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Forestry Issues. The Tropical Forestry Action Plan (TFAP) and a proposed International Instrument on the Conservation and Development of Forests were among the highest priority items. The FAO reported on consultations of forestry experts in Geneva on March 6-8 at which the goals of the TFAP were reformulated to make them more responsive to world concern over the conservation and sustainable management of tropical forests. In addition, the experts proposed establishment of an international consultative group (CG) to provide a broader base of support and policy direction for TFAP activities. The Council did not authorize the FAO to participate on the CG. Instead, the Council authorized the FAO Forestry Department to meet in a contact group with other TFAP cosponsors to further define the terms of reference of the proposed CG. The FAO was required to return to the 100th session of the Council in November for further guidance.

The United States, as well as other donor countries, supported the rapid formation of a CG to remove lingering questions about TFAP guidance and thereby improve the flow of development assistance resources through TFAP. Other countries expressed concerns about the participation of nongovernmental organizations on the CG.

The Council report on the International Instrument on the Conservation and Development of Forests was limited to an agreement that the appropriate forum for discussions and negotiations was the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), to be held in Rio de Janeiro, on June 1–12, 1992.

Membership of the European Community in the FAO. While the Council supported in principle the request by the European Community (EC) for membership status, it did not resolve the question of the precise form of that status. The Council decided to pass to the FAO Conference draft amendments to the FAO Constitution and General Rules regarding admission of regional economic integration organizations (REIOs) which contained as many as five variants for some provisions. The Council also established a working group to review these alternative proposals prior to the Conference.

Plant and Genetic Resources. The Council established a contact group to deal with a controversial draft resolution amending the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources by amplifying certain provisions.

FAO Conference

The U.S. Delegation to the 26th session of the FAO Conference, held in Rome November 9-27, was headed by Secretary of Agriculture Edward R. Madigan. The Conference was preceded by a 4-day meeting of the 100th session of the Council, and followed by a 1-day meeting of the 101st session of the Council at which elections to FAO technical committees were held. The United States was reelected both to the Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters and as the North American representative to the Finance Committee.

The Conference approved the admission of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as members of the FAO, and Puerto Rico as an associate member. It set a precedent in the UN system with admission of the European Community (EC) as a member of the FAO. South Africa withdrew its application for membership in return for a commitment to place its application on the agenda of the 27th session of the Conference in 1993. The Conference elected Antoine Santraint (Belgium) for a second term as Independent Chairman of the Council by a vote of 86 to 9, with 14 abstentions.

In his statement to the Conference, Secretary Madigan stressed the importance of agricultural reform in the Uruguay Round of the GATT negotiations to the developing countries. He urged the FAO to take the lead in helping nations make the transition to free market economies. The major issues addressed by the 100th session of the Council and the 26th session of the Conference included:

Adoption of 1992-1993 Budget. Following yearlong negotiations with the Director General, the FAO Secretariat and FAO membership to achieve a budget that would meet U.S. budgetary policy for UN assessed agencies, the United States joined the 111 to 0 vote, with 1 abstention in favor of FAO's first zero real growth budget. The budget was set at $645,588,000, a 13.5 percent nominal increase over the previous biennium's budget. The Conference also adopted a resolution institutionalizing the budget outline process, which is intended to help achieve consensus on budgetary matters through a discussion of program priorities and resource levels at an early stage of the budget formulation process. Consensus on a 1992-1993 budget enabled the United States to make essentially a full payment of its annual assessment for calendar year 1991 (fiscal year 1992) under provisions of the Solomon-Kassebaum amendment, which limited the U.S. contribution payable by withholding a certain portion of the U.S. assessed contribution until the organization had imple

mented consensus-based decision-making procedures on budgetary matters.

Admission of European Community. The Conference set a precedent for the UN system with its admission of the European Community as a member organization by a secret vote of 104 (U.S.) to 6, with 3 abstentions. The Conference had first approved amendments to the FAO Constitution and General Rules to allow regional economic integration organizations (REIOS) to be admitted as members of FAO. In meetings of the Council in June, an ad hoc working group, and the Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters, the United States had worked with other member states to ensure that amendments allowing REIO membership would be in accordance with the principle of alternative exercise of membership rights. The amendments provide that either the REIO or its members, but never both, has the right to vote on a particular issue. In addition, they make clear that only a REIO whose members have transferred to it their competence to make binding decisions over a range of matters within the purview of the FAO is eligible to apply for membership in the FAO.

FAO Reform. This Conference was the first opportunity for all member states to discuss the implementation of resolution 10/89, approved at the 1989 Conference, regarding the review of FAO. The United States and other developed countries focused on the use of the medium-term plan as the vehicle for periodic reappraisal of FAO goals, operations and priorities, while developing countries stressed the costliness of the review at a time of exceptional budgetary stringency.

The United States recognized progress made by FAO, particularly in the area of priority setting, but noted that a number of important steps could be implemented without significant additional costs. The United States held that the review of FAO goals and operations was an ongoing process which should have as its continuing objective the greater effectiveness and responsiveness of the FAO both within the UN system and to the needs of member states. It further suggested that member states take more responsibility for improving the procedures and processes by which they govern the organization and its technical commit

tees.

Special Assessments. The Conference approved by a vote of 61 to 15 (U.S.), with 24 abstentions, a special assessment on member states to replenish the special reserve account, an account established primarily to mitigate the adverse effects of currency fluctuations. By a vote of 81 to 8 (U.S.), with 11 absten

tions, the Conference also approved a special assessment to raise the level of the Working Capital Fund. The United States opposed these special assessments since they failed to take into account concerns expressed by many member states about higher assessments. It proposed alternative ways of addressing the problems of adverse exchange rate fluctuations and of financing the Working Capital Fund.

Forestry Issues. The Council did not authorize FAO participation on the proposed Consultative Forum (CF), despite progress achieved in defining the functions of the CF by the contact group created pursuant to the decision of the 99th session of the FAO Council in June. The contact group, composed of the sponsors of the Tropical Forestry Action Plan (TFAP) and representatives of developed and developing countries and nongovernmental organizations, had met in Paris on September 13-14, and had achieved an agreement on the functions of a CF, but not on its composition or the location of the TFAP secretariat. The Council agreed to the creation of an ad hoc group of the FAO Council to discuss the issue further.

Most tropical developing countries, concerned about the participation of nongovernmental organizations on the CF, spoke against immediate formation of a CF and in favor of an ad hoc group. The United States did not commit itself to participating in this new ad hoc group.

Technical Assistance to the Palestinian People. The Conference endorsed technical interventions in the areas of crop production and protection, livestock, fisheries, water problems, agro-industries and land issues recommended by the 1991 FAO mission to the occupied territories, operating pursuant to 1989 Conference resolution 1/89. The Conference requested the Director General formulate projects and activities in coordination with UNDP to implement the mission recommendations. The United States supported FAO's technical approach to this issue and joined consensus on the Conference's findings.

Governance Reform of the World Food Program. Unanimous approval by the Conference of long sought amendments to the World Food Program (WFP) General Regulations marked the end of a contentious period of reform of the WFP-FAO relationship, and the beginning of a period of strengthening the WFP through broader and more intense member country oversight. Amendments that brought more autonomy for WFP from FAO also created an enlarged Committee on Food Aid, from 30 to 42, and increased responsibilities for the CFA for governing

WFP.

Plant Genetic Resources. The Conference adopted without change the resolution endorsed by the FAO Council which further clarified the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources. Sovereign rights over plant genetic resources and protection of breeders' lines were key issues clarified by the resolution. Remaining issues to be resolved include access to genetic resources and the nature and size of funding mechanisms. The Conference supported convening a fourth International Technical Conference on Plant Genetic Resources in late 1993 or early 1994.

FAO Committees

The Finance Committee held its 70th, 71st and 72nd sessions on January 29, May 7-16, and September 16-26, respectively. At these meetings, the United States, as one of nine elected members, reviewed the financial position of FAO; pursued budgetary reform objectives, including development of a zero real growth budget for 1992–1993, maximum absorption of nondiscretionary cost increases, and consensus decision-making on budgetary matters; opposed special assessments to replenish the Special Reserve Account and the Working Capital Fund; and encouraged implementation of 1989 resolution 10/89 on the review of the FAO.

Joint sessions of the Program and Finance Committees, held in January, May and September, addressed the institutionalization of the budget outline process, which gives member states an early opportunity to discuss program priorities and resource levels for the next biennium, the proposed budget for 1992–1993, and FAO reform measures.

The 16th session of the Committee on Food Security met March 11-15, to discuss the world food security situation (which many delegations believed had improved in 1990-1991); food security programs in Ecuador; prospects for food aid in the 1990s; and the food security assistance scheme. The United States stressed that a successful conclusion to the Uruguay Round would improve food security worldwide.

The Committee on Fisheries, which held its 19th session from April 8-12, focused on the issue of large-scale pelagic driftnet fishing. The United States urged FAO to undertake no activities which would delay complete and timely implementation of UN General Assembly resolutions 44/225 and 45/197 establishing a moratorium on driftnet fishing.

The agenda of the 11th session of the Committee on Agriculture, held on April 22-30, reflected some of the actions called for

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