ICPO-Interpol - General Assembly 68th Session - Seoul - 8th-12th November 1999

HAVING EXAMINED Report AGN/68/RAP/9 proposing that Arabic be considered as an official working language of the Organization,

TAKING ACCOUNT OF the opinion expressed by the ad hoc Committee, in application of Article 56 of the General Regulations,

The ICPO-Interpol General Assembly, meeting in Seoul from 8th to 12th November 1999 at its 68th session:

APPROVES the above-mentioned report and DECIDES that Article 54 shall henceforth read as follows:

Article 54 [1]

(1) The working languages of the Organization shall be Arabic, English, French and Spanish.

(insertion of "Arabic", languages written in alphabetical order, removal of former paragraph 2 and renumbering of the other two paragraphs)

(2) During General Assembly sessions, any delegate may speak in another language provided he makes arrangements for the interpretation of his speeches into one of the languages mentioned in paragraph 1 of this Article. Any request submitted by a group of countries for simultaneous interpretation of a language other than those mentioned in paragraph 1 of this Article must be sent, at least four months before the opening of the General Assem-bly session, to the Secretary General who will state whether such interpret-ation will be technically feasible.

(3) Countries wishing to apply the special provisions in paragraph 2 of this Article may do so only if they have undertaken to provide adequate administrative facilities and to meet all expenses involved.

DECIDES that the article thus amended shall enter into force immediately.

Adopted with 96 votes in favour,
13 against and 6 abstentions

[1] The amendments are shown in bold.