Palestine question/Mideast situation – Ministerial Declaration of the Group of 77 and China – Letter from Argentina (excerpts)

   Letter dated 27 September 2011 from the Permanent Representative of Argentina to the United Nations

   addressed to the Secretary-General 

I have the honour to transmit herewith the Ministerial Declaration adopted at the thirty-fifth annual meeting of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Group of 77, held at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 23 September 2011 (see annex). 

 On behalf of the Group of 77 and China, I would appreciate if the present letter and its annex could be circulated as a document of the sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly under agenda items 9, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 36, 37, 41, 45, 61, 63, 67, 68, 70, 76, 117, 123, 124, 132, 134, 136, 138, 139, 140 and 142. 

(Signed) Jorge Argüello 

Ambassador and Permanent Representative 

of Argentina to the United Nations 

Chair of the Group of 77 

Annex to the letter dated 27 September 2011 from the Permanent Representative of Argentina to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General 

   Ministerial Declaration adopted at the thirty-fifth annual meeting of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Group of 77 

     New York, 23 September 2011 

   The Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Member States of the Group of 77 and China met at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 23 September 2011 on the occasion of their thirty-fifth annual meeting. The Ministers reviewed the world economic situation and the development challenges faced by developing countries and adopted the following Declaration:

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108.  The Ministers stress the need for the early realization by the Palestinian people of their right to self-determination and to the independence of the State of Palestine to allow for their stability, prosperity and development towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, to which all peoples are entitled. The Ministers express support for the efforts of the Palestinian people to achieve independence and welcome in this regard the submission of Palestine’s application on 23 September 2011 for full membership in the United Nations. 

109.  The Ministers condemn the ongoing Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the illegal actions by the occupying Power that continue to cause civilian casualties, socio-economic and humanitarian hardship and destruction to Palestinian properties, infrastructure and agricultural lands and to undermine the contiguity, unity and integrity of the Territory. 

110.  The Ministers express deep concern about the further decline of the social and economic conditions of the Palestinian people, particularly in the besieged Gaza Strip, as a result of illegal Israeli practices, including construction of settlements and the Wall and the imposition of a blockade and hundreds of checkpoints. They call upon Israel, the occupying Power, to immediately cease all illegal measures impairing the Palestinian economy and development, in particular the inhumane and illegal blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip and restrictions on the movement of persons and goods, including commercial trade, throughout, into and out of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and to make reparation for all damages caused to Palestinian properties, institutions and infrastructure. They reiterate their call upon the international community to continue providing much-needed development and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people during this critical period, particularly for reconstruction and economic recovery in the Gaza Strip. 

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