SecCo list of items – SecGen summary statement (excerpts)

SUMMARY STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ON MATTERS OF WHICH THE SECURITY COUNCIL IS SEIZED AND ON THE STAGE REACHED IN THEIR CONSIDERATION

Addendum

Pursuant to rule 11 of the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council, the Secretary-General is submitting the following summary statement.

The list of items of which the Security Council is seized is contained in documents S/20370 of 11 January 1989, S/20370/Add.16 of 2 May 1989 and S/20370/Add.23 of 21 June 1989.

During the week ending 8 July 1989, the Security Council took action on the following items:

The situation in the occupied Arab territories (see S/11935/Add.18, S/11935/Add.19, S/11935/Add.20, S/11935/Add.21, S/11935/Add.44, S/11935/Add.45, S/13033/Add.9, S/13033/Add.10, S/13033/Add.11, S/13033/Add.28, S/13737/Add.7, S/13737/Add.8, S/13737/Add.18, S/13737/Add.20, S/13737/Add.22, S/13737/Add.50, S/14326/Add.50, S/14840/Add.1, S/14840/Add.2, S/14840/Add.3, S/14840/Add.4, S/14840/Add.12, S/14840/Add.13, S/14840/Add.15, S/14840/Add.16, S/14840/Add.45, S/15560/Add.6, S/15560/Add.7, S/15560/Add.20, S/15560/Add.30, S/15560/Add.31, S/16880/Add.36, S/17725/Add.3, S/17725/Add.4, S/17725/Add.48, S/17725/Add.49, S/18570/Add.49, S/18570/Add.50, S/18570/Add.51, S/19420/Add.1, S/19420/Add.2, S/19420/Add.4, S/19420/Add.5, S/19420/Add.13, S/19420/Add.15, S/20370/Add.5, S/20370/Add.6 and S/20370/Add.22)

In a letter dated 30 June 1989 addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/20709), the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations, in his capacity as current Chairman of the Arab Group, requested that an immediate meeting of the Security Council be convened to consider the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, in particular the deportation of Palestinian civilians from the occupied Palestinian territory.

The Security Council resumed its consideration of the item at its 2870th meeting, held on 6 July 1989, on the basis of the above request.

The President, with the consent of the Council, invited the representative of Israel, at his request, to participate in the discussion without the right to vote.

At the same meeting, the President drew attention to the request contained in the letter dated 3 July 1989 (S/20711) from the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations that, in accordance with its previous practice, the Security Council invite the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations to participate in the debate. He said that the request was not made pursuant to rule 37 or rule 39 of the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council but that, if it was approved, the Council would be inviting the Permanent Observer of Palestine to participate, not under rule 37 or rule 39 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, but with the same rights of participation as under rule 37.

Following discussion, the Security Council adopted the proposal by 11 votes in favour, to 1 against (United States of America), with 3 abstentions (Canada, France and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland).

The President drew attention to the text of a draft resolution (S/20710), submitted by Algeria, Colombia, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Nepal, Senegal and Yugoslavia.

The Security Council then proceeded to vote on the draft resolution (S/20710) and adopted it by 14 votes in favour to none against, with 1 abstention (the United States of America) as resolution 636 (1989).

Resolution 636 (1989) reads as follows:

The Security Council,

Reaffirming its resolutions 607 (1988) of 5 January 1988 and 608 (1988) of 14 January 1988,

Having been apprised that Israel, the occupying Power, has once again, in defiance of those resolutions, deported eight Palestinian civilians on 29 June 1989,

Expressing grave concern over the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories,

Recalling the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, and in particular articles 47 and 49 thereof,

1. Deeply regrets the continuing deportation by Israel, the occupying Power, of Palestinian civilians;

2.  Calls upon Israel to ensure the safe and immediate return to the occupied Palestinian territories of those deported and to desist forthwith from deporting any other Palestinian civilians;

3. Reaffirms that the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, is applicable to the Palestinian territories, occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem, and to the other occupied Arab territories;

4. Decides to keep the situation under review.

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