Sixth Committee (Legal) — 64th session
Observer status for the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission in the General Assembly (agenda item 165)
- Item proposed by Switzerland (A/64/142)
Summary of work
Background
The item was included in the agenda at the request of Switzerland.
Consideration at the sixty-fourth session
At the 10th meeting, on 15 October, the representative of Switzerland, on behalf of Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, the Czech Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, introduced a draft resolution entitled “Observer status for the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission in the General Assembly” (A/C.6/64/L.6). Subsequently, Albania, the Central African Republic, Mongolia and Uruguay joined in sponsoring the draft resolution.
Statements were made by the representatives of Iran (Islamic Republic of), Switzerland, Argentina and Trinidad and Tobago.
In response to the request made by a delegation, the Secretary of the Sixth Committee read out the text of the General Assembly decision 49/426 of 9 December 1994 and paras. 2 and 3 of the Assembly resolution 54/195 of 17 December 1999 regarding the question of the granting of observer status in the Assembly.
Some delegations expressed their support for the granting of observer status to the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission in the General Assembly.
Action taken by the Sixth Committee
At its 14th meeting, on 23 October, the Committee adopted the draft resolution without a vote. The representatives of Egypt, the Syrian Arab Republic and Iran (Islamic Republic of) spoke in explanation of position after the adoption of the draft resolution. Under this draft resolution, the General Assembly would decide to invite the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission to participate in the sessions and the work of the General Assembly in the capacity of observer; and request the Secretary-General to take the necessary action to implement the resolution.
Subsequent action taken by the General Assembly
