EU Statement – UN General Assembly 6th Committee: Report of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country
– CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY –
Thank you, Chair,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.
The Candidate Countries Montenegro*, Serbia*, and Bosnia and Herzegovina* as well as Armenia, align themselves with this statement.
We wish to thank the Chair of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country for the presentation of the report and express our sincere appreciation to Cyprus for its tireless efforts and leadership of the Committee throughout the year. The report reflects accurately the factual situation for the period under review and, as such, managed to maintain consensus in the Host Country Committee.
The Committee devoted again this year extensive time and effort in addressing complex and long-standing issues relating to the implementation of the Agreement between the United States of America and the United Nations regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations. We commend the Chair’s proactive and balanced engagement with all stakeholders, including Member States, Observer States, the Host Country authorities and the Office of Legal Affairs with the aim to identify practical solutions and to advance constructive dialogue on issues raised in the Committee, including visa issuance, travel restrictions, and the security of Mission premises and personnel. We also commend and support the longstanding practice of the Chair to engage closely and to invite to the meetings of the Committee interested non-members of the Committee. Thanks to this bridge-building approach the Committee preserved its credibility as an open, transparent, solution-oriented and efficient forum for discussion.
The negotiations on the Recommendations and Conclusions of the Committee proved particularly demanding. The adoption of this year’s text required determination, constructiveness and flexibility from all members of the Committee. We warmly commend the members of the Committee as well as the interested non-members for the extensive and intense consultations conducted in a spirit of compromise, which ultimately led to the adoption of a text that garnered consensus within the Committee.
Mr./Madam Chair,
The European Union and its Member States reiterate that the Headquarters Agreement and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations are designed to ensure that the United Nations can fully and efficiently discharge its responsibilities and fulfil its purposes. The privileges and immunities provided therein are indispensable to enabling Permanent Missions and delegations to perform their functions independently and effectively. They cannot be subject to any restrictions arising from bilateral relations of the host country.
We recognize the efforts of the Host Country to engage on all matters related to its obligations under the Headquarters Agreement and we encourage the continuation of all relevant and appropriate actions in this regard in order to ensure that these obligations are upheld. We also note the serious concerns expressed by some States and affected delegations regarding specific challenges.
The observance of privileges and immunities is an issue of utmost importance, to enable the full participation of all delegations in the work of the United Nations.
We acknowledge the challenges and complexities faced by several delegations. We note that some delegates were affected by the late issuance or non-issuance of visas, thus limiting their full and timely participation in UN meetings. In particular, the European Union and its Member States regret the decision by the US Department of State to deny and revoke entry visas for members of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization ahead of their participation in the General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last September.
We continue to value the important role of the Secretary General and the Office of Legal Affairs, and in particular of the Legal Counsel, in facilitating dialogue and promoting practical solutions in consultation with the Chair of the Committee, the Host Country authorities, and concerned Member States. We commend the Secretary General and the Legal Counsel for their continued engagement with all relevant stakeholders.
Finally we reiterate the Committee’s exclusive role to discuss all relevant issues arising in connection with the implementation of the Headquarters Agreement. We believe that dialogue, in a spirit of good faith and with full regard for the interest of the Organization, on all issues discussed in the Committee, remains the best avenue for finding acceptable solutions in line with international law.
Thank you.