Human rights situation in the OPT/Lebanese detainees – Third Cttee debate – Summary record (excerpts)

Third Committee

Summary record of the 42nd meeting

Held at Headquarters, New York, on Friday, 8 November 2002, at 3 p.m. 

Chairman: Mr. Wenaweser  …………………………………….. (Liechtenstein)

later: Ms. Mohamed Ahmed (Vice-Chairman) ………………….  (Sudan)

Contents

Agenda item 109: Human rights questions (continued)

(b)   Human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms (continued )

(c)   Human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives (continued)

(e)   Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (continued )

The meeting was called to order at 3.05 p.m.

Agenda item 109: Human rights questions (continued)

 (b)   Human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms (continued ) (A/57/134, 138,140, 182, 205 and Add.1, 274,275, 277, 283, 311 and Add.1, 323,356, 357, 369, 371, 384, 385, 394, 446; A/57/458-S/2002/1125 and A/57/484; A/C.3/57/7)

 (c)   Human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives (continued ) (A/57/230, 284, 290 and Corr.1, 292,309, 325, 326, 345, 349, 366 and Add.1, 433 and 437; A/C.3/57/5)

 (e)   Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ( continued) (A/57/36 and A/57/446)

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8.  Mr. MacKay (New Zealand) …

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11.   The continuing violence and death toll arising from conflict in Israel and the occupied territories were appalling, and it was clear that innocent people were suffering on both sides. The ongoing construction of Israeli settlements was a particular obstacle to reconciliation. For its part, the Palestinian Authority must do all that it could to demonstrate its rejection of the use of violence to pursue political goals. Both parties must identify those responsible for human rights violations and bring them to justice. …

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19.   Mr. Zeidan (Lebanon) said that the current trend was to take respect for civil, political, economic and social rights as a yardstick in assessing any action by States. Lebanon believed that all cultures formed a universal cultural heritage and had always advocated a dialogue among cultures, a matter that had been the theme of the Francophone Summit held in Beirut the previous month.

20.   As his country believed in human rights it could not fail to condemn Israel’s refusal to cooperate with the United Nations in its efforts to investigate the human rights situation in the occupied Arab territories. In decision 2002/244 of 25 July 2002, the Economic and Social Council, taking note of Commission on Human Rights resolution 2002/10 of 19 April 2002, on the human rights situation of Lebanese detainees in Israel, had endorsed the decision of the Commission to request the Secretary-General to bring the resolution to the attention of the Government of Israel and to call upon it to comply with its provisions. Accordingly, the Secretary-General had addressed a note verbale to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Israel, as mentioned in document A/57/345, to which no answer had been received by the date of that document. His delegation wondered how world opinion viewed the decision of Israel to hold the Lebanese detainees as hostages and asked whether such action was consistent with human rights law and the Geneva Conventions.

21.   In document A/57/138, the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights stated that violence in the territories occupied by Israel was a cause of gravest concern and called on the Government of Israel to investigate all incidents of alleged killings by Government forces without delay and to ensure that the persons responsible were brought to justice. With reference to the report of the Secretary-General on the protection of migrants (A/57/134), his delegation commended the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the human rights of migrants and pointed out that illegal migrants entering his country often applied for asylum and that their applications were processed only by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Asylum-seekers were allowed to remain on Lebanese territory temporarily until they were resettled in a third country or deported to their country of origin if the asylum application was unfounded.

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25.  Mr. Dauth (Australia) …

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29.   His delegation remained deeply disturbed about the loss of life and injury resulting from the violent confrontations in the West Bank, Gaza and parts of Israel. Although developments in that region had been extremely discouraging, the outline of a resolution to the conflict was becoming clear and in that connection he urged both sides to bring about an immediate ceasefire. …

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The meeting rose at 4.45 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.