New York, 24 August 2006 – The drafting group for a resolution on Revitalization of the General Assembly (GA) met twice this week to produce a tentatively agreed, nearly “clean” draft. The cluster of clauses on the Selection of the Secretary-General contained many points of disagreement for the Member States, and although it was hoped that a fully clean draft could be sent by delegates to their capitols at the end of today’s meeting, two points of contention remained in the text and would be reviewed by the Co-Chairs of the Ad Hoc Working Group on GA Revitalization.

Opening the meeting, the new facilitator (New Zealand Deputy Prime Minster Kirsty Graham) stressed the urgency of reaching agreement this week. The last chance for a Resolution before the end of the 60th Session, is agreement on the draft from the Member States’ respective capitols, she indicated.

The topics covered in the draft can be grouped into four major issues.

Openness of the process. Delegates tentatively agreed to refer to Article 97 and to add language on transparency and inclusiveness.

Nominating candidates. Delegates tentatively agreed to encourage the President of the General Assembly to consult with Member States and identify candidates to forward to the Security Council; and to refer to the role of both Security Council and General Assembly in identifying candidates.

Assessing candidates. Contention remained over whether to state only that candidates should present their views to Member States (Canada’s proposal), or to specify the mechanism by which those interactions would take place (supported by NAM members, Costa Rica).

Final selection. Contention remained over whether to request the Security Council to recommend more than one candidate to the GA for consideration (Cuba, Venezuela supporting); if the Resolution makes no such request, the current practice will continue, in which the GA votes on the single candidate recommended to it by the Security Council (supported by Canada, Finland on behalf of EU, and the US).

Speaking against the multiple-candidate request in the Resolution, Canada’s delegate suggested that the draft had already increased interaction between Member States and candidates in the nomination stage, giving the GA more information with which to make its final decision on the candidate recommended by the Security Council. Canada’s delegate also voiced concern that the selected Secretary-General’s credibility would be undermined by a contest in the GA, which could lead to his or her being viewed as “beholden” to the Permanent Members of the Council. Venezuela’s delegate, however, stressed that the credibility of the candidate would be stronger with a vote from 98 Member States than only 15. No consensus was reached.

The Ad Hoc Working Group will convene during the week of 28 August with the aim of adopting an agreed text, according to a letter from Ambassador Solveiga Silkalna of Latvia, one of the Co-Chairs.