Sixth Committee (Legal) — 66th session
Observer Status for the United Cities and Local Governments in the General Assembly (Agenda item 171)
- Item proposed by Turkey ()
Summary of work
Background
The item was included in the agenda at the request of Turkey
Consideration at the sixty-sixth session
The Sixth Committee considered the item at its 4th and 29th meetings, on 4 October and 9 November 2011 (see and ).
Statements were made by the representatives of Turkey, Argentina, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) and China.
Some delegations expressed their serious reservations about the ability of the United Cities and Local Governments to meet the criteria for the granting of observer status in the General Assembly established in the General Assembly decision 49/426 of 9 December 1994 since, as they pointed out, it was not an intergovernmental organization. The need to submit the constitutional instruments of relevant organizations for the Committee’s consideration was re-emphasized.
Action taken by the Sixth Committee
At the 4th meeting, on 4 October 2011, the representative of Turkey introduced a draft resolution entitled “Observer status for the United Cities and Local Governments in the General Assembly” (). Under this draft resolution, the General Assembly would have decided to invite the United Cities and Local Governments to participate in the sessions and the work of the General Assembly in the capacity of observer; and would have requested the Secretary-General to take the necessary action to implement the resolution.
At the 29th meeting, on 9 November 2011, the Chair of the Committee announced that the representative of Turkey had withdrawn draft resolution A/C.6/66/L.6. At the same meeting, the Sixth Committee concluded its consideration of the item without taking action.
Subsequent action taken by the General Assembly
- Report of the Sixth Committee:
- GA decision: 66/528 [for the text of the decision, see the Sixth Committee's report to the General Assembly]
