Palestine question – CEIRPP revised draft programme of work for 1992

DRAFT PROGRAMME OF WORK FOR 1992

I. MANDATE OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE EXERCISE OF THE

INALIENABLE RIGHTS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

1. The Committee’s mandate for 1992 is contained in General Assembly resolutions 46/74 A, B and C of 11 December 1991, the relevant parts of which are paragraphs 2. 3, 4 and 5 of resolution 46/74 A, paragraph 2 of resolution 46/74 B and paragraph 2 of resolution 46/74 C.

2. In paragraphs 2 and 3 of resolution 46/74 A, the General Assembly endorsed the Committee’s recommendations and requested it to continue to keep under review the situation relating to the question of Palestine as well as the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Achievement of Palestinian Rights and to report and make suggestions to the General Assembly or the Security Council, as appropriate.

3. In paragraph 4 of the same resolution the Committee is authorized to continue to exert all efforts to promote the implementation of its recommendations, including representation at conferences and meetings and the sending of delegations, to make such adjustments in its approved programme of seminars and symposia and meetings for non-governmental organizations as it may consider necessary, to give special emphasis to the need to mobilize public opinion in Europe and North America and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-seventh session and thereafter.

4. In paragraph 5 of the same resolution the Committee is requested to continue to extend its cooperation to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in their contribution towards heightening international awareness of the facts relating to the question of Palestine and creating a more favourable atmosphere for the full implementation of the Committee’s recommendations, and to take the necessary steps to expand its contacts with those organizations.

5. Resolution 46/74 B deals with the work programme of the Division for Palestinian Rights. In paragraph 2, the Secretary-General is requested to provide the Division with the necessary resources, including a computer-based information system, and to ensure that it continues to discharge the tasks detailed in the pertinent resolutions of the General Assembly, in consultation with the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and under its guidance.

6. Resolution 46/74 C deals with the programme of work of the Department of Public Information. In paragraph 2, the Department is requested, in full cooperation and coordination with the Committee, to continue, with the necessary flexibility as may be required by developments affecting the question of Palestine, its special information programme on the question of Palestine for the remainder of the biennium 1992-1993, with particular emphasis on public opinion in Europe and North America.

II. PRIORITY ISSUES IN THE COMMITTEE’S PROGRAMME OF WORK FOR 1992

7. In the recommendations contained in its report to the forty-sixth session of the General Assembly in 1991, the Committee welcomed the convening, under the sponsorship of the United States of America and the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, of a conference for the achievement of a comprehensive peace based on Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and on the land-for—peace principle, and expressed the hope that the role of the United Nations would be generally intensified in this process. The Committee recalled that an international consensus had already been achieved on the essential principles for a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine based on internationally recognized principles and United Nations resolutions. That consensus was reaffirmed most recently in General Assembly resolution 46/75 of 11 December 1991.

8. The Committee also stressed the utmost urgency of taking all necessary measures to protect the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory. including Jerusalem, in accordance with the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention and numerous resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly. The Committee called in particular on the High Contracting Parties to the Convention and the United Nations system as a whole to ensure that Israel abides by its obligations as the occupying Power and, in particular, to implement Security Council resolution 681 (1990) and subsequent resolutions.

9. The Committee expressed the deepest concern with regard to Israel’s settlement policy and practice, and called on the Security Council to review the matter urgently and to undertake appropriate measures, in conformity with the Geneva Convention and the relevant principles of the Charter of the United Nations, to deal with the situation.

10. In addition, the Committee reaffirmed that the United Nations has a duty and responsibility to render all assistance necessary to promote the social and economic development of the occupied Palestinian territory in preparation for the full exercise of national sovereignty, and reiterated its call upon the United Nations system and the international community as a whole to sustain and increase their assistance to the Palestinian people, in close cooperation with the Palestine Liberation Organization.

11. In the light of the above and of the ongoing efforts to advance the peace process, the Committee has decided to prioritize the following issues in its activities during 1992:

(a) The imperative need to end human rights violations and to ensure the international protection of Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, in accordance with the Fourth Geneva Convention and Security Council resolutions, and the promotion of measures to be taken by the High Contracting Parties to the Convention to ensure respect for its provisions;

(b) The adverse impact of Israel’s settlement policy and practice on the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and the achievement of a just settlement of the question of Palestine;

(c) The deteriorating economic situation of the Palestinian people and the urgent need for international assistance to promote the independent social and economic development of the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem;

(d) The promotion of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the region based on internationally recognized principles and United Nations resolutions, and the convening of an International Peace Conference on the Middle East under the auspices of the United Nations.

III. ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE AND THE DIVISION FOR PALESTINIAN RIGHTS

A. Action by the Committee

12. In its report to the General Assembly at its forty—sixth session, the Committee stated that it had decided to do everything possible to strengthen its role in monitoring the situation of Palestinians under occupation and promoting the adoption of concrete measures by the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention. In accordance with past practice and with paragraph 3 of resolution 46/74 A, the Committee will continue to keep under review the situation relating to the question of Palestine and the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Achievement of Palestinian Rights, and to report and make suggestions to the General Assembly or the Security Council, as appropriate. The Committee Chairman, through his letters addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council on behalf of the Committee, will continue to draw attention to urgent developments affecting the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

13. In its recommendations to the General Assembly at its forty—sixth session, the Committee once again extended an invitation to all Governments, including those of the United States and Israel, to participate in its work and in the events organized under its auspices. The Committee requests its Chairman, as in the past, to address a letter to the Secretary—General requesting him to inform all States of the Committee’s concerns and to convey the Committee’s invitation to them to participate in, and contribute to, its work. Consultations will also be held with interested representatives of Member States in this regard.

14. The Committee intends to develop its role further as the United Nations organ primarily responsible for the promotion and exercise of Palestinian rights in accordance with international instruments and United Nations resolutions. In particular, the Committee will seek to follow up on political developments and on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory by establishing concrete and ongoing contacts with the Secretary-General and relevant officials in the United Nations system, with the Security Council and other relevant United Nations organs and with government representatives, as appropriate.

15. The Committee also envisages organizing meetings focused on one theme in order to examine in depth each of the priority issues mentioned earlier and to exert a direct and effective influence on the course of action of Governments and inter-governmental and other bodies in that regard. The groundwork for such meetings should be laid carefully in advance through appropriate consultation with all concerned so as to ensure high—level expertise, political participation and adequate follow-up. The Committee will invite prominent personalities, experts and others for the purpose of such meetings or for consultations with the Committee whenever considered appropriate, by using existing resources, including funds earmarked for the use of the Committee in Section 4.A of the 1992-1993 programme budget.

B. Seminars

16. Budgetary provision has been made for seminars to be held in the following regions in 1992: Asia (held at Nicosia from 20 to 24 January 1992); Europe; Latin America; North America. Venues and dates for the Europ€an and Latin American seminars remain to be decided. The North American seminar has traditionally been held in New York immediately preceding the North American NGO symposium. If the symposium, however, is held in Washington, over a weekend, as requested by the North American Coordinating Committee for NGOs (see below, para. 18), the Committee might consider whether to hold the Seminar or another activity, for example a single-theme meeting as mentioned above, in New York at a different time. No funding exists for holding the Seminar outside United Nations Headquarters.

17. The Committee will continue to review its recent experience with regard to the format, topics and invitees at the regional seminars, in the light of the priority issues to be addressed in 1992, in order to achieve maximum effectiveness and impact.

C. Cooperation with NGOs, including regional symposia and international meeting of NGOs

18. Budgetary provision has been made for the holding of NGO symposia in Asia (held at Nicosia together with the Seminar); Latin America; North America; Europe; and for an International NGO Meeting as well as for preparatory meetings for the North American Symposium and the International Meeting. The date and venue for the Latin American NGO Symposium still have to be decided. The preparatory meeting for the North American NGO Symposium was held at New York on 3 and 4 February and has recommended that the Symposium be held in Washington, subject to the agreement of the Government of the United States of America, from 26 to 28 June, or alternatively, at United Nations Headquarters from 24 to 26 June 1992. If the symposium is held in Washington, appropriate funding will have to be identified since the budget provision has been made for a meeting in New York only. The European NGO Symposium and the International NGO Meeting will be held consecutively at Geneva from 24 to 28 August; the preparatory meeting will also be held at Geneva on 30 and 31 March 1992.

19. In addition to its cooperation with NGOs in the preparation and holding of the above-mentioned meetings, the Committee has requested the Division for Palestinian Rights to ascertain from NGOs what specific supports might be usefully provided in order to help them improve their effectiveness.

D. Studies and publications

20. The programme of studies and publications of the Division for Palestinian Rights for 1992 includes the following:

(a) Monthly bulletins covering action by the Committee, other United Nations organs and agencies, as well as inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) concerned with the question of Palestine;

(b) Reports of regional seminars, as well as regional symposia and international NGO events;

(c) Special bulletin on the commemoration in 1991 of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People;

(d) A compilation of relevant resolutions adopted by the General Assembly and the Security Council in 1991;

(e) Monthly and bimonthly monitoring reports on developments relating to the question of Palestine, as reflected in the Arabic, English and Hebrew press for the use of the Committee.

21. The Division will continue to update periodically its information notes on the work of the Committee and the Division, and on NGO activities on the question of Palestine.

22. The Division will continue to prepare monthly issues of the publication entitled “Approaches towards the settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the question of Palestine”.

23. In the course of 1992, the Division will continue the work of updating studies prepared in the Division during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Division has finalized the draft of the study entitled “Water resources of the occupied Palestinian territory” and has sent it to members and observers of the Committee for comments. The Committee requested the Division to give priority to updating the study on “Acquisition of land in Palestine” during the year. The Committee, in consultation with the Division, will also continue to review the format and presentation of the various publications, and to evaluate their dissemination, so •as to achieve maximum effectiveness and impact.

E. Computer-based information system

24. The Committee stresses the high importance it attaches to the establishment of the computer-based information system as soon as possible. Initial steps continue to be taken by the Division, in cooperation with the relevant services in the United Nations Secretariat, for the acquisition of the necessary equipment and software within existing financial resources and by utilizing any savings in other parts of the programme, and for determining the exact requirements of the system. A preliminary study indicates that, in order to become fully operational, the system would necessitate an additional appropriation for extra staff, the details of which will be made available to the Bureau in the near future.

F. International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

25. In accordance with General Assembly resolution 32/40 B of 2 December 1977, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People will be observed on Monday, 30 November 1992. The Committee has decided that the observance at Headquarters, United Nations Offices at Geneva and Vienna and elsewhere should follow the same format as in 1991.

26. As in the past, the Committee decided to invite the Office of the Permanent Observer of Palestine to provide an exhibit to be displayed at United Nations Headquarters during the week of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

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