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Proposed budget for UN should reflect priorities set out in mid-term plan, millennium goals, major conferences, Fifth Committee delegates stress; Concerns raised about funding for development needs, extrabudgetary financing -- Part 2 of 3.

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M2 PRESSWIRE-31 October 2003-UN: Proposed budget for UN should reflect priorities set out in mid-term plan, millennium goals, major conferences, Fifth Committee delegates stress; Concerns raised about funding for development needs, extrabudgetary financing -- Part 2 of 3(C)1994-2003 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:10302003

NAJIB ELJY (Syria), associating himself with the Group of 77 and China, said that translating the programmes and policies of the United Nations was the cornerstone of making a decision on the budget, which should reflect the priorities of the Medium-term Plan, the goals adopted at the Millennium Summit and the outcomes of recent international conferences.

The use of results-based budgeting did not take into consideration the nature of the Organization, and requests for resources under that approach were often not based on proper justifications. Syria required additional information in that respect. Results-based budgeting was an administrative tool to improve accountability and responsibility within the Organization, not an objective in itself, and should take into account the international nature of the United Nations. It was necessary to guarantee the gradual application of that tool, based on the existing rules and regulations.

Noting that the budget proposal exceeded $3 billion, he questioned whether the figure could efficiently fulfil all the Organization's mandates. The so-called zero-growth rate was not compatible with the Organization's needs. Moreover, the proposal coincided with reform initiatives in many areas of the United Nations. When everybody supported reform, how could they also insist on zero growth?

Dependence on extrabudgetary resources was a source of concern, he continued, adding that it would prevent the Organization from enjoying sound and predictable financing. Most of those resources were tied to the implementation of the desires of the donors. All of the Organization's priorities should enjoy equal importance, and making some of them more important than others contradicted the nature of the United Nations. The reallocation of resources should be explained in view of the priorities agreed upon by Member States.

It appeared that the proposed deletion of 912 outputs was not compatible with the existing rules, he said. Syria was also concerned about the establishment of a single information hub in Europe to replace several information centres and wished to know what impact that decision would have from the point of view of savings and equality of languages. Syria also looked forward to the presentation of a progress report that would establish how successful the initiative had been....

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