Mideast situation – Statement by the FMs of the SecCo Permanent Members (excerpts)

LETTER DATED 24 SEPTEMBER 1998 FROM THE REPRESENTATIVES OF

CHINA, FRANCE, THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, THE UNITED KINGDOM  

OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE UNITED STATES

OF AMERICA ADDRESSED TO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

We have the honour to transmit herewith the text of the statement issued after the meeting which you had with our Ministers for Foreign Affairs on 24 September 1998.  We should be grateful if you would have it circulated as a document of the Security Council.

Annex

Statement issued on 24 September 1998 by the Ministers for

Foreign Affairs of the five permanent members of the

Security Council following a meeting with the Secretary-General

1. On 24 September 1998, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the five permanent members met the Secretary-General of the United Nations, H.E. Mr. Kofi A. Annan.  H.E. Mr. Tang Jiaxuan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, represented the People's Republic of China; H.E. Mr. Hubert Vedrine, Minister for Foreign Affairs, France; H.E. Mr. Sergei Lavrov, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, the Russian Federation; H.E. Mr. Robin Cook, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and H.E. Ms. Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State, the United States of America.

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13. The Ministers expressed their deep concern at the persistent difficulties in the Middle East peace process.  They condemned vigorously all acts of terrorism and violence in the region.  They called upon all parties to implement in full their commitments under existing agreements and to refrain from actions that pre-empt the negotiations and worsen both the political and the economic situation in the Palestinian territories, and to abide scrupulously by their obligations under international law.  They supported the continuing efforts of the co-sponsors of the peace process and also of the European Union and urged all parties to intensify negotiations in the framework of this process and on the basis of the agreements already reached and in accordance with Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 and with the principle of "land for peace".  The Ministers expressed their hope that the negotiations between Israel, the Syrian Arab Republic and Lebanon could resume soon on a mutually agreed basis and in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions.  They urged all interested parties to avoid an escalation of violence and tension in south Lebanon and to continue to cooperate within the monitoring group.

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