CHAIRMAN: We go on to CL 86/REP/3, starting with the World Food Programme, item 8 on the agenda, the Ninth Annual Report of the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes of the UN/FAO World Food Programme.
PARAGRAPHS 1 to 15
PARAGRAPHES 1 à 15
PARRAFOS 1 a 15
S.M. MATIUR RAHMAN (Bangladesh): The last sentence of paragraph 3, "It expressed the hope that the pledging target for the biennium 1985/86 would be reached as soon as possible", my suggestion is that it should be "reached soon".
CHAIRMAN: Is there any objection to replacing "as soon as possible" with "soon"? Then we accept the Bangladesh proposal. So it will read "soon". Paragraph 4?
A.Y. BUKHARI (Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of) (Original language Arabic): In the last sentence of paragraph 4 we wish to add the word "clear", so that it would read, "A number of members expressed the wish that the Annual Report of the CFA should, in the future, be more clear policy-oriented in order to allow a substantive debate on important policy issues."
CHAIRMAN: I think correctly it should be "more clear and policy-oriented". Is there any objection to that?
H. HØSTMARK (Norway): No, it is not an objection, but I am not quite clear about what is proposed. Is it "clear and" or is it "clearly"?
A.Y. BUKHARI (Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of): It should be "clear and".
CHAIRMAN: It is "more clear and more policy-oriented." That is the proposal. Shall we go on to paragraph 5? Approved. Paragraph 6?
J.R.LOPEZ PORTILLO (México): Para unos cuantos cambios. Se dice en la primera oración que "El Consejo puso de relieve el reconocimiento de la ayuda alimentaria...". Nos parece que es una fórmula demasiado complicada. Podemos ir directamente diciendo: "El Consejo reconoció que la ayuda alimentaria..", y ahí diríamos "debía ser" y sigue "como parte integrante y constante" que debiera quedar "debía ser parte integrante y constante de la asistencia para el desarrollo, y que habría que incluirla", por lo menos en la version en español esa redacción tendría que imponerse," "y que habría que incluirla, en la medida de lo posible en los planes de desarrollo de los países receptores." Luego, en la última oración, en la última línea dice "que contribuyera al desarrollo nacional general, y en definitiva," nos parece que es excesivo. Basta con que se diga "que contribuya al desarrollo nacional y a la autosuficiencia", incluso pudiera ser "autosuficiencia alimentaria'. Pero ya se habló de la ayuda adlimentari, o sea que quizá aquí pudiera quedar "que contribuyera al desarrollo nacional y a la autosuficiencia". Creo que eso simplificaría el párrafo y lo haría más claro y al punto.
CHAIRMAN: You have heard the two proposals, a slight restructuring of the first sentence, instead of saying "The Council laid emphasis on the recognition of food aid" saying "recognized that food aid; secondly "national development and self-reliance", instead of "última te self-reliance".
G.BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Apoyamos la propuesta de Mexico, pero si intervenimos es para proponer que en la primera frase del párrafo 6, en la segunda línea se supriman las dos palabras "y constante", o sea que se deje "parte integrante", porque si dejamos "y constante", esto quiere decir que los países de-berán recibir ayuda al infinito.
CHAIRMAN: Are there any comments on these changes? So peoole agree to them. We will suitably reformulate the first sentence. Paragraph 7?
J.R. LOPEZ PORTILLO (México): No entendemos por qué el párrafo 7 empieza con "Algunos Miembros", cuando la referencia al 88,5 por ciento de los productos es parte del Informe del propio CPA. De manera aue debería decirse “El Conseio señaló que en 1983 los cereales y productos lácteos habían representado el 88,5 por ciento de los productos suministrados por el PMA". Esto está en el Informe, fue dicho y de ninguna manera rebatido.
J. TCHICAYA (Congo) Je souhaite également appuyer la proposition que vient de faire mon collègue du Mexique. Je pense aussi qu’il s'agit là d'une donnée que personne ne peut contester. Je crois qu'il est mieux de mettre "le Conseil" et il faudra en conséquence modifier le sens de la phrase du paragraphe en disant, pour la deuxième phrase, "il a souligné" et "il a done invite le programme". En dehors de celaje voudrais ajouter à la fin du paragraphe,après "sur les habitudes alimentaires", "et la production locale". Je pense que cela a aussi des effets sur la production locale.
W.A.F.GRABISH (Germany Federal Republic of): Perhaps it would be better at the beginning to say,"The Council noted that in 1983...", but I have no problems; it could also be left as it is, but I do think that "The Council noted..." would be even better.
H.HØSTMARK (Norway): I think I prefer the sentence as it originally reads for the reason that even if the word "excessive" is there, it can be interpreted in many ways. There are quite a lot of underlying issues here. It also depends on what commodities are available at the time. I really think I must stick to the original sentence.
J.R. LOPEZ PORTILLO (México): Volvemos a reiterar que lo que se dice en la primera oración es un dato que está incluido en el Reporte: del CPA y que varios miembros del Consejo lo recordaron. De manera que no sólo fuimos informados de eso sino que fue corroborado.
Posteriormente si lo que le estorba al delegado de Noruega es la palabra "excesiva", quizá se puedé decir: insistió en la necesidad de evitar la dependencia de productos que no pudieran producirse.
P.S.McLEAN (United Kingdom): Like my colleague from Mexico, I agree with him about the first sentence. This is a statement of fact which it is quite appropriate for the Council to note or to be inform med of. However, whereas that is a statement of fact, the second sentence is a statement of a view expressed by some members, and my own inclination is to feel that the second sentence should indeed start with the words "A number of members". That again would reflect more accurately the view expressed in the debate in Council.
H.HØSTMARK (Norway): As in the first sentence, I have no problem with changing it to "The Council noted" -it is a statement of fact. But the second sentence concerns me a little. Like the distinguished delegate of the United Kingdom I think it must start with "Some members"; but to avoid or to strike out the word "excessive" would make it more difficult for me to accept. It is exactly what is contained in the word "excessive". This is such a word as is not always clear; it can be interpreted in many ways. But one must have something there. If this could be constructed in.a verv different way I could probably then accept it, but as it stands, I prefer to have the sentence starting with "Some members".
J. TCHICAYA (Congo): Si je comprends bien,nous sommes d’accord sur la première phrase, avec la modification à apporter. Au lieu de dire "un certain nombre de membres", on dirait "le Conseil". Bon, je suis prêt a accepter ceci et je pense que ce n'est pas important.
Mais je crois également qu'il est difficile pour nous de dire seulement "un certain nombre de membres ont souligné qu'il faudrait éviter de faire une trop grande place"; je crois qu'il s'agit du Conseil. Enfin, à moins que l’on nous montre dans le Verbatim qu'il y a des pays qui se sont montrés hostiles à ce qu’un certain nombre de délégations ont dit à ce sujet, mais, s’il n’en est pas ainsi, je pense qu’il convient de mettre "le Conseil", s’il n’y a pas eu de contestations pour refléter exactement les débats.
R. SALLERY (Canada): Over the past couple of week I have learned some rather useful lessons from our Indian colleague who attempts to be positive in most of his suggestions. It might be that here we can say, "The Council" or "A number of members stressed the need to increase the availability of commodities which are produced in the recipient countries". Of course, we have a dilemma. On the one hand we attempt to increase food aid products for regular programmes and IEFR, and on the other we are saying we want to decrease our reliance on commodities like cereals, so perhaps these could be put in a positive way and encourage the programme when possible to attempt to obtain more of the products produced in the countries themselves.
CHAIRMAN: The distinguished delegate of Canada has suggested that we should say, "The Council stressed the need to provide to the extent possible commodities which had been produced in recipient countries"; in other words, the negative form becomes a positive one. So will subsequent speakers please say if they agree with this; I find nodding from Norway.
P. ELMANOWSKY (France): Je ne connaissais pas la proposition canadienne. Après l'avoir entendue, je n'ai pas d’objections à formuler. Si toutefois, certains ne sont pas d’accord avec cette proposition,
alors, à mon tour, j'aurais une proposition de rechange, qui tiendrait compte à la fois de la position britannique, norvégienne et congolaise. Les uns disent "un certain nombre de membres", l’Ambassadeur du Congo dit "C'est le Conseil”. Alors, compte tenu de ma vieille expérience, je dis simplemeñt "on a souligné”. C’est plus neutre que le "Conseil" et plus large "qu'un certain nombre".
J.R. LOPEZ PORTILLO (México): Podríamos coincidir en que en lugar de hacer referenda al Consejo se diga: se insistió en la necesidad de evitar unos productos que no pudieran producirse; ahora bien, si se sigue insistiendo en que eso de la "dependencia excesiva", no queda claro, se puede invertir simplemente el término de la oración diciendo: "Se insistió en que los países receptores deben producir aquellos productos que les permitan reducir la dependencia excesiva de los mismos."
Decir esto o algo parecido. No lo he terminado de redactar, pero hago esta sugerencia. Sería: “se insistió en la necesidad de evitar una excesiva dependencia de productos.”
H. HØSTMARK (Norway): I think the second suggestion by the distinguished delegate of Mexico, with the deletion, is an elegant and positive way of stating what we really want.
CHAIRMAN: So may we accept the proposals of the distinguished delegates of France and Mexico as follows: "The need was stressed to avoid excessive reliance on commodities which cannot be produced in recipient countries", and so on, and the only other addition is, "The Council requested the Programme to consider the best ways and means to appropriately diversify the food basket in order to avoid a possible adverse effect on local food habits and local production". That addition was suggested by Colombia "and local production".
H. HØSTMARK (Norway): I am sorry, I Did not make myself clear. It was the other suggestion made by the distinguished delegate of Mexico that I approve so wholeheartedly. Perhaps we could ask Mexico to repeat his second proposal.
J.R.LOPEZ PORTILLO (México): Aunque no lo he redactado debidamente, podría rehacerla. Diría: Insistió en que los países receptores produjeran aquellos productos que les permitieran reducir su dependencia. O algo parecido, como digo, no lo tengo redactado, pero estoy intentando, si me permiten dos minutos para hacer una propuesta mas firme.
CHAIRMAN: The meaning of these two are very different because one of them means that the country is to produce commodities, and the other is for the donors as far as possible to make their food basket in such a way that these are commodities which can be produced.
R.C. GUPTA (India): I was just about to say what you have observed, Mr Chairman. What we are talking about here is completely different from what the Mexican delegation is suggesting. We are talking about something by way of request or exhortation, whichever way you put it, to the donor countries, and the meaning is completely different when you are talking of what the donor countries should do. That does not make sense to us.
J. TCHICAYA (Congo): Moi aussi je pense que l'on n'a pas besoin de parler des pays bénéficiaires. C'est pour cela que je pense que si le délégué du Canada pouvait nous répéter sa phrase, peut-être cette phrase pourrait être acceptée, ou acceptable, par tout le monde. Je voudrais que l’on nous relise la phrase du Canada.
R. SALLERY (Canada): I thank the distinguished delegate of Congo. The sentence will read something like, "The need was stressed to increase the availability of commodities which are" or "which could be produced in recipient countries" -something like that.
J.TCHICAYA (Congo): Je crois que dans ces conditions il faut mettre "le Conseil a souligné" c’est bien cela.
CHAIRMAN: Yes, Is it clear? -"The Council stressed the need to increase the availability of commodities which can be produced in recipient countries". It is a straight forward sentence.
R.C. GUPTA (India): May I suggest we say, "The Council stressed the need for increasing the availability of food aid commodities which are produced in the recipient countries", because if you say "availability",that would mean local production as well as food aid help, but here we are talking essentially about food aid.
H. HØSTMARK (Norway): I think I shall have to be very clear about this. The fact is, that most of what we provide as food aid is dried fish and hard marine fat. Those are generally very acceptable commodities. They are not produced in the recipient countries, and it is very difficult for me to join in here with a statement saying that we should decrease these commodities which are actually the ones we do deliver. It would mean decreasing commodities aid from us. That is why I have difficulty in accepting "The Council" saying something, which would include me.
J. BELGRAVE (New Zealand): Given that we are opening up the issue again, I just wonder whether we might perhaps go back to the original amendment of the Mexican delegation, "The Council was informed" or "It was pointed out and the need was stressed" and leave it at that, with the three words at the end of the paragraph suggested by the distinguished delegate of Colombia, otherwise we are back where we were a week ago.
CHAIRMAN: Is it acceptable that we keep the Drafting Committee report practically as it is, except that we have to make a consequential change saying, "Therefore, the need was expressed.... to avoid excessive reliance..." If we start a drafting exercise we will endlessly go on, so let us leave it there. Paragraph 8?
A.Y. BUKHARI (Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of) (original language Arabic): I believe it would be difficult, in fact illogical, for us to leave paragraph 8 ending with such a formulation without referring to what the CFA urged participating countries in the Programme to do, that is to say, to pay a percentage of not less than one-third in cash. Therefore, at the end of this paragraph we suggest the following: after the words "... commodities which are required" we should add "by participating countries paying no less than one-third of their participation in cash as was called for by the CFA for many years."
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): En primer lugar, señor Presidente, apoyamos la propuesta de nuestro colega y amigo el Embajador Bukhari, de Arabia Saudita, y como atribuimos mucha importancia a este asunto, quisiéramos proponer que las dos primeras frases del párrafo ocho se unieran de una manera muy sencilla que dijera: El Consejo subrayó la importancia de las transacciones triangulares e instó al Programa, etc, etc.
Naturalmente habría que ser congruentes, como dice usted señor Presidente, y cambiar donde dice "pidieron", poner "pidió". En la última frase donde dice: "Destacaron", debiera decirse "Se destacó".
R. SALLERY (Canada): We can accept the Colombian proposal just made. I have some concern about the addition which has been made to the last sentence, I believe by the distinguished delegate of Saudi Arabia -"by participating countries paying no less...". I think it would be wiser to put something like "paying if possible no less". If we issue an instruction which clearly says one-third of the contribution must be in cash then, of course, we have the potential effect of reducing the total volume if governments just do not have the cash to make available.
H. HØSTMARK (Norway): The proposal made by the distinguished delegate of Colombia, and with your indulgence, Mr Chairman, may we have it repeated? I did not get it down and it is possible I may have some comment on it.
CHAIRMAN: "The Council stressed the importance of triangular transactions and urged the Programme to increase as far as possible..." -is the amendment of the Canadian delegation acceptable to you, Saudi Arabia?
A.Y. BUKHARI (Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of) (original language Arabic): In fact, Mr Sallery knows very well what was stated by the CFA. What did the CFA actually say ? Did the CFA mention "if possible" or anything of that kind? I know, and we have been members of the CFA for many years. We know that the CFA urged participating countries to pay a percentage not less than a third. The CFA urged participating countries to do so for many years. Now, if this is incorrect, then we may state the matter differently, but we are quite sure of what we are stating right now.
R. SALLERY (Canada): Ambassador Bukhari, of course, is correct. I had heard in his original suggestion, and he will forgive me, that the word "urge" was left out. Of course, we urge all donors to do that, yes. If that is included, there is no problem.
H. HØSTMARK (Norway): The main part of Saudi Arabia's sentence I can accept, but I would suggest a small addition to it: "of the regular participation". Thank you. "Regular" ought to be inserted: "one-third of the regular participation in cash".
Mrs M. FENWICK (United States of America): I am concerned about the implications, if I understand them correctly, of the amendment to the final sentence of paragraph 8. Each country has to contribute what it can. Those countries which have no relevant supplies of commodities to give certainly should be encouraged to give cash. Those countries that have commodities rather than cash should be encouraged to give commodities and cash if they can manage. In other words, I can see the overall need for increased cash, and certainly I am a great believer in the TCDC and all the interchange of goods between developing countries, but I think it would be a mistake to insist that we have every country required to provide two-thirds commodities and one-third cash. Come, people are simply not going to be able to meet that requirement.
P. ELMANOWSKY (France): Ce que vient de dire la représentante des Etats-Unis correspond à ce que je pensais, à ce que je m’apprêtais à dire. En effet, je crains que s’il apparaissait une véritable obligation de payer un tiers en espèces·, cela risquerait de réduire les efforts des uns et des autres; et ce serait peut-être contre-productif.
C’est une recommandation qu’il faut respecter dans toute la mesure possible, mais il ne faut pas la transformer en une obligation absolue.
A.Y. BUKHARI (Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of) (Original language Arabic): I do not know what the CFA urged in this matter. Did the CFA mention that the richer food-producing countries had to pay all their participation in kind, in food commodities, even if the beneficiary countries did not need it, and that other developing countries were to pay in cash? Or if it were the opposite -- I do not know. The Committee did not insist and did not request and insist that countries had to pay no less than one-third. There is no insistence. Even participation in the Programme is not compulsory. Participation in the Programme is voluntary. We all know that very well. Participation is a voluntary one, be it in cash or in kind or in commodities or any other form of aid. This is a voluntary form of aid, not a compulsory one, but the CFA, as we all know very well, urged the countries to pay no less than one-third of their participation. The CFA said this for many years. I have been hearing this kind of talk for six years in the CFA. There is no insistence, so to speak, or no compulsion, but there is a sort of request or appeal in urging, which I believe should be mentioned in this paragraph.
J. TCHICAYA (Congo): Je ne comprends pas très bien pourquoi les discussions se prolongent à ce sujet. C'est une question qui revient pratiquement à chaque session du CPA. Nous discutons au regard des instructions que nous donnons au Secrétariat du PAM, en ce qui concerne notamment les achats dans les pays en développement. Le Secretariat du PAM est toujours confronté au manque de ressources financières lui permettant de mener à bien ce que nous demandons. C'est pour cela que chaque fois nous lançons des appels aux pays donateurs pour qu'ils puissent se conformer aux dispositions qui existent en la matière: c’est-à-dire deux tiers, un tiers. C'est un appél que nous lançons chaque fois; et je ne comprends pas pourquoi l'on peut s'opposer à quelque chose qui est déjà pratiquement accepté au niveau du CPA, au niveau du Comité des politiques et programmes d'aide alimentaire.
Pour cette raison, je pense qu'avec l’atténuation de la formule "invité instamment les pays à s’efforcer d'atteindre justement les objectifs tels qu'ils sont définis, à savoir un tiers deux tiers", je pense que cela ne peut gêner personne.
II va de soi que ce n'est pas obligatoire, que c'est bénévole; nous demandons que dans toute la mesure possible, les gens puissent se conformer à ces dispositions.
A. RODRIGUES PIRES (Cap-Vert): L’Ambassadeur du Congo a dit exactement ce que je voulais dire.
CHAIRMAN: Can I try to say what is at issue? The last sentence of this paragraph, the reformulation suggested by Saudi Arabia and supported by several; "The Council stressed the need for the Programme to have the necessary cash resources to buy the commodities which were required with participating countries paying not less than one-third of their contribution in cash, as the CFA had been seeking for many years".
H. HØSTMARK (Norway): I had suggested and I thought it was accepted by Saudi Arabia that you place the word "regular" in front of "for contributions".
CHAIRMAN: Is it all right, the addition of "regular"? So we adopt the suggestion of Saudi Arabia and Norway and go on to paragraph 9.
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Señor Presidente, deseo intervenir en el párrafo 9; tal vez he estado un poco distraído.
He enviado a la Secretaría, espero que el señor Henderson tenga el texto, una nueva redacción para las dos primeras frases que puedo asegurarle están reelaboradas con ánimo muy positivo y para hacer justicia tambien a la situación actual de la RAIE.
Las dos primeras frases del párrafo 9 que en esta nueva redacción reflejan solamente cambios muy pequeños dirián así: "Con respecto a la actual situación de urgencia en Africa se subrayó la insuficiencia de los recursos puestos a disposición del Programa. El Consejo tomó nota de que gracias al generoso apoyo de los donantes en 1984 la reserva alimentaria internacional de emergencia, RAIE, había superado la meta de 500 mil toneladas, pero aún así no había dispuesto de alimentos ni de dinero suficiente para obtener la gran cantidad de solicitudes fundadas que se recibían".
Casi el mismo texto pero haciendo un reconocimiento positivo al aclarar que en 1984 superó la meta pero aun así no fue suficiente. Esto creemos que es mas positivo.
CHAIRMAN: Is there support for this formulation? I see Venezuela support it. We accept the Colombian proposal.
R. SALLERY (Canada): Can we have a repeat of the suggestion by Colombia?
J.D.M. HENDERSON (Ayudante del Secretario General):" Con respecto a la actual situación de urgencia en Africa se subrayó la insuficiencia de los recursos puestos a disposiciðn del Programa. El Consejo tomó nota de que gracias al generoso apoyo de los donantes en 1984 la reserva alimentaria internacional de emergencia, RAIE, había superado la meta de 500 mil toneladas pero aún así no había dispuesto de alimentos ni de dinero suficientes para atender la gran cantidad de solicitudes fundadas que se recibían".
R. SALLERY (Canada): I think my delegation would be happier if in the first sentence we left in "some members". I am trying to get a formulation here. The original sentence, "some members underlined the inadequacy of the resources", that was true. Other members did not raise questions about it. The implication with the revision now is that the Council is making a statement about the inadequacy of the resources. I do not believe that that is a universal statement made by the Council. It certainly was not from my delegation.
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Muy cordialmente quiero llamar la atención al colega Sallery, del Canadá, sobre la intención de compromiso que animó a la delegación de Colombia cuando hizo esta propuesta. Yo creo que nadie pueda negar el hecho de que han sido insuficientes los recursos puestos a disposición del Programa tal como aparece en los documentos y como todos lo hemos dicho, y al incluir yo al Consejo en esta primera frase lo hice para compensar esa intención mía, reconocer el hecho de que la RAIE había superado la meta, como se dice también en los documentos, de manera que una situación está com-pensada con la otra; es una redacción de compromiso que .yo creo sinceramente es positiva, y ojalá que el colega del Canadá pueda aceptarla.
H.J.H. TALEYARKHAN (India): I support what Colombia has amended. I would only like to add after "500 000 tons", "has actually reached now over 720 000 tons", taking into account my announcement of 100 000 tons of wheat from India according to the decision of our Prime Minister.
CHAIRMAN: Is this acceptable yo you, Canada?
R. SALLERY (Canada): That is fine. There is, of course, in a total calculation of the resources available not only those made available by WFP or to WFP but other emergency resources, but given the current situation in Africa, I think most of us do accept the fact that the Programme does need more resources. That is all. We will accept it.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you. Shall we move on to paragraph 10?
A. REGNIER (Directeur, Bureau des affaires interinstitutions): Si nous acceptons la dernière proposition du distingué Ambassadeur de l'Inde, il faut vérifier le chiffre. Je ne crois pas que la Réserve ait jamais atteint 750 000 tonnes; je crois qu'elle reste en dessous de 600 000 tonnes; le chiffre précis pourrait être vérifié et inclus dans le rapport final.
H.J.H.TALEYARKHAN (India): Mr Regnier has perhaps omitted to take into consideration the 100 000 tons which were announced from India yesterday. That brings the total to 727 966. Actually speaking, it would be, taking round figures, 728 000 tons.
CHAIRMAN: Shall we say simply over 700 000 tons instead of giving a precise figure?
A.I. BUKHARI (Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of): It is very hard to say that. We do not have the exact figure now. I do not know whether the 100 000 tons from India will be through WFP or not.
CHAIRMAN: Anyway, we will pick up the correct figure because we should not put the wrong figure here. Shall we go on paragraph 10.
H.J.H. TALEYARKHAN (India): I suggest prefacing para 10 by "since expeditious delivery at destinations is most vital, a number of members etc, etc.". The rest can stand. That is the sense of it, "expeditious delivery at destinations". I will repeat it. "Since expeditious delivery at destinations is most vital a number of members expressed concern about the increase in the lead time, etc".
CHAIRMAN: I hope that it is acceptable that the preambular statement "Since expeditious delivery at destinations is most vital a number of members expressed concern". Thank you. Paragraph 11? Paragraph 12?
J. BELGRAVE (New Zealand): I wonder whether in paragraph 12 it might be more appropriate if we said "the Council expressed its appreciation etc". There was some discussion in the Drafting Committee which I think, if the Chairman agrees, was around whether it was all staff or just head office staff, and we came up with the "dedicated work of WFP staff", but I think the feeling as I interpret it was that the Council expressed the appreciation and not just some of us.
CHAIRMAN: Yes, we will make "the Council express its appreciation". Paragraph 13?
A.Y. BUKHARI (Saudi Arabia Kingdom of) (Original language Arabic): In paragraph 13, Mr Chairman, we would like to see reflected a very important point. At the end of this paragraph if we add the following phrase - that is if this addition is accepted -"The next annual report should reflect more clarifications regarding all the points raised related to this particular subject".
CHAIRMAN: An additional sentence has been proposed by Saudi Arabia in paragraph 13 at the end. "The next annual report should reflect... I think should contain.. more clarifications regarding all the points raised concerning this subject". "The next annual report should contain clarifications regarding all the points raised on the this subject”. Any objections?
A. RODRIGUES PIRES (Cap-Vert): Je voudrais intèrvenir dans le même sens que mon collègue de l'Arabie saoudite car la phrase telle qu'elle est ne reflète pas la préoccupation du Comité. Etant donné la proposition faite par l’Arabie saoudite et avec laquelle je suis d'accord, je n’interviendrai plus.
J.R. LOPEZ PORTILLO (México): Es para aclarar la oración de este párrafo porque se dice aquí que "Varios Miembros tomaron nota", y no es nada más que tomamos nota sino que lamentamos la información contenida en el Informe del noveno período de sesiones del CPA acerca de la escasa utilización de barcos de países en desarrollo. Por tanto, lo que estamos solicitándole es que se incluya "Varios Miembros lamentaron la información contenida en el noveno informe anual del CPA acerca de la escasa utilización de barcos de países en desarrollo", porque no es la forma en que se utilizan sino precisamente que no se utilizan, por lo menos con suficiencia. Entonces, esas dos enmiendas, haciendo ver que estamos desde ahora conformes son la propuesta del delegado de Arabia Saudita.
CHAIRMAN: "A number of members regretted the information contained" - this is the Mexican proposal. Paragraph 14?
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): En este párrafo 14, no se refleja adecuadamente lo que hemos dicho nosotros y otras delegaciones sobre el personal en el PMA. Sin embargo, no vamos ahora a complicarle la vida a usted, señor Presidente, y a los miembros del Consejo proponiendo las modificaciones que, a nuestro juicio, deberían introducirse en este párrafo, especialmente en la parte final.
Vamos a limitarnos simplemente a completar la primera frase del párrafo 14, que hago notar que empieza por "Algunos miembros" para que esto no ofrezca dificultad a algunos colegas. En realidad no solo nos referimos a la distribución geográfica sino a la deficiente representación de los países en desarrollo. Por eso, proponemos que se diga " Algunos miembros hicieron referenda a la distribución geográfica de la plantilla actual y prevista del PMA, con relación a la necesidad de mayor representación de funcionarios de países en desarrollo". Aun así, es sumamente débil este párrafo porque hablamos de altos grados y de otras cosas, pero es lo mínimo que podríamos proponer ahora.
J.R.LOPEZ PORTILLO (México): Es muy coincidente nuestra propuesta con la de Colombia. Lo que queríamos enfatizar es que cuando se dice "Algunos miembros hicieron referancia a la distribución geográfica de la plantilla actual y prevista del PMA", insistimos en que era inequitativa y que el término tiene que incorporarse. Es decir "a la inequitativa distribución geográfica de la plantilla actual y prevista del PMA, con relación a la necesidad de mayor representación de funcionarios de países en desarrollo". Por tanto, nuestra propuesta es que se incluya la palabra "inequitativa distribución geográfica".
CHAIRMAN: What are you suggesting, unbalanced or unfair?
J.R.LOPEZ PORTILLO (México): Eso podría ser. "Desbalanceada" o "desequilibrada".
CHAIRMAN: The suggestion here is: "reference was made by some members to the unbalanced geographical distribution of existing and envisaged WFP staff members, in relation to the need to have greater representation of staff members from developing countries."
H.HØSTMARK (Norway): Just on a question of clarification, I do not believe that it has been shown to us that it is envisaged staff positions in the World Food Programme will be unbalanced.
CHAIRMAN: Since you are also a member of the Drafting Committee I had thought you may have some data to make this statement. Chairman of the Drafting Committee, will you say how you envisaged staff members
J. MUSHARRAF (Chairman, Drafting Committee): As far as I recall we somehow missed this point altogether in the Drafting Committee. No one ever raised this issue of whether "envisaged" is the right word here or not. It is really up to the Council at this stage.
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Muy cordialmente quiero hacerle notar al colega de Noruega que, como ya dije antes, el párrafo 14 empieza por "Algunos miembros", y fueron muchos los miembros que nos referimos a ese problema de personal, inclusive yo nice una segunda intervención final, y le pedí
al Sr. Ingram que enviara a las Embajadas los datos respectivos. Estos son hechos, y estamos diciendo "Algunos miembros". No estamos implicando a todo el Consejo.
J. TCHICAYA (Congo): Pour dire uniquement que nous appuyons les amendements qui ont été faits ici concernant le paragraphe 14. Nous pensons qu'il s’agit là aussi d’un vieux problème dont nous avons l’habitude de débattre, y compris au CPA et, par consequent, nous ne voyons pas, comme l’a dit mon collègue de la Colombie, pourquoi on ne met que "quelques membres". Je pense qu'on ne devrait pas mettre "quelques" párce que "quelques" sous-entend que certains seraient opposés à cette idée. Or je crois que personne n'a été contre et que cela a été recorinu d'une màhiërè plus ou moins unanime. Au CPA nous avons exigé qu’on nous donne des chiffres, on nous en a donné sur les derniers recrutements et il a semblé nettement qu'il y avait encore un déséquilibre. C'est pour cette raison que nous appuyons fermement ce paragraphe 14 tel qu’il a été amendé.
A.Y. BUKHARI (Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of): Mr Chairman, in fact everybody knows that it is unbalanced, and everybody knows this, and we have seen -this in the document and we discussed it. I would like to put my voice with the Ambassador of Colombia and the Ambassador of Mexico for this modification. At the same time, I do not know, we can stop this paragraph but I would like in the last two or three lines if we can say: "In this connection the Executive Director stated that"- we take out "while"-"every effort would be made to redress the geographical imbalance in the WFP staff structure".
P.S. McLEAN (United Kingdom): I merely wanted to say that the value, judgment which is introduced by the insertion of the word "unbalanced" does give me a little difficulty because there are of course other very important considerations in the question of the employment of staff by any organization. However, I am not going to argue about the issue since it is, I think, quite clear that the interpre tation that can be put on this paragraph, whatever it says, it will be the views of the members whd made it.
J.R. LOPEZ PORTILLO: (México): Este párrafo se refiere a nuestras opiniones, pero para atender a la preocupación lógiaa del delegado de Noruega, podríamos decir "Algunos miembros hicieron referenda a la desequilibrada distribución geográfica de la plantilla del PMA", suprimiendo "actual y prevista".
O sea "a la desequilibrada distribución geográfica de la plantilla del PMA e insistieron en la necesidad de una mayor representación de funcionarios de países en desarrollo". Repito, "e insistieron en la necesidad de una mayor representación de funcionarios de países en desarrollo".
H.HØSTMARK (Norway): The amendment proposed by Mexico is perfectly acceptable to me. However, the second amendment proposed by Saudi Arabia does not concern a statement made by the same members. That is the Executive Director’s statement, and I think in all fairness it should be given in full as it tries also to give in a short form a few of the reasons why it is difficult. So I would propose that the rest of the sentence stays as it is.
H.J.H. TALEYARKHAN (India): May I ask the Secretary to take the trouble of reading out this opening amendment.
CHAIRMAN: The last amendment of Mexico, if adopted, will read, along with the earlier amendment suggested: "Reference was made by a few members to the unbalanced geographical distribution of the WFP staff members, and they insisted on the need for greater representation of staff members from developing countries.
Mrs.M. FENWICK (United States of America): I think everybody knows that every government is pressing for a larger number of their people to be employed in all these agencies of the United Nations, and my own government is equally guilty. I think we should all take as a model what Canada said at the meeting and that is that every government wants more of its people employed in these great agencies, but I beg you to take people of quality, whether it is from Canada or any other country of the world. There has got to be some intelligence and heart as the major reason for employing people, and I think Canada led the way to a higher conception because my own Government is equally guilty of pressure of this kind, so I am not saying that we are immune. I am saying what I hope will happen.
A.Y. BUKHARI (Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of): I think also developing countries have intelligent people, and the people have capacities and they can take part in the job in most of the organizations if not all. This is not the point actually. The point is "unbalanced" and that is it. Actually I would like to refer to my last proposal. Yes, I know, I heard ühat the Executive Director exactly said, and I know that is what he said, Yes, correct, but does it mean that we have to accept it, does it mean we have to take it just like that? Where is the hope in this? There is no hope, there is nothing. It means we have to shut our mouth, it means we have to accept this situation. That is what it means in this paragraph. How can we accept it. We have to modify this, at least to modify this, or to take out the three lines like I suggest.
CHAIRMAN: A large number of speakers are going to speak. You see, we will not have time for individual members --other people contradicting or expanding. Let us confine ourselves only to the documents here and the amendments proposed, because if we want to add personal views on this matter it is going to be very easy. I request you that the comments which members wish to make be restricted to the amendments proposed and the finalization of this paragraph which will be helpful.
L. ARIZA HIDALGO (Cuba): Lamentablemente para atender su petición de que no hablemos sobre la· declaración de la delegada de Estados Unidos, teníamos que haber oído que usted la detuviera en una ofensiva expresión hacia usted, señor Presidente, que es inteligente, que es doctorado, y que es Presidente de este Consejo. Ella no concibe que los subdesarrollados o los en desarrollo podamos tener técnicos inteligentes para ser miembros del PMA. Usted debió haberla detenido para pedirnos a nosotros que no interviniéramos en ese concepto.
J. TCHICAYA (Congo): Je vous ai dit .tout à l'heure que j’étais d'accord avec les amendements qui avaient été proposés au sujet de ce paragraphe, mais je tiens également a m’associer à la protestation qui vient d'etre faite par le délégué de Cuba pour dire que nous ne partageons pas le point de vue exprimé ici par la déléguée des Etats-Unis qui pense qu'ils ont l’apanage des hommes intelligents et que les pays en développement n’ont guère de gens capables de travailler dans les organisations internationales. Je pense que c'est là une interprétation dangereuse et nous tenons à réitérer ici notre protestation.
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Estamos perfectamente de acuerdo con lo que han dicho los colegas de Arabia Saudita, Cuba y Congo, pero queremos agregar algo mas, En el futuro seguramente tendremos ocasión de seguir los buenos ejemplos de nobleza que nos han indicado, pero ahora estamos discutiendo el Informe, es decir, el resultado de lo que dijimos durante los debates. Y esto se dijo. De manera que ha sido desafortunada esa declaración.
L. GANSORE (Burkina Faso): Je voudrais joindre la voix de ma délégation à ce que viennent de dire les délégués de Cuba, de la Colombie et du Cap-Vert. Malgré toute l'estime et la considération que nous avons pour la représentante des Etats-Unis, nous ne pouvons pas accepter les propos qu'elle vient de tenir et nous estimons que de tels propos ne peuvent pas assurer un climat serein à nos travaux, et j’espère qu’à l'avenir vous tiendrez compte de tels propos.
A. RODRIGUES PIRES (Cap-Vert): Mon collègue du Burkina Faso a exactement dit ce que je voulais dire et j’appuie ainsi les autres délégués; malgré le respect et l’amitié que j'ai pour la represéntante des Etats-Unis, j’appuie ce qu’ont dit les autres délégués.
H.HØSTMARK (Norway): I am coming back to the second sentence. That we reflect somebody's views does not mean, the way I understand it and the way I understand the proceedings here, that we endorse them, that we agree with them. It just means that we reflect them. There are a lot of things said by "some members" and "groups of members" that I am not completely agreed upon, but they have the right to have their views reflected. This is exactly the point where the views are of importance to those who read the Report to have some explanation of the existing state. The Executive Director has expressed his regrets implicitly and tried to give a short explanation of the reasons. Though we do reflect that, that statement does not in any way indicate that the Council agrees with that statement. They might agree strongly. They might disagree strongly. There may be all sorts of personal impressions of that, but I think it is our duty to reflect it when we can, and we have done so here.
H.J.H. TALEYARKHAN (India): I also felt that it was unfortunate, the way in which Ambassador Fenwick was understood in what she said. I would like to think that she did not mean it at all, because she is a sincere and fair minded person. The umbrage which my colleagues have taken could be overcome by a short statement from her either that it was misunderstood or she did not mean it, because I know she has great respect for the talent in developing countries. In that regard I would like to suggest to her that we should have: "a fair and equitable recruiting system should be ensured with an adequate weightage given to developing countries; otherwise with all the talent and ability, qualifications and experience which members of the developing countries have they would not be given the opportunities they deserve to serve in the Organization".
CHAIRMAN: Are you adding the sentence at the end of this paragraph?
H.J.H. TALEYARKHAN (India): Yes.
CHAIRMAN: After "the Executive Director stated”?
H.J.H. TALEYARKHAN (India): Yes
CHAIRMAN: India, could you read that slowly once again?
H.J.H. TALEYARKHAN (India): "A fair and equitable recruiting system should be ensured with adequate weightage given to developing countries, as otherwise with all the talent and ability, quality and integrity, qualifications and experience at their command they would not be able to get the chance they deserve to serve in such international organizations."
Mrs M. FENWICK (United States of America): I am distressed by the interpretation that has been put. I cannot believe that my colleagues, some of whom I have been working with for a year, would have put this interpretation. There is nothing to say that ability cannot be considered when you are having a geographical distribution of least developed countries. There are representatives in this room from
what are called least developed countries who have ten times the education that I have and qualifications far higher than any that I might possess. Why do we take it for granted that when we say we must have ability we are denying a chance to the less developed? What an extraordinary interpretation! I would willingly accept where it says in relation to geographical and less developed countries. We must make an effort in that direction and we will find them. Ability is not lacking. It is lack of respect to say that any time we talk of ability you are ruling out the less developed in the geographical distribution. I think that is offensive. I am surprised that any such interpretation would have been put upon it. Many of the great scientists of the world, in physics for example, where did they come from? They came from Arabian countries. Where did the decimal point come from? It came from India. Because you are talking of ability you are not wiping out a whole area of the world. What an extraordinary idea, my colleagues.
WIDAJAT EDDYPRANOTO (Indonesia): My delegation supports the proposal of the delegation of Saudi Arabia.
R. SALLERY (Canada): I had not planned to speak on this item. I usually find that I can get into enough trouble on my own. However, my good friend and colleague from the United States referred to this as a Canadian idea. It is not. It is shared by all of us and I am sure that her recent intervention explains that to us. Everyone is concerned about quality. I had not objected to this sentence in the first place because, as has been said by several delegations -Cuba, Colombia and Congo- it clearly says "Reference was made by a few members", and I would support one hundred percent the right of a few members to insist on wording that they wish to have for a particular idea. My understanding is -and correct me if I am wrong- it read as follows: "Reference was made by a few members to unbalanced geographical distribution of existing and envisaged WFP staff members and they insisted on the need to have greater representation from LDCs." Is that correct, Mr Chairman?
CHAIRMAN: A proposal just of WFP staff members. Is there any comment on the Indian proposal for an additional sentence? Mr West pointed out that it may have to come as sentence two in the logical sequence here.
J. BELGRAVE (New Zealand): I think that the proposal by the Ambassador of India makes a lot of sense because it brings home the concern of many delegations. The second point, I was not here when Mr Ingram addressed the meeting, but his reported remarks simply say that because of the small number of staff there are physical limitations. I do not think he used any hint that there was any discrimination. But I think the suggestion of the Ambassador of India would fill the bill, maybe modified grammatically
J.R. LOPEZ PORTILLO (México): Agradecemos las intervenciones que se han hecho y, en particular, agradecemos la de Estados Unidos porque, en efecto, todos los hombres somos iguales biológica, intelectual y moralmente y, quizá, lo unico que puede distinguirnos es el grado de oportunidad con que contamos que, en última instancia, para los paîses en desarrollo estarían derivadas de unas condiciones his-tóricas y de una situación prevaleciente que nosotros calificamos como injustas.
Pero, en fin, volviendo al párrafo 14, e interpretando lo que se ha dicho, pensamos que la primera oración queda como había sugerido Colombia y completado México, si mal no he entendido.
Respecto de la segunda parte y de las declaraciones que ha hecho la Delegación de Arabia Saudita y otras delegaciones, nosotros pensamos que es un tanto inconveniente que quede una referencia a lo que contestó el Director Ejecutivo, porque se podría hacer igual sobre otras contestaciones a preguntas planteadas. Nos resulta un tanto irregular esa situación, pero si se insiste que quede así, acepta-mos, aunque llamo la atención a que esto no le hace ningún favor al Director Ejecutivo, porque precisamente está aquí indicándose una incapacidad para reflejar una situacion. No sé si hay otra alternativa, pero si es así estamos un poco condenados a una frustración permanente. Repito, no creo que aquellos países que insisten en que quede como está, pretendan que es conveniente para la imagen del Director Ejecutivo, pero si quieren que quede así, pues bien, aceptamos.
Respecto de lo que ha sugerido la delegación de la India, estaríamos de acuerdo, pero no estamos seguros de que esto se haya afirmado a lo largo de los debates. De cualquier manera no nos opondríamos a ello.
RODRIGUES PIRES (Cap-Vert): Excusez-moi encore une fois de prendre la parole. Je pense que la proposition qui a été faite par l’Arable saoudite est bonne et que l'on devrait arrêter la phrase... "le déséquilibre géographíque des effectifs du PAM". Il faudrait mettre un point après PAM. Le Secrétaire exécutif a tellement dit de choses pendant le CPA que ou bien l'on inscrit les choses qu’il a dites, ou bien on ne les inscrit pas. Il ne faut pas inscrire les choses qui conviennent à certaines délégations. Cette phrase est péjorative. En tout cas la proposition est très correcte, très équilibrée. Il faut arrêter à: "déséquilibre géographique des effectifs du PAM." Ou alors sauter le para-graphe.
A. ABDEL-MALEK (Liban) (langue originale arabe): Après les éclaircissements des Etats-Unis, nous ne pouvons qu’accepter l'amendement proposé par l'Arabie saoudite et l'amendement proposé par l'Inde. Il est temps d'adopter ce paragraphe, chose qui aurait dû être faite depuis longtemps, afin que nous puissions avancer dans nos travaux.
H. HØSTMARK (Norway): The speaker before the last one made a direct reference to my delegation, since my delegation is the one which is insisting on this point, and I wish to protest. It is not a statement that suits me. It is a statement that was made that requires explanation of why it is in there. It is a statement made in direct response to what this paragraph is about. That is why this particular bit of it is in there. I have not myself said anything about it. I was just saying that it was made as an explanation to a direct question, and it is an interesting point and a point which my delegation supports wholeheardedly, that we should have more equitable geographical distribution in the total UN System. But I think it is also of interest to hear the explanations given in this connection and the right of people to speak and to have their statements recorded.
J. TCHICAYA (Congo): Je crois que nous avons insisté afin d’être positifs dans ce compte rendu et c’est pour cette raison que je crois sincèrement, surtout en ce qui concerne les explications données par le Secrétariat, que nous pouvons faire le choix de ce que nous souhaitons mettre dans le rapport. C'est pour cette question que je pense sincèrement que si on inscrit toute la phrase, à nos yeux, le Directeur executif ne sortirait pas forcément grandi de cette affirmation-là. Nous souhaitons que le Directeur exécutif fasse tous ses efforts pour pouvoir corriger cet état de choses, et c'est cela qui est important, qui est une réponse aux questions qui ont été posées. Le reste est négatif et, à mon avis, ne devrait pas figurer dans ce paragraphe.
Il s’est engagé à faire davantage, d'ailleurs ce n’est pas seulement au Conseil qu’il l’a dit; il a dit également au CPA qu’il s’efforcerait de faire en sorte que ce déséquilibre ne puisse pas exister dans le futur. "Je crois que nous devons nous arrêter là. Pour cette raison je souhaite que le Conseil puisse appuyer la proposition sage faite par mon collègue de l’Arable saoudite en arrêtant la réponse du Directeur exécutif aux "effectifs du PAM." Le reste, à mon avis, n'est pas nécessaire. Quant à la proposition faite par l’Inde, je ne vois aucun inconvénient à ce qu'elle figure ici. Je crois que cela ne nous gênera pas du tout; au contraire, cela apportera une clarté au paragraphe.
A. RODRIGUES PIRES (Cap-Vert): Je suis désolé de reprendre la parole mais, si j'ai bien compris l’ho-norable distingué collègue de la Norvège, il a cité l’avant-dernière délégation, en l'occurrence le Cap-Vert. Je fais pleinement confiance à l'interprète de la FAO. Je n’ai fait référence à aucun pays. Mon pays, ma délégation, nous aurions souhaité et nous souhaitons que la phrase s'arrête à "des effectifs du PAM”, ou il faut carrément barrer et éliminer le paragraphe. Je n’ai ni parlé ni accusé aucune délégation quelle qu'elle soit.
P. ELMANOWSKY (France): En ce qui concerne cette dernière phrase, je suis un peu surpris du tour pris par le débat. Habituellement, dans le cas d'une organisation internationale s'exprimant par son Directeur, on reflète simplement les positions qu'il a exprimées.
Il est proposé de supprimer la seconde partie de cette déclaration. La moindre des choses pour éviter tout débat prolongé aurait été cle demander au Directeur du PAM s'il a une objection à ce que l’on supprime cette partie de sa déclaration. Car, sans cela, il apparaît que nous censurons nous-mêmes ce qu'il a dit, ce qui n'est pas courant dans une organisation Internationale.
Je ne prends done pas une position de principe; je pense simplement qu'il serait courtois de lui demander, à lui ou à un membre de son organisation s'exprimant en son nom, de préciser sa position à l'égard de sa propre déclaration.
H. HØSTMARK (Norway): I would just say something in response to the distinguished delegate of Cape Verde since he addressed the point specifically to me. Possibly I may have been wrong in my attributing it to him - I believe it was the second last speaker at the time I spoke; but the fact remains that someone implied, stated as a matter of fact, that the reason for this being deliberate and commented on here was that the statement suited some delegations. Since my delegation is the only one apparently who feels that everyone should have the right to have statements reflecting the plain facts, then it goes directly to my delegation and that is what I tried to correct.
P.S. McLEAN (United Kingdom): I simply wanted briefly to support the view expressed by the distinguished representative of France. We must surely have some consistency in the matter of the Council's attention being drawn to paragraph 10, which we have just approved, in which concern was expressed, and the comment by the Executive Director was favourably recorded. I really do not understand why we make so much fuss over a similar issue in paragraph 14 where, as I recall it, the remarks attributed here to the Executive Director did factually represent his comments on the point being made. I simply appeal for some consistency in the presentation of our report.
J. MUSHARRAF (Chairman, Drafting Committee): This paragraph was not debated at length, and implicitly we accepted it as it stands.
S.M. MATIUR RAHMAN (Bangladesh): I am approaching this paragraph and sentence with great hesitation. In spite of that, I am trying to come to a compromise. The Executive Director explained that he would make a note of the geographical imbalance and the remaining sentence is set out negatively. Instead of going into that, if we say that "The Executive Director stated that every effort would be made to redress the geographical imbalance... as quickly as possible", that alteration covers the context of what the Executive Director said. He has not denied that he should not make it. If we say "as quickly as possible", it takes care of the other wording.
A.Y. BUKHARI (Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of) (Original language Arabic): In fact, what led me to request this change in the paragraph is exactly what has just been said by our colleague from Bangladesh. The wording of this paragraph makes us feel that there is no evidence, or no desire expressed, as to the efforts to be made by the Programme to overcome the problem of redressing the imbalance in a proper manner. This is what led us to request a change in this paragraph. First of all, this Council has full authority, and I believe the authority that lies in the Council exceeds that of the Executive Director, and even that of the Director-General. I believe that this Council is equally a democratic one, and it is an excellent thing.
So we have to consider matters in a factual manner, and realistically. We must not consider them in an inconsiderate manner or in a passionate way, or anything of that kind. I believed that the request made about this paragraph had been accepted by a number of distinguished members. Two or three refused the matter, but the majority of those who have spoken in fact approved the proposal made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, namely, the proposal to amend the paragraph. The matter now rests in your hands.
H. HØSTMARK (Norway): I wish to go back to the points raised by the distinguished delegate of Bangladesh to try and turn this into a more positive thing. Maybe this could be done by quoting more directly the Executive Director himself, who, according to the provisional record, is saying that this is being slowly overcome. He is saying that even if the number of staff were small and turnover limited, the problem was being slowly overcome. Would not that give it a more positive turn? And also, of course, that all efforts will continue to be made in that direction.
CHAIRMAN: The distinguished delegate of Norway suggested in this connection that the Executive Director stated that the imbalance is slowly being overcome and every effort will be made to redress the imbalance in the WFP staff structure...". In this connection - and he is quoting from the verbatim records - this imbalance is being slowly overcome and every effort will be made to redress the geographical imbalance in the WFP’s staff structure.
W.A.F. GRABISCH (Germany, Federal Republic of): Then perhaps I should not intervene at all, but I have looked at this in a positive manner. The Drafting Committee and those who prepared the report must have thought something. I took it in a positive way that it would serve as a reference point at a later stage to find out what had been done to remedy that situation and therefore, I have no problem whatsoever with the text as it stands here, though I would have preferred it as it stood. If it is going to be changed I have looked through the verbatim records in order to get the matter clear from the verbatim records. I read there that there is an imbalance not only in relation to developing countries, but also in relation to the developed countries and that this programme has a relatively small staff. It will take time to overcome this problem, but efforts will continue to be made in these directions, if these were to be helpful.
CHAIRMAN: I think we can accept the Saudi Arabia/Norway wording. Thank you. The additional sentence means that this point is dealt with, because this report only reflects what happened in our plenary sessions.
The Indian Ambassador has an amendment, that a fair and equitable recruiting system should be ensured so that adequate consideration be given to developing countries -and there were several other parts which I could not note down.
H.J.H. TALEYARKHAN (India): "A fair and equitable recruiting system should be ensured with adequate weightage given to developing countries as otherwise, with all their talent, ability, quality, integrity, qualifications and experience they would not get the opportunity of serving in such international organizations". This was said time and time again in different words.
Y.A. HAMDI (Egypt): Can we put "The Council requests" in front of the excellent sentence?
CHAIRMAN: Are there any objections to that inclusion?
H.HØSTMARK (Norway): For clarification, what is meant by the word "weightage"?
H.J.H. TALEYARKHAN (India): It is quite clear we are much larger in population. In India, we have the third largest number of scientists and engineers, and a number of other developing countries also have large numbers of skilled and qualified people, that is why the word "weightage" is there. No other significance is attached to it.
H. HØSTMARK (Norway): I may be slow this afternoon, but if I understand that explanation which is in part of the records, to imply that the size of population of a country should form part of the weighting system for implementation of the United Nations system -that is a bit difficult to accept. There are many small countries both in the developed and in the developing world who might also have suitable personnel.
CHAIRMAN: I see the problem here, because if the word "weightage” is used by the Council, people will ask what are the indices of weightage. I suggest we do not use words like this. We could put "a suitable system" because "weightage" in recruitment is a point in the United Nations system.
H.J.H. TALEYARKHAN (India): My meaning is crystal clear and certainly transparent in sincerity. I mean all developing countries, not just one, whatever the size of their population. I draw the attention of the distinguished delegate of Norway to the fact that I was not necessarily referring to the size of the population, but to the experience and qualifications of which there has been ample proof in contemporary history as to how much the developing countries have gone ahead with their talent and ability. That is why I have thought of including this.
A.Y. BUKHARI (Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of): With great respect to my colleague of India, is this addition actually clear? Before we adjust this paragraph, perhaps it would help to know about the proposal of Norway and my own country. I think it is clear enough, and has been accepted, and I would appeal to my colleague not to add this sentence, but to take it out. There is no need for it. That is my feeling.
J. TCHICAYA (Congo): Avec tout le respect que j’ai pour mon collègue de l’Inde, je pense sincèrement que cette dernière phrase n'est pas indispensable. D'abord, parce que, si j’ai bien suivi ïe débat, il me semble que cela n'a pas été dit en plénière, et il est difficile de pouvoir accepter ce qui n'a pas été dit en plénière ici, et c'est pour cela que j’avais dit que si cela avait été dit effectivement en plénière nous ne voyions aucun inconvénient; mais si cela n'a pas été dit, nous pensons qu'il est préférable que l’Anibassadeur de l’Inde puisse retirer cet amendement. Nous ne voulons pas créer de précédents qui risquent d'être préjudiciables à notre Conseil.
H.J.H. TALEYARKHAN (India): I repeat that this was generally said in various ways in our debate, not in so many words, I would agree. But if you do not want to use "weightage", although I find nothing wrong with it, perhaps we could use the words "an adequate system of recruiting". This is essential in order to give an equitable opportunity for people from developing countries, to which the distinguished Ambassador of the United States also referred -and she certainly included them in the quality and ability that they have.
Mrs M. FENWICK (United States of America): I would like to join the distinguished delegate of India and suggest that we end by saying that we urge that a diligent search be made for staff from among the developing countries in order to achieve an equitable representation - a diligent search, that is what it requires to establish an equitable system.
CHAIRMAN: It needs some redrafting.
H.J.H. TALEYARKHAN (India): I have revised this sentence and I think it should be acceptable to all. It will come at the end of the paragraph. "A fair and equitable recruiting system should be ensured for giving adequate opportunities to candidates from developing countries, many of whom possess the talent and ability, quality and integrity, qualifications and experience, to serve on such international organizations". That is all, Sir. I am sure it will be acceptable to all sides.
CHAIRMAN: You have heard the Indian Ambassadors reformulated sentence.
A.M. QURESHI (Pakistan): Could we just add "the Council urged" before the sentence?
CHAIRMAN: Pakistan has proposed that the sentence should start with: "The Council urged that a fair and equitable recruitment system should be ensured for giving adequate opportunities to candidates from developing countries, many of whom possess the talent and ability, quality and integrity, qualifications and experience, to serve on such international organizations".
Paragraph 14 is approved.Paragraph 15? Approved.
Paragraphs 1 to 15, as amended, approved
Les paragraphes 1 à 15, ainsi amendés, sont approuvés
Los pàrrafos 1 a 15, asi enmendados, son aprobados
Paragraph 16 approved
Le paragraphe 16 est approuvé
El párrafo 16 es aprobado
Paragraphs 17 to 20 approved
Les paragraphes 17 à 20 sont approuvés
Los párrafos 17 a 20 son aprobados
Paragraphs 21 to 27 approved
Les paragraphes 21 à 27 sont approuvés
Los párrafos 21 a 27 son aprobados
Paragraphs 28 and 29 approved
Les paragraphes 28 et 29 sont approuvés
Los párrafos 28 y 29 son aprobados
Paragraphs 30 and 31 approved
Les paragraphes 30 et 31 sont approuvés
Los párrafos 30 y 31 son aprobados
Paragraph 32 approved
Le paragraphe 32 est approuvé
El párrafo 32 es aprobado
Paragraphs 33 to 39 approved
Les paragraphes 33 à 39 sont approuvés
Los párrafos 33 a 39 son aprobados
PARAGRAPHS 40 to 47
PARAGRAPHES 40 à 47
PÁRRAFOS 40 a 47
Paragraphs 40 to 47 approved
Les paragraphes 40 à 47 sont approuvés
Los párrafos 40 a 47 son aprobados
PARAGRAPHS 48 to 58
PARAGRAPHES 48 à 58
PÁRRAFOS 48 a 58
Mrs A.DELLA CROCE di DOJOLA (Italy): I am not asking for any change in the substance since, as you know, we agreed with the Secretariat on this wording. The only thing I would like to ask is possibly to divide paragraph 54 into separate phrases. Starting with the third sentence starting with "The Council noted with appreciation the efforts of the Host Government etc..." does make it a new paragraph because in fact it is not that much related to what is said in the first sentence.
CHAIRMAN: We will have a separate paragraph, that will become here: "The Council noted with appreciation". The present paragraph will just end on the Appendix
Paragraphs 48 to 58, as amended, approved
Les paragraphes 48 à 58, ainsi amendés, sont approuvés
Los párrafos 48 a 58, así enmendados, son aprobados
Paragraphs 59 to 63 approved
Les paragraphes 59 à 63 sont approuvés
Los párrafos 59 a 63 son aprobados
Paragraphs 64 to 66 approved
Les paragraphes 64 à 66 sont approuvés
Los párrafos 64 a 66 son aprobados
Paragraph 67, including Resolution, adopted
Le paragraphe 67, y compris la resolution, est adopté
El párrafo 67, incluida la Resolución, es aprobado
Draft Report of Plenary, Part III, as amended, was adopted
Le projet de rapport de la plénière, partie III, ainsi amende, est adopté
El proyecto de informe de la Plenaria, Parte III, asi enmendado, es aprobado
PARAGRAPHS 1 to 19
PARAGRAPHES 1 à 19
PARRAFOS 1 a 19
No comments on paragraphs 1 and 2? They are approved. Paragraph 3?
J.R.LOPEZ PORTILLO (México): Para hacer una aclaración y es que en español, en vez de en la primera línea "negociaciones mundiales" son "negociaciones globales”. No sé si en los otros idiomas sea así. En todo caso habrá que corregirlo.
CHAIRMAN: Would you kindly work with the Secretariat and get the Spanish version corrected. Thank you. Any comments on paragraphs 4 and 5? They are approved. Paragraph 6
J.R. LOPEZ PORTILLO (México): En el párrafo 6, en el último renglón, se dice "para apoyar programas de reforma política en los países africanos afectados". Aquí no nos estamos metiendo con su sistema político. Por lo tanto, debe hacerse relación a la agricultura. Quizá podría decir "para apoyar programas de reforma política relativos a la agricultura o aplicables a la agricultura", o algo parecido, "en los paísea africanos afectados". Incluso "agropecuarios".
CHAIRMAN: Mexico has suggested the last sentence in paragraph 6: "Hope was expressed that additional funding of US $2000 million, proposed by the World Bank, would be forthcoming to support agricultural policy reform programmes in the agricultural sector in the affected African countries".
I see everybody agrees. Any comments on the paragraphs 1- 19? Approved.
Paragraphs 1 to 19, as amended, approved
Les paragraphes 1 à 19, ainsi amendés, sont approuvés
Los párrafos 1 a 19, así enmendados, son aprobados
Paragraphs 20 to 25 approved
Les paragraphes 20 à 25 sont approuvés
Los párrafos 20 a 25 son aprobados
Paragraphs 26 to 28 approved with Appendix
Les paragraphes 26 à 28 sont approuvés avec Annexe
Los párrafos 26 a 28 son aprobados con Apéndice
Paragraph 29 approved
Le paragraphe 29 est approuvé
El párrafo 29 es aprobado
PARAGRAPHS 30 to 32
PARAGRAPHES 30 à 32
PARRAFOS 30 a 32
P.S. McLEAN (United Kingdom): Could I propose a small insertion in the third line of paragraph 32, that is where it talks about improvements in project execution, could we say "project formulation, execution, monitoring and evaluation". I think the Council will recall that in the answer which the Director- General gave to this discussion on this item, he pointed out that FAO’s first priority was to improve project formulation, and I am sure this is a matter with which the Council agrees, so the suggestion would be simply to add the words "project formulation" in that sentence. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN: We will add the word "formulation", "in particular the suggestions for improvements in project formulation, execution, monitoring and evaluation". Thank you, United Kingdom, for the suggestion.
Paragraphs 30 to 32, as amended, approved
Les paragraphes 30 à 32, ainsi amendés, sont approuvés
Los párrafos 30 a 32, así enmendados, son aprobados
Paragraph 33, including draft resolution, approved
Le paragraphe 33, y compris le projet de résolution, est approuvé
El párrafo 33, incluido el proyecto de resolución, es aprobado
Paragraph 34 approved
Le paragraphe 34 est approuvé
El párrafo 34 es aprobado
PARAGRAPHS 35 to 37
PARAGRAPHES 35 à 37
PARRAFOS 35 a 37
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Cuando consideramos este tema 17.3, estaba en la Presidencia nuestro dis-tinguido Vicepresidente, el Embajador Williams, de Trinidad y Tabago, y la delegación de Colombia hizo una propuesta desde luego muy flexible, acerca de incluir un párrafo de referenda a los miembros salientes y entrantes del Comité del Programa. Sé muy bien que es necesario conservar la austeridad y la seriedad con que procedemos, pero en algunos casos podremos hacer reconocimiento a algunos de nuestros colegas, como usted señor Presidente lo ha hecho muy merecidamente con el Embajador Elmanowsky de Francia. De manera que proponemos simplemente que el párrafo 37 diga como sigue: "El Consejo agradeció los servicios de los señores Tanwir Ahmad de Pakistán y Therre Clément Rajaona de Madagascar y apreció las calificaciones y la experiencia de los dos nuevos miembros del Comité del Programa".
A.Y. BUKHARI (Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of ) (Original language Arabic): I fully endorse the proposal made by the distinguished Ambassador from Colombia. This, to say the least, is an expression of our appreciation for the efforts exerted by these two members of the Finance and Programme Committees. I think that the Council should express its transparent, so to speak, appreciation to them.
There is a point I would like to mention now, I have noticed in the Arabic documents submitted to us that there are numerous mistakes, numerous unacceptable mistakes which could have induced me to be completely astray from the substance of the report had I not consulted the documents in English, and I think before we adopt the report in Arabic these mistakes should be corrected.
A. ABDEL-MALEK (Liban) (Langue originale arabe): Pendant le Comité de redaction j'ai moi-même corrigé la plupart des fautes et j'ai soumis mes corrections au Secrétariat. Malheureusement le Secrétariat n’a pas pris mes corrections en considération et c'est done la raison pour laquelle Son Excellence l’Ambassadeur du Royaume d’Arabie saoudite a fait la remarque que j’avais moi-même faite précédemment.
G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): A ese respecto quiero agregar algo que considero importante, y es que la Secretaría debe rectificar esta Sección. Se trata de un miembro del Comité del Programa y uno de Finanzas.
Digo esto solo para que la Secretaría corrija el texto.
CHAIRMAN: The Council expressed its sincere thanks for the service of Mr. Tanwir Ahmad of Pakistan and Mr. Therre Clément Rajaona of Madagascar.
I put it as para. 37 and then we say "and took note of the qualifications and experience of their replacements".
Paragraphs 35 to 37, as amended, approved
Les paragraphes 35 à 37, ainsi amendés, sont approuvés
Los párrafos 35 a 37, así enmendados, son aprobados
PARAGRAPHS 38 to 40
PARAGRAPHES 38 à 40
PARRAFOS 38 a 40
P. ELMANOWSKY (France): Sur le paragraphe 39, je lis dans le texte français "la Conférence régionale a note la participation aux reunions de la Commission, a demandé au Secrétariat de s’efforcer de relancer les activités de la Commission et a instamment prié les Etats Membres de s’intéresser plus activement à ses travaux". Je crois que si le texte doit être véritablement compréhensif, il faut dire "la Conférence régionale a noté la faible participation aux réunions de la Commission"... car si elle n’était pas faible, si elle était normale, on ne demanderait pas de relancer les activités et on ne demanderait pas aux Etats Membres de s’y intéresser plus activement.
CHAIRMAN: France has noted the poor attendance of the Commission, that is why we wanted to revitalize it. So we will add "poor attendance at the Comission", so the rest of the sentence makes some meaning. Thank you very much for pointing that out.
Any comments on paragraph 40? Approved.
Paragraphs 38 to 40, as amended, approved
Les paragraphes 38 à 40, ainsi amendés, sont approuvés
Los párrafos 38 a 40, así enmendados, son aprobados
Paragraph 41 approved
Le paragraphe 41 est approuvé
El párrafo 41 es apròbado
PARAGRAPHS 42 to 46
PARAGRAPHES 42 à 46
PARRAFOS 42 a 46
A.M. KHALED (Yemen, People's Republic of) (Original language Arabic): With regards to paragraph 42, Mr Hassan El-Huraibi from Yemen Arab Republic is no longer a member of the FAO staff Pension Committe. I have consulted with the Near East group members, and being the president of this group, I have the honour of presenting the candidature of Mr Hamid Reza Nikkar Isfahani.
CHAIRMAN: Shall we accept this recommendation? Well, thank you very much.
Any comments on paragraphs 42 - 46. They are approved
Paragraphs 42 to 46, as amended, approved
Les paragraphes 42 à 46, ainsi amendés, sont approuvés
Los párrafos 42 a 26, así enmendados, son aprobados
Draft Report of Plenary, Part IV, as amended, was adopted
Le projetde rapport de la plénière, partie IV, ainsi amendé, est adopté
El proyecto de informe de la Plenaria, Parte IV, así enmendado, es aprobado
PARAGRAPH 26
PARAGRAPHE 26
PARRAFO 26
CHAIRMAN: Now we have to take up the pending paragraph 26 of Draft Report - Part I. Distinguished Ambassador of Cuba, would you read out slowly your sentence.
L. ARIZA HIDALGO (Cuba): Como usted sabe, señor Presidente, esta mañana cuando hicimos el comentario habíamos hecho la formulación en cuanto a varias delegaciones. Sin embargo, junto con la delegación del Congo y Mexico hemos dado una redacción que vamos a leer y que puede ser aceptada por el Consejo, de no ser así podríamos volver a nuestra propuesta de varias delegaciones. Esto puede ir al final del párrafo 26, o si lo considera el Consejo un párrafo aparte a continuación del 26. Comienzo a leer:
El Consejo consideró que no solo se puede responsabilizar a los países en desarrollo de las causas y efectos de la explosión demográfica y del proceso de urbanización, inconveniente debido a que era en parte producto del orden económico internacional prevaleciente.
Eliminamos "injusto".
Asimismo, indicó la necesidad de estudiar la evolución de estos fenómenos para evitar sus incidencias negativas en el desarrollo y especialmente en la agricultura y en la alimentación, Fin de la propuesta.
Queremos expresar que cuando leímos incluimos tres frases, que consideramos pueden ser aceptadas por el Consejo: el "que no solo", "era en parte producto", y "orden prevaleciente".
Mrs M. FENWICK (United States of America): I would just like to associate myself with this sentence I think it is excellent. I hope it passes in either form, the Council or whichever is decided upon by the assembled body. I think it is excellent.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you. Shall we then say "the Council"? So we will say "the Council considered..."
Paragraph 26 is approved.
Paragraph 26, as amended, approved
Le paragraphe 26, ainsi amendé,est approuvé
El párrafo 26, así enmendado, es aprobado
PARAGRAPH 20
PARAGRAPHE 20
PARRAFO 20
P. TCHICAYA (Congo): Ce matin, lorsque nous avons examine le paragraphe 20 du document CL 86/REP/1, nous avions nous-mêmes fait une proposition afin d'ajouter deux ou troís phrases. Il me semble que l’Ambassadëur des Etats-Unis n'était pas tout à fait d’accord et éxìge que l’on présente le procèsverbal où cela avait été déclaré. Je ne sais pas si le Secrétariat a fait des recherches à ce sujet, mais s’il n’en a pas fait, je voudrais dire que moi-même j'en ai fait, et que j’ai trouvé exactement ce que j’ai déclaré dans le document CL 86/PV/8 page 16, et je crois que cela est suffisamment clair pour ne pas susciter d’autres commentaires.
CHAIRMAN: I hope this is satisfactory to the Ambassador of the United States.
Mrs m. FENWICK (United States of America): I cannot get that document PV/8. I am very much in favour of the sentence of the Ambassador of India, in which he speaks of the search for ability. I am trying to find this document, which I do not seem to have to hand.
CHAIRMAN: I hope a copy can be given to the Ambassador of the United States.
CHAIRMAN: Then I request the Chairman of the Drafting Committee to make a few concluding remarks on behalf of the Drafting Committee.
J. MUSHARRAF (Chairman, Drafting Committee): At the end of these long days of work of the Drafting Committee I think it would be appropriate to say a few words of appreciation for those who made contributions in it. The Drafting Committee worked for more than 20 hours, on many occasions up to midnight, and straight after the long Plenary Session of the day. So we will not say we are not tired.
The product of our efforts has been this Draft which for us is pleasing in some respects but less pleasing in others. It is pleasing that we were able to arrive at unanimous agreement on all points, sometimes after prgolonged discussion, and we finally have an agreed Draft. The somewhat less pleasing aspect is that the Draft purely is a Draft - that is, the quality of the language and the style could have been better. But, as I mentioned yesterday, we could not go into this aspect as we were involved in the substantive aspects of the Draft.
I want to congratulate all our colleagues on the Drafting Committee for the high expertise and experience that they brought to the deliberations, and especially the spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation with which we worked throughout. I do not recall anyone banging his shoe on the table or hitting his neighbour on the head, neither was the Chairman hit by a chair or any other flying object.
My special thanks are due to the Secretary, Bernard Linley, for his friendliness, his tact and his unobtrusive efficiency, and to the Assistant Secretary Annie Le Clainche, who has a great fund of experience of many years of working with Drafting Committees, and to all the others, on and behind the scenes, the several secretaries hurrying to and fro, the charming lady messengers flitting up and down and of course the interpreters for their efficiency and their astonishing ability and quickness of mind.
Finally, I would also like to express the Committee’s appreciation of the officers of FAO, the ADGs and the Directors, and the others who were dutifully attending the sessions to answer any of our queries and offer clarification and assistance.
In particular I would like to express our appreciation to Professor Nurul Islam, who is not here at the moment, the ADG for the Economic and Social Policy Department. Even before joining FAO Professor Islam was a well-known and highly regarded Professor of Economics, and I would like to place on record here that due to his professional competence, along with some charming personal characterisetics, Professor Ialam exerted a great influence on our proceedings.
For example, on the very first day our meeting started almost half-an-hour late because of this worthy Professor of Economics’ high imaginative propensity to lose himself in the corridors of these buildings. Unluckily that day the Chairman of the Drafting Committee -that is me- while hurrying to the Mexico Room for a meeting came across the worthy Professor in one of the corridors, who was heading towards the Mexico Room, and the Professor thereafter led the Chairman round and round in search of the Mexico Room from Building A to Building B to Building C to Building D and then back to B, C, D, and A. We are told that the Professor has been around these buildings for the last
ten years. Nowhere in the world must A, B, C and D be so difficult to learn as here in FAO. If the worthy Professor could not learn this alphabet in 10 years what hope is there for newcomers like me and many others?
Anyhow, the meeting was able to start half-an hour-late. Throughout the proceedings Professor Islam continued to make his impact. At one stage of the proceedings there was utter confusion and pandemonium because the Chairman had lost his earphone and lost track of what was going on in the meeting, and the meeting fell into confusion. The Chairman’s missing earphone was finally located firmly implanted on the ear of the Professor. The Professor had somehow managed to lose his own and had grabbed the Chairman's earphone, the Chairman had grabbed the Secretary's earphone, the Secretary grabbed the Assistant Secretary's earphone, who in turn being at the margin was left without any earphone. All this was not an accident. The Professor, who possesses the most noble desire to teach economic concepts to the world at every possible opportunity, had found this a good opportunity and had himself deliberately contrived the situation to make it crystal clear to all of us what the whole economic concept of high marginal rate of substitution means, while at the same time demonstrating through this chain of grabbing of earphones, resulting in the poor Assistant Secretary ending up with none, yet another economic concept, namely the thesis of some Latin-American economists and others, how through a chain of exploited relations the needs of the world, grabbing of the resources, leads to the deprivation and marginalization of the small man at the margin of the economy. Soon after the Professor took upon himself to teach us what in project analysis is a high rate of return. As soon as the deliberations on the Professor's item had ended the Chairman turned to offer the Professor some words and thank him for his presence and contribution, but the Professor had vanished, a brilliant demonstration of an extremely high rate of return.
Fortunately for us, the interpreters did not have such a high rate of return, otherwise we would have been in a fix, perhaps because they are not economists and they do not believe in a high rate of return. They laboured on with us and worked overtime with us for the rest of the night, for which we wish to express our appreciation to them.
Let me not burden you with further boring details of how we worked and the contributions of other ADGs to it. Let me just say that we all enjoyed working with each other and look forward to meeting once again at the next session of the Council.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much, Mr Musharraf. We are very grateful to you and your members for your long hard hours of work.
DIRECTEUR GENERAL: M. le Président, Messieurs les distingués délégués et observateurs, vous venez de passer deux semaines d'intense activité et je'ne souhaite pas vous faire endurer un nouveau discours. Je me limiterai done à quelques mots seulement.
M. le président, je suis vos travaux de près et j'ai été frappé par la qualité et le sérieux qui ont prévalu lorsque le Conseil a abordé la discussion des vrais problèmes de fond du développement agricole et rural. Vous avez analysé la situation présente de l’agriculture et de l’alimentation, en tenant compte de ses aspects positifs, mais aussi de ses nombreux points noirs. Vous avez souligné la persistance paradoxale de la pénurie au milieu de l’abondance, et le Conseil a réaffirmé la nécessité d'améliorer la structure des relations économiques entre pays développés et pays en développement.
Mais c'est certainement la crise alimentaire en Afrique qui a plus particulièrement retenu votre attention, et vous lui avez consacré une importante résolution. En effet, la situation y est effectivement tragique.
Je voudrais souligner, à l'appui de votre rapport, que les besoins d'aide alimentaire pour le continent africain en 1985 sont actuellement estimés à plus de 4 millions de tonnes, je dirais même 4, 5 millions. Mais j'ajouterai qu'à peine la moitié de ces quantités a été promise à ce jour. A cet égard, je voudrais exprimer toute ma satisfaction quant à l’annonce faite hier matin par le distingue Ambassadeur de l’Inde d'une allocation exceptionnelle de 100 000 tonnes d'aide alimentaire en céréales pour l'Afrique. Voici un pays qui était encore récemment receveur d'aide, et qui est aujourd'hui devenu donateur. Trouvez ici, M. l’Ambassadeur, l'expression de mes remerciements.
Il est impérieux d'augmenter les quantités octroyées et il est tout aussi impérieux d'accélérer les décisions car, pour ne prendre que l'exemple du Sahel, c'est dès le debut de. 1985 que ces décisions devraient être mises en oeuvre si l’on veut vraiment que l'aide arrive en temps utile,à la première de soudure. Le Président de la République du Niger, lors de sa visite dans nos murs, a insisté vivement sur la nécessité de respecter ce calendrier. Il nous a rappelé en privé qu'à partir des mois de mars et avril la pluie compromet toutes les voies de circulation; par conséquent, il est indispensable d'agir à temps.
En 1973, il y eut des largages de sacs de blé par avion dans la région du Sahel. Je crois que le Canada avait prêté un certain nombre d'avions à ce moment-là. J'espère que la crise ne se répétera pas en ce qui concerne le Sahel.
Le Conseil a reconnu ce probleme et s'est felicité de ce que le CPA ait decide, à ma demande, d'étudiér lors de sa prochaine session comment accélérer la livraison des aides alimentaires d'urgence, car en cas de crise, les problemes logistiques sont aussi importants que la disponibilité physique des denrées.
Il faut faire face à tous les goulots d'étranglement. Nous avons toujours pensé à la FAO qu'en cas de crise alimentaire en Afrique, ou dans d'autres continents, ce n'est pas la quantité de produits alimentaires qui fait défaut,c'est le transport de ces produits. Dès lors, la question logistique est de première importance. Je pense que le PAM dispose déjà d'un état détaillé et constamment mis à jour de la capacité de déchargement des principaux ports pouvant desservir les zones vulnérabies. Cet état détaillé devrait être minutieusement suivi.
Je me rappelle qu'en 1962-63, lorsque je représentais la FAO en Inde, ce pays avait alors besoin d'une importante aide alimentaire (12 à 13 millions de tonnes), et le probleme principal avait été celui de l’engorgement des ports, et l'incapacité des ports à recevoir des quantités importantes. Depuis, ce problème a été résolu par l'Inde.
On a également attribué à la deficience des transports une des raisons de la famine au Bengale du fait même que les produits alimentaires étaient disponibles dans certaines parties de l'Inde. J'espère qu'à l'avenir le CPA pourra se pencher davantage sur ces problèmes de logistique et de transport de produits alimentaires.
Aujourd'hui, tous les télégrammes que nous recevons font état de la capacité de réception du port d'Assad, du port de Djibouti, etc. Or, l'un des principaux noeuds à dénouer en Ethiopie est le suivant: Ce n'est pas au moment d'une crise qu'il faut s'attaquer à ces problemes; ceux-ci doivent être résolus avant que ne survienne une crise alimentaire, surtout dans les pays à deficit alimentaire chronique.
En voici une illustration de plus: le Président du Niger nous a dit l'autre jour (je crois que Mme l’Ambassadeur des Etats-Unis était présente) qu'il y a une distance de 1 000 km de Cotonou à Niamey,"Cotonou étant le port le plus proche; mais il y a des régions au Niger qui sont encore à 1 000 km de Niamey, et done de Cotonou, et pour atteindre d'autres regions du sud il faut parcourir 2 000 km. C'est pour cela d'ailleurs que les denrées alimentaires, quand elles sont importées, coûtent tellement cher dans les pays enclaves. Je sais que la Communauté européenne fait un effort remarquable pour contribuer précisément au développement des infrastructures, mais quand il s'agit d'un pays comme le Niger qui a 1 200 000 km de superficie, c'est un travail de très longue haleine.
Devant les besoins pressants de tant de pays, je persiste également à croire que la dotation de la Reserve alimentaire internationale d'urgence est insuffisante; elle devrait être relevée. Cette année nous en a donné la preuve. D'autres mesures doivent être prises, telles que le prépositionnement des stocks dans les zones vulnérables. Je ne cesserai de le répéter ici comme au CPA.
Le Conseil a insisté sur le besoin de relancer sans plus attendre l’agriculture des pays affectés. A cet égard, il a pris note avec intérêt de la mission multi-donateurs que j'ai envoyée en Ethiopie afin d'identifier les besoins de relance et de rehabilitation de l’agriculture dans diverses régions du pays, où je me rends d'ailleurs cette nuit même. Je voudrais remercier tous les pays donateurs qui ont, malgré des délais très courts de ma part, envoyé des délégués se joindre à cette mission; je cite en particulier la France, la Suisse, la Norvège; y participent également deux ou trois autres pays comme je l'ai déjà dit. Je me propose en outre de convoquer, à ce sujet, une réunion des donateurs le 20 décembre ici à Rome. J'enverrai ce soir les télégrammes d'invitation.
Je me félicite de ce que le Conseil ait accepté ma proposition de réorienter une partie des ressources ordinaires de la FAO jusqu'à concurrence de 5 millions de dollars pendant l'exercice en cours, pour la réhabilitation du secteur agricole des pays concernés. Ce n'est évidemment qu'une goutte dans l’océan des besoins. Mais je dois aussi vous dire qu'à cette petite contribution de la FAO, faite avant même la reunion des donateurs pour l'Ethiopie, vient s'ajouter la décision d'autres pays (je rends hommage ici à l'Italie) qui envisagent sérieusement de faire avec la FAO un effort exceptionnel pour la fourniture de semences destinées à certains pays du Sahel pour des sommes assez importantes. L'affaire est en cours. On la discute. Mais j'apprécie beaucoup cette initiative de la part de l'Italie. Je tiens à lui en rendre hommage.
Le Conseil a marqué son intérêt pour l’etude approfondie que j'ai décidé de soumettre à la prochaine conference régionale de la FAO pour l’Afrique en 1986.
Cette etude portera sur les causes fondamentales de la crise alimentaire deil'Afrique et sur les mesures correctives requises. Une autre étude de plus, me direz-vous. Mais celle-ci sera beaucoup plus originale, elle traitera le fond des problèmes. Ce sera non pas une étude compliquée, mais une étude réaliste, et qui proposera certaines options qui seront discutées par les gouvernements.
Le Conseil a également mis en évidence la leçon à tirer de la crise: l'urgent besoin de ces pays de disposer des moyens de production indispensables pour la relance de l’agriculture.
Le Conseil a note que les sorties net de capitaux des pays en développement, la faiblesse des prix d'exportation de produits agricoles, le fíéchissement des prêts commerciaux officiels, le protectionnisme et d'autres facteurs liés à la situation financière internationale pesaient lourdement sur leur balance des paiements. Cet état de fait prive ces pays de la possibilité d'acheter les intrants nécessaires en quantité suffisante et avec la continuité voulue, ou encore d'investir pour les produire localement.
Je ne voudrais pas minimiser les aides déjà octroyées pour de tels intrants: semences sélectionnées, engrais, produits phytosanitaires, outils, etc. Mais je souhaite dire que, dans l'état actuel de délabrement des économies agricoles de certains pays, on ne peut se contenter d'injections sporadiques. Ce qu'il faut, c'est organiser à court terme un flux continu d'intrants et, à plus long terme, considérer des solutions permanentes, y compris la mise en place de capacités de production au niveau local ou régional.
C'est ce qu'a fait l’Inde, c'est aussi ce qu'a fait le Pakistan, et tous les pays d'Asie, qui ont fait des progrès remarquables dans l’autosuffisance alimentaire, en stockant des moyens de production d'intrants. Aujourd'hui, l'Inde n'achète pas de semences; elle en vend. Il en est de même pour le Pakistan, le Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, et la plupart des pays asiatiques, alors qu'en Afrique on continue à acheter les semences.
Il n'y a pas de semences au Niger; nous allons peut-être avec le Gouvernement italien acheter des graines de consommation de mil ou de sorgho que nous envisageons de trier à l'aide d'un trieur; ce ne sont pas des semences sélectionnées; je me demande pourquoi dans certains pays on n'a pas fait l’effort nécessaire depuis 20 ou 30 ans pour produire ses propres semences; je ne dis pas des semences sélectionnées mais des semences propres, qui germent, et sans impuretés; ce sont des choses simples et concrètes comme cela que je voudrais inclure dans l’étude pour l’Afrique, des mesures qui ne coûtent pas très cher et pour lesquelles je crois que la FAO peut faire un effort.
Voici un autre exemple significatif: je me suis entretenu avec le Président Nyerere de Tanzanie où je me trouvais en août dernier. Le Président Nyerere m'a dit: "Nous allons faire un effort considérable cette année en faveur de nos agriculteurs; nous voulons acheter 250 000 tonnes d'engrais, mais avec nos shillings tanzaniens nous ne pouvons rien acheter". Les autorités tanzaniennes se sont adressées aux pays nordiques qui ont accepté de fournir à la Tanzanie environ 100 000 et quelques tonnes d'engrais pendant trois ans. Mais, et après?... Ce n'est que la moitié et ils ne peuvent pas en acheter davantage.
Done, si nous voulons que ces pays produisent, il faut leur en donner les moyens; l'aide alimentaire est utile pendant un certain temps, comme le signalait le délégué de la Colombie; mais le but de l'aide est qu'elle cesse un jour. Comme vous, en avez convenu, il ne faut pas qu'elle soit continue. Nous sommes d'accord. Mais nous sommes dans une période où elle est nécessaire, et pour qu'elle cesse il faut encore une fois que les pays aient les moyens de produire et, à cette fin, disposent des intrants dont ils ont besoin. J'insiste beaucoup sur ce point et notre programme de réhabilitation, qu'il s'applique à l'Ethiopie ou aux autres pays africains, sera à base d'intrants, et non pas de rapports de grands experts qui vont expliquer comment les choses doivent se passer.
La FAO entend done étudier ce problème avec beaucoup d'attention. Nous le ferons d'ailleurs avec nos collègues de l’ONUDI et de la Banque mondiale avec qui nous sommes déjà en contact.
Le Conseil s'est penché sur de nombreuses autres questions et a pris des décisions que le Secrétariat, je peux vous l’assurer, s'efforcera d'appliquer de son mieux. Je me réfère notamment à la proclamation de 1985 comme Année internationale de la forêt ou encore aux décisions sur les suites à donner à la Confèrence mondiale sur les pêches.
Je voudrais aussi rappeler un événement important qui s'est déroulé en dehors du Conseil mais auquel tous les délégués ont été associés. Je veux parler de la visite du President de la République du Niger, Président du CILSS, et du Président du Conseil des Ministres de l'Italie, S.E. Bettino Craxi. J'ai déjà fait, référence au Président Kountche. Permettez-moi de dire un mot de la visite de S.E., Monsieur Bettino Craxi, Président du Conseil des Ministres italien. Son allocution est apparue à tous les participants, j'en ai la conviction, comme très positive et très encourageante. Je soulignerai en particulier son appel en faveur de l’adoption d'un pacte sur la sécurité alimentaire mondiale à lancer lors du quarantième anniversaire de la FAO et à`sa proposition de création d’un fonds spécial de la Banque mondiale pour le développement agricole et rural au Sud du Sahara.
Sa volonté clairement exprimée en vue de trouver une solution positive en ce qui concerne les installations du Siège fut aussi pour nous tous un grand encouragement, et cela s'applique aussi aux autres problèmes en suspens.
Enfin, j'en viens à la question de l'équipe spéciale ONU/FAO chargée d'étudier les questions du PAM; bien qu'elle ne fut pas à l'ordre du jour, cette question a beaucoup agité certains esprits durant le Conseil. Je me bornerai à rappeler ce que j'ai déjà dit dans mon discours préliminaire, à savoir que je rechercherai des solutions pratiques conformes aux documents de base et m'efforcerai d'aboutir le plus vite possible à une conclusion. J'ajouterai cependant, comme je l'ai déjà fait devant le CPA, qu'il ne faut pas gonfler cette affaire hors de toutes proportions. Le monde a aussi d'autres preoccupations.
Par ailleurs, j'ai pris note de la recomrnandation que vous avez adoptée concernant les comptes certifies du PAM. Le rapport de l'auditeur externe reste à la disposition de tous. A ce propos, il n'est pas besoin pour moi d'exprimer ma totale confiance dans la bonne foi et la competence professionnelle du personnel de l’OAA en question. En ce qui me concerne, je peux vous assurer que la transparence des comptes et l'efficacité du contrôle financier interne resteront toujours une de mes preoccupations majeures dans l'exercice des responsabilités qui m'ont été confiées par les Textes fondamentaux en ce qui concerne la FAO ou autres organisations.
Alors que l'année 1984 tire à sa finale Conseil a très justement souligné la précarité de la situation alimentaire mondiale. Peut-on, sans un pincement de coeur, constater que d'année en année le nombre des mal nourris dans le monde grandit et se propage comme une tumeur au coeur même de l'humanité. Serons-nous capables tous ensemble d'en arrêter l'insidieuse progression? Ce mal devrait être notre seul ennemi, notre seule obsession. L'Afrique, en particulier, restera au centre de nos préoccupations dans les prochaines années.
Dans de nombreux cas, il faudra recoudre avec patience le tissu social lacéré par tant de conflits - acculant des millions de réfugiés à une errance sans objet - et par tant d'autres misères et d'injustice.
La communauté des nations ne pourra indéfiniment remettre à plus tard l’établissement de relations internationales plus justes sur le plan financier, monétaire et surtout commercial, plus favorable à la grande masse des pays pauvres. Elle devra maintenir et accroître l'aide extérieure aux. plus démunis, et assurer en priorité la premiere néces sité de tout etre humain, le pain quotidien.
Je voudrais terminer par cette exhortation, venue de ma conviction profonde et sincère que la coopération internationale, notamment à travers les organisations multilatérales, est plus néces-saire que jamais.
L'homme se targue de maîtriser les éléments, de l'infiniment petit à l'infiniment grand. Il maîtrisera aussi la faim. Jamais nous ne déclarerons forfait.
Je remercie toutes les délégations pour leur participation active à nos débats. Je voudrais en particulier, si vous le permettez, rendre hommage à Monsieur Pierre Elmanowsky, Secrétaire général du Comité interministériel de l’alimentation et de l’agriculture en France, qui nous quitte ce soir. Pendant des années il a représenté son pays à la plupart des réunions, sinon à toutes, de la FAO. Je l'ai·vu aux conférences régionales, au Conseil, à la Conference, au Comité de sécurité alimentaire, au Comité des produits, que sais-je encore? au Comité de l’agriculture. Il y a toujours participé d'une façon active, constructive. Il laisse ici beaucoup d'amis parmi les délégués mais aussi et surtout parmi le Secrétariat. Je voudrais sincèrement rendre hommage à l’oeuvre remarquable qu'il a accomplie pendant toutes ces années. Nous avons constamment apprécié ses interventions toujours bien étudiées ainsi que son esprit de conciliation.
J'espère que nous le reverrons en d'autres occasions et je lui souhaite plein succès dans ses futures activités. Mes meilleurs voeux à lui et à sa femme.
Je voudrais aussi dire tout le regret que nous éprouvons à voir certains pays quitter le Conseil: le Burkina Faso, l'Ethiopie, le Cap-Vert, le Lesotho, la Nouvelle-Zélande, la Norvège, le Soudan. Ils seront remplacés, comme c'est la règie par d'autres pays: l’Afghanistan, le Danemark, le Libéria, le Sénégal, la Tanzanie, le Zimbabwe; l'Australie remplacera la Nouvelle-Zélande.
A ceux qui repartent vers leurs capitales, je souhaite un retour sans problèmes. D'ores et déjà, j'adresse à vous tous et vos families mes voeux les plus sincères pour 1985 et vous donne rendez-vous en juin prochain.
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CHAIRMAN: The distinguished delegate of France, Mr. Elmanowsky, has to leave shortly. As you know, he has been working with FAO for 24 years; 24 years of collaboration with FAO, so I thought on behalf of the Council I would thank the distinguished delegate of France, for his contribution, and wish him a safe journey back.
We are very grateful to you for all the help you have given to the work of the Council, and I hope members of the Council will join me in wishing him the best of health.
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P. ELMANOWSKY (France): Je tiens à vous remercier de ces paroles aimables à mon égard. J'avais table que les travaux se termineraient plus tot que prévu; malheureusement, cela n'a pas été possible. J'ai done indiqué au Secretariat en leur disant au revoir, ainsi qu'à vous-même et à tous mes collègues, que je vais maintenant partir bientôt puisque, de toute façon, en Janvier prochain le couperet tombe: ce sont les 65 ans et la retraite; par consequent, je ne ferai plus partie des delégations.
Vous pensez bien qu'après 24 ans de collaboration - ma première venue ici remonte à 1960 - j'ai beaucoup de souvenirs bons, d'autres moins bons. Je me souviens de comités de rédaction difficiles, de groupes de contact, de séances, de discussions comme nous venons de le faire. Mais enfin... le meilleur l'emporte sur le moins bon.
Alors je vous dis cette fois-ci au revoir, véritablement, aux uns et aux autres.
M. le Président, je m'adresse par votre intermédiaire à tous les délégués ici présents; il y en a que je connais depuis longtemps; je remercie aussi - parce que même parmi eux j'avais aussi des amis - le Secrétariat, les interprètes, le personnel de la salle. Encore une fois merci et au revoir.
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G. BULA HOYOS (Colombia): Señor Presidente, distinguidos delegados: Los nueve miembros del Consejo de America Latina y el Caribe nos han concedido el honroso encargo de hablar a su nombre.
Estamos complacidos por la forma como ha concluido este importante período de sesiones. Algunos debates fueron controvertidos, pero al final, todos llegamos al convencimiento de que es necesario e indispensable el aporte y la colaboración de todos los Estados Miembros de esta Organización, en favor del fortalecimiento de la cooperación internacional como 1a acaba de decir el Director General.
Los latinoamericanos y del Caribe deseamos confirmar, una vez más, nuestro apoyo a la cooperación multilateral y reiterar el llamado a todos nuestros colegas para que sigan asociados con nosotros en el seno de la FAO, en este club de colegas y amigos, en el cual debe reinar siempre la más completa armonía y el más pleno entendimiento.
Pensamos que los representantes de todos los Estados Miembros, tenemos la obligación de contribuir a fortalecer el empeño generoso, eficaz y sin tregua en que está empeñado el Director General de la FAO, a fin de que esta Organización cumpla los objetivos para los cuales fue establecida, al servicio de todos los Estados Miembros, particularmente de aquellos en vías de desarrollo.
Sr. Presidente; usted merece especial reconocimiento de los latinoamericanos y del Caribe. Hemos admirado, una vez más, su tacto, su inteligencia, su capacidad y la prudencia con que usted nos ha dirigido. Gracias a usted, señor Presidente, este período de sesiones ha concluido satisfactoriamente con los mejores resultados.
Estamos igualmente agradecidos a los tres Vicepresidentes, el señor Embajador Williams, de Trinidad y Tabago, y los Sres. Baharsjah de Indonesia, y McLean del Reino Unido, porque ellos le asistieron eficazmente en sus trabajos.
Gracias también al Sr. Musharraf de Pakistán, quién presidió el Comite de Redaccion y a los miembros que lo integraron, así como al Secretario de ese Comité, Sr. Linley y a la Secretaria Adjunta Sra. Le Clainche
Queremos expresar también nuestra gratitud a los Sres. Trkulja, Presidente del Comite del Programa, y Abeyagoonasekera, Presidente del Comité de Finanzas, y al Embajador Ivo Alvarenga, Presidente del CAC J.
Como siempre, el Director General de la FAO Dr. Edouard Saouma ha confirmado sus dotes de estadista y de excelente administrador. Admiramós la declaración afirmativa y clara que acaba de hacer el
Director General, el Sr.West, Director General Adjunto así como todos los subdirectores generales, particularmente el Profesor Islam, el Sr. Crowther, el Sr. FÌores-Rodas, el Sr. Carroz, así como todo el personal de la Organización, son merecedores de nuestro agradecimiento.
Los latinoamericanos y del Caribe estamos muy satisfechos con el resultado de la primera experiencia del Subdirector General encargado del Departamento de Asuntos Generales e Información, Sr. Savary, quien ha desempeñado sus funciones de Secretario del Consejo de manera muy positiva, asistido por los Sres. Henderson y Tedesco, y otros funcionarios cercanos de ese Departamento.
Mil gracias al Sr. Kamal Annabi, Jefe de los Intérpretes y a todos los amigos que detrás de las cabinas han facilitado nuestro entendimiento. Gracias también al grupo de damas de la derecha de la sala, que manejan tan hábilmente esas máquinas milagrosas que reflejan fielmente nuestras intervenciones.
Agradecemos igualmente los valiosos servicios de la Sra. Loreta Badolati y su grupo de mensajeras, chicas simpáticas que han llevado y traído nuestros mensajes.
A todos, quienes visible o invisiblemente, han contribuido al cumplimiento de nuestros trabajos, queremos transmitirles nuestro agradecimiento. A los colegas y amigos que regresan a sus países, les deseamos buen viaje con la esperanza de que encuentren a sus familiares en salud y alegría, y a sus Estados en prosperidad creciente.
Particularmente, a los amigos y colegas de Africa deseamos transmitirles la mas viva y sincera solidaridad de todos los Gobiernos y pueblos de America Latina y del Caribe, seguros de que los países africanos, nuestros hermanos en el Tercer Mundo, superarán la difícil crisis actual.
Quienes permanecemos en Roma, seguiremos aquí compartiendo nuestra actividades. Los latinoamericanos y el Caribe deseamos adherirnos con las manifestaciones hechas por el Director General y por el Sr. Presidente en relación con nuestro colega y amigo Sr. Elmanowsky de Francia, con él compartimos muchas actividades en diversos Foros. Tuvimos debates controvertidos, pero siempre nos impresionó su competencia y la gran dosis de argumentos y resoluciones que en todo momento llevaba consigo.
Que 1985 nos encuentre cada vez mas fuertes y decididos en nuestros trabajos en esta Organización, y que bajo la dinámica y competente dirección del Director General, Doctor Saouma, sigamos la llamada a cumplir sus objetivos nobles y humanos en el mejoramiento de la situación agrícola y alimentaria del mundo, como parte esencial para la construcción de un nuevo orden econômico internacional mas justo y mas equitativo.
Los latinoamericanos y el Caribe deseamos a todos, en sus propias religiones, paz y serenidad en el período natalicio y toda la salud, alegría y ventura en el nuevo año que se aproxima.
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J. BELGRAVE (New Zealand): I would not like the opportunity to pass without being able to place on record on behalf of my delegation and the delegation of the Southwest Pacific Region, which we represent, our sincere thanks to you for the way in which you have guided our deliberations this session. As always I think we are coming to a satisfactory conclusion due in no small measure to your forebearance and sagacity.
Secondly, I would like to record the thanks of my delegation to the Drafting; Committee Chairman. It was said the other night that people thought he had been here for years. I guess that was evidence of the way that he handled our work and my delegation would like to place on record our thanks for his most efficient way of operating. To the Director-General and the Secretariat we express our sincere thanks. Like most of these meetings we come to expect the impossible and when we do not get that we become unsatisfied, but I think, as usual, they have come up trumps.
Finally, New Zealand comes off the Council as of today and on behalf of the New Zealand delegation could I express our sincere thanks to you all for the way you have made your period of time on the Council interesting, absorbing, energetic and certainly, I think, overall satisfactory, and no doubt our successors on the Council will also enjoy membership of it. Thank you, Sir.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much, Mr Belgrave. I would like to thank you on behalf of the Council, New Zealand and you personally, for your really very valuable contributions to the work of the Council. We have always appreciated your interventions and your wise statements and healing touch We will miss you in the Council but I know you will come to other meetings here. We want to wish you well and may I request the Council members to join in expressing our gratitude and also our personal good wishes to Mr Belgrave in person for all the contributions of New Zealand.
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R. SALLERY (Canada): I understand that our good friend and colleague, Ambassador Fenwick is going to speak on behalf of the North American Group in a few moments, but before she does that, I would like to make a few comments which are particular to Canada.
First of all, may I state my own delegation's very sincere thanks to you for the wise and professional manner in which you have chaired our Council. We have held you, Sir, in high regard for many years. Your reputation for fairness, your deep concern for humanity, your open and democratic approach to problem-solving, your willingness to hear all views and so on are well known to all of us and have been demonstrated to us here again at this Council. We know that you have done your best, as always, and we appreciate that effort very much.
I would also like to make just a brief word of thanks to our three Vice-Chairmen. They have also executed their responsibilities with goodwill and with precision, and their task was not an easy one, and we are very grateful to them.
And for the record, I would also like to say how very much we appreciated the visits and words of the Norwegian Minister along with all the other distinguished guests mentioned by the Director-General.
Now, I think I would be failing in my responsibilities as a representative of my Government if I did not also indicate at the end of this Council that while we endorse the report and have joined in the congratulations, we have not been entirely satisfied with the results of this meeting. Many of my colleagues assembled here are well aware that my Government as well as several others here, some, a few, however it might have been worked, have tried to raise matters in this Council which were and which are of fundamental and substantial importance to us, important because their resolution would allow us to more effectively deal with the major issues which the Director-General has already referred to and which he is quite right are the proper tasks of this Council. However, that we were not able to do so and that we were not able to share our views and concerns and have these discussed here before this Council raises questions perhaps of even more fundamental importance than the issues themselves. We still view this Council as a body which provides guidance and direction to the Director- General and to the Secretariat. A ruling was made by the chair that we were not to refer to a particular subject, and we have accepted this ruling, and I think we can honestly say that we have abided by it. Under Rule XXV.7 (b) it clearly states that any member of the Council may request the Director- General not less than 30 days before the proposed date of any session to insert an item in the provisional agenda of that session. As a member of this Council I would like hereby to officially request that an item on the findings and recommendations of the Joint UN/FAO Task Force on the relationship between the FAO and the WFP appear on the ,next agenda of this Council, and that all the relevant documentation, including the CFA reports, be made available to Council members.
One final point: for our part we have tried to conduct ourselves here by internationally accepted standards of decorum, and we believe that we have been reasonable in our approach and in our requests. We are concerned that this attitude of mutual respect to each other's views has been violated once again by one of our colleagues here. We have been accused of bad faith, of being crazed, of employing pressure and blackmail and we of course reject these false accusations outright, and we sincerely regret that our colleagues felt it convenient to resort to these kinds of comments. We believe that comments of this kind are unbecoming of the country that made them, they are unbecoming to this Council and to its members.
I also of course would like to join the Director-General and Colombia in wishing every one of you peace and tranquillity and a very happy and safe and meaningful 1985. Thank you very much.
H. CARANDANG (Chairman, Group of 77): As any democratic gathering of civilized human beings, this Council is governed by rules of procedure, by parliamentary rules, as embodied in the FAO constitution and in the Basic Texts. Now we hear a complaint that the views of a minority have not been able to be discussed and recorded. This, according to some delegates, is unfair. According to them, their views should have been given a fairer hearing in this Council. Now, the honourable delegates are fully aware of the rules of procedure governing the deliberations of this august body. In order to add an item to the agenda, such an item must either be proposed 30 days before the Council or agreed upon by a two-thirds majority of the members, on this occasion, the first ruling has not been complied with, as everybody knows. On the application of the second, the minority was overruled by the majority when the request to formally circulate certain documents was rejected by a debate of an issue which is not on the agenda and for which no relevant documentation had been circulated, as required by the rules of procedure. My Group, the Group of 77, refused- to discuss an agenda item for which they have not received instructions from their home government, because this item precisely was not on the agenda and the appropriate documentation had not been sent to the home governments.
Furthermore, it will be recalled that the Chairman had specifically ruled that there could be no discussion on an item not on the agenda and for which no relevant documentation had been circulated, as required by the rules, and that no reference to such an item should be included in the Report.
Honourable delegates, I do feel that any objection to the Chairman’s ruling should have been made at that time. Some delegates are now claiming that they have not received fair treatment in this Council. I find this inappropriate. This, I believe, demonstrates a lack of sensibility and sensitivity to the rules of procedure which we have all approved. If there is anything unfair, it would be for the minority to force the discussion of an issue which they want discussed even if such is not foreseen by the rules of the game.
Thank you very much, and on behalf of my Group, I should like to express the most sincere appreciation for the way in which you have guided the deliberations of this meeting. In particular, we should like to express our appreciation for the way in which you have brought to bear the wealth of your scientific background and experience on the issues which have been discussed. We should like to thank the three Vice-chairmen, who held the fort when you had to absent yourself. They guided the proceedings of this session of the Council on some of the most thorny issues.
We should like to greatly acknowledge the work of the Chairman of the Drafting Committee relatively newcomer but who exercised his responsibilities with the great skill of a veteran. I should like to thank my colleagues in the Drafting Committee who worked long hours to faithfully reflect the conclusions and views of the Council in the report. I should like to pay particular tribute to the professionalism and painstaking care with which the Secretariat prepared the substantive issues and the documentation and the 101 details required for the smooth running of this meeting. We should like to pay tribute to the members of the Secretariat who we see on the podium and also those whom we do not see who work behind the scenes, to the interpreters, the secretaries and the messengers.
Finally, I should like to pay tribute to Mr Elmanowsky, who is now leaving us after having worked so many years with us. I have worked with him in many Drafting Committees and many sessions of the Council and other sessions of the FAO, and I have always appreciated his intellectual acumen and the seriousness with which he faced his work. I know we shall miss him, and thank you all on behalf of the Group.
A.M. QURESHI (Pakistan): My delegation would like to extend its deep appreciation to you for the mature, balanced and just manner in which you so ably guided our deliberations. We passed through several difficult moments in the course of our discussions during the past two weeks, only to reach an amicable agreement at the end. I would not like to go into the details at this hour of parting where we generally exchange words of goodwill. It is indeed heartening that we always, all the time of our presence here, upheld the great tradition of universal consensus in this House.
I am returning home with a big sense of satisfaction and a renewed faith and hope in the future of FAO and intertational cooperation. It was indeed heartening to listen to the Director-General a while ago. My delegation would like to place on record our deepest appreciation to the Director-General and his other colleagues here in the FAO for the concerted efforts to eradicate hunger and malnutrition from the face of the world. We would also like to thank the Director-General for his kind mention of Pakistan as a country which has attained a target in food in his discourse a couple of minutes ago.
Also a well-deserved word of appreciation for all those, one and all, who helped to make this Council session a great success.
We also wish the distinguished Ambassador of France all the best. His contribution over the years has indeed been outstanding. We wish him great success; he is not here at the moment.
We would also like to say to those who have completed their terms how much we enjoyed working with them. We say good luck and goodbye and au revoir to everybody.
L.E. WILLIAMS (Trinidad and Tobago): I was quite taken aback a short while ago by the reference made to unfair treatment meted out by certain members of the council. Since I happen to have been in the chair when a ruling was made on one of the more controversial subjects discussed at this meeting, I think I should set the record straight by indicating that my ruling was based on a basic and fundamental premise that the majority always wields sway over the minority. In this particular instance, I feel quite sure that the records will bear me out that based on the discussions held on that subject, it will be clearly evident that the majority at the time favoured and supported the decision which I took. I took the decision rooted in a sense of fair play and I did the duty as I saw it to the best of my ability and according to the dictates of the Council and the direction of the Council then expressed. So much for that.
The Trinidad and Tobago delegation wishes to join with other speakers in paying tribute to you for the highly commendable and efficient manner in which you directed the affairs of the Eighty-sixth Session of the Council. Colombia has already spoken for the Latin American and Caribbean Group, and I wish sincerely and heartily to endorse everything he has said in his own inimitable style. I do wish, however, to add my personal thanks and apprecitaion to members of the Latin American and Caribbean Group for nominating us to office of the Council and for electing us to serve as Vice-Chairman for the period of November 1984 to June 1985.
Finally, I would like once again to thank members of the Council for their kind cooperation and collaboration during the period that I served as Chairman. I would be remiss if I did not extend my delegation's thanks and appreciation as well to the Director-General and members of the Secretariat for their arrangements for and their guidance throughout this meeting. Trinidad and Tobago look forward to making its contribution on the Council during this term and to working with all Council members to achieve the Council's laudable goals.
Mrs M. FENWICK (United States of America): I am sorry that a sad note has come into the deliberations of this Council. I would just like to say to my colleagues that there have been perhaps some misunderstandings and it reminds me of my days in the legislative bodies at home. In all my years in elected office in legislative bodies... I have seen this sort of thing repeated over and over. It is the affairs of human beings. It is the nature of man - and woman - I suppose too.
I would like to say a word to our dear Director-General who has led this enormous Organization with such persistence and such concern and such ability. I am honest in confessing it is his concern that most draws and keeps my attention and my affection, and the Secretariat too - able, helping us so much in all our deliberations, and our wonderful Chairman of the Programme Committee. And the Drafting Committee Chairman who has shown us again that a sense of humour is one of the marvellous characteristics of a brilliant mind. I think all of us were happy to hear you speak today and welcomed your remarks.
But finally I must say a word about our Chairman who is undoubtedly one of the world's greatest international public servants, not just for his scientific ability which is recognized world-wide in a number of earned and honoured degrees. Yes, he had to leave us for a day or so and I would like to say why. He had to go to receive another award in London of the R.B. Bennett Commonwealth Prize, the Council of the Royal Society of Arts with the approval of the President, His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and on the recommendation of the Commonwealth Advisory Committee, Dr Swaminathan received this twentieth - however many - award from so many different countries. And when we had finished our work here the other afternoon I went to hear this mind at work in recounting to a group of interested scientists here in Rome the whole panorama of what has happened with these grains that man eats, and of course predominantly rice. It was a moving and magnificent outline. How do we day what we owe to such human beings? It is very difficult speaking of the ability and quality of mind and of the sense of service that this distinguished citizen of the world has exhibited. We are grateful indeed to have him as Chairman. Thank you very much for your patience as well as for all these other virtues.
S.M. MATIUR RAHMAN (Bangladesh): Mr Chairman, Mr Director-General and distinguished colleagues, on behalf of the countries in Asia and on behalf of my own country I take this great opportunity to say a few words at the end of the closure of this session of the Council. We have dealt in this Session with a number of important issues and important decisions have been taken on all these subjects. We hope these decisions will help to improve the world food security situation of each and every country, particularly of the countries in Africa now facing a critical food situation. We hope that by the time we meet in the next session of this Council these African countries will be able to work out their critical situation with their own efforts and the support of the international community. We are confident that our Director-General will pass a restless time until this position improves.
Our fruitful discussions and decisions have been facilitated by the excellent documentation by the FAO Secretariat. The quality of the documents speaks of the high efficiency and dedication of the FAO officers and staff working under the dynamic and wise leadership of our Director-General, Dr Edouard Saouma.
We want to put on record our great appreciation to the Director-General for his relentless support and concrete action to improve the world food and agriculture situation and food security for all, individually and nationally.
We also thank the Chairman and the members of the Drafting Committee for their efforts to produce a brilliant report that has made our work so easy. I must also take this opportunity to thank the interpreters, the messengers and others who have worked behind the scenes for their immense contribution to make our work in this session successful.
Last but not least, Mr Chairman, let me express our sincere thanks to you for your unique contribution to make our difficult work in this session so easy and fruitful because of your unique personal quality of head and heart. Mr Chairman, we are also grateful to the three able Vice-Chairmen for the efficient way they conducted this session in your absence and made our work easier.
We sincerely wish all the best of health and happiness in the new year.
J. TCHICAYA (Congo): Je voudrais au nom de ma delegation vous féliciter de la manière brillante avec laquelle vous avez conduit nos débats. Nous souhaitons egalement vous dire que nous sommes satisfaits du travail qu'ont mené en votre absence les vice-presidents qui vous ont si bien représenté.
Pour cette raison, je m'étonne de constater qu'au sein de notre Conseil il y a des membres ou un membre qui n'a pas été satisfait du déroulement de nos travaux.
Nous pensons également interpréter les sentiments des représentants de l'Afrique au sein de ce Conseil pour dire combien nous avons apprécié la manière dont vous avez mené les débats concernant l'Afrique. Nous sommes sensibles aux marques de sympathie dont nous avons bénéficié au sein de ce Conseil de la part de tous les délégués, je dis bien tous les délégués, c'est-à-dire aussi bien les pays développés que les pays en développement. Nous pensons que cette unanimité qui s'est manifestée au sein de ce Conseil saura se matérialiser dans les faits, bien que nous sachions que les uns et les autres font actuellement des efforts énormes pour arriver à surmonter la crise que nous connaissons en ce moment en Afrique. Encore une fois, nous voudrions réitérer notre gratitude aux membres de ce Conseil, et, en particulier, nous voudrions marquer toute notre reconnaissance au Directeur général qui a su lancer l'appel au moment où il l'a fait, et nous pensons qu'il continuera à tout mettre en oeuvre pour mobiliser toujours davantage l'aide internationale dont l'Afrique a besoin pour surmonter sa crise actuelle.
Nous voudrions également nous associer aux felicitations qui ont été adressées au President du Comité de rédaction ainsi qu'aux interprètes et aux messagers, et à tous ceux qui dans les coulisses ont tout mis en oeuvre pour faire en sorte que les travaux de notre Conseil connaissent le succès dont nous avons déjà parlé.
Encore une fois, je souhaite à tout le monde bon retour et que tous les voeux accompagnent les délégués de notre Conseil.
H.J.H. TALEYARKHAN (India): What impressed me the most in the career of this session of the Council was the spirit of camaraderie which prevailed throughout the deliberations, discussions, informal meetings that we had to have from time to time, and for which you showed indulgence so that we should come to conclusions. That was the best part of it. That is the lasting impression which will remain in my mind, because, whatever the differences, there was always deference shown by the members for each other; there was always a smile, a handshake, the warmth of heart, and ultimately the tact-fulness of the human mind prevailed to get the result. That is why we have been able to conclude a complicated agenda so quickly under the ability of your leadership as Chairman.
We were also given at the beginning, the benefit of the observations of the Director-General in his speeches and his closing remarks today have given us the comfort of assurance in the midst of difficulties, hardships, hurdles, obstacles through which the world has come to pass.
There is a light of hope which, so far as food is concerned, FAO has been able to shed. That light of hope, with the determination which one and all of us in this Council as well as in FAO as a whole and its associate bodies have shown, will ultimately prevail with the blessings of God and the sacrifices which people have to make. With the generosity of mind which we have to show, the removal of the meanness of spirit, the avoidance of exploitation of opportunities, goodwill prevail ultimately over evil. And then, even though Utopia may not be very near to reach, the concept of one world may not be insight, the stamina of unity will not eventually fail us.
Therefore we feel all that we have achieved in the course of this Council's discussions and deliberations with that great tactfulness and tolerance you showed throughout; will bear fruit. You never allowed your patience to come to a breaking point though sometimes you were strained to the utmost. This is no occasion, Mr Chairman, for any member, speaking or non-speaking, to carry any bitterness or bad taste in the mouth. There should be none.
There should be no element of controversy introduced at this stage by anyone. What should remain is what you and the Director-General have repeatedly stressed in other words, the awareness and oneness for this cause.That is what matters, that is what, really speaking, is our ideal, whether we reach it or not. It is not for us to judge, but for humanity at large in the gallery of the world which will be the witness of our deeds and our needs of our achievements, our shortcomings and our weaknesses, of our strength and our stamina.
That is where I feel that the entire Secretariat of FAO, from the top to the lowermost, have rendered exceptional services with dedication of purpose and efficiency, which is found in various international organizations. It is an unparalleled example of, where cordiality prevails, what can be achieved, and the difficulties which can be overcome.
The human touch is what matters the most, and the differences can be eliminated by not harbouring grudges, by not having any spirit of unhealthy competition. Healthy competition is desirable to get the results by all means, so that the cause of humanity can be better served, especially the terrible
suffering humanity of Africa. That is why India has had this contribution to which the Director-General was good enough to refer of one hundred thousand tonnes of wheat yesterday, thanks to our Prime Minister, who immediately declared this bounty of one hundred thousand tonnes.
Whatever we could have done, we have done like other countries within their respective limitations. It was our duty and that is why we hope and trust that ultimately in all parts of the world for causes like this, the only thing prevailing should be the spirit of sanity and sincerity and none other. That is what our Indira Gandhi stood for. She sacrificed so much during her lifetime and ultimately gave her life for it. Our leaders have been trying to do their best and that is why we hope and pray and trust that what we have left behind in the sands of time of this Council's work will make a bit of history.
Thanks to you, Mr Director-General for what you have done, along with your officers, for the creation of this spirit, this creation of the image of inspiration for poor people who are helpless, who cannot speak for themselves and to whose rescue, whether they ask for it or not, we have to rush. All of us here are totally united in the purpose. There is no doubt about it.
Therefore, I conclude by saying that no one should see any snakes and scorpions under the carpet. Remove them once and for all and let us be one, irrespective of the part of the world we come from, whether we come from the Western hemisphere or whether we come from the Eastern hemisphere. Whatever political' learnings we have or to whatever political attitudes we belong, should be set aside for the one great cause to which humanity has to be dedicated.
That is why you, Mr Chairman, on the occasion of the great award which you have received - the twenty-third you have won, if I am not mistaken - so many recognitions you have had, and so many research papers you have submitted, - that you are the ideal person to chair this Council, as Ambassador Fenwick has rightly said.
We look forward to the fact that with such a concentration of genuine desire as we have here and of dedicated spirit supported by determination and aspiration, we will be able to serve humanity with a pristine purity of accord and with an international patriotic priority of unity for the cause.
S. ZAHARIEV (Bulgaria): On behalf of the countries in our area, I would like to express our deep satisfaction with the work of this very honourable Council which we have just completed. The Council had in front of it quite a number of very crucial important issues to solve, and I can say again with satisfaction that you have done this job very well and have tackled the problems of the food situation in Africa, which is one of the most important at the time being. We have been talking about the state of food and agriculture in th'e world, which I think is important for everybody, small and weak, and we have talked about food security. This question is of paramount importance for us. By this, I do not like to minimize the importance of other items to which I hope we have paid due attention, so that' is the reason for giving me to say our Council has completed this job well.
Now it is a pleasant duty to join the other speakers before me and to thank you. Not being the first, of course I have a problem because all compliments have been exhausted before me, and in this case if you would just allow me on behalf of our people to repeat our admiration, our appreciation, our compliments for your wisdom, for your good leadership, for the work which has been performed by you and by your very able three Vice-Chairmen which we have elected.
I would like also again to repeat the deep thanks of the members of this Council to all staff who helped us during these days and nights of work, and I do not like to omit anybody but to repeat the Secretariat, the secretaries, the typists, the interpreters, the messengers and even the outside staff which this time have been smiling. It is a pleasure to be a member of this Council, and we hope that this is the way of one so highly organized, such an efficient organization like FAO have to have. This is the place to pay due tribute to the Director-General, Mr Saouma for his extremely able and dynamic leadership which makes this Organization one of a very high professional level to deal with the needs of the contemporary situation in the world.
A.M. KHALED (Yemen, Peoples' Democratic Republic of: (original language Arabic): I would like to associate myself with what has just been said by the delegate of Bulgaria with regard to the difficulty in which I find myself, because I simply have to repeat what already has been said.
Nevertheless, I would like to express our thanks and our satisfaction for the positive results which we achieved after the two weeks of debate. We achieved this result thanks to the spirit which prevailed throughout this session in spite of the differences of opinion, since these differences were always settled with a great deal of mutual respect. Of course, you played a very important role in guiding this debate. You showed great wisdom and patience. We would also like to thank the Vice-Chairmen who shared this responsibility.
We would like to express our esteem to the Director-General for the excellent way in which he directs this Organization in a spirit of almost perfect administrative management which has been achieved precisely because of the experience that the Director-General has, the experience which has made it possible for us to be successful in our work.
The Finance Committee, the Programme Committee, the Drafting Committee, and their Chairmen, have played a very important role in the preparation and operation of the Council, and we would like, to express our admiration for their efforts.
We would like to thank all those who have participated in making our work successful. We are speaking about the interpreters and the entire staff which serviced this Council session.
We express our appreciation of the way in which the question of hunger in Africa was dealt with. We greatly admire the way in which the Director-General informed the world about what is happening in Africa and the proposed solutions to the problems arising there. We admire what has been said by all the members of the Council in order to find a solution to the problem of food security in developing countries.
I have participated in the work of the Council for the first time. Quite frankly, I would like to tell you that I had at the beginning certain comments on the way in which the Council operated. I was a bit disappointed at first. But I can assure you that during the second part of the Council session I was greatly impressed by the spirit of responsibility, of friendship, which predominated throughout the session. I am quite convinced that our forthcoming session in June will be even better. We will then have carried out all the decisions which were taken now. We can discuss their results in order to achieve even more positive results in future.
Mrs. A. DELLA CROCE di DOJOLA (Italy): On behalf of the ten Member Countries of the European Economic Community the Italian delegation wishes to express its deep regret of the fact that the representative of the European Economic Community has not been given the floor among the members, as he had asked for in line with the existing habit in the international organizations. This is an important issue for all of us, especially since the Community is one of the world's major donors. We do consider this an unfortunate fact and we hope that this will not constitue a precedent for our future meetings.
Having said this I associate my voice with that of those which have been given before by all my colleagues here on behalf of the ten Member Countries of the European Economic Community, and indeed on behalf of the Italian delegation, to thank all the members of the Secretariat, of course the Director-General, the Deputy Director-General, the Chairman, the three Vice-Chairmen, the Chairman of the Drafting Committee and all the people present and behind the scenes who have helped us in our hard work to complete in two weeks what was on the agenda, work which we have all done with a sincere sense of responsibility, and we hope for the benefit of the hungry and the poor in the world.
G. BULA BOYOS (Colombia): La delegación de Colombia comparte la inquietud expresada por la distinguida Embajadora Fenwick acerca de la nota desagradable que se ha producido ahora, al final de nuestras reuniones. Pero estábamos acostumbrados a esas sorpresas desleales. Porque justamente, la misma persona que acaba de asumir esa actitud es , quien durante las dos ultimas semanas, me ha buscado permanentemente, y ha reconocido en privado mi cooperación para el entendimiento.
Sobre referencias a las actitudes de algunos países, no están sujetos aesas consideraciones aquellos representantes de Gobiernos que asumen actitudes serias, constructivas y que no amenazan a nadie.
Nos sorprende, señor Presidente, que se haya faltado al respeto al Consejo y a sus dignatarios, pero a esto no voy a referirme porque ya el distinguido Embajador Williams de Trinidad y Tabago respondió a esas acusaciones, con mucha dignidad y gran entereza.
Tampoco vamosa asumir una actitud de condena de esos colegas, porque durante los últimos tiempos tratamos de entenderles, y creemos sinceramente que están siendo víctimas de una obsesión, de una enfermedad, de un fanatismo religioso, que parece que les impulsara sin frenos a rendir pleitesía a algún dios desconocido, incognito, o a lo mejor bien conocido.
Esperamos, que el período natalicio que se aproxima sea propicio para que esos colegas se dediquen un poco a la meditación, para que recen algunas oraciones, para que analicen las injusticias en que han incurrido, y en el nuevo año se presenten de nuevo a estas reuniones curados de esos males.
Nosotros creemos, que no se puede pretender imponer los puntos de vista de ningún país a este Consejo porque se pierde el sentido democrático de nuestras deliberaciones. No podemos aceptar que el representante de ningún país, por importante que sea y por amigo que sea con el nuestro, se refiera a nuestras actuaciones en forma inaceptable que rechazamos.
El delegado del país que ha ofendido a este Consejo, y particularmente a nuestro Estado, puede estar seguro de que no nos atemoriza con sus comentarios que son inoportunos y son desafortunados.
Por el contrario, vamos a corresponder con el desprecio y con la indiferencia. Es lo que merecen. En efecto, habíamos pensado -esto lo digo muy seriamente- habíamos pensado contar aquí otra historia, de esas historias que tienen lugar allá en el pequeño pueblo de Colombia donde yo nací. Contamos una en la Sala Verde, y creo que todos los colegas tienen buen recuerdo de esa historia. Pero es muy tarde y además hay imposibilidad física. No pudimos comunicarnos con el Jefe de nuestra Comunidad, pero recordamos que él nos decía siempre: "Cuando se defiende una causa injusta, la soberbia, la arrogancia y los gritos prevalecen sobre el buen sentido, la educación y la cordura".
Sólo queremos concluir con otra frase que también usamos allá, en nuestra Comunidad, y que dice: "Los perros ladran a la luna".
H. HØSTMARK (Norway): Not speaking on behalf of members of the Council but of the Nordic Group, because we are a group, we have been cooperating closely in all matters here and I know that my Nordic colleagues are fully with me when I express our appreciation to you, Mr Chairman, I think my colleagues have exhausted not only the small but also the enlarged version of the Webster International Dictionary. The French-speaking delegation have consulted the Grand Larousse. I would have to consult the Norwegian one to find new words. I cannot. It is not'official. So I would associate myself with all those factual things which have been said about me and to me.
I would also place on record my thanks to everybody who has worked so hard during this Session of the Council, the Director-General, his staff, everybody from Directors to messengers, interpreters. I cannot list all the names, but they have all been pleasant to deal with. In spite of their very busy time everybody from messenger to Director has been pleasant, has been courteous, and has helped to provide the sort of atmosphere that has made our rather long days bearable, and I can say this as a member of the Drafting Committee. There have been other moments that have made this bearable and enlightened our days, and that is the cooperation that we have received from so many of our colleagues. Of the moments that are memorable I need only mention the Ambassador of India, who is a memorable member in himself. I would mention my friends, the delegates of Arabia. I cannot go through the whole list.
However, I would specially thank the Chairman of the Drafting Committee for his patience, his courtesy and his ability to get us through the long hard hours.
I also thank the other members of the Bureau that have helped you, Mr Chairman, in the deliberations of this Council Session.
Mr Chairman, as an outgoing member I cannot leave without assuring you of my Government's profound belief in the high aims in the purpose of this Organization, such as is evidenced in the preamble to our Cnnsriturinn.
J. LADÁN (Observer for Nigeria) (Chairman, Africa Group): May I first associate myself, as Chairman of the Africa Group and also on behalf of my delegation and other observers, with the statement made by the Ambassador of Congo who is a member of the Council. We should like to take his statement as deemed to be made on our behalf.
However, I would just add a few words. We were indeed helped by the sincerity of discussions on the agenda item on the critical food situation in Africa, and also by a practical demonstration of true solidarity to Africa, as demonstrated by India when they made a special announcement on the contribution that they intend to give to the Continent. I think this offer comes from a country which had the same traumatic experience that Africa is undergoing now.
We are also grateful to those countries that announced their increased contribution to emergency food aid to Africa, but particularly India and Japan, and the United States which has promised to preposition stock in Africa. There will be another donors' meeting and here we agree with the Director-General's observation that logistic problems are as important as availabilty of food. We share this view, and when the donors meet to consider giving further aid I think this question of logistics should be carefully planned. The supply line to the needy Africans should not be dry and external assistance should continue. Even where the affected people see another hope in the sky they should be helped, be it in the area of seeds, fertilizer, everything to help them get out of the traumatic condition.
So on behalf of the African Group we would like to express our sincere appreciation to all the delegates and observers who supported our cause and we hope that this will continue until the problem has finally been overcome.
DIRECTOR-GENERAL: Just an important piece of information. Mr Javier Perez de Cuellar, the Secretary-General of the United Nations has decided to have convene an extraordinary meeting of Permanent Representatives to the United Nations on the 14th of December to deal with the food situation, and the economic situation in Africa. I have asked the Secretary-General to postpone the meeting because he also invited me to address the General Assembly. In view of my visit to Ethiopia and other African countries, he agreed to postpone the meeting until the 17th December.
Our concern will be the survival of millions of children, mothers and men in Africa. This should be our concern. This problem is with us. Every one of you has a responsibility, whether it is Canada, Norway, New Zealand, Mexico, or wherever. I want to place on you the responsibility for the situation in Africa. My dear friends, at the next Council we are going to deal again with the food situation in Africa. When I go off to take the plane in a few hours, I will be going to a battlefield where people are fighting for survival, struggling against poverty and against hunger. I really do not understand the extraordinary preoccupation of some with subjects which were not before the Council, but which will come. This Council has been wasting time on subjects which have been unproductive. It is your right to include any item in the agenda; it is the right of any member to make such a request.
Next year, in the Council we shall be discussing our Programme of Work and Budget for 1986-87. This is an important subject, which concerns the decision you are going to make on our activities in 1986-87, hundreds of millions of dollars'worth of activities all over the world, and of interest to all Member Countries. We are also going to discuss the Report of the Committee on Agriculture, because it is a subsidiary body which reports to this Council and meets before the Council. We will discuss the Report of the Committee on World Food Security here in the Council next year. We shall also discuss the reports of the Committee on Fisheries, of the First Session of the Commission on Plant Genetic Resources, of the CCLM, on the food situation in Africa and the food situation in the world. I have no problem to include on the Agenda this famous subject which is also being raised in New York by the same delegations as do so here, including the United States of America. But it will go first to the Programme Committee and the Finance Committee because they are subsidiary bodies of the Council, and no such subject should normally come to the Council directly. If needed, it will go to those two Committees. It will in any case be in the CFA. You will be wasting time in trying to change a situation which has existed for 22 years, just for the sake of making it appear that changes are necessary. Then this will cause hardship to the people in Africa and all over the world.
It was not my intention to put this subject on the Agenda for the next Council because it is possible to solve the problem to the satisfaction of those concerned without coming to the Council - and it is not in their interest - where they have been defeated, I am sorry to say, on procedural matters. Then we will be discussing the substance. I am very keen to have the substantive matters discussed by the Council, matters such as the progress in development. The Council is not interested in seeing whether FAO will delegate much authority to the WFP Secretariat. This is not an essential.
I think I am preaching now, but it is my responsibility to draw your attention to the fact that we are going to spoil the atmosphere of the Council with a subject which can be dealt with in the CFA without necessarily bringing it here. I want to repeat what Mr. Sallery has said, that the request should be in writing, because you have already adopted the Report of the Council. It will not be in the Report, but I have received your comments. It should be in writing. But I am warning you, and it will be on record, that bringing this question here next year during the session of the Council, which will have to make a thorough examination of the Programme of Work and Budget, will result in a great loss of time. Many of you are not aware of how much time was wasted, or how much bitterness was generated in the discussion in the Drafting Committee. By bringing this question automatically to the Council, you are causing harm to the work of the Council, to the developing countries, and to all countries. I am warning you, and I want this to be on record. It was not my intention automatically to put it before the Council. I hope it will not be necessary, but some of you are now insisting and saying that you do not want us to mention anything in the Report without coming to conclusions. But they are here. These are the results. So please be aware of this.
I will comply with the request of any government asking to have any subject put before the Council.
R. SALLERY (Canada): I also want to thank the Director-General for his very pragmatic, practical approach to this, and for his good humour. We have all been involved in this for many days now. I must say, though, that it is because of our concern with what is happening in Africa that the whole question came about. It is because members of this Council and other bodies are concerned over the effectiveness of the delivery mechanisms. It is as simple as that. If it could be resolved, Mr Director-General, in the CFA or the Council, all you have to do is tell us it is resolved and we will be happy. We are reasonable people. If an Agenda item is proposed, we can also take it up and the members can meet over the next few months and decide on that. We do not wish to impede the work of the Council, but make it more effective.
R. MARTIN (Observateur pour la Belgique): Qu'est-ce que la délégation de la Belgique pourrait encore dire après l’intervention pleine de sagesse, et tellement bien élaborée, de l’Ambassadeur de l'Inde? A cette déclaration se joint, ainsi qu'à celle de la représentante de la Communauté des dix, ma declaration. Elle sera done très brève. Je voudrais done remereier le Direeteur général et le Secretariat pour les excellents documents qui ont été soumis au Conseil, le Président du Conseil pour la façon magistrale avec laquelle il a dirigé les débats, et le Comité de redaction pour tout son travail et le résultat qui en a découlé.
La délégation beige n'exprimera pas un regret parce qu'elle veut croire que c'est par erreur et que cela ne se répétera plus, que. la Communauté, contrairement à une procedure bien établie, n'ait pas pu exprimer son opinion parmi les autres delegations, après que cela ait été demandé par la delegation de l'ltalie. Pour conclure, la delegation beige voudrait exprimer ses voeux pour vous tous, pour la Nouvelle Annee et surtout pour que cette nouvelle année soit plus propice à I'Afrique que l'a été 1984.
CHAIRMAN: Since no other member of Council wishes to speak, it is my privilege to say a few words before closing. This afternoon, I mentioned that I expected that we would be able to close the session at 8 o'clock this evening. So may I first thank you all for saving me from reaching my target. We shall be able to close shortly. In life, philosophers tell us that pleasure and pain go together. In gatherings like this, there will always be a point when whoever is in the Chair has to give a ruling, otherwise there is no need for a chairman. A ruling always involves two sides, and therefore, the ruling will please some but not others. All I want to say on behalf of my distinguished Vice-Chairmen colleagues and myself is that if we have hurt any of you, I am sorry, and I apologize. We have tried to do whatever is in the best interest of the work of the Council.
Having said that, I want to remind you that on the opening day of this session of Council, the Director-General, Dr Saouma, told us and I quote "the real backdrop to our meeting is not the array of flags at the back of the hall, but the image of stark human tragedy which is taking place in Ethiopia and other parts of Africa - the appalling pictures of emaciated children, the victims of war, the columns of refugees trailing across a dusty landscape into urban squalor".
Just a little while ago you, Mr Director-General, indicated to us the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of the food aid and input requirements of African countries during 1985. As we adjourn I think this is a good reminder to us of the task ahead.
While speaking on how to alleviate human distress and hasten the pace of agricultural progres in the affected countries, all members of the Council spoke with one voice. This symphonic voice of the Eighty-sixth session of the Council in matters relating to Africa reminded me of what Swami Vivekananda in my country once described as an essential feature of the human spirit and character, and I quote "In this world, take always the position of the giver; give love, give help, give service, give any little thing you can, but keep out b,arter". This spirit was clear in the very many additional offers of food and money announced by members of the Council in this room during the last two weeks on behalf of their respective countries, culminating in the announcement made by the distinguished Ambassador of India yesterday that the Government of India will gift 100 000 tonnes of wheat to the drought affected countries of Africa and to the announcement made today by the distinguished delegate of Japan about an additional allocation of 50. million US dollars by his country. I wish to thank all members for their voice of sympathy and for their message of hope.
I wish .also to.thank the Director-General for giving us the privilege of listening to H.E. General Seyní Kountché, President of the republic of Niger and H.E. Bettino Craxi, Prime Minister of our host country, Italy. Let us hope that President Seyni Kountché's appeal for an African Agricultural Transformation Plan of the breadth of the Marshall Plan which helped to reconstruct war-ravaged Europe will soon become a reality in drought-ravaged Africa. Revitalization and growth of the rural economies of Africa as well as of many other developing nations will obviously depend both on their own efforts and on international cooperation, help and understanding. We have to exploit the immense opportunities presented by science and technology for increasing production in hungry and thirsty soils. We need to train rural women and men on a massive scale in the new technologies. Above all, we need to foster the growth of the political, social and economic conditions which will allow new technologies to develop and flourish. Let us hope that the present stirring of the human conscience will lead to the emergence of such positive developments.
It has been said, "knowledge leads to unity; ignorance to diversity". We are grateful to FAO for giving us the data and the knowledge which have helped us to achieve such impressive unity during this session of the Council. At the same time, we must acknowledge with gratitude the catalytic role played by the mass media in stirring political and public awareness of the problems of Africa. Television, radio and newspapers have played a superb and timely role. In particular, we should acknowledge the role of the British Broadcasting Corporation which was honoured last year during the Conference by the Award in the name of the previous Director-General Dr Boerma, and other similar agencies in spreading knowledge of the extent of human suffering in parts of Ethiopia, Chad, Niger, Mozambique, Mauritania and other drought affected countries.
I am happy that in all other major issues also, we have reached agreed conclusions. We have declared 1985 as the International Year of the Forest in recognition of the role of ecological security in enduring food security and of youth in the greening of the earth. We have seen progress in the prospects for solving the problem of headquarters accomodation and in safeguarding the immunities and privileges of our organization. The accomplishment of so much work within a span of two weeks would not have been possible but for the untiring efforts of so many dedicated staff members of FAO, who remain unseen and anonymous, to whom justly the different Council members who have spoken have
paid rich tributes. On your behalf, I want to tell all of them through you, Mr Director-General, how much we appreciate their work. The interpreters, verbatim reporters, translators, printers and professional and secretarial staff have all been working generally out of our sight but in such a meaningful manner. To them I want to say "out of sight does not mean out of our mind" and that we will always remember their services with gratitude.
To the messengers and others whose smiling faces we see in this room and in other rooms where our committees work, who supply us with water - I drink a lot of water, so I remember with gratitude that there is always a supply of water. They also help us to communicate with each other through bits of paper, and to them I wish to say, "Thank you very much". I mention water because in many parts of the world children and women have to trek sometimes many kilometres to fetch a pail of water, and we do not appreciate what we have in front of us. To Mr West and to the numerous professional and administrative staff of FAO, both senior and junior, I wish to express our gratitude for their help and guidance. Their extremely professional and self-effacing work is a source of inspirations to us all. Similarly to Mr Ingram and his staff in the World Food Programme we owe a deep debt of gratitude. Finally, to you, Mr Director-General, may I say how much we admire all that you stand for and work for. You set the tone for this meeting in your inspiring and informative opening address and you have given your time throughout the Council sessions to help us to come to meaningful conclusions. We pray for the health and happiness of you and your family and for your success in making FAO the instrument of achieving" the goal of freedom from want of food, suitable and adequate for the health and strength of all peoples" - I am quoting from the Hot Springs Conference convened by President Roosevelt on food and agriculture 41 years ago. We wish the voyage to Africa that you are undertaking tonight success because it is a voyage of hope.
To you, distinguished members of the Council, I can only say "thank you very much" for making the Council the purposeful, serious and friendly body it is. I thank you for your patience, understanding and persistence in seeking agreed solutions to complex issues. There are occasionally differences of opinion, but what is important is that they are all dealt with in a spirit of cooperation because we do not want the peace of the grave, we want a peace which comes as a result of animated discussion and agreed conclusions.
The three Vice-Chairmen, Ambassador L.E. Williams of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr S. Baharsjah of Indonesia, and Mr P.S. McLean of the United Kingdom, have all provided outstanding leadership to the work of the Council and I am deeply indebted to them. I understand Mr McLean is also likely to leave Rome shortly and I want to also wish him and his family well.
To the Chairman of the Drafting Committee, whose sense of dedication and humour has already been commented upon by several delegates, Mr Javed Musharraf of Pakistan, and to the distinguished members of this Committee, from Argentina, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Italy, Lebanon, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Sierra Leone and Tunisia, I say "thank you for your labour of love". We cannot thank them adequately for denying themselves the privilege of spending free evenings and for the extremely competent and cooperative manner in which they produced the Report. I also wish to join others in thanking Mr Linley and all the others in the Secretariat who assisted the Drafting Committee.
To our Secretary-General next to me, Mr Savary, we are extremely grateful. It has been a privilege for me to have had on my side here throughout these two weeks a person of his great human qualities, always courteous, always helpful and always smiling. We are equally indebted to Mr Henderson who has discharged the responsibility of Assistant Secretary-General in a quiet but very effective manner. I want to thank him personally for all the help he gave.
As I mentioned at the beginning of the Council meeting, seven members -- and as the Director General also mentioned -- are leaving us at the end of this year. They are Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Lesotho, New Zealand, Norway and Sudan. I want to thank all of them, these Country Representatives who have been attending the meetings of the Council and have helped the Council in its work.
I also wish to thank Professor Trkulja, the Chairman of the Programme Committee, and the members of the Programme Committee, Mr Abeyagoonasekera, the Chairman of the Finance Committee, and the members of the Finance Committee, and Ambassador Alvarenga, Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters, and members of his Committee, as well as the other Committees. We had also the Report of the Committee on World Food Security chaired by Mr Tanwir. Ahmad of Pakistan. We thank him and his colleagues; the Committee on Forestry, Mr George Holmes of the United Kingdom and his colleagues -- all these Committees which report to the Council, I want to thank them, the Chairmen and the members, because much of our agenda and material for our discussion" cömè from the excellent reports of these Committees.
Again, to you, all members of the Council and Observers, may I say how much we value your experience, mature counsel and your dedication to the causes which FAO stands and works for.
We live on this earth as guests of the green plants and of the farmers and fishermen who grow them harvest their primary or secondary products.
This week, our colleagues from the United States observed Thanksgiving Day which is a beautiful way of remembering what we owe to farmers and farming. Similar thanksgiving days are observed in all countries of the world on different dates and in different ways. They all have the same meaning, that we owe a debt of gratitude to the farmers for keeping us alive, and soon we will be entering a season which has been traditionally associated with peace and goodwill. The deliberations of this Council captured that spirit and reiterated that what we want is not the peace of the grave but the peace which can come from a satisfying life for all.
There was solidarity in our concern for the drought-affected people of Africa. There was determination that neither the hungry should become victims of politics nor hunger should become the vested interest of Organizations - whether national, bilateral or multilateral.
A publisher of English dictionaries selected a few years ago what he considered to be the ten most beautiful words in the English language. These words were selected by him not so much for their melodious sound but for their ability to motivate the listeners to a greater sense of purpose. The first word in this list is chime. The quiet tinkling of a bell or chime summons forth in the listener a sense of togetherness, a sense of purpose and a sense of peace. As I sat here listening to the distinguished members of the Council and Observers, most times I had the same feeling as I would experience while listening to the chiming of a bell.
The second in the list of the most beautiful words is dawn. Dawn represents the transition from darkness to light, from despair to hope. I hope 1985 will see such a transition in the lives of both poor farmers and hungry consumers. Such a transition will not come by mere wishful thinking or by rhetoric. But as Council members rightly stressed, it can come if there is a sense of priority, a sense of purpose and above all a sense of human solidarity and togetherness.
There is a saying when everything else dies on this earth, music and poetry alone will survive. And therefore I would like to conclude the Eighty-sixth Session of the Council with a poem:
The way is long,
Let us go together.
The way is difficult,
Let us help each other.
The way is joyful,
Let us share it.
The way opens before us,
Let us begin.
I wish you all a safe journey back home and to every one here in this room, everyone in this great building and many other places, a very happy New Year.
I declare the Eighty-sixth session of the FAO Council closed.
Applause
Applaudissements
Aplausos
The meeting rose at 19.15 hours
La séance est levee.à 19 h 15
Se levantá la sesión a las 19.15 horas
