Mideast situation/Syria – Letter from Syria

Letter dated 3 May 2001 from the Permanent Representative

of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed

to the Secretary-General

The Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations presents his compliments to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and upon instructions from his Government has the honour to convey to him a statement on the recent dangerous Israeli aggression carried out inside the territories of the Syrian Arab Republic (see annex).

The Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations would be grateful if the present letter and its annex were circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda item 40, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Michail Wehbe

Annex to the letter dated 3 May 2001 from the Permanent Representative

of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

[Original: Arabic]

3 May 2001

The Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations presents his compliments to the Secretary-General and, on instructions from his Government, has the honour to bring to the attention of the Secretary-General the grievous action perpetrated by Israel inside the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic when, at 2030 hours on 14 April 2001, its military patrols directed their searchlights and fired several rounds at a Syrian police position in the sector of a United Nations position.

The Syrian Arab Republic holds Israel fully responsible for such provocative practices, which represent fresh Israeli aggression against Syria, another escalation of the tense situation in the region and a continuation of its flagrant defiance of all the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly. The Syrian Arab Republic demands that these acts of provocation be condemned and that they be ended.

The Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations takes this opportunity to convey to the Secretary-General the assurances of his highest consideration.