and (3) requested the Secretary General to submit to the General Assembly at its next session a report containing "the replies of member states, relevant UN bodies and specialized agencies, regional intergovernmental organizations and interested international legal bodies on the implementation of the Manila Declaration and on ways and means of increasing the effectiveness of this document." The resolution was adopted by plenary by a vote of 131 to 0, with 21 abstentions (U.S.). The United States and WEOG abstained because amendments to the Romanian draft resolution tabled by the Nordics and the EC were not adopted. These amendments would have removed the operative request to the Secretary General to report on the implementation of the Manila Declaration; and would have changed the decision to consider the question of peaceful settlement of disputes as a separate agenda item.

Questions Relating to Information

Questions relating to information are discussed at annual sessions of the UN Committee on Information (COI). The COI is a standing committee of the General Assembly mandated to oversee UN public information activities, including those of the UN Department of Public Information (DPI), and to coordinate information activities of UN specialized agencies. It had 73 members during 1989. Each year it adopts a set of recommendations on information issues to submit to the Special Political Committee of the General Assembly, which, after discussion, adopts the recommendations in their original or amended form as a resolution.

The Group of 77 (G-77) enjoys an overwhelming numerical preponderance in COI membership, and has succeeded in establishing its agenda, views and language as the basis for discussion within the Committee. Some of the most active G-77 countries have been those which are least democratic, and the language of the COI recommendations has therefore frequently reflected views inimical to the principles of free flow of information and freedom of the press. In the past, these countries usually enjoyed the support of the Eastern Europeans in advancing their views. We and our allies have succeeded, however, in gradually moderating this language to reflect Western views on free flow of information and freedom of the press, as incorporated in the UN Charter. We have also succeeded in introducing language calling for greater objectivity in DPI reporting and for more efficient management of DPI. Improvements in the resolutions have not yet been sufficient, however, to gain U.S. or general Western support.

During the COI's 11th session, held April 13-28, the COI failed, as in 1988, to agree on a set of recommendations. No vote was taken. As a result, the COI's report to the SPC included only an account of its general debate. The draft recommendations introduced in two papers-one on the New World Information and Communication Order (NWICO) and another on guidance for the DPI-presented by the COI Chairman, and revised during discussions at the session, were not formally annexed to the report because of G-77

objections. However, a statement appeared in the report recommending that the Chairman's papers be included in the Special Political Committee's consideration of the information issue.

At the Special Political Committee's session, held November 5-23, the two papers prepared by the COI Chairman served as the initial basis of negotiations on a draft resolution. It was agreed among the various spokespersons of the regional groups to begin negotiations with the second, less controversial, paper on guidance for the DPI. Within the G-77 there was very little argument and hardliners who called for a return to last year's draft were put down easily by moderates, who have become progressively stronger. However, within the Western Group solidarity broke down over a political issue. The Greek and Turkish Representatives took opposing views on the mention of Cyprus in a list of conflicts in that the United Nations is involved. This caused an impasse which led to a breakdown in negotiations with the G-77. Malaysia, on behalf of the G-77, forced through a resolution combining the two papers which was made palatable to some Western countries by the liberal infusion of language from a recently adopted UNESCO resolution on communications.

Among the positive points in this year's deliberations on information were that the drafters kept the resolution in two parts, thereby separating the broader information question from instructions to the DPI. Much objectionable G-77 language was removed, including the once non-negotiable phrase, "the principle of sovereign equality extends also to this field." Furthermore, language referring to freedom of the press and the independence of the media is prominent in the text as are references to private as well as public media.

However, despite concessions and improvements, unacceptable language remains in the text including formulations which make references to freedom of the press somewhat ambiguous. For this reason, the United States felt compelled once again to vote against the resolution. In an explanation of vote, U.S. Ambassador Alexander Watson said that while the United States is willing to support a realistic resolution, the call for the establishment of a new world information and communication order (NWICO), no matter how we define it, has, over the years, taken on connotations which we believe can be used to oppose freedom of speech and freedom of the press. He added that the United States had strong objections to instructions to the DPI asking it to continue to cover UN Middle East activities in accordance with UN resolutions which we voted against in the past. He also objected to the call to the Secretary General to assure equitable geographical distribution of DPI posts since the UN Charter calls for this principle to be Secretariat-wide rather than Department-specific.

The draft resolution on Questions Relating to Information was approved in the final session of the Special Political Committee on November 23 (107 to 2

(U.S.) with 20 abstentions). In contrast to the situation last year (100 to 8 (U.S.) with 15 abstentions), the United States stood alone with Israel in opposition. Two Western countries, Austria and Sweden voted for the resolution. The EC-12 abstained as a group on procedural grounds along with Canada, Japan, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Australia, New Zealand and Turkey.

This voting shift within the Western Group reflected general approval, among the EC-12 and other countries, for the language supportive of free expression incorporated in the resolution from the communications resolution of the just-concluded UNESCO General Conference.

In the General Assembly plenary session on December 8, the information resolution was adopted by a vote of 127 to 2 (U.S.), with 21 abstentions. (Resolution 44/50.)

Nepal was admitted to membership in the COI, bringing the total number to 73.

The United States has long been critical of the lack of objectivity in the materials DPI disseminates. In April 1986 the General Accounting Office (GAO), responding to a request by Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), published a report evaluating DPI printed materials and scripts of its radio programs. The report (GAO/NSIAD-86-98) showed that about half of the products opposed key U.S. interests. It recommended that the Secretary of State develop a review process to better monitor selected UN public information materials. The Department of State initiated review procedures in August 1986 at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York and instructed all U.S. Embassies in countries where UN Information Centers are located to review the materials the Centers disseminate. These procedures have made DPI more aware of U.S. concerns and more attentive to objectivity and fairness in relation to U.S. interests. The number of occasions upon which the United States is finding it necessary to register concern is decreasing, and the extent and depth of antiU.S. bias has diminished somewhat. The appointment of a Canadian director of DPI in March 1987, the reorganization she is implementing, and the personnel changes she has made have produced a greater willingness to listen to and to heed U.S. complaints and suggestions. These developments give cause for optimism that a further reduction in anti-U.S. bias is possible. The monitoring efforts are continuing.

Economic, Social, Scientific and
Human Rights Affairs

INTRODUCTION

Chapter III of the UN Charter established the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) as the principal organs of the United Nations responsible for the issues covered in Part 2 of this report. ECOSOC's limited membership (54 countries), however, has led the developing countries to prefer the General Assembly and its subsidiary bodies where they enjoy maximum voting strength for substantive discussion and action on international economic development issues. As a result, the General Assembly has created entities (described in this part) for substantive discussion and action on international economic development issues. The most important of these is the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

The General Assembly and its subsidiary bodies constitute the major fora for what has been called the North/South dialogue between developed and developing countries. The North/South distinction, however, tends to mask the significant differences within each group and to overlook the high degree of economic interdependence which exists between developed and developing countries and among developing countries themselves. The major fora for North/South economic dialogue in 1990 are the UN Special Session Devoted to International Economic Cooperation, meetings to prepare an International Development Strategy (IDS) for the 1990s, and the Second UN Conference on Least Developed Countries, which are discussed under their own headings in this part.

The General Assembly, in its regular sessions, is organized into seven committees. The Second Committee is responsible primarily for economic affairs, and the Third Committee for cultural, humanitarian and social affairs.

The Second and Third Committees receive some of their issues directly, but most are passed to them by ECOSOC. All elements of the UN system primarily concerned with the issues in this section usually report to the General Assembly through ECOSOC. It is authorized only to comment on reports from other bodies before conveying them to the General Assembly.

ECOSOC consists of its plenary body; five regional economic commissions, several functional commissions; and a varying number of subcommissions, working groups and expert groups. The regional economic commissions and many of the other bodies are covered later in this part.

In 1989 some of the major issues before the Second Committee were the 1992 Conference on Environment and Development, the impact of driftnet fishing on marine life, the international debt crisis, preparations for the Special Session Devoted to International Economic Cooperation, operational activities for development and the eradication of poverty. Other important issues included the Nicaragua Trade Embargo, preparations for the new International Development Strategy, and traffic in hazardous wastes.

The United States and 17 cosponsors were able to negotiate a consensus resolution on internationally endorsed measures, including possible moratoria, to control and mitigate large-scale, high seas driftnet fishing. The resolution notes the potentially irreversible damage that large-scale driftnet fishing can have on the marine environment and provides a format within which concerned members of the international community can take effective conservation and management measures to limit the impact of driftnet fishing.

The debt issue was given high priority by the Group of 77 (G–77) again this year. Despite long and arduous negotiations, the United States was again unable to accept a modified G-77 resolution on this issue because the resolution did not recognize or support progress being made under the strengthened debt strategy. Nor did the resolution sufficiently acknowledge the primary role of the IMF and World Bank in implementing the strengthened strategy. In addition, the resolution gave too little emphasis to the need for domestic reforms in the developing countries. The final vote on the resolution was 139 in favor, 1 against (U.S.) and no abstentions.

Constructive engagement by the United States on development issues dealing with the environment resulted in the adoption of a number of resolutions acceptable to the United States. Included among these was a resolution convening a 2-week Environmental Conference in June 1992.

A comprehensive resolution on operational activities for development was adopted by consensus following lengthy negotiations between donor countries and the G-77. The resolution calls for greater utilization and strengthening of national capacities for the programming and implementation of operational activities; more effective UN system support for such capacity building; further decentralization of UN system support activities from UNDP and specialized agency headquarters to the country level, including the redeployment of staff; and a more integrated approach to the programming and management of operational activities at the country level.