SUMMARY STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ON MATTERS OF WHICH THE SECURITY COUNCIL IS SEIZED AND ON THE STAGE REACHED IN THEIR CONSIDERATION
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.
During the week ending 18 February 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 and S/20370/Add.5)
The Security Council continued its consideration of the item at its 2846th, 2847th, 2849th and 2850th meetings, between 13 and 17 February 1989.
In the course of the meetings, in addition to the representatives previously invited, the President, with the consent of the Security Council, invited the representatives of Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Democratic Yemen, the German Democratic Republic, India, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Morocco, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Qatar, the Sudan, Turkey, the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, the United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe, at their request, to participate in the discussion without the right to vote.
In response to the request dated 13 February 1989 from the Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Senegal to the United Nations (S/20462), the Security Council extended an invitation under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to Mr. A. Engin Ansay at its 2847th meeting, on 14 February 1989.
At the 2850th meeting, the President drew attention to the text of a draft resolution (S/20463), submitted by Algeria, Colombia, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Nepal, Senegal and Yugoslavia, which read as follows:
The Security Council,
Having considered the letter dated 8 February 1989 from the Permanent Representative of Tunisia to the United Nations, in his capacity as Chairman of the Arab Group for the month of February (S/20454), and the letter dated 7 February 1989 from the Alternate Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations (S/20451),
Bearing in mind the inalienable rights of all peoples recognized by the Charter of the United Nations and proclaimed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
Gravely concerned over the increasing suffering and continued violation of the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem,
Gravely concerned in particular over the imposition of new measures by Israel, the occupying Power, which have led to increased injuries and deaths of innocent Palestinian civilians, including children,
Considering that the current policies and practices of Israel, the occupying Power, in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem, are bound to have grave consequences for the endeavours to achieve comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East,
Recalling the obligation of the high contracting parties under article 1 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, to ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances,
Conscious of the need to end the Israeli occupation and to achieve a comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East,
1. Strongly deplores Israel's persistent policies and practices against the Palestinian people in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem, especially the violation of human rights, and in particular the opening of fire that has resulted in injuries and deaths of Palestinian civilians, including children;
2. Strongly deplores also the continuing disregard by Israel, the occupying Power, of the relevant decisions of the Security Council;
3. Confirms once more that the Fourth 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 the other occupied Arab territories;
4. Calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to abide by the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, as well as to comply with its obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention and to desist forthwith from its policies and practices that are in violation of the provisions of the Convention;
5. Calls furthermore for the exercise of maximum restraint to contribute towards the establishment of peace;
6. Affirms the urgent need to achieve, under the auspices of the United Nations, a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Middle East conflict, an integral part of which is the Palestinian problem, and expresses its determination to work towards that end;
7. Requests the Secretary-General to follow the implementation of this resolution, including examining the situation in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem, by all means available to him and to report to the Security Council;
8. Decides to keep the situation in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem, and the other occupied Arab territories, under review.
At the same meeting, the Security Council proceeded to vote on the draft resolution (S/20463), which received 14 votes in favour, to one against (the United States of America), with no abstentions, and was not adopted, owing to the negative vote of a permanent member of the Security Council.
