I was going to say earlier that there have been not only friendly but warm discussions. In fact, now I can say that they have even been hot discussions at some time, but they have always been friendly, and the Secretariat appreciates very much the way you have allowed us to participate. Our participation was perhaps most notable outside the room, in particular in the Contact Group on the Guidelines. This is an example of the role which the Secretariat can play in promoting understanding and consensus among delegations, and it is our hope that this method of working can be developed in future in relation to other important items. It certainly shows what can be done with good will on all sides. We hope that this good will and this spirit of consensus, this spirit of conciliation and consensus will extend to the important work which the Director-General will now be undertaking in the next few weeks in preparing his proposals for the next Programme of Work and Budget.
Before I finish, Mr. Chairman, I should like to say a special word about the chairmanship of this Council. The independent chairman has left and I think we all expressed out thanks to him before he did so. The Vice-Chairmen have therefore in his absence played a vital role, not least yourself today with unfailing patience, with unfailing courtesy, with unfailing understanding for the views of all sides and with tolerance for myself as well.
I thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for what you have done to bring this Council Session to a successful conclusion, and so, Mr. Chairman, I wish you and all the other delegates who came from abroad a safe return home, and I wish all of you on behalf of the Director-General and the staff a Happy New Year until we meet again.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you, Deputy Director-General, for your kind words.
I recognize El Salvador who wishes to speak on behalf of the Latin-American and Caribbean Group.
I.P. ALVARENGA (El Salvador): Muchas gracias Sr. Presidente, el grupo latinoamericano se encuentra particularmente satisfecho de la forma en que se ha desarrollado y ha concluido el presente Consejo.
Las discusiones fueron serias, oportunas y conscientes y si en algún momento adquirieron vivacidad, se mantuvieron dentro de la corrección, dentro del espíritu del mutuo respeto que debe prevalecer entre representantes de Estados y entre funcionarios de una Organización seria y digna de toda consideración como es la FAO.
Los países latinoamericanos, Sr. Presidente, somos amigos a toda prueba de esta Organización; creemos, eso sí, que la principal característica de la misma es la franqueza y que la franqueza algunas veces conlleva críticas; pero pensamos que es más amigo quien señala lo bueno y lo malo que quien se limita a elogiar o quien se limita a criticar. El Consejo ha vista al grupo latinoamericano compacto en la defensa de los principios fundamentales que rigen y los fines primordiales que persigue la Organización. Sirvan como ejemplo la defensa tajante de la cooperación multilateral del crecimiento y fortalecimiento razonables y realistas de la FAO; la defensa de la apolitici-dad de la ayuda alimentaria y, en fin, el apoyo a los programas sustanciales de la Organización.
Este Consejo ha tenido ante sí cuestiones cruciales como las nuevas Orientaciones en materia de reajustes agrícolas internacionales y la defensa de la inmunidad. En ellos, y prácticamente en todos los puntos, ha habido acuerdo en lo sustancial. Las discrepancias no son si no evidencia de esa unidad de principios. Nuestro grupo se siente muy complacido de haber contribuido a los buenos resultados y promete firmemente mantener y aumentar su cooperación para que en el futuro tales resultados buenos se mantenga o se mejoren.
EL PRESIDENTE: Gracias Sr. delegado de El Salvador por su intervención y por su juicio acertado de nuestro trabajo.
J.E. MENDES FERRAO (Portugal): Conformément aux dispositions réglementaires, je me trouve à la dernière session durant laquelle le Portugal participe aux activités du Conseil pour la période de sa désignation.
Je voudrais donc profiter de cette occasion pour dire tout ce que nous avons appris, pendant ces trois années, de votre compétence, de votre expérience, de votre sociabilité et de votre amitié.
En passant à la situation d'observateur, en attendant qu'un jour mon pays puisse occuper à nouveau le poste qu'il laisse maintenant, je peux vous assurer que le Portugal continuera à participer aux activités du Conseil avec le même intérêt et la même assiduité, parce que des contacts avec des délégués aussi capables lui seront sûrement fort utiles.
Je veux également adresser mes salutations de haute considération à M. le Directeur général et au Secrétariat, à M. Bukar Shaib, le Président du Conseil qui nous a orientés dans les années antérieures, et au Président actuel, M. Swaminathan; je saisis l'occasion pour rendre hommage à ses hautes qualités et à la manière parfaite et très sage dont il a conduit nos travaux qui en sont certainement devenus plus féconds.
En présentant mes salutations à toutes les délégations en général, je me permets d'en adresser une très particulière à celles qui représentent ici les pays d'expression portugaise et qui souhaitent sûrement pouvoir un jour s'exprimer dans ce forum dans leur langue officielle, ce qui certainement facilitera beaucoup leurs interventions. Et je désire adresser un mot de grande amitié à la délégation espagnole dont nous avons soutenu la candidature à ce Conseil et qui succédera à notre place, en harmonie avec la représentativité régionale conventionnée.
M. le Président, comme nous disons au Portugal: "Até à volta", ce qui signifie: "jusqu'à une prochaine session" quand nous sera confiée à nouveau la responsabilité de venir reprendre place dans ce prestigieux Conseil,
CHAIRMAN: If I may take up your last words, I do feel that there is no doubt that your country as well as other countries now outgoing from the Council will at a later stage again be a member of the Council and will most probably again have the opportunity to contribute to our proceedings as efficiently as they have done so far.
T. AHMAD (Pakistan): On behalf of the Asian Region, I wish to convey our thanks to the Director-General, the Deputy Director-General and the rest of the Secretariat for their helpful inputs during our discussions at this Session, and we feel we have had a very fruitful and very useful Session. There have been exchanges at times, as Mr. West puts it, that were hot but that we thought were only warm and affectionate, but the result has been most constructive, and we are very glad for that.
We also wish to convey our appreciation to the Independent Chairman of the Council for his very able guidance and to all three of the Vice-Chairmen, particularly to you, Mr. Chairman, for handling the very difficult part of the Session in such an amicable and friendly and neutral manner.
We also wish to convey our appreciation to all Members of the Council who were so helpful and friendly on the questions of the Asian Region, particularly the establishment of the Food Security Commission and the abolition of the Farm Management. We really wish to convey our thanks for that.
Before I conclude, we also wish to convey our appreciation to the Italian delegation, the host government, who have shown such kindness and generosity as far as the Council and the Organization is concerned.
J. TCHICAYA (Congo): Je voudrais, au nom du groupe africain, et en mon nom personnel, vous remercier pour ce que vous avez fait pour faire en sorte que les travaux de cette 82ème session du Conseil aboutissent à des résultats que nous estimons d'ores et déjà positifs. Nous les estimons positifs parce qu'au cours de cette session toutes les résolutions qui ont été adoptées pendant la Conférence régionale de la FAO pour l'Afrique à Alger ont été largement appuyées et s inscrivent d'ores et déjà dans les perspectives du Programme et budget du biennium prochain.
Je dois donc, au nom du Groupe africain, vous remercier pour ce que vous avez fait pour faire aboutir toutes ces propositions. Nous voudrions également rendre hommage au Secrétariat pour le travail qu'il a fait afin de faciliter les débats au cours de cette session. Mes félicitations s'adressent essentiellement au Directeur général qui, comme à l'accoutumée, ne s'est pas départi de sa réputation, pour faire en sorte que tous les problèmes qui concernent les pays en développement soient abordés avec l'esprit que nous lui connaissons tous, c'est-à-dire un esprit de coopération. Nous estimons donc que les travaux de ce Conseil ont été bien menés par le Président indépendant et par vous-même qui avez eu la lourde tâche de faire adopter les rapports. Au cours de l'adoption de ces rapports, nous avons à un certain moment senti que cela était difficile et nous-mêmes, parfois, nous n'avons peut-être pas su vous faciliter la tâche, mais vous devez comprendre que nous avons défendu les points de vue de nos gouvernements et par conséquent tous les pays membres ici seront à notre égard assez indulgents.
Il ne nous reste plus pour notre part qu'à souhaiter bon retour à tous les délégués qui doivent rejoindre leur pays et, à ceux qui sont à Rome, nous espérons pouvoir les retrouver très bientôt.
Je ne voudrais pas terminer cette intervention sans remercier également les verbalistes ainsi que les secrétaires qui ont pu faciliter les contacts entre délégués dans cette salle. Encore une fois je vous remercie et je souhaite bon retour aux nombreux délégués ici présents.
S.M. MATIUR RAHMAN (Bangladesh): Allow me to take this opportunity, Mr Chairman, to associate my delegation with the feelings and sentiments expressed by other delegates who spoke before me at the conclusion of the 82nd Session of this Council.
Our deep appreciation goes to all delegates of this Session who deliberated and worked in a state of perfect understanding and cooperation. My delegation also wishes to express its deep sense of admiration to the Independent Chairmen and to you, Mr Chairman, Ms. Ivankovichi de Arosemena of Panama, for the able and excellent manner in which you have conducted the Session of this Council and brought it to a successful conclusion.
We would also like to commend the Secretariat for the high quality documents prepared by the members of the Secretariat which helped achieve the decisions of the Council.
We congratulate the Director-General for his able leadership and wise direction, which is very efficient and effective in the discharge of the very vital function in the field of food and agriculture.
Our thanks are also due to the Chairmen and members of the Drafting Committees and members of the Contact Group for successfully performing their most difficult tasks.
We would also like to thank the other staff members, including the interpreters whose very hard work helped to bring this Session of the Council to a successful conclusion.
Lastly, my delegation wishes you all a very happy New Year.
P. GOSSELIN (Canada): Au nom du groupe nord-américain, ma délégation souhaite remercier le Directeur général, le Directeur général adjoint et tous les autres membres du Secrétariat qui,par leur compétence, leur expérience et leurs efforts continus,ont grandement facilité la tâche du Conseil et assuré des débats fructueux tout au cours de ce Conseil. Je voudrais également féliciter et remercier tous ceux qui ont assuré la présidence au cours de cette séance. Nous savons tous qu'il s'agit là d'une tâche difficile qui requiert non seulement une excellente connaissance de la substance mais également un extraordinaire mélange de fermeté et de souplesse. Je pense que le Conseil a été très bien servi tout au cours de cette séance. Finalement un grand merci aux interprètes, à tout le personnel de rédaction, aux "messengers" et à tous ceux qui d'une manière ou d'une autre ont contribué à faciliter la communication entre nous et la préparation rapide et efficace du texte du rapport que nous venons d'approuver.
CHAIRMAN: This brings to an end the list of speakers. Throughout almost two weeks Council Members voiced their position on the many issues included in our agenda with a view to assisting the whole Organization in fulfilling its broad mandate. You did so in an open and frank dialogue amongst you yourselves as well as with the Secretariat, and in spite sometimes of differing opinions, something quite natural to me, the prevailing spirit of cooperation and conciliation finally led in almost every area to a consensus.
I personally feel, and hope you can agree with me, that we can say that we had a good Session, and that this was due to a large extent to the excellent manner in which our Independent Chairman, supported by the other co-Chairmen, chaired the meetings. In that manner the Council has in fairness if I may say so, accomplished its work. We could not have succeeded, or done so well and could not have had such a smooth-running Council if we had not enjoyed cooperation with, and the support of, the Secretariat.
On behalf of all of you, I would like to thank the Director-General, the Deputy Director-General, the Assistant Directors-General, and the other staff members who worked together with the Council.
I wish also to thank the Drafting Committee, the Committees of Finance and Programme and the many staff and Secretariat members who worked behind the scenes in support of our proceedings.
I wish, of course, also to include in our thanks the interpreters who so ably helped us to enter into fruitful dialogue. Also to the verbatim reporters and the messengers go our thanks.
The outgoing Members of the Council, the countries - Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Portugal, Syria, Yugoslavia and Zambia - to all those we thank very much for the efficient contributions to the work of the Council, and by that to the whole Organization. Probably all of you will once again be Members of the Council in the future.
As we are approaching Christmasi and the end of the year, allow me to wish you all and your families a very Happy Christmas and all the best for 1983, in particular with peace, health and joy. Let us hope that many of us can follow the advice we heard yesterday from that wise old Indian, and laugh four times a day in future.
Finally, I wish to all of you a safe journey home and a happy return when the time comes. Thank you.
With that I declare the 82nd Session of the Council closed.
(Applause)
(Applaudissements)
(Aplausos)
The meeting rose at 17.15 hours
La seance est levée à 17 h 15
Se levanta la sesión a la 17.15 horas.
