taken to rationalize its work and activities, and encouraged other United Nations bodies to do likewise. 36. The criteria for determining whether a post should be charged to the regular budget or financed from extrabudgetary resources were set out in General Assembly resolution 2997 (XXVII). While recognizing fully that there was often a grey area, his delegation held that proposals to transfer of posts to the regular budget should be evaluated on their merits on a case-by-case basis. Although the Secretary-General was requesting the transfer of eight posts to the regular budget, he noted that there was no corresponding decrease in the number of Professional posts financed from extrabudgetary resources and that the number of local-level staff would be increased. Thus, the Secretary-General's proposal amounted to the transfer of eight posts to the regular budget and the creation of new extrabudgetary posts. His delegation could not accept that practice. If the Secretary-General's request had been to establish new posts under the regular budget, entirely different criteria would apply. He wished to know how long the eight posts in question had been financed under the Environment Fund and why it was now deemed necessary to transfer them to the regular budget. The Advisory Committee's review had not been rigorous enough, and his delegation was not fully convinced that there was any justification for transferring three of the Professional posts and three local-level posts to the regular budget. 37. Mr. GIDLEY (United States of America) said that the decision of UNEP to reduce the length of the sessions of the Governing Council and to eliminate certain other meetings was a very positive step, which, he hoped, would be duly noted by the United Nations itself and other organizations of the system. Since his delegation was opposed in principle to the transfer of extrabudgetary posts to the regular 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing administrative and budgetary matters related to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and its Governing Council. The language used is formal and technical, indicating a focus on organizational and financial issues rather than specific economic or environmental projects.

**Category**
Natural resources and environment, Administration