CEIRPP meeting – Summary record

COMMITTEE ON THE EXERCISE OF THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS

OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE 143rd MEETING

Held at Headquarters, New York,

on Wednesday, 7 October 1987, at 10.30 a.m.

Chairman:  Mr. SARRE (Senegal)

                                     later: Mr. VELAZCO-SAN JOSE (Cuba)  

CONTENTS

Expression of sympathy in connection with the death of the wife of Mr. Terzi, Permanent Observer of the Palestine Liberation Organization to the United Nations  

Adoption of the agenda

Draft report of the Committee to the General Assembly at its forty-second session  

Medium-term plan for the period 1990-1995

     This record is subject to correction.

     Corrections  should  be  submitted  in  one  of  the   working  languages.   They  should be  set  forth  in a  memorandum  and  also  incorporated  in a  copy of  the  record.   They should  be  sent  within  one  week  of  the date  of  this  document  to the  Chief, Official Records  Editing  Section,  Department  of   Conference   Services,  room  DC2-0750,  2  United Nations Plaza.

     Any  corrections  to  the  record  of  this  meeting  and  of  other  meetings  will be issued in a corrigendum.

                   The meeting was called to order at 10.50 a.m.

EXPRESSION OF SYMPATHY IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEATH OF THE WIFE OF MR. TERZI, PERMANENT OBSERVER OF THE PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION TO THE UNITED NATIONS

1.   The CHAIRMAN, speaking on behalf of the Committee, expressed condolences to Mr. Terzi, Permanent Observer of the Palestine Liberation Organization to the United Nations, in connection with the recent death of his wife.

ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA

2.   The agenda was adopted.

DRAFT REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AT ITS FORTY-SECOND SESSION (A/AC.183/1987/CRP.3/Rev.1)

3.   Mr. Velazco-San José (Cuba) took the Chair.

4.   Mr. BORG-OLIVIER (Malta), Rapporteur, introducing the Committee's draft report to the General Assembly (A/AC.183/1987/CRP.3/Rev.1), said that the text of the draft report consisted basically of the chapters which had already been approved by the Working Group and updated to include recent developments.  He briefly reviewed the contents of the draft report and pointed out that chapter VI contained the draft recommendations of the Committee to the General Assembly; the recommendations reaffirmed the Committee's fundamental approach and objectives.  The draft report stressed the urgent need for positive action by the Security Council on the recommendations formulated by the Committee in its first report and those adopted by the International Conference on the Question of Palestine held at Geneva in 1983.  It also reaffirmed the importance of convening the International Peace Conference on the Middle East, particularly in light of the worsening situation in the area and the overwhelming international consensus in favour of a negotiated settlement of the question.

5.   Mr. Sarré (Senegal) resumed the Chair.

6.   The CHAIRMAN suggested that the Committee should adopt the draft report

paragraph by paragraph.

7.   It was so decided.

Paragraphs 1 to 6

8.   Mr. GLAIEL (Observer for the Syrian Arab Republic) proposed that the phrase "in Palestine" in the twelfth line of paragraph 5 should be deleted in order to prevent possible misinterpretations.

9.   Mr. TERZI (Observer, Palestine Liberation Organization) said that he preferred the retention of the phrase "in Palestine" in paragraph 5 because it was in keeping with previous such formulations.  Reference was being made to the fact that the Palestinian people had inalienable rights precisely in Palestine.

10.  Mr. GLAIEL (Observer for the Syrian Arab Republic) said that his delegation would prefer the deletion of the phrase in question but would not insist on it.

11.  Mr. BORG-OLIVIER (Malta), Rapporteur, said that the text of paragraph 5 would not be substantially changed if the phrase "in Palestine" was deleted.

12.  The CHAIRMAN said that he took it that the observer for the Syrian Arab

Republic did not insist on his proposal.

13.  Paragraphs 1 to 6 were adopted.

Paragraphs 7 to 9

14.  Paragraphs 7 to 9 were adopted.

Paragraphs 10 to 17

15.  Paragraphs 10 to 17 were adopted.

Paragraphs 18 to 55

16.  Paragraphs 18 to 55 were adopted.

Paragraphs 56 to 69

17.  Mr. BORG-OLIVIER (Malta), Rapporteur, suggested that paragraphs 56 to 69 should be rearranged under three sub-headings in order to improve the presentation and coherence of that part of the report.  Accordingly, paragraphs 59, 65 and 66 would be regrouped under the sub-heading "(a) North American Regional Symposium"; paragraphs 61 to 64 would be included under the sub-heading "(b) Asian Regional Symposium"; and paragraphs 60 and 67 to 69 would be rearranged under the sub-heading "(c) International Meeting of Non-Governmental Organizations".

18.  Mr. GLAIEL (Observer for the Syrian Arab Republic) said that his delegation favoured the deletion of the reference in paragraph 66 to the proposal to convene a model international peace conference at the NGO level.  The proposals made by the non-governmental organizations would be included in the annex to the report. Furthermore, the Committee should focus its attention on the task of convening the International Peace Conference on the Middle East.

19.  The CHAIRMAN urged the observer for the Syrian Arab Republic not to insist on his proposal.  Since the International Conference on the Question of Palestine held in 1983, the need for greater participation by non-governmental organizations had been stressed.  Furthermore, the proposal referred to in paragraph 66 would in no way affect the Committee's efforts with regard to the convening of the international peace conference on the Middle East.

20.  Mr. TERZI (Observer, Palestine Liberation Organization) said that action-oriented proposals made by non-governmental organizations should not be ignored.  The proposal in question, which had been made by North American non-governmental organizations, was important because it might induce the United States Administration to reconsider its negative attitude concerning the International Peace Conference on the Middle East.

21.  Mr. GLAIEL (Observer for the Syrian Arab Republic) said it was his suggestion that only the phrase in paragraph 66 referring to a model peace conference should be deleted.

22.  Mr. BADJI (Senegal) said that the idea referred to in that phrase was an important one; he saw no reason to delete the phrase.

23.  The CHAIRMAN suggested that the phrase should be retained and that note should be taken of the objections raised by the observer for the Syrian Arab Republic.

24.  It was so decided.

Paragraphs 70 to 91

25.  Mr. TERZI (Observer, Palestine Liberation Organization) suggested that the word "intends" in the last sentence of paragraph 74 should be replaced by the words "has decided".

26.  It was so decided.

27.  Paragraphs 70 to 91 were adopted.

Paragraphs 92 to 96

28.  Mr. TERZI (Observer, Palestine Liberation Organization) said that it would be preferable, in paragraph 95, to make specific reference to the permanent members of the Security Council and to the need for the permanent members to assist the Secretary-General in his efforts with a view to convening the Conference.

29.  The CHAIRMAN suggested that it should be left to the Rapporteur to redraft the paragraph in accordance with the suggestions made by the representative of the PLO.

30.  It was so decided.

31.  Paragraphs 92 to 96 were adopted.

32.  The report as a whole (A/AC.183/1987/CRP.3/Rev.1) was adopted.

MEDIUM-TERM PLAN FOR THE PERIOD 1990-1995 (A/AC.183/1987/CRP.2)

33.  Mr. MIRZA (Chief, Division for Palestinian Rights) drew attention to the note by the Secretary-General concerning the draft medium-term plan for the period 1990-1995 (A/AC.183/1987/CRP.2), which had been submitted to the Committee for review and comment, and pointed out that, in his note on the preparation of the next medium-term plan (A/42/512), the Secretary-General had suggested that the current medium-term plan should be extended for another two years to the end of 1991 and that the next medium-term plan, for the period 1992-1995, should be submitted to the forty-fifth session of the General Assembly.  That proposed programme would permit the Secretary-General to complete several internal reviews in accordance with General Assembly resolution 41/213.  As the General Assembly was not expected to take a decision on the Secretary-General's proposal until later in the session, the Secretariat had been asked to seek the views of the Committee on the text which had been circulated.  Even if the current medium-term plan was extended for two years, there would be an opportunity to incorporate revisions in the plan for the balance of the period, and the Committee's comments would be most useful in formulating those revisions.  If, on the other hand, the General Assembly decided against an extension, the present text, together with the Committee's comments, would provide the basis for the next medium-term plan.

34.  The CHAIRMAN invited comments on note by the Secretary-General (A/AC.183/1987/CRP.2).

35.  Mr. TERZI (Observer, Palestine Liberation Organization) said it should be made clear, in the third paragraph of the Secretary-General's note, that the mandate of the Committee derived from resolutions adopted by the General Assembly and not from any action by the International Conference on the Question of Palestine.  While the possible need for an international conference on the question of Palestine before 1992 should not be overlooked, the most immediate need was for the organization of annual meetings of non-governmental organizations in Europe and North America.

36.  The CHAIRMAN suggested that the Working Group should be asked to examine and comment on the medium-term plan, as the Chief of the Division for Palestinian Rights had suggested, taking into account the suggestions made by the observer for the PLO.

37.  It was so decided.

                           The meeting rose at 12.05 p.m.