Mideast situation – GA vote – Verbatim record (excerpts)

Official Records

General Assembly

Forty-ninth Session

93rd Meeting

Tuesday, 20 December 1994, 10 a.m.

New York

President: Mr. Essy ………………………………………………. (Côte d'Ivoire)

The meeting was called to order at 10.30 a.m.

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(b) Special economic assistance to individual countries or regions

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Draft resolutions (A/49/L.26/Rev.1, A/49/L.32/Rev.1, A/49/L.34/Rev.1, A/49/L.36/Rev.1, A/49/L.37/Rev.1, A/49/L.39/Rev.1, A/49/L.41/Rev.1, A/49/L.42/Rev.1, A/49/L.48/Rev.2, A/49/L.50)

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The President (interpretation from French): I call on the representative of Germany to introduce draft resolution A/49/L.50.

Mr. Runge (Germany): I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and Austria, Finland and Sweden.

When the Declaration of Principles was signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in September last year it was generally accepted that for the thus invigorated peace process to be successful it would take an important international effort to improve the economic and social situation of the Palestinians. It was in this spirit that less than three weeks after the signing of the Declaration of Principles the Conference to Support Middle East Peace was held in Washington and substantial pledges were made there.

On that occasion the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee was established to coordinate the activities of the donors. Most important among the steps taken under the auspices of the Secretary-General to ensure the achievement of a coordinated mechanism for United Nations activities throughout the occupied territories was the appointment of the Special Coordinator in the occupied territories. The importance of the question of assistance to the Palestinian people  has lost nothing of its urgency in the meantime. Indeed, the recent tragic events in Gaza have demonstrated the overriding need to consolidate and speed up the process begun by the historic Declaration of September 1993.

The European Union is convinced that during the particular phase in which autonomy is being created and Palestinian institutions set up it is vital for the inhabitants of the territories to see concrete evidence in their daily lives of the positive effects of the political changes that took place over a year ago. This objective requires efforts on all sides, whether it be by the donor community as a whole or by the regional parties.

The European Union is also convinced that the donors' efforts to help the civilian population must be accompanied by the reactivation of the peace process, particularly with regard to the full implementation of the Declaration of Principles of 13 September 1993. In this context the European Union welcomes the decision by Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to resume their negotiations on the implementation of the autonomy agreement. It is essential that these discussions open the way as soon as possible to new progress on the issues outstanding, in particular those of the elections and the extension of autonomy to the West Bank.

As the largest contributor of aid to the Palestinians, the European Union reaffirms its determination to continue its economic and financial efforts, and its willingness to examine ways and means of meeting the needs of the Palestinians more effectively.

The European Union is therefore glad to introduce and to be a sponsor of draft resolution A/49/L.50, entitled "Assistance to the Palestinian people". We note with particular satisfaction that, as one result of the new spirit of cooperation in this area, the draft resolution on this subject has become a matter of consensus since last year.

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The President (interpretation from French): Draft resolution A/49/L.50 is entitled “Assistance to the Palestinian people”.

May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/49/L.50?

Draft resolution A/49/L.50 was adopted (resolution 49/21 N).

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The President (interpretation from French): I shall now call on those representatives who wish to speak in explanation of position.  May I remind members that explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.

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Mr. Eliashiv (Israel): Israel fully supports and encourages economic, financial and technical assistance to the Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Peace and prosperity are indivisible. Economic development and improved living conditions in the territories will encourage peace and stability in the region. We welcome the concerted efforts of Member States, international financial institutions and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to extend economic and social assistance to the Palestinian people in order to aid in the development of the West Bank and Gaza.

For many years now Israel has been fully cooperating with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and with other international organizations as well, in implementing programmes aimed at improving the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza. In this respect, the United Nations Special Coordinator in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip can play an important role in the achievement of these social and economic goals.

It is our view that the United Nations should increase its efforts and funding to assist the Palestinians in the territories, and to facilitate the successful implementation of the Declaration of Principles.

We have made a genuine effort to reach a consensus on draft resolution A/49/L.50, which addresses such an important issue as assistance to the Palestinian people. We believe that economic and social progress can be advanced only through cooperation, not confrontation. However, Israel's participation in the consensus on this resolution should not be construed as implying any position regarding the present status of the territories referred to in the fourth and fifth preambular paragraphs as “the occupied territory”; nor does it carry any implication regarding Israel's position concerning the permanent status of those territories which, in accordance with the Declaration of Principles signed on 13 September 1993, are a matter to be negotiated between Israel and the PLO. With regard to operative paragraph 9, we do hope that the proposed United Nations-sponsored seminar will be organized by an appropriate United Nations body acceptable to all parties.

The Declaration of Principles signed by Israel and the PLO, the subsequent Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area signed in Cairo, the subsequent Agreement on Preparatory Transfer of Powers and Responsibilities, and the Israel-Jordan peace treaty are momentous breakthroughs that open new vistas for economic and social progress. The concrete implementation of economic projects as identified in the agreements will lay the social and economic foundations that can bring us into a new era of cooperation, prosperity and peace in our region.

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Mr. Al-Habib (Islamic Republic of Iran): My delegation joined the consensus on draft resolution A/49/L.50. However, I would like to express my delegation's reservation regarding those parts of the resolution which might be construed as any recognition of Israel.

Mr. Hasan (Iraq) (interpretation from Arabic): While we highly value all international efforts for the provision of assistance to the Palestinian people in the form of the programme outlined in  draft resolution A/49/L.50, my delegation expresses its reservations on the third preambular paragraph of the draft resolution.

Mr. Amer (Libyan Arab Jamahariya) (interpretation from Arabic): My delegation joined the consensus for the adoption of the resolution contained in document A/49/L.50. Nevertheless, we wish to put on record a reservation with regard to any indication that could be construed as recognition of Israel or as welcome for the peace process in the Middle East.

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The President (interpretation from French): In accordance with General Assembly resolutions 3237 (XXIX) of 22 November 1974 and 43/177 of 15 December 1988, I now call on the observer of Palestine.

Mr. Shreim (Palestine) (interpretation from Arabic): Draft resolution A/49/L.50, on assistance to the Palestinian people, which was adopted this morning, resembles the resolution that the General Assembly first adopted unanimously last year under the same item. It also resembles Economic and Social Council resolution 1994/29 of 27 July 1994.

The Palestinian delegation worked hard with all the parties concerned to make it possible, this year and in the past, to adopt these draft resolutions by consensus. We thank the members of the European Union and the delegations of Austria, Finland and Sweden, all of which were among the sponsors of this year's draft resolution.

The resolution the Assembly has just adopted is particularly important in view of the difficult situation faced by the Palestinian economy after many long years of destruction resulting from continued Israeli occupation. The major challenges facing the Palestinian authorities in the context of this reconstruction make it imperative that the international community provide assistance. The international community must shoulder its responsibility towards the Palestinian people to bolster the peace process, which is still fragile and in its initial stages. We are confident that the international community will take firm steps to respond quickly to the pressing needs of the process of reconstruction in the Palestinian territories. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is fully prepared to cooperate closely with donor countries to ensure the success of that process.

The preambular part of the resolution notes to the difficult economic conditions facing the Palestinian people throughout the occupied territory. The operative part urges coordination of efforts and for cooperation with the Palestine Liberation Organization, and calls upon the donor community to expedite the delivery of assistance it has undertaken to provide to the Palestinian people in order for them to meet their urgent needs.

In recent years, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People has organized two seminars on various aspects of providing assistance to the Palestinian people. The resolution just adopted suggests the convening in 1995 of a United Nations-sponsored seminar on Palestinian administrative, managerial and financial needs and challenges in the light of recent developments. In the light of the experience of the past two years, we think that the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People is the appropriate body to organize the 1995 seminar, because of its experience in the field and because the proposed seminar falls within the Committee's new programme to support the peace process.

We shall welcome consultations with all the parties concerned, and we accept the idea that any other United Nations body can play a role in organizing the seminar. We shall strive, together with all the parties, to begin the preparations for it as soon as possible, and all efforts to this end will be welcome.

The creation of a climate of stability in the occupied territories is a prerequisite for success in the economic development process. But this will require honest implementation of the Declaration of Principles, as well as the continued implementation of its main provisions, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the main towns of the occupied territories, with a view to the creation of conditions conducive to the holding of free elections, without which the situation there will continue to deteriorate.

We wish, on behalf of the Palestine Liberation Organization, to express thanks to all United Nations Members and bodies and to governmental and non-governmental organizations for their continuing support for the Palestinian people.

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The meeting rose at 12.40 p.m.