STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA BY COUNSELOR M. LUZ MELON, PERMANENT MISSION OF ARGENTINA TO THE UNITED NATIONS, ON THE ORGANIZATION OF WORK OF THE SECOND PART OF THE RESUMED SIXTY-FIFTH SESSION OF THE FIFTH COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL ASSSEMBLY

1. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

2. We would like to extend our congratulations to the new Secretary of the Fifth Committee, Ms. Sharon van Buerle, and wish her success in her duties to which she brings the skill and comprehensive knowledge of the administrative and budgetary issues of the Organization from her former position as Director of the Programme Planning and Budget Division.

3. Allow me to extend to you and the members of the bureau our thanks for the preparation of the proposed programme of work and the status of documentation for the Fifth Committee during the second part of the resumed 65th session of the General Assembly as contained in document A/C.5/65/L.30.

4. The workload ahead of us in this resumed session, which is devoted mostly for consideration of the financing of peacekeeping operations, is considerable and demanding, and therefore requires that we maintain a focus on peacekeeping related issues. We are strongly confident that under your able leadership the Committee will come to a timely and successful conclusion of its deliberations on the various items before us on 27th May.

5. The Group of 77 and China is of the view that adequate time should be allocated for the consideration of all the items on our agenda. In this session, besides the examination of the peacekeeping budgets, we will need to tackle two other priority issues: the report of the Working Group on Contingent-Owned Equipment and the rates of reimbursement for troop costs. The Group expects that, in accordance with past practice, the programme of work to be adopted today will be reviewed and amended after the first week, as needed.

6. The Group of 77 and China would like to stress that the General Assembly must approve, during this second resumed session, an ad-hoc increase to troop costs, in order to address the difficulties arising out of inflation factors which severely affect troop-contributing countries. The Group would like to express its serious concern over the length of time that has elapsed since the last review of troop costs in 1992, and the subsequent ad hoc increase in 2002. This situation has placed a difficult financial burden on troop-contributing countries and poses a serious threat to the sustainability of their participation in peacekeeping operations.

7. The Group would like, once again, to highlight the importance of receiving all the pertinent documentation and reports in a timely manner, in accordance with the time-frame established by the Rules and Regulations, to allow for the indispensable analysis and assessment by Delegations. The Group would also like to acknowledge the efforts made by the Secretariat and other relevant bodies to ensure the availability of most of the necessary materials at least before the inauguration of the session

8. In concluding, Mr. Chairman, the Group of 77 and China would like to assure you that it will engage constructively in the Committee’s deliberations to ensure a successful outcome of the session.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.