Questions relating to information/Palestine question – GA Fourth Cttee debate – Summary record (excerpts)

Special Political and Decolonization Committee

(Fourth Committee)

Summary record of the 12th meeting

Held at Headquarters, New York, on Monday, 20 October 2008, at 4.50 p.m.

 Chairman:   Mr. Argüello (Chairman)  ……………………………………………….. (Argentina)

  later:  Mr. Elsherbini (Vice-Chairman) ………………………………………….  (Egypt)

Contents

Agenda item 32: Questions relating to information

The meeting was called to order at 4.50 p.m.

Agenda item 32: Questions relating to information (A/63/21 and 258) 

/…

23.  Mr. Berrah (Algeria) …

/…

26.   Since 2008 marked both the sixtieth anniversary of the first United Nations peacekeeping operation and the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Department should seize the opportunity to issue a statement that clearly emphasized the need to unify and redouble efforts to promote peace and enhance respect for human rights. He was concerned, however, at the absence of any reference in the Secretary-General’s report to activities undertaken by the Department to raise awareness about the heroic struggle being waged by the defenceless and peace-loving Palestinian people, on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba. Nor was there any reference to the ongoing violations of their inalienable rights in contravention of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. His Government was eager to cooperate with the Department in disseminating a message that reflected the collective effort to implement the objectives of the Charter of the United Nations.

27.   Mr. Al Saedi (United Arab Emirates) …

/…

28.   Human, financial and technical resources must be allocated in order to strengthen the role of the Department of Public Information in disseminating information on the goals and purposes of the United Nations. Special attention should be given to Arabic language services, in order to bring them up to the same standard as the services provided in the five other official languages. The Department and other United Nations departments and institutions needed to address such current international issues as climate change, organized crime and terrorism, the question of Palestine and the situation in the Middle East in an impartial and transparent manner. In that connection, the Department should develop programmes that exposed the suffering of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation.

/…

The meeting rose at 5.56 p.m.

This record is subject to correction. Corrections should be sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned within one week of the date of publication to the Chief of the Official Records Editing Section, room DC2-750, 2 United Nations Plaza, and incorporated in a copy of the record.

Corrections will be issued after the end of the session, in a separate corrigendum for each Committee.