Rule 16 Order and time-limit of speeches

16.1 The Chairperson shall call upon speakers in the order in which they signify their wish to speak.

16.2 For the convenience of the discussion, the Chairperson may limit the time to be allowed to each speaker.

16.3 The consent of the Chairperson must be obtained whenever an observer wishes to address the Assembly.

Rule 17 Draft resolutions and amendments

17.1 Draft resolutions and amendments may be proposed by the States Parties and shall be transmitted in writing to the Secretariat of the Assembly, which shall circulate them to all participants.

17.2 As a general rule, no draft resolution or amendment shall be discussed or put to the vote unless it has been circulated reasonably in advance to all participants in the working languages of the Assembly.

Rule 18 Points of order

18.1 During the discussion of any matter, a State Party may rise to a point of order and the point of order shall be immediately ruled upon by the Chairperson.

18.2 A State Party may appeal against the ruling of the Chairperson. The appeal shall be put to the vote immediately, and the Chairperson’s ruling shall stand unless overruled by a majority of the States Parties present and voting.

Rule 19 Procedural motions

During the discussion of any matter, a State Party may propose a procedural motion: suspension or adjournment of the meeting, adjournment of the debate or closure of the debate.

Rule 20 Suspension or adjournment of the meeting

During the discussion of any matter, a State Party may move the suspension or the adjournment of the meeting. Such motions shall not be debated but shall be immediately put to the vote.

Rule 21 Adjournment of the debate

During the discussion of any matter, a State Party may move the adjournment of the debate on the item under discussion. On moving the adjournment, the State Party shall indicate whether it moves the adjournment sine die or to a particular time which it shall specify. In addition to the proposer of the motion, one speaker may speak in favour of, and one against, the motion, after which the motion shall be immediately put to the vote. The Chairperson may limit the time to be allowed to speakers under this rule.

Rule 22 Closure of the debate

During the discussion of any matter, a State Party may move the closure of the debate on the item under discussion, whether or not any other speaker has signified her or his wish to take part in the discussion. If application is made for permission to speak against the closure, it may be accorded to not more than two speakers, after which the motion shall be immediately put to the vote. If the Assembly is in favour of the closure, the Chairperson shall declare the closure of the debate. The Chairperson may limit the time to be allowed to speakers under this rule.

Rule 23 Order of procedural motions

Subject to Rule 18.1, the following motions shall have precedence in the following order over all other proposals before the meeting:

(a) to suspend the meeting;

(b) to adjourn the meeting;

(c) to adjourn the debate on the item under discussion;

(d) for the closure of the debate on the item under discussion.

VI WORKING LANGUAGES  

Rule 24 Working languages

24.1 The working languages of the Assembly shall be Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

24.2 Speeches made at the Assembly in one of the working languages shall be interpreted into the other languages.

24.3 Speakers may, however, speak in any other language, provided that they make their own arrangements for interpretation of their speeches into one of the working languages.

24.4 The documents of the Assembly shall be issued in all the working languages.

Rule 25 Deadline for the distribution of documents

The documents relating to the items on the provisional agenda of each session of the Assembly shall be distributed, either in paper format or electronically, at the latest thirty days before the opening of the ordinary session, and as soon as possible in the case of an extraordinary session, to all States Parties and observers.

Rule 26 Summary records

The Secretariat shall prepare summary records of all statements made during the plenary meetings of the Assembly in English and French for approval at the opening of the next session.