Mideast peace process – GCC press communiqué – Letter from Oman

Letter dated 8 March 1990 from the Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the

Permanent Mission of Oman to the United Nations addressed to the

Secretary-General

I have the honour to transmit herewith the text of the press communiqué dated 5 March 1990 issued by the thirty-fourth session of the Ministerial Council of the Gulf Co-operation Council held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under the chairmanship of H.E. Mr. Yousef Bin Alawi Bin Abdullah, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman.                                      

I should be grateful if you could have this letter and its annex circulated as an official document of the General Assembly, under items 23, 25, 35, 46, 71, 82 and 144 of the preliminary list, and of the Security Council.                    

(Signed)  Izzat Bin Sabeel AL-ZADGALY

  Chargé d'affaires a.i.

*A/45/50.

ANNEX

Press communiqué issued at the end of the thirty-fourth

session of the Ministerial Council of the States members

of the Gulf Co-operation Council

The Ministerial Council held its thirty-fourth session on 7 and 8 Sha'ban

A.H. 1410 (4 and 5 March A.D. 1990) at the headquarters of the Secretariat General at Riyadh, under the chairmanship of H.E. Mr. Yousef Bin Alawi Bin Abdullah, of State for Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman and Chairman of the current session, and with all its members present.

Drawing inspiration from the principles and ideals embodied in the Masqat Declaration and resolved to adhere to them, the Council considered the situation in the region and in the Arab world and also the latest international developments.  It also reviewed the work of the Supreme Council, in the light of the decisions adopted at its tenth session at Masqat, the progress of co-operation in implementing the economic agreement and the various phases of the dialogue with States and economic groupings.

The situation in the Gulf region

The Chairman of the session, H.E. Mr. Yousef Bin Alawi, reported to the Council on his visit to Baghdad and Tehran.  In that connection, the Council reiterated its support for the policy defined by Their Majesties and Their Highnesses, the Heads of State of States members of the Council, of supporting the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General and attempting, together with members of the Security Council, particularly its permanent members, to bring about a change of positions so that Security Council resolution 598 (1987) can be implemented in its entirety.  The Council welcomed in that connection the pledge made by the two parties to reach a lasting peace.

The situation in the Arab world

Palestine

The Council also reviewed the current situation in the Arab world, in particular developments with regard to the question of Palestine and also the immigration of Jews from the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries into the occupied Palestinian territories.  In that connection, the Council condemned the Zionist enemy's policy of settling immigrants in the occupied Palestinian Arab territories and forcing the Palestinian people off its land and its soil.

The Council urged the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries to co-operate with the Arab States in taking action to prevent Jewish immigrants from settling in the occupied Arab territories.

The Council urged the international community, particularly the United States of America, to take a firm stand against Israeli policy, which flouts the wishes of the international community, violates the 1949 Geneva Convention and is contrary to international law and the resolutions and Charter of the United Nations.

With regard to the intifadah in the occupied Arab territories, the Council noted that the Arab people of Palestine was continuing its heroic uprising and recalled that, in its resolutions, the extraordinary summit meeting of the Arab League held at Casablanca had supported the struggle of the Palestinian people and its right to self-determination and to the creation of an independent State in its territory, under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization.  The Council paid tribute to the heroic intifadah and the sacrifices made by the Palestinian people in the occupied territories, and affirmed that its members would support the intifadah until the uprising achieved its aims.  The Council also appealed to the international community to support the intifadah, expose Israel's oppressive and terrorist practices, condemn the Zionist enemy's repression of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories and urge it to end its arbitrary practices of expulsion and the demolition of homes, which are contrary to humanitarian principles and human rights and a violation of customary law and the most fundamental international instruments.

Lebanon

The Council also considered the situation in Lebanon, recalling the Masqat Declaration in which the Supreme Council had expressed support for the legally established authorities in Lebanon and the Taif agreements and also for efforts to ensure the unity of Lebanon and to preserve its independence and sovereignty, and emphasizing the importance of continuing its efforts to help the Arab Tripartite Committee achieve its objectives.

The Council emphasized the importance of supporting the legally established authorities in Lebanon, co-operating with them and attempting, both at the international level and within the Arab world, to ensure the country's recovery by means of reconstruction and development programmes.

The Council urged all Lebanese factions to show restraint and to approach the situation at its current delicate stage with prudence and moderation, adhering to the Taif agreements and to the legally established authorities, which were the key to solving the current problems and removing the obstacles to peace.  Only thus would it be possible to guarantee the unity of the territory and of the Lebanese people and to lay the bases for the country's freedom, sovereignty and independence.  The Council also urged the international community to continue to support the Taif agreements, the efforts of the Arab Tripartite Committee and the legally established authorities in Lebanon.

With regard to the implementation of the economic agreement and the progress of co-operation among the States members of the Council, the Ministerial Council considered the provisions contained in the resolutions of the Supreme Council aimed at strengthening co-operation, promoting mutual interest and achieving the desired economic integration.  In that connection, the Council considered and approved the minutes of the Ministerial Committees.

The Ministerial Council welcomed the joint meeting to be held with the European Economic Community at Masqat on 17 March 1990 and said that it would take whatever action was necessary to ensure the success of the meeting.

The Council condemned the terrorist attacks on three Saudi diplomats at Bangkok.  It urged the Thai Government to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators and to show them no lenience, so that mutual trust could be restored in diplomatic relations.  The Council also extended its sympathy and sincerest condolences to the families of the victims.

Lastly, pursuant to article 12 of the Charter of the Gulf Co-operation Council, the Ministerial Council decided that the Associate Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Mr. Sa'ada Sayf Bin Hashil Al-Maskri, would remain in office for a further three-year period beginning on 1 April 1990.

Riyadh, 8 Sha'ban A.H. 1410 (5 March A.D. 1990)

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