Mideast situation/Palestine question – NAM Twelfth Ministerial Conference document – Letter from India (excerpts)

GENERAL ASSEMBLY SECURITY COUNCIL

Fifty-first session Fifty-second year

Agenda items 10, 11, 19, 24, 27, 28, 33,

34, 35, 39, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 58,

60, 65, 66, 69, 71, 75, 78, 86, 87, 88,

89, 90, 94, 96, 97, 98, 100, 102, 103,

104, 105, 106, 108, 109, 110, 112, 113,

115, 116, 119, 120, 140, 145, 146, 151,

152, 158 and 159

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ON THE WORK OF THE ORGANIZATION

REPORT OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECLARATION ON THE GRANTING OF INDEPENDENCE

TO COLONIAL COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES

LAW OF THE SEA

NECESSITY OF ENDING THE ECONOMIC, COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL EMBARGO

IMPOSED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AGAINST CUBA

UNIVERSAL CONGRESS ON THE PANAMA CANAL

THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

ASSISTANCE IN MINE CLEARANCE

QUESTION OF PALESTINE

THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR

INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY

THE SITUATION IN BURUNDI

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS NEW AGENDA

FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA IN THE 1990s

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OUTCOME OF THE WORLD SUMMIT

FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

RESTRUCTURING AND REVITALIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

IN THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND RELATED FIELDS

QUESTION OF EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION ON AND INCREASE

IN THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL AND RELATED MATTERS

STRENGTHENING OF THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM

QUESTION OF CYPRUS

PROHIBITION OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND MANUFACTURE OF NEW TYPES

OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND NEW SYSTEMS OF SUCH WEAPONS:

REPORT OF THE CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT

AMENDMENT OF THE TREATY BANNING NUCLEAR WEAPON TESTS IN THE

ATMOSPHERE, IN OUTER SPACE AND UNDER WATER

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR-TEST-BAN TREATY

CONCLUSION OF EFFECTIVE INTERNATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS TO ASSURE NON-NUCLEAR-

WEAPON STATES AGAINST THE USE OR THREAT OF USE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

GENERAL AND COMPLETE DISARMAMENT

CONVENTION ON PROHIBITIONS OR RESTRICTIONS ON THE USE OF CERTAIN

CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS WHICH MAY BE DEEMED TO BE EXCESSIVELY INJURIOUS

OR TO HAVE INDISCRIMINATE EFFECTS

CONSOLIDATION OF THE REGIME ESTABLISHED BY THE TREATY FOR THE PROHIBITION

OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN (TREATY OF TLATELOLCO)

COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE WHOLE QUESTION OF PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS

IN ALL THEIR ASPECTS

QUESTIONS RELATING TO INFORMATION

INFORMATION FROM NON-SELF-GOVERNING TERRITORIES TRANSMITTED UNDER

ARTICLE 73 e OF THE CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS

ACTIVITIES OF FOREIGN ECONOMIC AND OTHER INTERESTS WHICH IMPEDE THE

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECLARATION ON THE GRANTING OF INDEPENDENCE

TO COLONIAL COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES IN TERRITORIES UNDER COLONIAL DOMINATION

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECLARATION ON THE GRANTING OF INDEPENDENCE TO

COLONIAL COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES BY THE SPECIALIZED AGENCIES AND

THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE UNITED NATIONS

MACROECONOMIC POLICY QUESTIONS

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION

ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING QUESTIONS  RELATING TO THE WORLD

SOCIAL SITUATION AND TO YOUTH, AGEING, DISABLED PERSONS AND THE FAMILY

INTERNATIONAL DRUG CONTROL

ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OUTCOME OF THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN

REPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES, QUESTIONS

RELATING TO REFUGEES, RETURNEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS AND HUMANITARIAN QUESTIONS

PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN

ELIMINATION OF RACISM AND RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

RIGHT OF PEOPLES TO SELF-DETERMINATION

HUMAN RIGHTS QUESTIONS

REVIEW OF THE EFFICIENCY OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL FUNCTIONING

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

PROGRAMME BUDGET FOR THE BIENNIUM 1994-1995

IMPROVING THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

PROGRAMME BUDGET FOR THE BIENNIUM 1996-1997

SCALE OF ASSESSMENTS FOR THE APPORTIONMENT OF THE EXPENSES OF THE UNITED NATIONS

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUDGETARY ASPECTS OF THE FINANCING OF THE

UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS

UNITED NATIONS DECADE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW

REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL LAW COMMISSION ON THE WORK

OF ITS FORTY-EIGHTH SESSION

MEASURES TO ELIMINATE INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

PROGRESSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRINCIPLES AND NORMS OF

INTERNATIONAL LAW RELATING TO THE NEW INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ORDER

QUESTION OF THE ELABORATION OF AN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION AGAINST

ORGANIZED TRANSNATIONAL CRIME

ELIMINATION OF COERCIVE ECONOMIC MEASURES AS A MEANS OF POLITICAL

AND ECONOMIC COMPULSION

Letter dated 25 April 1997 from the Permanent

Representative of India to the United Nations

addressed to the Secretary-General

I have the honour to transmit the final document of the Twelfth Ministerial Conference of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, held at New Delhi on 7 and 8 April 1997 (see annex).

I request the present letter and its annex be circulated as a document of the fifty-first session of the General Assembly, under agenda items 10, 11, 19, 24, 27, 28, 33, 34, 35, 39, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 58, 60, 65, 66, 69, 71, 75, 78, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 94, 96, 97, 98, 100, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 108, 109, 110, 112, 113, 115, 116, 119, 120, 140, 145, 146, 151, 152, 158 and 159, and of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Prakash SHAH

ANNEX

[Original:  Arabic, English, French

and Spanish]           

Final document of the Twelfth Ministerial Conference

of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries

CONTENTS

Page

Introduction …………………………………………………….  9

Chapter I:  Global issues ………………………………………… 10

B. The role of the Non-Aligned Movement ……………………… 13

C. Strengthening, restructuring, revitalization and democratization

of the United Nations …………………………………… 16

D. United Nations peacekeeping operations ……………………. 22

E. The financial situation of the United Nations ……………… 24

F. Agenda for Peace ……………………………………….. 25

G. Regional organizations ………………………………….. 26

H. The right to self-determination and decolonization …………. 27

I. Mercenaries ……………………………………………. 28

J. Disarmament and international security …………………….. 29

K. Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace …………………………… 37

L. Terrorism ………………………………………………. 37

M. International law ……………………………………….. 39

N. Law of the sea ………………………………………….. 42

O. Peaceful settlement of disputes …………………………… 42

Chapter II:  Analysis of the international situation ………………… 44

A. Middle East …………………………………………….. 44

B. Europe …………………………………………………. 48

C. Africa …………………………………………………. 51

D. Asia …………………………………………………… 57

E. Latin America and the Caribbean …………………………… 61

Chapter III:  Economic issues …………………………………….. 64

A. The Movement and international economic issues ……………… 64

B. Agenda for Development …………………………………… 70

C. International trade and commodities ……………………….. 71

D. Development finance, monetary and financial issues ………….. 77

E. Science and technology …………………………………… 81

F. Industrial development cooperation ………………………… 81

G. Environment and development ………………………………. 82

H. South-South cooperation ………………………………….. 85

I. Information and communication …………………………….. 90

J. Follow-up of major conferences and summits …………………. 90

K. Critical situation in Africa ……………………………… 91

L. Situation of least developed countries …………………….. 93

M. Small island developing States ……………………………. 95

Chapter IV:  Social issues ……………………………………….. 97

A. Social development and poverty eradication …………………. 97

B. Human rights ……………………………………………. 98

C. International drug control ……………………………….. 102

D. Advancement of women …………………………………….. 104

E. Situation of children ……………………………………. 106

F. Youth ………………………………………………….. 107

G. Racism and racial discrimination ………………………….. 108

H. Humanitarian action ……………………………………… 109

I. International migration and development ……………………. 109

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CHAPTER II: ANALYSIS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SITUATION

A.  MIDDLE EAST

Palestine

98. Recalling the Cartagena Declaration, the Ministers reaffirmed their full support for the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people to secure their inalienable rights, including the right to return to their homes and property and to self-determination and the establishment of their independent State on their national soil. They reiterated their demand for the withdrawal of Israel from all Palestinian and other Arab lands, including Jerusalem, occupied since 1967. The Ministers reaffirmed all Security Council and General Assembly resolutions relating to Jerusalem as an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories and demanded their implementation, especially Security Council resolutions No. 252 (1968), 465 (1980), 478 (1980), 1073 (1996) and General Assembly resolution 223/51, and considered the Israeli measures aimed at altering the legal, geographic and demographic character of Jerusalem and other actions, contrary to these resolutions, as null and void.

99. The Ministers welcomed the elections, last year, in the West Bank and Gaza and the ensuing constitution of the Palestine Legislative Council in January 1996 and President Arafat's assumption of the office of President of the Palestinian National Authority. The Ministers called upon States to support the efforts of the Palestinian people and the P.N.A. to rebuild their economy and national institutions.

100. They considered the persistence of the Government of Israel in its policies of establishing and enlarging existing Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in and around Jerusalem, such as the recent decision to confiscate Palestinian land and establish a Jewish settlement in Jabal Abu Ghnaim, as illegal and constituting a violation of the relevant international resolutions and a breach of contractual binding agreements, commitments and guarantees between the parties concerned. They, furthermore, considered that such violations by Israel constitute a threat to peace and to the ongoing peace process in the Middle East. They recalled that the current peace process is based on the principles and terms of reference of the Madrid Conference of 1991, namely: the implementation of U.N. Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 and the principle of "land for peace". While they supported the ongoing peace process, they expressed their grave concern that the Government of Israel has failed to abide by its obligations and its commitments to implement the terms of the agreements on the agreed scheduled time, and that Israel has failed to respect and carry out the relevant decisions of the Security Council.

101. The Ministers recalled that the U.N. Security Council, because of the lack of unanimity of the permanent members, has failed to exercise its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. They recalled that the purpose of the United Nations is, inter alia, to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to peace. They decided to call for an emergency special session of the U.N. General Assembly to consider the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory including Jerusalem, with a view to making appropriate recommendations to members for collective measures as prescribed in U.N. General Assembly resolution 377 (V) of 3 November 1950.

102. They requested the U.N. Secretary-General to take the necessary steps to convene such an Emergency Special Session. They decided to communicate to the U.N. Secretary-General their concurrence to convene such an Emergency Special Session.

103. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law in all circumstances. In this context they affirmed their obligation to ensure respect by Israel, the occupying Power, for the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 relative to the Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, occupied by Israel since 1967.

Lebanon

104. The Ministers expressed full support and respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon. They expressed again their condemnation of the continued occupation by Israel of parts of South Lebanon and the Western Bekaa, and reaffirmed their full support for Lebanon's efforts directed towards the liberation of these territories. They expressed their deep concern with regard to the repeated Israeli aggressions against Lebanon and its citizens, as well as the hardships and sufferings inflicted on Lebanese citizens detained in Israel's jails and prison camps. They reaffirmed the need for a speedy and unconditional implementation of Security Council resolution 425 (1978) as a prerequisite for peace and security in the region, and for the release of all Lebanese detainees held by Israel.

Syrian Golan

105. The Ministers affirmed that all measures and actions taken, or to be taken by Israel, the occupying power, such as its decision of 14 December 1981, that purport to alter the status of the occupied Syrian Golan, are null and void; constitute a flagrant violation of international law, the fourth Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949 and the United Nations resolutions, and have no legal effect. They called upon Israel to comply with Security Council resolution 497 (1981) and to withdraw from the occupied Syrian Golan, to the lines of 4 June 1967, in implementation of Security Council resolutions 242 and 338.

The Peace Process

106. The Ministers affirmed their support for the Middle East peace process, and the implementation of all agreements signed within its framework between the concerned parties, as well as the commitments and pledges made in accordance with the basis and terms of reference of the Madrid Conference, and United Nations resolutions, in particular Security Council resolutions 242, 338 and 425 and the principle of "land for peace", which guarantees Israel's total withdrawal from all occupied Palestine and the Arab territories to the lines of 4 June 1967, including the city of Jerusalem, the Syrian Golan, as well as the south of Lebanon and the Western Bekaa, occupied since 14 March 1978; they called upon Israel to reaffirm its adherence to its commitments given during the negotiations, and resume the talks on the Syrian track from the point they stopped at. They also called for the restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people; including their right to return, to self-determination, and to the establishment of their independent State on their national soil, with Jerusalem as its capital.

107. The Ministers considered the Israeli persistence in its settlement policies in Jerusalem and the rest of the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories, to be inconsistent with all international treaties, conventions and resolutions, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, and to constitute a serious threat to the peace process.

108. The Ministers noted with appreciation the commendable efforts exerted by the Syrian and Lebanese Governments, in order to open up possibilities for achieving progress in their full commitments to peace in the Middle East, and to resume the talks from the point they stopped at, and demanded that Israel totally withdraw from the occupied Syrian Golan and Lebanese territories, in implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions, and in accordance with international law, and the principle of inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force.

…/…