Mr. Chairman,

1. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on agenda item 134: Programme Budget for the biennium 2014 - 2015: Capital Master Plan (CMP).

2. The Group of 77 and China would like to thank Mr. Yukio Takasu, Under-Secretary-General for Management, for introducing the Addendum reports of the Secretary-General to the Eleventh annual progress report on the implementation of the Capital Master Plan contained in documents A/68/352/Add.2 and Add.3. The Group also thanks the Chairman of Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), Mr. Carlos Ruiz Massieu, for introducing the report of the Advisory Committee contained in document A/68/797.

Mr. Chairman,

3. Over the past years, the Group of 77 and China has consistently maintained that the CMP must be completed in time and within the approved budget, without affecting the original scope or compromising on the quality of the final product.

4. The Group takes note of the information provided by the Secretary-General on the imperative need for the General Assembly to take a final decision on the financing of the associated costs and the secondary data center during this session, in order to make sure that the project will be completed in time, in particular with regards to the use of the General Assembly Building for the general debate later this year.

5. In that regard, we recognize that the General Assembly's previous requests for absorption, where possible, of the associated costs can no longer be maintained. The Group of 77 and China supports an immediate appropriation and assessment of those expenditures under the capital master plan project, in line with previous General Assembly decisions on the financing of those costs.

Mr. Chairman,

6. As we approach the last phases of the project, the Group welcomes the important achievements of the project so far. However, there are serious remaining problems we need to address. With regards to the renovation of the South Annex and the Library buildings, the Group of 77 and China notes with serious concern that the request presented in resolution 68/247 for feasible alternative options independent of the long-term accommodation has not been adequately addressed.

7. Once again, the Group is very concerned that the Secretariat did not present viable alternatives to complete the project in its entirety. We cannot accept that solutions for integral aspects of the completion of the Capital Master Plan become conditioned to a solution on a different item under consideration of this Committee. The Group will not consider the work of the CMP completed until the South Annex and Library buildings are renovated.

Mr. Chairman,

8. The Group of 77 and China takes note of the answer provided by the Host City on the closure of the 42nd street ramp. While acknowledging the efforts of the Secretariat in requesting the Host Country to protect the United Nations Headquarters by closing the off-ramp at 42nd Street to all but authorized vehicles, we emphasize the need for the Secretariat to continue its engagement with the Host Country in order to find an agreeable solution to this situation.

9. Furthermore, we are concerned by the delays in the project caused by the late issuance of permits by the host city for the renovation of service drives at the 42nd and 48th streets and we will seek further clarification during informal consultations.

10. We would like to recall the decisions of the General Assembly that Notes the benefits accruing to host countries from the presence of the United Nations; Stresses the special role of the host country Government with regard to support for United Nations Headquarters in New York; and Recalls the current practices of host Governments with regard to support for United Nations headquarters and United Nations bodies located in their territories.

Mr. Chairman,

11. The Group of 77 and China reaffirms its long-standing position that the architectural integrity of the United Nations complex must be preserved. In that regard, we are glad to notice that the demolition of the North Lawn Building is scheduled to take place in 2015. The Group recalls that in its resolution 65/269, the General Assembly approved the mandate for the timely demolishing and removal of the Temporary North Lawn Building upon the completion of the Headquarters renovation work. We request the Secretary-General to fully abide by the General Assembly decision.

12. The Capital Master Plan was conceived as a project to refurbish, modernize and preserve the architecture of the landmark Headquarters of the United Nations. The Group finds it extremely important that every effort is made to achieve these objectives in their entirety, as approved by the General Assembly.

Mr. Chairman,

13. Last, but not least, the Group is extremely concerned with the disregard shown by the Secretariat to the issue of the permanent relocation of the office of the G-77 and China to the Secretariat building. With the renovation of the building and its reoccupation completed, we are yet to see a concrete proposal providing the Group with permanent office space tailored to its specific requirements in a suitable location with the same amount of space that it had in the Secretariat building before the initiation of the CMP.

14. We deeply regret the lack of commitment by the Secretariat in finding a speedy and adequate solution to the issue, and will seek to solve the problem through a clear General Assembly mandate.

15. In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, the Group of 77 and China would like to assure you of our readiness to engage constructively in deliberation on this agenda item with the aim of concluding it in a timely manner.

I thank you.