VZCZCXYZ0041
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #2210 3382207
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 042207Z DEC 06
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0859

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 002210 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC UNGA KUNR
SUBJECT: UN BUDGET: GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON 
RENOVATION OF SECRETARY-GENERAL'S RESIDENCE 
 
REF: USUN 2039 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY: On November 28, the Plenary adopted a resolution 
on the "Renovation to the residence of the Secretary-General" 
(A/C.5/61/L.8) after the Fifth Committee adopted the draft 
resolution on November 22.  Member States were able to reach 
agreement on endorsing the recommendations and observations 
of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary 
Questions (ACABQ), thereby stressing the need to adhere 
strictly to the time schedule for the work and for the full 
cost of the renovation to be absorbed within the existing 
appropriation.  The resolution also regrets that this 
proposal was not included in the proposed program budget for 
the biennium 2006-2007, authorizes the Secretary-General to 
enter into commitments of 4,490,400 dollars and to report on 
expenditures in the context of the second performance report. 
 The resolution was adopted ahead of other Fifth Committee 
resolutions in order to allow the renovation to proceed 
expeditiously.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  After the adoption of the draft resolution in the Fifth 
Committee, South Africa (on behalf of the Group of 77 and 
China), Finland (on behalf of the European Union) and the 
U.S. (see para 4) made statements in explanation of position. 
 South Africa said the renovation of the Secretary-General's 
residence should have been addressed sooner to avoid cost 
escalations and ensure the Secretary-General and his family 
lived comfortably and safely.  The G77 joined the consensus 
on the text after receiving assurances from the Secretariat 
that absorbing the cost of the project (which was recommended 
by the ACABQ) would not lead to delays in projects the 
Assembly approved under Section 32 of the 2006-2007 programme 
budget.  The G77 had also been assured that expenditures 
would be reported in the second performance report.  South 
Africa also said the G77 expected every effort would be made 
to conclude negotiations with the host country on the fourth 
supplemental headquarters agreement. 
 
¶3.  Finland (on behalf of the EU) welcomed adoption of the 
resolution and trusted every effort would be made to absorb 
the full cost of the renovation and security upgrade within 
the approved appropriations for the 2006-2007 program budget. 
 The EU looked forward to returning to the issue in the 
context of the second performance report for the current 
biennium. 
 
¶4.  The U.S. delivered the following explanation of position: 
 
BEGIN TEXT. 
 
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 
 
As my delegation has previously stated, we are concerned by 
the current conditions of the Secretary-General's residence 
and therefore support the proposal to renovate his residence. 
 We are pleased that the Committee has been able to reach 
agreement on this matter, allowing the renovation to move 
forward expeditiously.  We note that the draft resolution 
before us today endorses the observations and recommendations 
of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary 
Questions, which we support.  We understand that by endorsing 
these observations and recommendations, the General Assembly 
stresses the need to adhere strictly to the time schedule for 
the work and for the full cost of this renovation to be 
absorbed within the existing appropriation. 
 
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 
 
END TEXT. 
BOLTON