9. His delegation was prepared to support a new more comprehensive personnel policy that would replace the current piecemeal and arbitrary approach, / ... A/C.S/38/SR.SO English Page 5 (Mr. Houngavou, Benin} particularly with regard to recruitment and the filling of decision-making posts. Recruitment for posts at the D-1 level and above was governed by unspecified criteria, and the anomalies to which it led were clearly revealed in Conference Room Paper No. 6. The situation was unacceptable and should be corrected without delay. 10. The Assistant Secretary-General had referred in his statement to the need to strengthen the role played by the Office of Personnel Services within the Secretariat. That was vital for the correct application of the new personnel policy which the Secretary-General intended to present at the thirty-ninth session of the General Assembly. Excessive decentralization tended to dilute responsibility for a coherent and orderly personnel policy. His delegation had never believed in allowing department heads to draw up and apply their own personnel policies, thereby relegating OPS to the role of a mere record-keeper. It was therefore in favour of strengthening the authority of the Office of Personnel Services, bearing in mind the Staff Rules and the established administrative hierarchy. The recommendations of the Committee of Governmental Experts to Evaluate the Present Structure of the Secretariat in the Administrative, Finance and Personnel Areas should guide the Secretary-General in defining the role of the Office of Personnel Services in drawing up and implementing a new personnel policy based on human resources planning. 11. Another important matter was respect for the privileges and immunities of staff members of the United Nations and the specialized agencies. The report submitted by the Secretary-General in response to resolution 36/232 (A/C.S/38/17} gave details of arrests in certain troubled areas which called for the Fifth 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing administrative and organizational matters within the United Nations, specifically regarding personnel policies, recruitment, and the role of the Office of Personnel Services. The language used is formal and technical, suggesting a focus on internal management and governance rather than specific economic, environmental, or humanitarian issues.

**Category**
Employment, International relations