E/AC.70/1995/NGO/6
                                        3 May 1995

                                        ORIGINAL:  ENGLISH

OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP ON THE REVIEW
  OF ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONSULTATIONS WITH
  NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
Second session
8-12 May 1995
Item 2 of the provisional agenda*

         GENERAL REVIEW OF ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONSULTATIONS
                WITH NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

Statement submitted by the American Association of Retired Persons,
a non-governmental organization in consultative status with the
Economic and Social Council, category II

    The Secretary-General has received the following statement,
which is being circulated in accordance with paragraph 10 of the
annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1993/80.

                             *   *   *

       I.  CONSULTATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS
           AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

1.  Introductory remarks in the proposed draft resolution
(E/AC.70/1995/CRP.1), although informative as a background piece,
are not appropriate as part of a resolution.  No introductory
remarks were made in the annex to Economic and Social Council
resolution 1296 (XLIV); therefore, it is unnecessary to include
them in the proposed resolution.

       II.  ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONSULTATION WITH NON-GOVERNMENTAL
            ORGANIZATIONS

Section 1, proposed paragraph 10

2.  Inclusion of organizations that accept members designated by
governmental authorities raises some concern.  Even though the
proposed wording stipulates that "... provided that such membership
does not interfere with the free expression of views of the
organization," this provision may be difficult to monitor.  There
appears to be no mechanism in place to monitor this type of
representation.

Section 1, proposed paragraph 11

3.  The language in this paragraph restricts individual
organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social
Council in their relations with the United Nations.  The concept of
a joint committee would be impossible to manage or enforce.  There
is no mechanism to adjudicate whether organizations should or
should not form a joint committee, or whether or not organizations
have similar objectives, interests and basic views in a given
field.

Section 1, proposed paragraph 15

4.  This proposed paragraph should be rejected and paragraph 9 of
1296 retained.  The original text of 1296 provides for national
organizations to gain consultative status after consultation with
the member State concerned, where they have special experience upon
which the Council may wish to draw.  The process described in 1296,
that is, "in consultation with the Member State concerned," should
be retained; the proposed wording "save in exceptional cases"
limits the special expertise that should be made available to the
United Nations.

Section 3, proposed paragraph 25

5.  Of the three options proposed, option 1 corresponds most
closely to the category I, category II and Roster system
established in 1296.  However, the increasing diversity among non-
governmental organizations makes it difficult, if not impossible,
to classify organizations as either general or special.  As an
example, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is an
international non-governmental organization with a national focus,
primarily because the majority of its members are citizens of the
United States of America.  As international membership increases,
however, its programmes and activities will change to reflect that
membership.

6.  Since AARP has made substantive and sustained contributions to
the achievement of the objectives of the United Nations in various
regions of the world, it would appear that AARP would be classified
as general.  At the same time, AARP has special competence in the
field of ageing issues and is known internationally and regionally
for this competence, which would indicate classification as
special.

7.  These examples are put forth to illustrate the complexity of
categorizing a growing number of non-governmental organizations
that are reflective of a changing world.  It would be the AARP's
recommendation to retain the category I, category II, and Roster
system rather than enter into another confusing classification
system.

Section 4, proposed paragraph 30

8.  The proposed wording to supplement attendance arrangements
with modalities of participation, such as hearings, round tables,
panel discussions, seminars, government dialogues with
non-governmental organizations and other mechanisms, is acceptable
as long as those arrangements are intended to be supplementary to
and not a substitute for attendance as authorized representatives
at public meetings.

       VII.  PARTICIPATION OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS IN
             INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES CONVENED BY THE UNITED
             NATIONS AND THEIR PREPARATORY PROCESS

9.  As to participation in international conferences, it should be
stated that those non-governmental organizations already in
consultative status shall automatically be accredited to United
Nations conferences.

________________________

    *   E/AC.70/1995/1.