Russia officially suggests moving work of UNGA First Committee to Geneva or Vienna -source
NEW YORK (UN). Oct 18 (Interfax) - Russia has officially submitted a draft document that proposes holding meetings of the United Nations General Assembly First Committee, which deals with disarmament and related issues of international security, in Vienna and Geneva instead of New York, a diplomatic source in the committee told Interfax.
"The document has been submitted for consideration. The deadline for submitting all drafts expired today [on Thursday]," the source said, adding that the committee plans to vote on the Russian-proposed document in November.
Deputy head of the Russian delegation to the committee and Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative at the UN Office in Geneva Andrei Belousov told Interfax earlier that Russia had held informal consultations with other countries and prepared a draft document that proposes moving the work of the UN General Assembly First Committee, to Geneva or Vienna from the United States.
An Interfax correspondent reported that the delegations had until 4:00 p.m. New York time on October 17 to submit draft resolutions and draft decisions concerning all points on the agenda to the UN General Assembly First Committee.
Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyansky on October 3 in the UN raised the possibility of holding the committee's next session in Vienna or Geneva instead of the U.S.
The U.S. authorities have refused to issue visas to 18 members of the Russian delegation to the current session of the UN General Assembly.