Mideast situation/Question of Palestine – OAU Tripoli Declaration – Letter from Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (excerpts)

CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE ORGANIZATION

OF AFRICAN UNITY

Letter dated 9 September 1982 from the Permanent Representative

of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to the United Nations addressed

to the Secretary-General

I have the honor to transmit herewith the Tripoli Declaration of the meeting of African Heads of State and Government held at Tripoli from 5 to 8 August 1982 and attended by the following countries: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Swaziland, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

I have the further honor to request Your Excellency to arrange for the said Declaration to be circulated among Member States as a document of the General Assembly under item 29 of the provisional agenda.

ANNEX

TRIPOLI DECLARATION

We, the Heads of State and Government of Africa present in Tripoli to participate in the Nineteenth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the OAU,

Recalling the principles and purposes enunciated in the OAU Charter,

Recalling the Monrovia and Nairobi Decisions pertaining to the venue of the Nineteenth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government at Tripoli,

Convinced that the destiny of the OAU lies in the hands of all Member States,

Convinced that the strength of the OAU lies in its unity,

Considering the relevant provisions of the Charter, particularly those relating to the OAU objectives to co-ordinate and intensify co-operation and efforts of Member States with a view to providing the best conditions of life to the peoples of Africa,

Aware of the task ahead of us in the total liberation of our continent and particularly Namibia and South Africa,

Aware also of the imperialist maneuvers to destabilize independent African States,

Gravely concerned by the establishment of imperialist military bases and the stationing of the so-called Rapid Deployment Force in North Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa and the Middle East,

Conscious of the difficulties created by the most aggressive circles of imperialism in the prevailing inter-national situation particularly in Southern Africa, the Middle East and Northwest Africa,

Having heard the representatives of Liberation Movements of South Africa and Namibia on the current situation in Southern Africa and gravely concerned by the fascist atrocities of the racist regime of South Africa,

Having heard the representative of PLO on the current situation in Lebanon and gravely concerned by the wanton aggression aimed at exterminating the people of Lebanon and Palestine,

Having met here in Tripoli and exchanged views on pressing African and international issues,

1. DEEPLY REGRET the fact that both the Thirty-ninth Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers and the Nineteenth Ordinary-Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government could not take place as originally scheduled in spite of the overwhelming presence of Member States as well as the excellent preparations made by the host country and the appeal launched by us collectively to our colleagues who were absent;

2. RESOLVE to intensify our efforts to convene as soon as possible the Thirty-ninth Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers and the Nineteenth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Tripoli, Libya, in accordance with the decision of the Eighteenth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads State and Government, as soon as possible. To this end, a Contact Committee composed of Heads of State of Libya, Congo, Mali, Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia was set up to initiate consultations with our colleague member States who were not present;

3. REAFFIRM our Commitment to the total liberation of Africa;

…

The Palestine Problem and the Zionist Aggression

Against Lebanon

24. REAFFIRM their support for and solidarity with the just struggle of the people of Palestine for its right to self-determination, the right of return to their homeland and the establishment of an independent State in occupied Palestine, under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, its sole, and authentic and legitimate representative;

25. URGE the international community to impose sanctions including oil embargo against the Zionist entity in accordance with Chapter VII of the UN Charter;

26. VEHEMENTLY CONDEMN the barbaric Israeli aggression on Lebanon with the active support of the United States with the aim of exterminating the Lebanese and Palestinian people and to liquidate the Palestine Liberation Organization;

27. DEMAND the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from Lebanon and the respect of its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity;

28. FURTHER CONDEMN the repeated use of the right of veto by the United States in defense of the Zionist entity thereby encouraging it to commit such brazen acts of aggression and to threaten world peace and security.

…

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* A/37/150.