Mideast peace process – Ukrainian proposal – Letter from Ukraine

Letter dated 24 April 2002 from the Permanent Representative of Ukraine

to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

Upon the instruction of my Government, I have the honour to transmit herewith the Ukrainian proposals in the framework of international diplomatic efforts aimed at peaceful settlement of the Middle East conflict, announced today by the President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, during his visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (see annex).

I should be grateful if you would have the text of this letter and its annex circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under items 35 and 36 of the preliminary list, and of the Security Council.

(Signed ) Valeriy Kuchinsky
Ambassador
Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations

Annex to the letter dated 24 April 2002 from the Permanent Representative

of Ukraine to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

    Ukrainian proposals in the framework of international diplomatic efforts

aimed at peaceful settlement of the Middle East conflict

1. Complete and immediate withdrawal of the Israeli troops from the territories under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

Unconditional and mutual ceasefire bringing to an end all forms of violence, including acts of terrorism. The leadership of the State of Israel and Chairman of the Palestinian Authority Arafat officially declare it.

2. Deployment of a multinational force, authorized by the United Nations Security Council under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, on the West Bank of the Jordan River and in the Gaza Strip to ensure the creation of favourable conditions for the resumption of negotiations on the establishment of the Palestinian State, the respect of the ceasefire agreement, the restoration of the capacity of the Palestinian Authority to manage the situation, the prevention of the resumption of hostilities.

Ukraine stands ready to consider the possibility of taking part in the multinational force under the mandate determined by the Security Council.

Implementation by the conflicting parties of the Tenet plan and the recommendations of the Mitchell Committee’s report aimed at restoring proper security and fulfilling confidence-building measures.

3. Parallel commencement of peace negotiations on the establishment of the Palestinian State. The final goal of the negotiations, based on Security Council resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973) and 1397 (2002), as well as the principle of “land for peace” and the agreements reached to date, should be, inter alia, the end to the occupation of the Palestinian territories, finding a solution to the issues of territories and borders, settlements, the status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, security, refugees, the distribution of water resources and other issues as prerequisites of peaceful coexistence of the two States, Israel and Palestine, within secure and internationally recognized borders. The possibility of providing Israel and Palestine with respective guarantees to be implemented through the appropriate international mechanism may be considered by the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union.

Ukraine reconfirms its readiness to provide a venue and necessary conditions on its territory for holding one or a number of rounds of peace negotiations.

4. Immediate application of measures to normalize the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories and provision of emergency humanitarian assistance to the suffering population in the Palestinian territories.

Holding of a special international donor conference under United Nations auspices to raise funds for humanitarian purposes and the economic restoration of the Palestinian Authority.

5. Resumption, without waiting for the completion of talks on the establishment of the Palestinian State, of peace negotiations on the Israeli-Syrian and Israeli-Lebanese tracks, the final goal of which should be the end to the occupation of the Arab territories, normalization of relations with Israel and a just solution to the problem of Palestinian refugees.

The signing of peace agreements between Israel and Palestine, Israel and Lebanon, Israel and Syria is synchronized with implementation of other provisions of the peace plan put forward by Saudi Arabia and endorsed by the Summit of the League of Arab States held in Beirut in March 2002.

6. Holding, under the auspices of UNESCO, with the participation of representatives of Israel, Palestine and other parties concerned, of an international conference to contribute to creating and maintaining social, ethnic and religious tolerance, bringing up new generations of Israeli and Palestinian societies in the spirit of mutual tolerance and respect.

___________

 *  A/57/50/Rev.1.

___________