Mideast situation/Palestine question – NAM Twelfth Ministerial Conference declarations – Note verbale from India/Addendum

Note verbale dated 28 August 1997 from the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations addressed to the United Nations Secretariat

The Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations presents its compliments to the United Nations Secretariat and has the honour to refer to the final document of the Twelfth Ministerial Conference of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, held at New Delhi on 7 and 8 April 1997 (A/51/912-S/1997/406).  In this regard, the Permanent Mission of India would like to mention that the following declarations were issued by the Ministerial Conference:

(a) Declaration of the Twelfth Ministerial Conference of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries on the implementation of Agenda 21;

(b) Communiqué issued on 7 April 1997 by the Ministerial Committee of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries on Palestine;

(c) Special Declaration on the Middle East Peace Process;

(d) Declaration.

The Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations has the honour to enclose the texts of the above declarations (see annexes I-IV)*

     * The annexes are being issued in the languages of submission only. and requests that they be issued as a document of the General Assembly and of the Security Council, as an addendum to document A/51/912-S/1997/406.

ANNEX I

Declaration of the Twelfth Ministerial Conference of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries

on the Implementation of Agenda 21

We, the Foreign Ministers of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, having met at New Delhi on 7 and 8 April 1997 at the Twelfth Ministerial Conference of the Movement,

Recalling the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment held in 1972,

Also recalling the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held at Rio de Janeiro in 1992,

Reiterating that the eradication of poverty and sustained economic growth constitute overriding priorities for developing countries,

Stressing the sovereign right of States to exploit their own resources pursuant to their development policies,

Recognizing that the search for inter-generational equity will be incomplete without ensuring intra-generational equity, and a reduction in disparities within and between countries,

Concerned at the increasing degradation of the global environment on account of unsustainable consumption and production patterns as well as lifestyles, particularly in industrialized countries,

Recognizing the need to integrate environmental, economic, social and developmental policies to fulfil basic human needs, protect and manage ecosystems and ensure a higher quality of life for our peoples which is the framework for our efforts,

Recognizing also that global partnership and international cooperation for development are essential for achieving sustained economic growth and sustainable development, particularly through the creation of a more favourable international economic environment, transfer of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on concessional and preferential terms, and fulfilment of the commitment to transfer to developing countries substantial new and additional financial resources to meet their huge sustainable development requirements,

Stressing the need for promoting a mutually supportive relationship between trade and environment and the need to ensure that environmental concerns are not used as disguised protectionism and conditionalities on trade,

Noting the progress achieved in the framework of recent major United Nations conferences to promote new consensus agreements on development, the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development to promote the implementation of Agenda 21, the efforts in the Conventions on Biodiversity, Climate Change and Desertification, the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests of the Commission on Sustainable Development, the work of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as the lead scientific, technical and policy analysis organization of the United Nations on environmental issues, and the funding through the Global Environment Facility (GEF) of some of the activities identified under Agenda 21,

Concerned that although the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities for global environmental degradation have been accepted by all, progress in the implementation of the commitments voluntarily undertaken by the industrialized countries at Rio has been very disappointing,

Acknowledging that while primary responsibility for the implementation of Agenda 21 rests with national Governments, the efforts of developing countries have been hampered in the absence of adequate support and assistance from the international community,

Noting with satisfaction the steps taken by the member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement for the preservation and protection of the environment, while continuing on the path of economic growth and development,

Reiterating the importance of the special session of the United Nations General Assembly to be held in June 1997 to review the implementation of Agenda 21,

1. Rededicate our commitment to the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and the provisions of Agenda 21;

2. Resolve to eradicate poverty and promote sustained economic growth and sustainable development, and reiterate that a specific poverty eradication strategy is one of the basic conditions to achieve these goals;

3. Urge the international community to provide new and additional financial resources as well as to transfer environmentally sound technologies on preferential and concessional terms to developing countries;

4. Strongly urge the industrialized countries to provide predictable, adequate, new and additional financial resources to meet their commitments under and the requirements of Agenda 21 and to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent gross national product (GNP) as official development assistance immediately, and also to ensure that within that target 0.15 per cent to 0.20 per cent of GNP is earmarked for least developed countries;

5. Also reiterate the need for enhanced resources to enable the funds and programmes of the United Nations system to contribute effectively to the implementation of Agenda 21;

6. Also urge the developed countries to address urgently the environmental degradation caused by their unsustainable patterns of consumption and production;

7. Stress the need for the special session of the General Assembly to identify and analyse in depth the main impediments to the effective implementation of Agenda 21 and to focus on accelerating the implementation of Agenda 21 in a comprehensive manner, rather than on renegotiating it or being selective in its implementation;

8. Also call for greater attention to be paid to promoting the social and environmental responsibility of the private sector, particularly of the transnational private sector, in globalizing and liberalizing the international environment;

9. Call for the special session to be used to work out specific mechanisms for meeting Agenda 21 commitments on transfer of resources, transfer of technologies and enhancing the benefits to traditional holders of knowledge;

10. Urges that the special session also be used for identifying and promoting further measures to involve major groups in the implementation of Agenda 21;

11. Recommend that the Twelfth Summit of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries evaluate the outcome of the special session of the General Assembly to review the implementation of Agenda 21 and provide guidance for further efforts by countries of the Movement in pursuit of the implementation of Agenda 21.

ANNEX II

Communiqué issued on 7 April 1997 by the Ministerial Committee of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries on Palestine

The Ministerial Committee of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries on Palestine met at New Delhi on 7 April 1997 during the Twelfth Ministerial Conference of the Movement, under the chairmanship of Her Excellency Maria Emma Mejia, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Colombia, to consider the recent disquieting developments in the region and was addressed by His Excellency Mr. Yasser Arafat, President of the State of Palestine.

Having heard the incisive and comprehensive statement of President Arafat earlier in the day at the special session on Palestine of the Twelfth Ministerial Conference and in the light of the forthright positions traditionally adopted by the Movement on this issue, including those in the final document of the New Delhi Conference, the Committee is of the opinion that:

– Collective and effective measures must be immediately taken at the United Nations to redress the problem caused by the failure of the Security Council to discharge its responsibilities, because of the unfortunate lack of unanimity among the permanent members;

– Among such measures, the General Assembly should convene in an emergency special session under Assembly resolution 377 A (V) of 3 November 1950 and Members should communicate to the Secretary-General of the United Nations their concurrence with the convening of such a meeting;

– The General Assembly should demand the immediate and full cessation of the construction of Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory in Jabal Abu Ghneim, all other Israeli settlement activities, and all illegal measures and actions in Jerusalem;

– Members of the United Nations should prevent assistance from being provided by their governmental agencies and nationals to, and the conduct of trade and financial dealings with, Israeli commercial, private or public establishments involved in activities in the occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, which violate the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, and which are contrary to the relevant resolutions of the Security Council;

– The Ministerial Conference should reaffirm the obligation of the Members under article 1 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and also ensure respect by Israel, the occupying Power, of the Convention.

ANNEX III

Special Declaration on the Middle East Peace Process

The Foreign Ministers of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, in their Twelfth Ministerial Conference, held at New Delhi on 7 and 8 April 1997,

Guided by the principles and objectives of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and its resolutions which have stressed the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East in implementation of the principles of international law and United Nations resolutions,

Aware of the danger of the deteriorating situation resulting from the obstacles facing the peace process in the Middle East, and as a contribution to salvage the peace process and put it back on the right track:

In view of the urgency and the seriousness of the situation, the Ministers call upon the Countries of the Movement, as a first step, to freeze relations with Israel at their current level and use all available measures to ensure Israel's compliance with the terms of reference of the Madrid Conference and the "land for peace" principle and its full implementation of all agreements, undertakings and commitments reached by the concerned parties on all tracks during the peace talks.

The Ministers also affirm that failure by the Israeli Government to respond positively would require members of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries to take further appropriate measures.

ANNEX IV

Declaration

The Foreign Ministers of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, meeting at New Delhi on 7 and 8 April 1997, addressed the question of reform of the United Nations with particular attention to expansion of the Security Council.  While reiterating the basic position of the Movement, as reflected in the final document and in keeping with the essential need for democratization of the United Nations, they emphasized the following:

– There shall be no partial or selective expansion or enlargement of the membership of the Security Council, to the detriment of developing countries;

– Efforts at restructuring the Security Council shall not be subject to any imposed time-frame.  While recognizing the importance of treating this issue as a matter of urgent attention, no effort should be made to decide this issue before general agreement is reached;

– The Ministers decided to remain seized of the issue and its development, which they will review at their next annual meeting on the occasion of the fifty-second session of the United Nations General Assembly;

– The use of the veto should be curtailed with a view to its eventual elimination;

– The improvement of the working methods of the Security Council should be given equal importance.

At this decisive juncture in the evolution of the United Nations, the Ministers urged the leaders of the developed world to seize the opportunity of working together with developing countries to bring about necessary reforms in the United Nations on an equitable and democratic basis.  The Ministers stressed that, at this historic moment, the international community has a joint responsibility to collectively reshape this unique world body to meet the aspirations of all humanity.

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