E/1999/27 E/CN.6/1999/10 Palestinian women 46. At the 13th meeting, on 11 March, the observer for Guyana, on behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are members of the Group of 77 and China, introduced a draft resolution entitled “Palestinian women” (E/CN.6/1999/L.9). 47. At the 14th meeting, on 12 March, the Commission approved the draft resolution by a recorded vote of 34 to 1, with 4 abstentions, and recommended it to the Economic and Social Council for adoption (see chap. I, sect. B, draft resolution II). The voting was as follows: In favour: Belgium, Chile, China, Cuba, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia,39 Senegal, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Against: United States of America. Abstaining: Bolivia,40 Côte d’Ivoire, 40 Norway, Uganda. 48. Before the draft resolution was adopted, the observer for Israel made a statement; after it was adopted, statements in explanation of vote were made by the representatives of the United States of America, Lebanon, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Norway and the Russian Federation. The observers for the Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen also made statements. System-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women, 2002–2005 49. At the 14th meeting, on 12 March, the Commission had before it a draft resolution entitled “System-wide medium-term plan for the advancement of women, 2002–2005” (E/CN.6/1999/L.10), which was submitted by the Chairperson of the Commission. 50. At the same meeting, the Commission approved the draft resolution and recommended it to the Economic and Social Council for adoption (see chap. I, sect. B, draft resolution III). Agreed conclusions of the Commission on the Status of Women on critical areas of concern identified in the Beijing Platform for Action 51. At the 17th meeting, on 1 April, the Commission had before it draft and revised draft agreed conclusions submitted by its Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, Nonhlanhla Mlangeni (Swaziland), as the moderators of the panel discussions on the critical areas of concern (E/CN.6/1999/L.2 and Rev.1, and E/CN.6/1999/L.3 and Rev.1). 52. At the same meeting, the Chairperson made a correction to the footnotes in the documents. 53. Also at the same meeting, the Vice-Chairperson, Nonhlanhla Mlangeni (Swaziland), informed the Commission that as a result of informal consultations held on the revised draft agreed conclusions on institutional mechanisms (E/CN.6/1999/L.3/Rev.1), it had been agreed to delete paragraph 7, section 1 (h), which had read: “Ensure that senior management in each ministry or agency takes the responsibility for guaranteeing that the goal of gender equality is pursued, that a gender 39 40 38 Saint Lucia was not present during the vote. The delegations of Bolivia and Côte d’Ivoire subsequently indicated that their votes should have been in favour of the draft resolution and not in abstention.