SecCo list of items – Letter from CEIRPP Chairman

LETTER DATED 11 FEBRUARY 1999 FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE

COMMITTEE ON THE EXERCISE OF THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS OF

THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT OF

THE SECURITY COUNCIL

In my capacity as Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, I have the honour to refer to the summary statement by the Secretary-General on matters of which the Security Council is seized and on the stage reached in their consideration (S/1999/25).

I should like to reiterate the Committee's objection to the deletion from the list of items related to the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, the Palestine question and the Middle East problem, which are of utmost concern not only to the Committee but also to the majority of Member States.  The Committee believes that pending a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict in the Middle East, the core of which is the question of Palestine, in accordance with international legitimacy, these items should remain on the list of matters of which the Council is seized, as they continue to engage its responsibility with regard to the maintenance of international peace and security.

I should also like to stress our view that any decision to delete these items, in the absence of positive developments in the peace process, would go well beyond procedural reform and would have far-reaching negative political implications.  On behalf of the Committee, I would like once again to express firm hope that decisions of such fundamental importance will be taken in thorough consultation with all the parties concerned.

I should be grateful if you would have the text of the present letter circulated as a document of the Security Council.

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1996/603