A/RES/56/247 3. Reaffirms paragraph 3 of its resolution 54/239 A of 23 December 1999, and emphasizes that future reports on the financing of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia should be submitted by 1 October of the year in which they are to be considered; 4. Notes that gratis personnel were still used in the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in 2000, and emphasizes that the provisions of General Assembly resolution 51/243 of 15 September 1997 on this issue must be strictly adhered to; 5. Notes also that a large total number of interns were used, and stresses that the acceptance of such interns should be consistent with the established guidelines, rules and regulations, in particular as regards the exceptional nature of a six-month assignment; 6. Notes with great concern the high vacancy rate in the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia; 7. Notes with concern the absence of a firm exit strategy for the completion of the work of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia; 8. Welcomes all efforts that contribute to the determination of a firm exit strategy for the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, and, in this context, notes the comment of the Advisory Committee on empowering special national courts to undertake trials, as stated in paragraph 5 of the report of the Advisory Committee;4 9. Notes the issues raised by the Advisory Committee in paragraphs 32, 80 and 82 of its report,4 and decides to revert to these issues at the resumed fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly; 10. Decides that the staffing table for the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia shall remain at levels approved for 2001 until the General Assembly at its resumed fifty-sixth session in March 2002 determines appropriate levels for the biennium 2002–2003; 11. Authorizes the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia to utilize the general temporary assistance resources necessary to provide the equivalent of up to the ninety new posts recommended by the Advisory Committee for the purposes and functions intended, it being understood that this utilization of general temporary assistance is to ensure the ability of the Court to assume an accelerated schedule of trials, as foreseen in the budget proposal, and would be without prejudice to the decisions adopted by the General Assembly at its resumed fifth-sixth session as regards an authorized staffing table for the biennium 2002–2003; 12. Welcomes recent improvements in the functioning of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, and encourages continued efforts to address areas where improvement is needed; 13. Decides to appropriate, on a provisional basis, subject to further review at its resumed fifty-sixth session, to the Special Account for the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, a total amount of 242,791,600 United States dollars gross (218,216,300 dollars net) for the biennium 2002–2003; 14. Requests the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia to submit, on an annual basis, a financial and programme performance report to the General Assembly; 15. Decides that the financing of the appropriation for the biennium 2002–2003 under the Special Account shall take into account the unused unencumbered balance of 2