Mideast situation/Palestine question – Sp. Mtg. of the Extended Executive Committee of the;OIC/Putrajaya Declaration on Palestine – Letter from Malaysia (excerpts)

Letter dated 3 August 2006 from the Permanent Representative of Malaysia

to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

  In Malaysia’s capacity as Chair of the Tenth Islamic Summit Conference, I have the honour to transmit to you the Putrajaya Declaration on the Situation in Lebanon (annex I) and the Putrajaya Declaration on the Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (annex II), which were adopted by the Special Meeting of the Extended Executive Committee of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on 3 August 2006 (see annexes).

  I should be grateful if you would bring the declarations to the attention of the members of the Security Council and arrange to have the text of the present letter and its annexes circulated as a document of the Council.

(Signed) Hamidon Ali

Permanent Representative of Malaysia

…

Annex II to the letter dated 3 August 2006 from the Permanent Representative of Malaysia

to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

Putrajaya Declaration on the Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

adopted by the Special Meeting of the Extended Executive Committee of the

Organisation of the Islamic Conference

Putrajaya, Malaysia, 3 August 2006

We, the Heads of State or Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Republic of Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Malaysia, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Republic of Turkey, and the Representatives of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Republic of Lebanon, State of Palestine, State of Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Republic of Senegal, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates, and Republic of Yemen, met at the Special Meeting of the Extended Executive Committee of the Organisation of Islamic Conference on 3 August 2006 in Putrajaya, Malaysia to discuss the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The OIC Secretary-General was also in attendance. The Meeting was chaired by the Honourable Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Prime Minister of Malaysia as the Chairman of the 10th Islamic Summit Conference.

2.   At the invitation of the Chair, we came together out of our serious concern over the continuing Israeli occupation of Palestine and aggression in the occupied territories.

3.   We strongly condemn the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and for its unrelenting aggression against the Palestinian people, which have caused the loss of lives and destruction of properties and demand the total, complete and unconditional withdrawal of Israel from the Occupied Palestinian Territories, since 1967, including East Jerusalem.

4.   We further condemn Israel for the abduction and detention of Palestinian Cabinet Ministers, government officials, and other individuals and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all Palestinian detainees held by Israel.

5.5.   We call on the United Nations Security Council to assume its responsibilities to compel Israel to respect international law and put an end to Israel’s occupation and illegitimate practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including placing collective punishment and unilateral sanctions over the Palestinian people and economy, and the illegal construction of settlements and the separation wall which is aimed at confiscating and annexing Palestinian land and property and altering the demographic and geographic character of the Palestinian territories, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif.

6.   We commended the free and democratic Palestinian Legislative Council election, which have demonstrated the free will of the Palestinian people. In this regard, we call upon the international community to respect the outcome of the elections and to be supportive of Palestinians in exercising their rights.

7.   We recognize the dire humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the urgent need for relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation assistance. In this regard, we express our deep appreciation to the countries that have contributed generously to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people and urge the international community to continue contributing to Palestine’s rehabilitation efforts.

8.   We reaffirm our commitment and support for all initiatives leading to a peacefully negotiated settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including the Quartet Performance-Based Roadmap leading to a permanent Two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as outlined in UNSC Resolution 1515 and the Arab Peace Initiative. The solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would constitute the only guarantee for durable peace in this region.

9.   We strongly urge the United Nations to convene an international conference on the Middle East to deliberate on a comprehensive, just and durable plan for the region based on the relevant United Nations resolutions, with the involvement of the Permanent Members of the Security Council and other interested parties, including OIC Member States.

10.   We reiterate our commitment and support towards Palestine in achieving self-determination and establishment of a sovereign and independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital and the return of Palestinian refugees, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 194.

11.   We urge all OIC Member States to be united in facing the current crisis in the Middle East. Towards this end, we reaffirm our commitment to Islamic solidarity among OIC Member States, including solidarity and support to Member States who are facing threats, as mandated in the “Ten-Year Programme of Action to Meet the Challenges Facing the Muslim Ummah in the 21st Century” adopted in Makkah in December 2005.

Putrajaya, Malaysia

3 August 2006

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