Mideast peace process – GCC declaration (excerpts) – Letter from Oman

Letter dated 29 December 1995 from the Permanent Representative 

of Oman to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

I have the honour to transmit herewith the text of the final communiqué and Muscat declaration adopted at the sixteenth summit of the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council held in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, between Rajab 12th and 14th 1416 (4-6 December 1995) under the chairmanship of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, Sultan of Oman (see annex).

I should be grateful if you could have the present letter and its annex circulated as a document of the General Assembly, in all official languages, under the items entitled "Cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States", "Question of Palestine", "The situation in the Middle East", "Consequences of the Iraqi occupation of and aggression against Kuwait", "Review of the implementation of the Declaration on the Strengthening of International Security" and "Sustainable development and international economic cooperation", and of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Salim Bin Mohammed AL-KHUSSAIBY

Permanent Representative    

Annex

[Original:  Arabic]

Final communiqué

In response to the invitation of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said of Oman, the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council held its sixteenth session in Oman from 4 to 6 December 1995, under the presidency of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said of Oman and with the participation of the following:

His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates;

His Highness Sheikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Amir of Bahrain;

His Royal Highness Prince Abdullah Bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, First Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard of Saudi Arabia;

His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Amir of Qatar;

His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber al-Sabah, Amir of Kuwait.

His Majesty and Their Highnesses expressed their satisfaction at the favourable and reassuring reports on the health of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Fahd Bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia and their sincere wishes that God might grant him abundant health and wellbeing and preserve him from all evil and adversity.

The Supreme Council availed itself of the occasion of Oman's celebration of its twenty-fifth glorious national holiday to present sincere congratulations to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, Sultan of Oman, and to the fraternal Omani people, commending the great achievements realized in the various economic, developmental and cultural fields during His Majesty's reign and praying God Almighty to preserve the Sultanate of Oman and its leader to enjoy yet greater bounty, security and stability.

The Supreme Council also presented its compliments and best wishes to His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, and to its people on the occasion of their twenty-fourth glorious national day, wishing the United Arab Emirates lasting progress and prosperity.

The Supreme Council presented to His Highness Sheikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Amir of Bahrain, its compliments and congratulations on the occasion of the glorious national holiday of Bahrain, asking the Lord Almighty to give Bahrain and its people long-lasting good fortune and prosperity.

The Supreme Council heard the report submitted by His Highness Sheikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Amir of Bahrain, President of the fifteenth session of the Supreme Council, on the formulation of a comprehensive view of the general position of the Gulf Cooperation Council in the light of new developments and such mechanisms and approaches as might be required for the joint work of the Gulf Cooperation Council in order to meet challenges and implement resolutions to enhance the Council's work and meet the hopes and aspirations of its peoples.

The Council commended the ideas and views set forth in the report for promoting coordination and cooperation among Council States in the political, economic and security fields, for the purpose of realizing and promoting security, stability and prosperity for the Council States and the region.

The Supreme Council discussed new developments in the common peace process from all angles.  His Majesty and Their Highnesses also discussed bilateral relations between their States and reviewed in their consultations the fraternal efforts made to finalize bilateral issues pending between their countries.  They expressed satisfaction at the level of comprehension that prevailed at these deliberations and decided that efforts to assist in the finding of appropriate solutions should be redoubled.  The Council took cognizance of the reports and recommendations submitted by the Ministerial Council and the Ministerial Committees and considered ways of promoting cooperation and cohesion between member States in a way that would reflect the depth of fraternal bonds and a firm conviction of a joint destiny and a single goal.  At the same time, it affirmed its concern that steps should be taken to achieve the objectives set by the Council's charter in a way that met the aspirations of the leaders and citizens of Council States for consolidation of the bases of security and stability and continuation of the process of development and prosperity, with guidance in this regard from the lofty speech delivered by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said of Oman at the opening meeting of this session.

The Middle East peace process

The Council States, proceeding from their positive positions in support of the Middle East peace process reaffirmed that a comprehensive, just and lasting peace was the basis of security, stability and prosperity in the region and reciprocity of interests among its States, with eradication of the factors of violence, elimination of the causes of extremism and inculcation of the values of tolerance, peaceful coexistence and cultural cooperation among the peoples.

To this end, with the reaffirmation of the firm positions of Council States on this matter, it was essential that the just and legitimate demands of all parties should be met, in accordance with Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and the principle of land for peace, including:

– Full Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Jerusalem;

– Enabling the Palestinian people to exercise its full legitimate national rights, including its right to establish its independent State on its national soil;

– Israel's withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Arab Golan to the boundary line that existed on 4 June 1967;

– Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the restoration of all occupied territory to Lebanese sovereignty in accordance with Security Council resolution 425 (1978).

The Gulf Cooperation Council reiterated its welcome of the peace agreement between Jordan and Israel and welcomed the signature of the Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, as a further step on the way to the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace.

The Council States, commending the constructive and effective efforts undertaken by the co-sponsors of the Peace Conference and, in particular, the personal role being played by United States President Mr. William Clinton, affirmed their readiness to support any possible effort to accelerate the achievement of a final settlement between the parties to the Middle East peace process in accordance with United Nations resolutions and on the basis of the Madrid Conference.

The Supreme Council also took cognizance of an evaluation of the conclusions of the Middle East and North Africa Economic Summit Conference, held recently in Amman, and expressed its hope that those conferences would help to support and consolidate the Middle East peace process.

Muscat, 6 December 1995.

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