Decides to continue to suspend until 30 June 2009 the application of the 4-year limit for appointments of limited duration under the 300 series of the Staff Rules in peacekeeping operations; decides that temporary appointments are to be used to appoint staff for seasonal or peak workloads and specific short-term requirements for less than 1 year but could be renewed for up to one additional year when warranted by surge requirements and operational needs related to field operations and special projects with finite mandates; decides that staff on temporary contracts would be eligible to receive only the following benefits and allowances; decides that the field staff serving on 300 series appointments of less than 4 years who are not performing temporary functions are to be given mission-specific fixed-term contracts until such time as they have gone through a competitive process subject to the review of a central review body; decides that staff on 100-, 200- and 300 series contracts serving in locations other than peacekeeping operations and special political missions for a cumulative period of more than 1 year who are not performing temporary functions are to be given fixed-term contracts until such time as they have gone through a competitive process subject to the review of a central review body; decides to revert at its 65th sess. to the proposal of the Secretary-General to create a cadre of civilian career peacekeepers in the light of the lessons learned from the implementation of the new arrangements for contracts and conditions of service; decides that there shall be no expectations, legal or otherwise, of renewal or conversion of a fixed-term contract, irrespective of the length of service; decides that "in the interest of the good administration of the Organization" is to be interpreted principally as a change or termination of a mandate; decides that the period of service of Junior Professional Officers shall not be taken into account as part of the requisite period of service for a continuing appointment; decides to designate existing established missions as family missions and existing special missions as non-family missions, effective 1 July 2009; decides that all staff appointed or assigned to non-family missions shall be installed without the special operations approach; decides to keep the issue of United Nations common system conditions of service in the field under review; decides that all specific vacancy announcements shall continue to be advertised; decides to revert to the issue of establishing a redesign panel for this purpose at its 65th sess.; decides to review the regulations and rules of the Organization relating to the exercise by the Secretary-General of his authority to assign and deploy staff according to the operational needs of the Organization.

Adopted without vote, 74th plenary meeting

13 p.

Issued in GAOR, 63rd sess., Suppl. no. 49.