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29 NOVEMBER 1999

The General Assembly is hearing some 23 speakers this morning on support by the United Nations system of the efforts of Governments to promote and consolidate new or restored democracies. The Assembly has before it two related draft resolutions, which were introduced by the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, Mihai Ungureanu.

The first text contains a draft Code of Democratic Conduct for adoption by the Assembly (A/54/L.23). The Code calls upon Member States to consolidate democracy; to promote, protect and respect all human rights and fundamental freedoms; to strengthen the rule of law; to develop an electoral system that provides for the free and fair expression of the people’s will through genuine and periodic elections; to create and improve the legal framework and necessary mechanisms for enabling the participation of all members of civil society; to ensure democracy through good governance; to strengthen democracy by promoting a sustainable economic environment; and to enhance social cohesion and solidarity.

Algeria, on behalf of 13 delegations, introduced a number of amendments (A/54/L.46), which would replace, alter or delete all the preambular paragraphs as well as operative paragraph 1. Algeria said the co-sponsors sought to prevent the Assembly from departing from established procedures by adopting a text that had been drafted outside of the United Nations. The Assembly is expected to take action on L.23 and the amendments in L.46 at a later date.

Action is expected, however, on the second text, which deals with UN system-wide support of the efforts of Governments to promote and consolidate new or restored democracies (A/54/L.33). It would have the Assembly endorse the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General; commend him and the UN system for the activities undertaken at the request of Governments to support the efforts to consolidate democracy; and would invite them and other intergovernmental organizations to collaborate in the holding of the Fourth International Conference on New or Restored Democracies in Cotonou, Benin, in December 2000.

The related report of the Secretary-General on this item (A/54/492) describes the activities in 1998-1999 in the follow-up process to the Third International Conference of New or Restored Democracies, held in Bucharest, Romania, in 1997. The report notes that the fourth such conference will be held in Benin, in 2000, the first one in an African country. It also reviews the overall process of democratization and the role that the international conferences of new or restored democracies and the United Nations have played in that global process.

In the observations and recommendations, the Secretary-General says that in view of the heightened interest in promoting the success of democracy in Africa, the Benin Conference has the potential to offer not only a global platform for the strengthening of democratic transformation, but also a welcome opportunity to draw attention to democratic experience and its prospects and challenges in Africa. In that light, he makes three recommendations: that all segments of international, regional and national communities should be encouraged to contribute to the Benin Conference; that besides the yearly debate in the General Assembly on this subject, Member States may wish to give their comments and observations, which would then be assembled and presented to the Assembly and Benin Conference for further action; and that the inventory of assistance given by the UN system to Governments to strengthen new or restored democracies should be conducted every third or fourth year, or in years preceding the holding of future conferences of new or restored democracies.

This afternoon, the Assembly will consider the question of Palestine, hearing 28 speakers. The Assembly will have before it the report of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (A/54/35), the report of the Secretary-General (A/54/457), as well as four draft resolutions. Recorded votes are expected on all four texts.

By the draft on the Palestinian Rights Committee (A/54/L.42), the Assembly would authorize that body to continue to exert all efforts to promote the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, to make such adjustments in its approved programme of work as it may consider appropriate and necessary in the light of developments, and to give special emphasis to the need to mobilize support and assistance for the Palestinian people.

Under the draft on the Division for Palestinian Rights (A/54/L.43), the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to continue to provide the Division with the necessary resources and to ensure that it continues to carry out its programme of work as detailed in the relevant earlier resolution.

The draft on the Department of Public Information’s special information programme on the question of Palestine (A/54/L.44) would have the Assembly request DPI to continue its special information programme for the biennium 2000-2001. It would also request the Department to promote the Bethlehem 2000 Project, within existing resources, through publications, audio-visual materials and a "Bethlehem 2000" site on the UN Internet home page.

By the draft on peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine (A/54/L.45), the Assembly would express its full support for the ongoing peace process as well as the hope that it would lead to the establishment of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East. It would note with satisfaction the commencement of the negotiations on the final settlement, and call upon the parties, the co-sponsors and others to exert all the necessary efforts and initiatives to ensure the continuity and success of the peace process, and its conclusion by the agreed time.

The recommendations contained in the report of the Palestinian Rights Committee (A/54/35) are reflected in draft resolutions L.42 to L.45. The Committee reaffirms the permanent responsibility of the United Nations with respect to the question of Palestine until a satisfactory settlement is reached and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people are fully realized. It states that as the parties embark on the sensitive stage of the permanent status negotiations, the role of the Organization becomes even more critical. The Committee reiterates that the involvement of the United Nations in the peace process is essential for the successful outcome of the peace efforts.

The related report of the Secretary-General (A/54/457) contains the replies received from the Security Council, Jordan and the Permanent Observer of Palestine on the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine. The report observes that the signing in Cairo of the Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum on 4 September 1999 by Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization brings with it cautious optimism that the Middle East peace process has been brought back on track. It also states that the two sides have reaffirmed their understanding that the negotiations on the permanent status will lead to the implementation of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and that they have agreed to conclude a comprehensive agreement on all permanent status issues within one year from the resumption of those negotiations, i.e., by September 2000. While the issues that remain to be resolved are difficult -- and there are those who may seek to hinder progress in resolving them -- five decades of conflict and unease must at last be brought to an end so that all may envisage the time when a new generation of Israelis and Palestinians will be born into conditions of peace and stability, the report states.

Tomorrow afternoon, the Assembly is scheduled to consider the item on the situation in the Middle East. On Wednesday, it will take action on 22 reports of the First Committee, on disarmament and international security issues. The list of First Committee reports can be found in A/C.1/54/INF/3.

The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People held a solemn meeting this morning in observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Addressing the meeting Assembly President Theo-Ben Gurirab said that it was his fervent hope that one day, sooner rather than later, there would be no need to hold this particular commemoration at the United Nations, except to recall it for the purposes of history. He observed that, following a long stalemate, the peace process had been revived. The urgent task of the international community must be to help the parties through this critical period so that the process could come to fruition for the benefit of all the peoples in the Middle East. He reaffirmed that the United Nations continues to have a direct interest in the peace process and upholds its responsibility for the question of Palestine until a satisfactory settlement is reached, based on self-determination, justice and mutual commitment to good neighbourliness.

In his statement to the meeting, Secretary-General Kofi Annan called on the parties involved to guard the fragile accomplishments of the peace process, to press forward and, above all, to refrain from any actions that might prejudice the outcome of the delicate permanent status negotiations. He said: "On the twentieth century’s last International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, let us dare to hope that one of the century’s earliest achievements will be the long-awaited moment when peace and prosperity can be enjoyed in full by Palestinians, Israelis and all the peoples of the Middle East". Also making statements were the President of the Security Council, Danilo Turk of Slovenia, and the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, Nasser Al-Kidwa, who read out a message from Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestine Liberation Organization and President of the Palestinian Authority.

This afternoon, the President will attend a luncheon hosted by the Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. He will preside this afternoon as the plenary takes up the question of Palestine. This evening, the President will attend the opening of the exhibition in connection with the International Day, entitled "Follow the Star: Images from the Palestinian City of Bethlehem at the New Millennium", taking place in the Public Lobby of the General Assembly Building. The President will also attend a dinner hosted by the Permanent Representative of the United States, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, in honour of US Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee.