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Statement by Mr. Sho Ono,

Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations

 

Agenda Item 134: Proposed programme budget: biennium 2014-2015

On the Study on the long-term accommodation needs at United Nations Headquarters

For the period from 2014 to 2034

 

First Resumed Part of the Sixty-eighth Session

Of the United Nations General Assembly

March 28, 2014

 

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

At the outset, my delegation would like to thank H.E. Mr. Yukio Takasu, Under-Secretary-General for Management and Mr. Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), for introducing their respective reports on the Study on the long-term accommodation needs at United Nations Headquarters for the period from 2014 to 2034. I wish to briefly outline my delegation’s views on this issue.

 

            First and foremost, my delegation would like to again express its deepest regret over the late issuance of the documents on this agenda item. This Committee is to be closed today. The late issuance of the documents on this agenda item makes it impossible for us to thoroughly consider this item which is so critically important for the future of this organization.

 

We fear that the late issuance of these documents could ultimately have a negative impact on this organization, since one of the options presented by the Secretary-General is said to be a time-bound option. When my delegation pointed out this problem last week, both the Secretariat and the Chair of the ACABQ provided us some structural causes for the delay.  My delegation believes that it is high time for us to explore structural solutions on this repeatedly discussed problem.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

            My delegation intends to be fully engaged in the discussions on this item, in order to thoroughly consider all options presented by the Secretariat.  It is, however, unfair and unacceptable for this Committee not to be able to consider all the options presented today due to the limitation of time. The Secretariat should not spare any effort to keep all options viable by taking whatever measures deemed necessary until such time as this Committee has thoroughly considered this item.  

 

In the meantime, my delegation expects the Secretariat to make efforts to deepen the Member States’ understanding on each option and on this important agenda, not only at the experts’ level but also at the higher level by providing a briefing on this issue. 

 

 

Thank you.