COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Fiftieth session
SUMMARY RECORD OF THE 27th MEETING
Held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva,
on Friday, 17 February 1994, at 10 a.m.
Chairman: Mr. van WULFFTEN PALTHE (Netherlands)
CONTENTS
Statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iraq
Statement by the Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference
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The meeting was called to order at 10.20 a.m.
STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ
1. The CHAIRMAN invited the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq to address the Commission.
2. Mr. AL-SAHAF (Iraq) …
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6. Human rights issues were currently being used, however, as a weapon to destabilize the political system of States in many parts of the world, including his own country, to interfere in their internal affairs and to destroy their unity and social fabric. Human rights were being manipulated in various ways by certain major Powers for their own political ends. In no area was the use of double standards and selectivity so glaring as in that of human rights.
7. The case of Israel evidenced those double standards and selectivity. The international community had adopted numerous resolutions condemning Israel's violations of human rights in the occupied Arab territories. Yet, Israel continued to act with impunity. The same held true in the former Yugoslavia, where the United Nations was incapable of taking action to end the tragedy.
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STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE
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17. Mr. ALGABID (Organization of the Islamic Conference) …
20. The Palestinian people continued to wage its fight for the exercise of its inalienable right to self-determination. Together with the other Arab populations of the occupied territories, it continued its struggle against the same regular daily atrocities that were the logical result of the occupation.
It was to be hoped that the long martyrdom of that proud people would have the desired happy ending and that the laborious direct negotiations between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel, within the framework of the Middle-East peace process would be successful. That process, which was so promising for the people of the region, needed to be constantly supported and encouraged and his organization, which had been among the first to give its support, would do its best to make an effective contribution to those efforts.
21. A just and durable peace in the Middle East could be achieved only by securing Israeli withdrawal from all the occupied territories, including Al-Quds al-Sharif (the Holy City of Jerusalem), and by enabling the people of Palestine to exercise its inalienable right to self-determination and to establish its independent Palestinian State, under the leadership of the PLO, its sole legitimate representative. The objective of the peace process and all the efforts of the international community must be to respond to the legitimate aspirations of all the peoples of the region for peace, progress, the full exercise of sovereignty and security.
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The meeting rose at 1 p.m.
Document Type: Summary record
Document Sources: Commission on Human Rights, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Subject: Human rights and international humanitarian law, Peace process
Publication Date: 17/02/1994