International Day of Solidarity – CEIRPP meeting – Verbatim record

COMMITTEE ON THE EXERCISE OF THE INALIENABLE

RIGHTS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

VERBATIM RECORD OF THE FORTY-SEVENTH MEETING

Held at Headquarters, New York

on Thursday, 29 November 1979, at 3 p.m.

Chairman: Mr. FALL (Senegal)

CONTENTS

Special meeting to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (Concluded)

This record is subject to correction.

Corrections should be submitted in one of the working languages, preferably in the same language as the text to which they refer.  They should be set forth in a memorandum and also, if possible, incorporated in a copy of the record.  They should be sent within one week of the date of this document to the Chief, Official Records Editing Section, Department of Conference Services, room A-3550, Alcoa Building, 866 United Nations Plaza.

Any corrections to the record of this meeting and of other meetings will be issued in a corrigendum.

SPECIAL MEETINGS TO COMMEMORATE THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE (concluded)

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French):  I call on the representative of Qatar, who wishes to read a message from his Head of State.

Mr. JAMAL (Qatar) (interpretation from Arabic):  It is an honour indeed for me to read out the text of a message from Sheikh Khalifa ibn Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:

"We all know that, with the convening of this meeting on this particular day every year in the United Nations, it is our aim to remind the whole world that a resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on this date in 1947, that is, 32 years ago, the resolution that divided Palestine and created the State of Israel on Arab territory, was the beginning of a tragic history of aggressive practices perpetrated by Israel since its creation. These practices are being continued relentlessly until this very day in order to achieve Israel's Zionist expansionist ambitions.  It is waging war in order to entrench its usurpation of the Palestinian homeland and its dispersal of the Palestinian people and indeed their annihilation.  It is continuing its aggression against more and more Arab countries everywhere and it continues to intensify its aggressive actions and abnormal crimes in violation of the legal principles and morality and all human and religious values.  These crimes have also been perpetrated against the United Nations forces in the south of Lebanon.

"It is an accepted fact that the world is unanimously agreed that the Palestinian question is the core and the very heart of the Middle East problem and that the problem should be fully and justly resolved in order to prevent any major explosion in the area whose repercussions would undoubtedly destabilize the area, thereby endangering international peace and security the world economy.  Proof of this may be found in the fact that the Secret-General, in his annual report to the General Assembly, described the Middle East problem as one of the most serious international issues deserving of an early solution.

"For the purpose of reaching such a solution the United Nations and its various organs and the specialized agencies have held hundreds of meetings and have adopted hundreds of resolutions, but all those meetings and resolutions have been in vain.  The appeals made by world leaders and their Governments within the United Nations and outside it urging Israel to cease its continued aggression against the Palestinians also met with failure.  There will be no peace in the Middle East unless the rights of the Palestinians are restored to them.  There is no doubt that the continuation of the present situation constitutes a flagrant defiance of the will of the international community and a violation of the United Nations Charter, which is the constitution of the world and its highest basic law.  This rebellion cannot be allowed to continue, for it is a blot that stigmatizes our civilized era, destroys the so dignity of the United Nations and threatens its very existence.

"The United Nations is a product of the struggle of mankind through generations to protect the rights and dignity of man and to preserve his peace and security.

"That is why our international Organization should do its duty by discharging the great responsibility imposed on it by the Charter as affirmed and stipulated in Chapter VII. That duty, the highest duty, is discharged by taking joint, effective, decisive measures in order to eliminate the dangers which threaten international peace and security and to put an end to the aggression which endangers them.

"On behalf of the State of Qatar I take this opportunity to reiterate my call to the peoples of the world, their Governments, leaders and thinkers, to organize constructive. Joint positive action which would mobilize the greatest efforts, whether on the governmental or popular level, in order to achieve that great object which is the goal of today's meeting, namely, solidarity with the struggle the Palestinian Arab people for the full restoration of their rights." The message is signed, "Khalifa bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar".

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call upon the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic.

Mr. EL-CHOUFI (Syrian Arab Republic) (interpretation from Arabic): Allow me first of all, Mr. Chairman, to express my deep appreciation and thanks to you personally and, to the members of this Committee for the great efforts that you have made to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their inalienable rights under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, its sole and legitimate representative. May I now read the text of the message which was sent to you by President Hafez Al-Assad, the President of the Syrian Arab Republic.

"Chairman, Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, United Nations, New York.

"It is a source of pleasure to me to respond to your invitation to address the special meeting which the Committee is holding on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People and to transmit to you on this occasion the greetings of the Syrian people for whom the question of Palestine is the focus of interest. They have kept this cause alive in their souls and in their daily lives, day after day and year after year since the problem arose, and they shall continue to do so until the Arab Palestinian people actually exercise their inalienable rights, foremost among which are the rights to self-determination, to return to their homes and to set up a State in their own homeland.

"As far as Syria is concerned, the links of our people with the Palestinian cause are stronger than ties of mere solidarity. The link is one of a unified and single faith since, as you know, Palestine is part of our Arab homeland and its people are part of the Arab nation. Their cause is therefore the cause of the people of Syria and of our entire nation.

"The great injustice which was perpetrated against the people of Palestine from the start of the imperialist Zionist manoeuvres to usurp the land of Palestine has befallen the entire Arab nation because the objective of that plan is to destroy and to divide the Arab nation and to put impediments in the path of Arab unity particularly since the manoeuvres and plots of imperialism and Zionism against the peoples of Palestine are paralleled by a similar plan carried out in order to divide the Arab nation.

"The Palestinian people have carried out a heroic struggle against this imperialist Zionist plan and the Arab nation has also fought at their side and resisted the invasion of secular Zionist imperialism. The people of Palestine and the peoples of the entire Arab nation have made sacrifices so as to confront and put an end to the invasion which is supported by the forces of imperialism and colonialism in the world. The Palestinian Arab people have always sought to make their voice heard in the world and to present their just cause to international public opinion in order to elicit understanding and support for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.   The Palestinian Arab people would also like the United Nations, which expresses the opinion of the international community, to understand the nature of their inalienable rights and recognize them as a basic factor among the elements that could bring about just peace in the Middle East.

"This true desire for a just peace that has been expressed by the Arabs and among them by the Palestinian Arab people – has been met on the part of Israel by intransigence and determination to continue along its path of aggression, invasion and usurpation of rights. Israel is inspired in this attitude by its racist Zionist nature which was condemned by the General Assembly of the United Nations in its resolution 3379 (XXX) of 10 November 1975. In addition to that resolution, there was a series of General Assembly resolutions which recognized the rights of the Palestinian peoples, including their right to return to their homeland, their right to self-determination and to establish an independent State in their own territory. However, all these resolutions in no way deterred Israel which continued along its path, in defiance of the United Nations and international public opinion.

"The United Nations undoubtedly bears special responsibility regarding the flagrant injustice that has been perpetrated against the Arab Palestinian people and the consequences of that injustice. We therefore welcome the resolution of the General Assembly declaring 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People and we consider that it is a contribution to redressing that injustice, returning Palestine to its rightful inhabitants and to establishing a just peace in the Middle East which has suffered a great deal as a result of the ambitions of imperialism and as a direct result of the resolution adopted, by the General Assembly on 29 November 1947.

"We hope that the special meeting held by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable s of the Palestinian People to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People will be a new step towards the objective of establishing a just peace in the middle East through the recognition of the inalienable rights of the people of Palestine.

"Allow me, Sir, to repeat my salutations and to wish you every success The message is signed, "Hafez Al-Assad, President of the Syrian Arab Republic.”

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic for his kind words and I now call upon the representative of the German Democratic Republic.

Mr. FLORIN (German Democratic Republic):   I have the honour to transmit to you the message from the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and Chairman of the Council of State of the German Democratic Republic, Erich Honecker, on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. The message is addressed to His Excellency Mr. Kurt Waldheim, Secretary-General of the United Nations and reads as follows.

"Dear Mr. Secretary-General, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people is an occasion for us to reaffirm the German Democratic Republic's consistent support for the just struggle waged, by the Palestinian people and its legitimate representative, the Palestine Liberation Organization, for self-determination and the creation of its own State.

Abiding by the humanist principles of our policy, we will always in future assist and display solidarity with, the afflicted Palestinian people in their efforts to safeguard their legitimate interests.

"Developments in the Middle East confirm that the region remains one of those with the greatest potential for tension in the world as long as its crucial problem, the question of Palestine, is not settled on a basis of justice. The separate agreements have aggravated the situation further. Israel has been encouraged to persist in its policy of aggression and occupation.

"The German Democratic Republic declares its opposition to any attempts to involve the United Nations in one way or another in the implementation of the separate deals which pose a danger to peace.

"I take the opportunity to reaffirm, on behalf of the German Democratic Republic, and in conformity with United Nations resolutions, that a just solution to the problem of Palestine in the context of a comprehensive Middle East settlement is only possible if Israeli troops are withdrawn from all the Arab territories occupied in 1967, and if the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian are ensured. Those demands, which are organically linked, constitute the fundamental requisite for a just and lasting peace and for the independent existence and security of the State and peoples of that region. Highest consideration." The message is signed, "Erich Honecker, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and Chairman of the Council of State of the German Democratic Republic".

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French.): I now call on the representative of Romania.

Mr. MARINESCU (Romania) (interpretation from French): I have the I honour to read a message addressed by the President of the Socialist Republic  of Romania, Nicolae Ceausescu, to the President of the thirty-fourth session of 5 the General Assembly of the United Nations, Salim A. Salim, and to the Secretary-I General of the United Nations, Kurt Waldheim, on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people.

The message reads as follows:

"On the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people I wish through this channel to reaffirm, in the name of Socialist Romania and the people of my country, our active support for, and solidarity with, the just struggle of the Palestinian people for the realization of their aspirations and their legitimate rights to achieve their development, in full freedom and independence, within the framework their own national state.

“As a country that is situated in the Balkans and in the Mediterranean area, a country neighbouring the Middle East, Romania is profoundly concerned by the continuation of the situation prevailing in the region. Our country constantly presses for a political settlement through negotiation, of the conflict in the Middle East, for the realization of a global, just and lasting peace, which would lead to the withdrawal of Israel from Arab territories occupied following the war of 1967, to the solution of the problem of the Palestinian People in conformity with their right to self-determination, including the establishment of their own State, and to the guarantee of independence, integrity and sovereignty of all States in the region. We declare ourselves to be most resolutely in favour of a settlement of the problem.of the Palestinian people, failing which there can be no lasting peace, tranquillity or security in the Middle East.

"I think that at present it is more than ever necessary to intensify efforts and to act with increased energy to find ways of permitting all parties and countries concerned to participate in solving the problems of the region. To this end we think that it would be particularly important to organize, under the aegis and with the active participation of the United Nations, an international meeting, either by reconvening the Geneva Conference or in some other form, with the participation of all the countries concerned, including the Palestine Liberation Organization as the legitimate, authentic and recognized representative of the Palestinian people, two co-Chairmen of the Geneva Conference – the Soviet Union and the United States – and, if necessary, other States. We believe that everything should be done to ensure that the Palestinian people will as soon as possible realize their legitimate aspirations to live in their own independent State and to be able to concentrate, in calm and peace, their efforts towards free development through economic and social progress.

"We believe that it is necessary to take decisive action to put an end to the disturbing situation in the Lebanon, by ensuring the integrity and independence of that country.

"We consider that the solution of the problems of the Middle East, and, first of all, the problem of the Palestinian people, will have a profound impact on the international climate as a whole and will be a particularly important contribution to the strengthening of confidence among peoples, of stability, detente and world peace.

"For its part, Romania will in future do everything in its power to make its contribution to a just and lasting solution of the problems of the Middle East and to the realization of peace throughout that region.

"I believe that the United Nations can and should play a more active role in the solution of the Middle East conflict and I express my conviction that it will act with increased vigour along those lines, and that it will seek, by political means, to achieve a solution to all conflicts and hotbeds of tension in various parts of the world, thus responding to the hopes and expectations of all peoples to live in a climate of peace and calm, and of broad and fruitful international co-operation."

The message is signed, "Nicolae Ceausescu, President of the Socialist Republic of Romania".

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call on the representative of Senegal who wishes to read a message from his Head of State.

Mr. KANE (Senegal) (interpretation from French): The message that I bear reads as follows:

"On the occasion of the commemoration of the Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, I wish to convey to you, in the name of the people and Government of Senegal, and personally, all my wishes for success.

"The Palestinian people have experienced exile, persecution and oppression for more than 30 years. Their inalienable rights to return to their homeland, to self-determination and to the establishment of an independent State have still not been recognized or implemented, despite the adoption of numerous United Nations resolutions.

"Senegal, which has always supported the just cause of the Arab people of Palestine, is firmly convinced that a just settlement of the problem of Palestine requires the withdrawal of Israel from all Arab territories occupied since 1967 and the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to return to their homeland, to self-determination and to the creation of an independent State in Palestine

"Similarly, Senegal gives its full support to the right of the Palestinian people and of its legitimate representative, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), to participate on an equal footing in all talks and negotiations aimed at finding a solution to the question of Palestine. The fact that a larger number of Governments have extended invitations to the leaders of the PLO is tangible proof of the growing support which the Palestinian cause is finding in international opinion.

"The Day of Solidarity which you are commemorating today falls within the framework of the efforts made for many years by the United Nations peacefully to promote the implementation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. This is the appropriate place to reaffirm our conviction that the United Nations bears a major responsibility for restoring the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and must, therefore, continue to play an active and constructive role so as to achieve this aim.

"In this connexion, it gives me pleasure once again to express our satisfaction at the remarkable work accomplished by your Committee for the promotion of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. Your Committee, and the recommendations it has prepared, enjoy, and will continue to enjoy, our unswerving support.

"The Government of Senegal, and I personally, encourage you to persevere in your efforts. By working to promote the rights of the Palestinian people you are serving the ideals of peace and justice which are the very basis of the United Nations Charter."

The message is signed, "Leopold Senghor, President of the Republic of Senegal".

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of Senegal for his statement and for the kind words he has extended to the member of this Committee.

I now call upon the representative of Sudan.

Mr. SAHLOUL (Sudan) (interpretation from Arabic): It is my honour to read out the message to you, Mr. Chairman, from President Gaafar Mohammed Nimeir of the Democratic Republic of the Sudan on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, on 29 November 1979. The text is as follows:

"On the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, I should like to express my appreciation for the fruitful- role played by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People under your chairmanship, and to thank you for your great efforts to support the rights of the Palestinian people. I take this opportunity once again to reaffirm the stand of the Democratic Republic of the Sudan in its continuous and unswerving support of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and its support of the restoration and exercise of the Palestinian people to self-determination and all their legitimate rights including the right to return.

"I should like to call attention to the fact that the continued intransigence of Israel and its ignoring of the rights of the Palestinian people constitutes a grave threat to peace and security in the Middle East, and throughout the world. Therefore, the Democratic Republic of the Sudan considers that a just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine cannot be achieved unless Israel withdraws from the occupied Arab territories, including Jerusalem, and unless the Palestinian people are able to enjoy their right to independence and national sovereignty.

"The growing support of friendly States for the Palestinian people, under the leadership of the PLO, underscores the belief by the international community in the legitimacy of the rights of the Palestinian people. That people no longer needs to beg for sympathy; what it does need is constructive and positive action by the international community in support of the Palestinian people and of the PLO, its legitimate representative, and action to put an end to the changes which the Zionist entity is carrying out in the occupied Palestinian territory in order to alter its demographic, natural, economic, cultural and religious character.

"The designation of 29 November as the annual Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is a reminder to all peace-loving peoples of the world of the just cause of the Palestinian people and urges them to support that people in its struggle for the restoration of its legitimate rights. It is also an occasion for all peace-loving peoples and countries to express their solidarity with all peoples under foreign domination in their struggle to gain their rights to self-determination, independence and freedom, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter.

"We feel sure that the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People will exert every effort to rally the support of the international community in aid of the Palestinian people and for the restoration of its legitimate rights.

"For its part, Sudan will work for the achievement of these noble objectives through the world Organization, to which it belongs, as well through the Non-Aligned Movement, the Islamic Conference, the African Group and the Arab Group. It will continue to make contributions in all forums in order to arouse interest in this cause until an end is put to the suffering of the Palestinian people and its legitimate rights are restored so that it may take its place among the peace-loving peoples of the world."

The message is signed, "Gaafar Mohammed Nimeiri, President of the Democratic Republic of the Sudan".

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of, Sudan for his statement and for the kind words that he addressed to the members of this Committee and to me personally. I now call upon the representative of Sri Lanka

Mr. T. FERMANDO (Sri Lanka): I have the honour to read out the text of a message sent by His Excellency Mr. J.R. Jayewardene, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, in commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. The text is as follows:

"I am happy to have this opportunity of conveying to you, on the occasion of the first anniversary of the observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, my personal felicitations and those of the Government and people of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

"There is no need for me to emphasize the purpose and significance of this occasion. The decision of the General Assembly of the United Nations to set apart a date for observing the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People reflected the feelings of the overwhelming majority of those peoples who have supported and continue to support the just cause the Palestinian people in their struggle for their rightful homeland.

"Today the Palestinian question remains as great a problem as it was when we first took note of its human and political dimensions.  My Government and the people of my country view with sympathy the fate of a people denied their basic right of returning to their homeland.

"In Sri Lanka our solidarity with the cause of the Palestinians is as firm as ever. The notions of justice, of self-determination and of basic human rights now find expression in the lives of our people through a 'Dharmisbta' society – a just and free society. I am particularly happy to mention that Sri Lanka, during its stewardship as Chairman of the Non-Aligned Conference, steadfastly supported the aspirations of the Palestinian people, and it gave me a sense of personal satisfaction that this support continued undiminished at the Non-Aligned summit in Havana this year. We shall continue this support until the aspirations of the Palestinian people are realized in letter and spirit."

The message is signed, "J. R. Jayewardene, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka".

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of Sri Lanka and now call upon the representative of Czechoslovakia.

Mr. HRCKA (Czechoslovakia): I have the honour of reading out the message of the President of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic Mr. Gustav Husak. The text is as follows:

"The Czechoslovak people follow with great sympathy and support the heroic struggle the Arab people of Palestine and their political vanguard, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), are waging against imperialism, Zionism and reaction, in which they are supported by the progressive forces of the whole world. We are convinced that only a just and comprehensive solution of the conflict in the Middle East, with the participation of all the interested parties, including the PLO, can provide for a permanent peaceful settlement in that area and guarantee the legitimate rights of that people. A just solution must be based on an unconditional withdrawal of Israeli troops from all occupied territories, on the implementation of the inalienable rights of the Arab people of Palestine, including their right to self-determination and the establishment of their own independent State, and on safeguarding the rights of all the countries in that region to a peaceful and safe existence”

The message is signed, "Gustav Eusak, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia and President of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic".

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of Czechoslovakia for his statement. I now call upon the representative of Tunisia.

Mr. MESTIRI (Tunisia) (interpretation from Arabic): Mr. Chairman, I am happy to convey to you the message sent by President Habib Bourguiba, the President of the Republic of Tunisia, on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. The text reads:

"At the time when the international community is celebrating this second International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people I have the pleasure of addressing to your Committee my appreciation of the efforts that they exert in support of rights and justice struggle of the Palestinian peoples for the restoration of their legitimate rights.

"For more than 30 years the struggling Palestinian people has been subjected to the worst type of injustice, oppression and imperialist practices, and Israel, which derives its very existence from resolutions of this international Organization, carries out its policies of usurpation and aggression in defiance of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and its resolutions and challenges the international conscience. Israel has carried out a policy of dispersion and dispossession so that one human group, alien to the area, may take the place of the original sons of that area, and it has concentrated its settlements within the occupied territories and continues to carry out its oppressive policy aimed at obliterating the sacred religious character and nature of the area.

"Israel's intransigence and determination in continuing along that path is a clear indication that it is trying to entrench Zionist hegemony and to confront the world with a fait accompli.

"The current situation in the Middle East, its abnormal nature and the dangers it contains mean that that area is experiencing a constant state of war and a series of disruptions and problems.  The four wars that have swept over the area and the armed clashes, destruction and tragedies it has experienced are due to the fact that Israel ignores the core of the problem and has carried out its policy of intransigence and the denial of the most basic human rights.

"I appeal to you in your conscience and awareness to think deeply about how such an adventurous attitude and conduct may lead to dangers, the first evidence of which has started to emerge and has marred relations between peoples and worsened the economic situation that governs relations between countries.  I fear that matters will escape from our control if we do not assume responsibility and show determination.  The world may in fact begin to take a downward course Whose dangerous consequences and results for the fate of mankind no one can foresee.

"I have on more than one occasion explained the position of Tunisia on the question, and I still believe that a comprehensive and just peace cannot prevail in the world unless we work together within the framework of international legitimacy in order to remove the greatest injustice of the twentieth century so as to enable the Palestinian people, under the leadership of its sole legitimate representative, the PLO, to recover its legitimate rights to return home, to exercise self-determination and to establish an independent State on its own territory. From my experience throughout my life and my understanding of my responsibility as the leader of a people, I have known what it means to struggle and have carried out my responsibility as a Head of State. I share with you the heavy burden and responsibility that you bear before history, and therefore I would say to that there can be no solution to this question without taking the path I have indicated and that it would be better to embark upon it willingly now before being obliged to follow it tomorrow. It is important to state that we are facing the start of an era where our Organization may be able to embody their principles for which it was established and put an end to all the challenges that are directed against those principles, and where we can work together to spread the spirit of Justice, peace, security and stability amongst the peoples of the area, which would encourage those peoples to try to build a better future for themselves in which peace, understanding and amity would prevail."

 The message is signed, "Habib Bourguiba, the President of the Republic of Tunisia".

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of Tunisia for his statement. I now call upon the representative of the Soviet Union.

Mr. TROYANOVSKY (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) (interpretation from Russian): I have been requested to convey to you, Mr. Chairman, and to all members of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People our congratulations on the occasion of this International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, and to transmit to you the message of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and President of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, Leonid Brezhnev, which contains congratulations to the Executive Committee and leaders of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and to all the people of Palestine on this day. The message reads:

"On this day which is being commemorated throughout the world, as is proper, mankind, which loves progress, once again reiterates its solidarity with the struggle waged by the Palestinian people to achieve its legitimate rights, including its inalienable right to self-determination and to the establishment of an independent State.

"In the vanguard of the struggle we find the authentic representative of the Palestinian people, the Palestine Liberation Organization.  It truly is in the vanguard of the Arab liberation movements.  Due to its courage and unswerving loyalty to its principles, that organization has gained solid international support.  Support for the just cause of the Palestinian people is the unswerving line adopted by the Soviet Union, which opposes the anti-Arab policy of separate settlements.  We support a general settlement and the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.

"To the Arab people of Palestine and to its political vanguard, the Palestine Liberation Organization, we should like to convey our warmest wishes for their victory in the struggle they are waging against the Israeli aggressors so as to be able to achieve national independence and establish their State." The message is signed, "Leonid Brezhnev, the Kremlin, 29 November 1979".

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the representative the Soviet Union for his kind words addressed to the members of the Committee and its Chairman. I now call on the representative of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen.

Mr. ASHTAL (Democratic Yemen) (interpretation from Arabic): I have pleasure in reading out the message sent to the Committee "by our brother, Abdul Fatah-Ismail, Secretary-General of the Central Committee of the Yemeni Socialist Party and Chairman of the People's Supreme Council of Democratic Yemeni on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

"We of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen welcome from the bottom of our hearts the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. On behalf of the People's Supreme Council and our Yemeni people, I should like to convey to you our deep appreciation and thanks for the efforts you are making in support of the just and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. We also deeply appreciate the efforts of the United Nations to enable the Palestinian people to enjoy their legitimate rights, as other peoples for the benefit of security and peace of the Middle East.

"The establishment of the Israeli aggressor State in the heart of the Arab nations has caused wars and instability in the area for more than 30 years, and the Middle East has never known stability and peace. This is because of the crimes committed by world Zionism in usurping Palestine and dispersing the people of Palestine. Today, in spite of the various United Nations resolutions recognizing the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and their sole legitimate representative, the Palestine Liberation Organization, Israel continues to occupy the Arab territories and refuses to withdraw from them, while receiving support and encouragement from United States imperialism in carrying out its aggressive expansionist policy, as we can see today in the south of Lebanon.

"Democratic Yemen, which has stated its position on the situation in the Middle East in the United Nations and in all other international forums, states once again that peace in the Middle East will not be achieved on the basis of the Camp David accords. There is only one path to peace in the Middle East, and that is complete and unconditional Israeli withdrawal from all the occupied Arab territories and recognition of the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to the establishment of their own independent State under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which has enjoyed international recognition and support. The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, under the auspices of the United Nations, is a further affirmation of the international support the Palestinian people have received in their just struggle for the restoration of their legitimate national rights and it is also proof of the isolation and the failure of Israel and those who support it." The message is signed, "Abdul-Fatah Ismail".

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of Democratic Yemen. I call on the representative of Yugoslavia.

Mr. KOMATIIIA (Yugoslavia) (interpretation from French): Mr. Chairman, as a member of the Committee over which you preside with such dedication and distinction, I am aware of your personal contribution to the work of the Committee as well as to the expression of the idea of international solidarity with the Palestinian people. I congratulate you and I thank you. (continued in English).

The message addressed to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People by the President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Josip Broz Tito, on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People reads as follows:

"To the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, New York.

"The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, rightly observed by the United Nations, reminds us of the unfulfilled obligations of the international community and impels us to exert even greater efforts for the solution of the question of Palestine.

"Although the whole international community recognizes, today, that the question of Palestine constitutes the core of the Middle East problem and that, without resolving this question, there can be no lasting peace in the Middle East, the Palestinian people has not yet – after more than thirty years – been enabled to realize its inalienable national rights. The suffering and tribulations of this heroic people have not ended, nor have they been alleviated.

"The rights of the Palestinian people are just as inalienable as the rights of the other peoples of the world; they are founded on the provisions of the Charter and confirmed in numerous resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council.

"I wish to reiterate, on this occasion also, our deep conviction that a just and lasting settlement of the Middle East crisis must be based on the withdrawal of Israel from all territories occupied in the war of 5 June 1967 and on the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to return to its homeland and its right to self-determination and the establishment of its own State. Recognition of the Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people is of crucial importance to the settlement of the crisis. Only a comprehensive solution can guarantee independence and a secure existence and development to all the peoples and States in that sensitive region.

"Unfortunately, despite energetic condemnation by the whole international community, we are witnesses to aggressive acts perpetrated continually by Israel in the occupied territories, acts which are in direct contradiction with the Charter of the United Nations and the Geneva conventions as well as relevant decisions of the United Nations and constitute a direct challenge and threat to peace in the region and beyond.

"Yugoslavia, together with the other non-aligned countries, has constantly urged that a solution to this question, as well as to other acute international problems, should be sought within the framework of the United Nations.  The world Organization should exert maximum efforts and take new measures, including indispensable sanctions, in order finally to compel Israel, in the interest of peace and security, to comply with the decisions of the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations.

"I avail myself of this opportunity to pledge, through your Committee whose activity we highly appreciate the most resolute support of socialist and non-aligned Yugoslavia for the just struggle of the Palestinian people and to convey my best wishes to the friendly Palestinian people for a speedy realization of its full freedom, independence and sovereign rights." The message is signed, "Josip Broz Tito".

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French):  I thank the representative of Yugoslavia for the kind words addressed to the Committee and to its Chairman.

I now call on the Observer from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea who will read a message from his President.

Mr. CHON (Democratic People's Republic of Korea):  I should like first of all to take this opportunity to express our sincere congratulations to you, Mr. Chairman, and to members of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People on this commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

It is a great honour for me to inform you, Mr. Chairman, that the respected and loved leader Comrade Kirn II Sung, President of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, has sent a message of solidarity dated 26 November 1979 on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.  That message reads as follows:

"On the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, on behalf of the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Korean people and on my own behalf, I extend militant greetings to you and through you to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian people and I express my firm solidarity with the Palestinian people in their just struggle against imperialism and Zionism and for the complete restoration of their legitimate national rights, including the right to regain their lost homeland and to establish an independent State.

"I take this opportunity sincerely to wish you and the Palestinian people greater successes in the struggle for a comprehensive and fair solution to the questions of Palestine and the Middle East."  This message is signed, "Kirn II Sung, President of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea”.

The message is addressed to His Excellency Mr. Yassir Arafat, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Commander-in-Chief of the Palestine Revolutionary Army.

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French):  I now call upon the representative of Guyana who will read a message from the Prime Minister of Guyana.

Mr. SINCLAIR (Guyana):  I have the honour to present to the Committee the text of a message which my Prime Minister, His Excellency Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, has today addressed to the Secretary-General on this solemn occasion.

"On the occasion of the anniversary of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, I wish to reaffirm the active solidarity of the Government and People of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana with the Palestinian people, a people who for the past three decades waged a heroic struggle for the restoration of their inalienable national rights.

"It is one of the sad ironies of the contemporary world, which has seen the retreat of colonialism and the rise of independent nation States, that a whole generation of Arab people has been denied their patrimony and forced to exist as refugees, many of them in their own country.

"In the current circumstances it is imperative that the international community should intensify its efforts to reach urgently a just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine, fraught as it is with the potential for causing a global conflagration.  Such a solution must encompass the complete withdrawal of Israel from all Arab lands occupied since June 1967, the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to establish an independent State in Palestine, and the acknowledgement of the right of every State in the region to live within mutually recognized borders.

"I reaffirm the unflinching support of Guyana for the legitimate struggle being waged by the Palestinian people under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, their sole and legitimate representative, for the recovery of their usurped national rights.

"The Government of Guyana applauds the success of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People is securing ever-increasing support among the international community for the Palestinian cause.

This message is signed, "Linden Forbes Sampson Bumham, Prime Minister of Guyana".

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French):  I now call upon the representative of India who will read a message from the Prime Minister of India.

Mr. AHMAD (India):  India has always been by the side of those people who have struggled, or who are struggling for their freedom and their rights. The question of Palestine and the legitimate rights of the Palestinians have always received our sincere support.  We Indians feel very close to those brave people who are struggling for their just rights, a struggle which has the sanction of the world community.  We support the cause of the Palestinians and stand by their side, as is clear from the message of our Prime Minister, sent on the eve of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which reads as follows:

"I should like to extend, on behalf of the Government and people of India, my best wishes on the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.  It is gratifying to note that the just cause of the Palestinian people is increasingly being appreciated by the world community.  I should like to reiterate that India has always believed that a resolution of the Palestinian problem in all its aspects is essential for peace in West Asia  and the world."

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French):  I call upon the representative of Jamaica who will read a message from his Prime Minister.

Mr. ANDERSON (Jamaica):  I have the honour to read the following message from the Prime Minister of Jamaica on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:

"My Government welcomes the opportunity provided on this day to reaffirm our full support for the Palestinian people in their just struggle to exercise their inalienable rights.

"Jamaica regards the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People as one of the most important events on the calendar of United Nations activities.  We regard it thus because it serves to focus attention on one of the most vexing and potentially most explosive problems of our times.  At the same time, it provides an opportunity for the world community to make a contribution to the search for a solution.

"Jamaica wishes on this occasion to reiterate our firm belief that no over-all settlement is possible in the Middle East without a resolution of the issue which lies at the very core of the problem -the question of Palestinian rights.

"Any proposed settlement or initiative, no matter how well-intention which does not fully address itself to the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination and independence, invites failure and begs non-acceptance by the vast majority of the members of the international community.

"Jamaica continues to believe that the complex and multifaceted nature of the situation which exists in the Middle East requires a comprehensive settlement which is best sought within the framework of the United Nations.

"Further, it remains our view that the search for a just and lasting peace in the region requires the participation of all parties concerned, including the Palestine Liberation Organization, the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

"The prime concern of the international community must be with a just solution – a solution capable of bringing lasting peace and of removing, once and for all, this long-standing threat to international peace and security. Jamaica wishes to re-emphasize, particularly at this time, that such a solution can be found within the framework of the relevant United Nations resolutions.

"Once again, Jamaica reiterates its support for the Palestinian people in their just struggle." The message is signed, "N. W. Manley, Prime Minister of Jamaica".

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call on the representative of Malta.

Mr. GAUCI (Malta): I desire to bring to your attention a message from the Honourable Mr. Dom Mintoff, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Malta on this auspicious occasion:

"This year's observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People marks an important development in their long and arduous struggle for their legitimate rights.  The overwhelming consensus that has emerged over the past year in favour of the establishment of a Palestinian homeland within the context of an over-all peaceful solution to the Middle East question is indicative of the just cause of the Palestinian people, and it is now hoped that practical action will be taken to realize their long-cherished aspirations for self-determination, national independence and sovereignty.

"The Socialist Government of Malta wishes to reaffirm their solidarity with the Palestinian people and pledge their continued support of the Palestinian cause and their struggle for their legitimate rights."

The message is signed, "Dom Mintoff, Prime Minister of Malta". In addition, I wish to inform the Committee on this occasion that the film on Palestine was shown on Malta television yesterday, and a meeting of solidarity with the Palestinian people was also spontaneously organized on the same day.

On a personal note, I wish to thank all those who have rendered homage to the work of the Committee, and to convey to you, Sir, my appreciation for your guidance and my best wishes for your future work.

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French):  I thank the representative of Malta for his statement and for his kind words.

I call on the representative of Mauritania who wishes to read a message from the Prime Minister of Mauritania.

Mr. KANE (Mauritania) (interpretation from French):  On the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People  the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania has requested me to read the following message.  The message is addressed to His Excellency, Ambassador Fall, Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, New York:

"Mr. Chairman dear brother, the celebration of the International Day of Solidarity with the valiant Palestine people provides us with an occasion to reaffirm our total and active support for the sacred cause of the Palestinian revolution. Furthermore, the defence of the holy places calls for our continued support and we join in the efforts of the Arab nations and all peace and justice-loving peoples to that end.

"We will make every effort to restore the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. We are convinced that under the guidance of the Palestine Liberation Organization the cause of the Palestinian people will undoubtedly triumph.

"In conclusion, I wish to pay a deserved tribute to you for the positive work which you have carried out as the head of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. The unquestionable success of the Committee in the international community and the progress made diplomatically by the Palestine Liberation Organization end the Palestinian people have largely been made possible not only by your determination but as a result of your outstanding qualities as a diplomat and your far-sightedness.

"We are grateful for that inestimable contribution. In highest esteem."

The message is signed, "Mohamed Khouna Haidalla, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania".

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of Mauritania for his statement and for his kind words addressed to the Committee and to its Chairman.

I now call on the representative of Viet Nam who will read a message from the Prime Minister of Viet Nam.

Mr. HA VAN LAU (Viet Nam) (interpretation from French): I have the honour to read the text of a message addressed by Prime Minister Pham Van Dong to Mr. Kurt Waldheim, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and to Mr. Fall Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People:

"On the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, 29 November 1979, I have the honour, on behalf of the Government and the people of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, to address to Your Excellencies, and, through you, to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, my warmest greetings.

"At a time when imperialism, together with Zionist Israeli aggressors and reactionary forces, are trying to impose a separate solution aimed at eliminating the national rights of the Palestinian people and rejecting the role of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the only authentic representative of the Palestinian people, the observance of this Day constitutes a demonstration of solidarity and firm support for the just and certainly the victorious struggle of the Palestinian people.

"The Vietnamese people cordially welcomes the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People and reaffirms its resolute support for the struggle of the Palestinian people to regain its sacred national rights, including the right to establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian State. We believe that any just solution of the problem of the Middle East must include the withdrawal of Israel from all the occupied Arab territories and requires the participation of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

"Please accept, your Excellencies, the expression of my highest esteem."

The message is signed, "Pham Van Dong, Prime Minister of the Socialist of Republic of Viet Nam".

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of Viet Nam for his statement and for the kind words he addressed to the Committee and to me personally. I now call upon the representative of the General Secretariat of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

Mr. SYLLA (Organization of the Islamic Conference) (interpretation from French): On the occasion of the commemoration of this great day, 29 November the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, I am happy, Mr. Chairman, to bear witness to the efforts which you have continued to make, together with your Committee, in support of the struggle of the Palestinian people which is today the victim of the greatest injustice and whose national rights today despoiled.

Thirty-two years ago today, the United Nations, by its resolution l8l (II) of 29 November 1967, resolved to create on the ancient soil of Palestine two distinct territorial entities, each having an equal right to exist. It thus gave birth to two sovereign States: a Palestinian Arab State and the State of Israel, both solemnly recognized by the international community.

It is instructive in retrospect to note that General Assembly resolution 273 (III) of 11 May 1949 linked Israel's admission to membership in the United Nations to two essential conditions: first, Israel's undertaking to respect the Charter and the obligations of the United Nations and, secondly, its acceptance of that very resolution l8l (II) of 29 November 1947, which provides for the de Jure existence of the Palestinian Arab State.

With bitter irony, fate has taught us throughout the last 30 years what store Israel set by those solemn undertakings. Of Arab Palestine, whose existence the United Nations sanctioned in 1947 alone with that of the Hebrew State, there remain before our eyes only dislocated, fragmented territories occupied by Israeli forces. The experience of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories during this long period has been one of oppression practised in disregard of international conventions on the protection of civilian populations in times of armed conflict. Along with oppression they have endured plundering of their lands, seizure of their property and expulsion from their homeland. What are we witnessing?  We are witnessing the application of a policy for which Zionism laid the foundations many years ago. Even before the creation of the State of Israel, Ben-Gurion had declared without hesitation:

"We can accept the creation of a Jewish State in part of Palestine as a first step; but then, to establish the great Israeli nation …we shall occupy subsequently all of the remaining areas which, according to our aspirations, constitute the land of Israel.

"The land of Israel, for us, includes the whole of TransJordan, the north of the Yarmuk River as well as the Litani River in the south of Lebanon. And we know that, in the course of the year 1976 alone, 20,000 persons became subject to eviction.

"Similarly, we are daily witnessing the establishment of new Jewish settlements in the occupied territories and in the very heart of Jerusalem. The number of Jews in Jerusalem, which was 10,000 in 1918, reached 290,000 in 1967 and 390,000 in 1976. The Israeli authorities already estimate the number at 500,000 for 1980.

For them it is a matter of gradually creating Jewish settlements in adjacent areas in order to give rise, in a geopolitical framework, to a "material reality" which can be invoked in justifying a border.

The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which the international community is celebrating with us today, 29 November 1979, thus becomes of law and justice, a day for affirming the rule of law over force, a day affirming the perennial nature of justice and law.

In this connexion, the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People has admirably analyzed, the decisive steps which may lead to the establishment in the Middle East of a stable peace, that is, a peace based on respect for the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

It is for the United Nations, in co-operation with the States directly concerned and with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, to take the necessary steps to enable the Palestinians displaced between 198 and 1967 to exercise their right to return to their homes and to recover possession of their property in accordance with United Nations resolutions, particularly General Assembly resolution 194 (III) and Security Council resolution 237 (1967).

If the Committee continues its work, and when the Palestinians have returned to their homes, when they have recovered their property, when an independent Palestinian entity has been established, the Palestinian people will then be in a position to exercise their right to self-determination and to decide on the form of government of their choice, a decision which must take place without foreign interference.

Let it be said again, once and for all, that the question is one of restoring and confirming the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people: their right to return to Palestine and, fundamentally, their right to self-determination, national independence and sovereignty. Those are the principles which have always guided the activity of the Islamic Conference, from its first summit at Rabat in 1969 to its tenth conference at Fez from 12 to 19 May 1979. These same principles were reaffirmed at all the sessions of the Committee on Jerusalem of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

The use of brutal force for the last 30 years against the Arab peoples of the region, and. especially against the Palestinian people, cannot erase the traces of long Arab and Moslem history with which Arab Palestinians and Al-Quds will always be identified.

The policy of avoidance practised by the Zionist authorities cannot lead to a constructive solution to the problem of Jerusalem, Palestine and the occupied. territories. Even less can it mask the tragedy which the Palestinian people have been living or more than 30 years. It cannot extinguish the resistance of a people conscious of its rights and its identity. It cannot alter the faith of a people struggling for its survival.

In commemorating this day, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, we are commemorating at the same time the unity of destiny which links the Governments of the member States of the Islamic Conference, the unity of destiny which links all justice-loving men and peoples.

For Islamic peoples throughout the world it is the Palestinian question which constitutes the essence of the Middle East conflict. For the Governments of the Islamic States, as for the international community, to disregard the reality is to place the peace and security of the region in dire jeopardy.

Indeed, Jerusalem and the Palestinian cause have always been the fundamental problems with which the Islamic Conference has been concerned. Any concession on these questions would be inadmissibly at variance with the principles and objectives which led to the creation of the Islamic Conference.

To commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is, for us, to affirm that no agreement can affect the destiny of the Palestinian people unless it respects the right of the PLO to participate as the sole legitimate representative of that people, on an equal footing with other parties, in all meetings held in international and other forums on the question Of Palestine and peace in the Middle East.

To commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is to affirm, with the serenity that inspires all just causes, that when a people is committed to a national liberation struggle, it can only lead to victory over domination. This is the case today for the Arab People of Palestine and for the PLO.

This is also the message which the Organization of the Islamic Conference addresses to the Palestinian people, the PLO and to occupied Palestine on this International Day of Solidarity with the entire Palestinian People.

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of the Islamic Conference for his statement and, for the kind words he has addressed, to the Committee and its Chairman. I now call upon the representative of the Chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU).

Mr. TUBMAN (Liberia), Representative of the Chairman of the Organization of African Unity: Mr. Chairman, I wish to thank you and the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People for honouring the Organization of African Unity (OAU) by inviting its current Chairman, the President of Liberia, through his representative, to say a few words here today. As that representative it is therefore a great honour and a pleasing duty for me to extend warm greetings to the Palestinian people on the occasion of this special programme commemorating the International Day of Solidarity with then. Your involvement of the OAU in this programme, Mr. Chairman, no less than the efficient and dedicated services which you, a son of Senegal, that proud African nation, have rendered for several years as Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Right of the Palestinian People, underscores the close ties that link the African and Palestinian peoples in bonds of fraternal solidarity. Both peoples have suffered alien domination and exploitation; both peoples have been denied basic human and political rights; yet, throughout all those hardships – in fact, partly due to them – both the African and Palestinian peoples have never lost faith in themselves nor in their future. It is that faith and the indomitable spirit to overcome the adversity which nurtured it that has brought those two heroic peoples to the threshold of a new day and a brighter future.

The States of the OAU, which are linked as much by their common allegiance to the African motherland as by an unshakable determination to preserve their hard-won liberty, have long recognized that the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and its entitlement to a homeland of it own lie at the heart of the Middle East problem, but, more than merely recognize Palestinian rights in idealistic and abstract terms, the members of the OAU have persistently and actively supported the Palestinian cause, even when such support required the payment of a high price by our countries, most of which, after all, are still struggling to find their own feet. There was a time when the important link between the Palestine problem and the settlement of the Middle East crises and wars was not recognized by many States; indeed, the destiny, the hopes, even  the right of existence itself of whole people, a people of character and genius, seemed banished from the international agenda, relegated to oblivion. But the conscience of humanity could not remain for ever burdened by so monstrous a neglect. Today, due largely to the exertions of the Palestinians themselves, things are very different. The conscience of the whole world has been aroused and the just cause of the Palestinian people has won and continues to win understanding, sympathy and support in all parts of the world. Even some Governments which have so far been unable to recognize the national liberation movement of the Palestinian people, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) no longer deny – indeed many of them have stated – that unless and until the problem of the Palestinians is resolved no comprehensive or lasting peace in the Middle East can be found.

The grievance of the Palestinian people is the crucial reality of the unresolved dangers in the Middle East and reality, especially when it is supported by the demands of justice, cannot be ignored indefinitely. Therefore today, as we commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the member States of the OAU, all of whom have known great suffering but who none the less still love and cherish Justice, are heartened by the growing signs that, after so many years of the most grinding oppression and neglect, the gallant Palestinian people will soon be able to exercise its right to self-determination and will be able at long last to establish what shall surely be a peace-loving resourceful State of its own. This is the sincere wish of the current Chairman of the OAU for the Palestinian people on this solemn day, because the Palestinian cause, which is a cause for Justice and freedom, is more than an Arab cause. It is also an African cause; indeed, it is a cause for lovers of freedom wherever they may live.

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of the Chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) for his statement and for the kind words he has extended to me. I now call upon the representative of the League of Arab States.

Mr. ADAM (League of Arab States) (interpretation from Arabic): Allow me to read out the message sent by Mr. Chedii KLibi, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. The text is as follows:

"The Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is the crowning of the efforts that the United Nations is carrying out to explain the characteristics and dimensions of the Palestinian question. However, the highlighting of the justice and legitimacy of the struggle of the Palestinian people, an awareness of which you, Mr. Chairman, have tried to inculcate in the very soul and conscience of mankind, would appear to have been insufficient. In order to bring out those aspects of the Palestinian question, we have tried to expose the false actions carried out by Zionism to obliterate the rights of the Palestinian people, actions whereby Israel wishes to efface the glorious aspect of the struggle that the Palestine Liberation Organization is waging.

"The Palestinian people have achieved great victories on the international scene, and its greatest victory has always been in its direct, continuous and intensified confrontation with Israeli aggression in all its various aspects and wherever it occurs. One of Israel's aims is to sap the Palestinians physically by haphazard bombing of their refugee camps from land, sea and air in Lebanon and by installing settlements under the guise, on the one hand, of security requirements and, on the other hand, of racist ideological beliefs. All these attempts have been unmasked through the heroic and comprehensive struggle of the Palestinian people and the information campaign carried out by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinians under the leadership of its wise Chairman, Mr. Fall.

"Peace based on justice remains the objective of the Palestinian struggle. Throughout the years of the long and bitter struggle the Palestinian people, like all other peace-loving peoples of the world, refuses to set up entities based on racism, while the Israeli justification is based on colour, origin, race or religion. The Palestinian people remain convinced of the need to work to achieve a durable and just peace which can be brought about only through the implementation of the principles of the Charter and the resolutions of the United Nations, to enable all oppressed peoples to exercise the right to self-determination and to give them the opportunity to participate effectively in the implementation of those principles.

"The settlement of the fateful question of the future of millions of people is linked to the choice of the correct course of action. Peace cannot be created by ignoring the rights of peoples or ignoring the participation of the parties directly concerned in the conflict. Furthermore, we cannot speak of peace within the framework of a plan to impose a fait accompli or a policy aimed at the seizure of further territory and at depriving peoples of their basic political, human and national rights. For that reason, we are meeting today in solidarity with the just struggle of the Palestinian people. We recognize that the question of the Palestinian people reflects the cause of those peoples throughout history who have been subjected to injustice, and who have joined this Organization after their struggle against imperialism and colonialism had resulted in their attaining independence. The day will come when the Palestinian people will join the group of independent States and lend greater strength to their support for the struggle of peoples for their dignity and in support of mankind's march towards a world in which justice and equality prevail.

"On 29 November 197, the date which marked the division of Palestine, the United Nations had a limited membership. Through the years the United Nations has become a broad Organization, including all the peoples of the world, particularly the peoples of the third world. In 1974, the United Nations invited Mr. Arafat, the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization, to bring the real voice of the Palestinian people to the international community. The United Nations showed greater understanding, and the just Palestinian cause achieved greater acceptance in the international community. On 29 November 1978 the first International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People was commemorated. As a result of the emergence of Arab power through consolidation and solidarity, as shown for instance in the summit conferences of Baghdad and Tunis, all attempts remove the question of Palestine from its central position in the conscience of mankind were thwarted. This is the second time we have celebrated the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Let us hope that next 29 November will be a day of international celebration of the implementation of all United Nations resolutions pertaining to the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the establishment of their nation in their own homeland and on their territory. To those who say that this is optimistic we say that it is a commitment of the international community to restore rights where they belong.

"In conclusion, allow me to pay a tribute to the actions taken by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People under your wise leadership, Mr. Chairman, in spite of the difficult circumstances in which you have worked. We wish you and your successor every success."

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call upon the representative of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya who will be speaking on behalf of the Africa and Arab Groups of States, since he serves as the Chairman of both Groups this month.

Mr. EL-GARIANI (Libya), Chairman, African and Arab Groups of States (interpretation from Arabic): It is an honour for me to speak today on behalf of the Arab Group of States as well as the African Group of States and I should like to begin by thanking all those who were involved in the organization of this meeting which the international community, represented at the United Nations, has decided to hold each year in order to affirm the solidarity of the States and peoples of the world which love peace and freedom with the Palestinian people in its honourable struggle for freedom, Belt-determination and return to its homeland. The designation of this date, 29 November, each year to show international solidarity with the people of Palestine is the best proof and evidence that international society and the International community affirm and believe in the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, namely, its right to its homeland, Palestine, its right to exercise self-determination without any external interference, and its right to return to its land and to sovereignty.

I should like on this occasion, on behalf of the Arab and the African Groups of States, to pay a tribute and to affirm our commitment and complete loyalty to the heroic struggle which is being waged by these brotherly Palestinian people under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, its sole legitimate representative. Our unlimited support for the Palestinian People is a national duty and an affirmation of the inalienable rights that have been enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, in United Nations resolutions and in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The resolutions of the Arab Summit conferences and the African Summit conferences and of the international community as a whole have also stated, along with us, that the question of Palestine is the key and the heart of the Problem of the Middle East and that any solution which aims at peace and Justice in that area cannot succeed without responding to the aspirations firming the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. Any solution to the question of the Middle East must take into consideration the inalienable and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to return to its homeland and property, to achieve and exercise self-determination, independence and national sovereignty. Any solution which does not take all those factors into consideration will not contribute to the achievement of a just and lasting peace in the area of the Middle East.

The participation of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the representative of the Palestinian people, on an equal footing with the other parties on the basis of General Assembly resolutions 3236 (XXIX) and 3376 (XXX), is important to all international deliberations and negotiations regarding the rights of the Palestinian people. The natural and inalienable right of the Palestinian people to return to its homeland is affirmed by the General Assembly practically every year, and the Security Council unanimously recognized that right in its resolution 237 (1967).

The time for the implementation of United Nations resolutions came long ago and I therefore ask the United Nations, and particularly the Security Council, to take suitable and practical measures to enable the Palestinian people to exercise its right to return to its homeland and to exercise and enjoy self-determination. The Security Council must put an end to the aggression of the Zionist racist entity and its inhuman practices against the Arab peoples in Palestine and in the occupied Arab territories. The record of the racist Zionist entity and that of its ally, the racist regime of South Africa, constitute one of the most horrible records in the history of mankind. Its racist practices have exceeded anything that might be imagined and we consider that the time has come for the international community to stand together and to take the necessary effective measures to put an end to those racist practices.

I should like to take this opportunity to pay a tribute to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People for the intensified efforts which it has made to bring about the implementation of its resolutions. I should also like to recall those resolutions which were prepared by the Committee and which were supported by the General Assembly on more than one occasion as the basis for the solution of the question of Palestine.

In conclusion, I should like to extend my thanks and appreciation to all friendly peoples which love peace and freedom and which have supported the just cause of the Palestinian people. A tribute must also be paid to the heroic struggle of the Palestinian people under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the Chairman of the African and Arab Groups for his kind words addressed to the Committee and to its Chairman.

I now call upon the Chairman of the Asian Group of States.

Mr. JAMAL (Qatar), Chaincan, Asian Group of States (interpretation from Arabic): I have the pleasure of participating, on behalf of the Asian Group of which I have the honour to be the Chairman this month, in the events taking place today wherein the United Nations pays a tribute to the struggle of the Palestinian people for the liberation of their territory.  When the United Nations adopted the resolution which designated 29 November the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the aim was naturally not to hold an annual commemoration when speakers would support the Palestinian people who have been waiting for over 30 years and still wait at the artificial barriers that have prevented their return to their homeland. That resolution has more than a traditional meaning and goes so far as to affirm the unanimity of the international community in its support for the national aspirations and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.  That unanimity has been, expressed in deeds, not just in words, by the long list of resolutions adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations over the past 30 years which affirm and recognize the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

That is a clear and, strong expression of the isolation of Israel which stands alone in its intransigence and defiance of international public opinion both at the official and the popular level, paying no heed to the resolutions of this international community – although the very existence of Israel is unfortunately based on one of the resolutions of the international Organization. It would be no exaggeration to say that this defiance of the United Nations on the part of Israel is one of the basic factors which have defaced the image of this Organization until, in the minds of men, that image is almost one of impotence and passivity.

What is the fate of the Palestinian people two million of whom have been living either in refugee camps or in exile, while the third million are on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under Israeli military occupation which exercises against them all means of oppression, torture and brutal and hateful racist suppression? But it would be a fatal error for Members of the United Nations, particularly Member nations the size of Israel or South Africa, to think that they can impose their illegal will on the international community. Unfortunately, those countries which defy international unanimity could not have continued their flagrant defiance and violation of laws, resolutions and international agreements if they had not depended for their basic support on a major Power, in defending their strange logic within this Organization, providing them with economic assistance, and supplying them with the means of life and with developed weaponry. This tempts them to entrench their occupation of the land of others and to carry out their brutal aggressions, thus violating the sovereignty of another State, Lebanon, under the pretext or myth of the physical liquidation of the Palestinian people.

The Asian Group, on whose behalf I have the honour to speak today, believes that the time has come for the international community to lift from the shoulders of the struggling Palestinian peoples the great burden of the tragedy that occurred in 1948. The international community, which does not accept the usurpation of a sovereign State, will not remain unmoved by the usurpation of an entire homeland.

At a time when we reaffirm the inalienable rights of the Palestinian People we support the struggle of that heroic people, who have stunned the world, and continue to do so, by giving the most heroic examples of sacrifice and martyrdom in seeking restoration of the usurped homeland of Palestine, under the leadership of their sole legitimate representative, the Palestine Liberation Organization.

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call on the Chairman of the Group of Eastern European States.

Mr. TROYANOVSKY (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), Chairman, Group of Eastern European States (interpretation from Russian): At the outset of my remarks I wish to say how gratified I am that you have given me an opportunity to speak in my capacity as Chairman of the Group of Eastern European States for the month of November, during this special meeting commemorating the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

On behalf of the people of the Byelorussian SSR, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, the German Democratic Republic, Poland, Romania, the Ukrainian SSR and the Soviet Union it has become customary to commemorate this Day in the United Nations, which has recently adopted numerous valid and important resolutions directed at supporting the legitimate rights of the people of Palestine.  

It is well known that in 1974 the United Nations General Assembly adopted a special resolution reaffirming the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, with external interference, and to national independence and sovereignty, and recognizing the Palestine Liberation Organization as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

In past years the unswerving and courageous struggle of the Palestinian people to obtain their rights has attracted the wide-ranging support and understanding of the international community. The overwhelming majority of States now recognize that the Palestine resistance movement is the vanguard of the Arab national liberation movement, and that if the legitimate demands of the Palestinian people are not met it will be impossible to establish stable, just and lasting peace in the Middle East.

The position of principle of the aforementioned socialist countries on the Palestinian problem is well known, and remains unchanged. These countries categorically demand that the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right of that people to self-determination, as well as their right to the establishment of an independent State, be speedily granted. These States give their full support to the just cause of the Palestinian and their struggle to obtain their national rights, freedom and national independence.

Today, nobody will deny the irrefutable fact that if the Palestinian problem remains unsolved there can be no just and stable settlement in Middle East. That fact is self-evident. Such a settlement can be obtained only with the equal participation of all the parties concerned, including the PLO, the sole authentic representative of the Palestinian people.

The position of principle, the constructive position of the PLO with regard to a settlement of the Middle East crisis and its contribution to strengthening the unity of action by the Arab States, despite the existence of separate agreements has been accurately assessed throughout the world. Israel, which has signed the Charter of the Organization stubbornly continues to flout the important resolutions of this Organization. Those resolutions call for the implementation of the inalienable rights Palestinian people, but Israel refuses to tread the same path as that taken by the international community. However, the Israeli leaders must have known for a considerable time that no behind-the-scenes activity, no talk relating to a so-called autonomy for Palestinians, can bring any closer a stable peace in the Middle East.

The path leading to peace will be found by the bringing about of a just solution to the Palestinian problem within the context of a general settlement of the situation in the Middle East. The absence of any solution to this complex international problem will lead to a further deterioration in the on in the situation in the region and will create a situation which is potentially dangerous to international peace and security as a whole.

Responsibility for this falls squarely on Israel and the imperialist forces that fully support it.

In conclusion, I should like to express our satisfaction at the useful work accomplished by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People with the aim of ensuring that a just solution to the Palestinian problem will be found. I should like to affirm that the socialist States, on whose behalf I speak, will continue, as they have in the past, actively to participate in the work of the Committee and will do their best to co-operate so as to ensure that its decisions and recommendations are implemented.

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the Chairman of the Group of Eastern European States for his statement, and I now call upon the representative of Cyprus, who will read a message from the President of his country.

Mr. J. C. DROUSHIOTIS (Cyprus):  At this special meeting of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, I have the honour to read the following message from His Excellency, Mr. Spyros Kyprianou, President of the Republic of Cyprus, addressed to His Excellency, Mr. Kurt Waldheim, Secretary-General of the United Nations:

"On the occasion of the observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian, People, I wish to stress the necessity for the application of all relevant United Nations resolutions on Palestine that can ensure peace and stability in this sensitive area of the world. I should like to add that it is imperative that the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people should be fairly respected, including the right to establish their own independent sovereign State.

"Cyprus will continue to play its modest role on this question." The message is signed, "Spyros Kyprianou, President of the Republic of Cyprus”.

The CHAIRMAN: I thank the representative of Cyprus and now call on the representative of Peru, the Chairman of the Latin American Group.

Mr. PALMA (Peru), Chairman of the Latin American Group of States, (interpretation from Spanish): Once again, it is a pleasure for Latin America to be present and to participate together with other regional groups, in this commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, thus demonstrating the world-wide support for the just cause of the Palestinian people.

Although the Latin American countries have different views regarding certain aspects of the question, they all agree in expressing their will to co-operate in the settlement of the Palestinian problem within the framework of the relevant United Nations resolutions, while naturally maintaining their respective positions on those resolutions.

In more than a century and a half of independence, Latin America has recognized and promoted fundamental principles which have consolidated its independence and facilitated the accession of other countries of the region to independence. Among these principles we must especially highlight the principle of the self-determination of peoples and the principle that occupation by force does not confer territorial rights. We need hardly repeat that these principles are of special relevance to the solution of the complex problem of the Middle East and to the attainment of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

For more than 30 years, these principles have guided the countries of our region in the initiatives they have taken or supported with regard to the Middle East and the question of Palestine. Latin America has been, and continues to be, in solidarity with the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and urges the prompt elaboration of arrangements conducive to Just settlement, with the participation of all concerned, of this complex problem which affects not only the region, but also the maintenance of International peace and security.

Latin America also hopes that the solution of these problems will be found by peaceful and concerted means, for only such a solution can be just and lasting. Armed forces must be withdrawn from the occupied territories, there must be cognition of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all the States of the region, and their right to live in peace, free from threats or acts of force and the rights of the Palestinian people must be recognized and exercised. Our Organization should, for its part, do everything in its power to promote conciliation and co-operation, to reduce tensions and to promote the Just and lasting peace in the Middle East for which we all hope.

For historic and religious reasons, Latin America is closely linked to the problems of the region and feels that the continuation of the crisis besetting it impedes the establishment of higher forms of coexistence and co-operation, which the peoples of the regions deserve by virtue of the age-old civilizations established there. Because of the contribution made by these civilizations to mankind and the great things that may be expected from the unification of the area, Latin America believes that the signing of a peace based on justice will set its stamp on the future – we hope the very near future – of the Middle East region.

To the Palestinian people, to whom we reiterate today our solidarity through its representatives here, we also express our most profound desire for the full and peaceful realization of the future which it deserves.

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the Chairman of the Latin American Group for his statement. The next speaker is Mr. Michel Achilli, Member of the Italian Parliament, and the representative of the Parliamentary Association for Euro-Arab Co-operation. I call upon him to make his statement.

Mr. ACHILLI (Parliamentary Association for Euro-Arab Co-operation): It is a great honour for the Parliamentary Association for Euro-Arab Co-operation to participate in the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity within the Palestinian People. Over the past years, we have constantly worked to broaden the awareness of European public opinion of the need for a deep dialogue with the Arab people, and particularly for supporting the Palestinian cause and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, to return to their homeland and to establish their own national independent State.

In the beginning it was not easy, but now the situation is changing, very rapidly at the public opinion level, but too slowly at the governmental level.  That is why we must now make a major effort, because the situation is full of tension and dangers for peace.  We are sure that the solution of the Palestinian problem could help us to find a lasting peace in the whole area.

The Parliamentary Association is moving in this direction: each member is working in his Parliament, as well as in the European Parliament, and is pressing his Government for full recognition of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the legitimate representative of the Palestinians, as a basis for full implementation of United Nations resolutions.

Recently, as you know, the nine countries of the European Economic Community (EEC) reaffirmed that in respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of every State in the area concerned, the legitimate rights of the Palestinians should be taken into account, including their right to a homeland.

That is still a little, and just the first step after years of guilty silence, but it is an important basis for future developments, if the political forces to which the individual members of the Association belong become aware of the need to work harder towards that end.

That is the reason, I believe, why Ambassador Fall said in his speech of 29 June this year that the Committee of which he was the Chairman was ready to support any decision by the Security Council based on the terms of that statement by the nine European countries.  Because now is the time to pass from resolutions to decisions and to implement declarations, all those political forces that continually put obstacle and vetoes in the way of finding a solution will be assuming a grave responsibility.

We are deeply convinced that time is very short and that it is necessary multiply efforts to mobilize public opinion – and, as far as we are concerned, the parliaments – in order to reach a solution and bring about a solid and lasting peace, which means the recognition of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to independence and to a sovereign State in which to live freedom and peace.

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank Mr. Achilli for statement, and for his contribution to the Palestinian cause. I now call upon Chairman of the Palestine Human Rights Campaign.

Mr. ZOGBY (Chairman of the Palestine Human Rights Campaign): We thank you for the invitation extended to our Palestine Human Rights Campaign to participate in this Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. We come today to express our support for the rights of the Palestinian people. We feel obliged to begin by highlighting our special concern and expressing our special support for those Palestinians living under Israeli occupation, whose rights are being actively violated daily. Especially we wish to cite our concern and support for Mr. Bassam Al-Shaka, the Mayor of Nablus in Palestine. Today Mayor Shaka begins  fourth week of confinement in Ramie prison.  We are outraged by his imprisonment and by the continued efforts of the Israeli military Government to expel him from his homeland. We and thousands of our members and supporters have expressed our condemnation of this violation of rights and we are determined to continue our campaign to defend his rights and the rights of the Palestinians living under Israeli military rule. We come today to express our support for the rights of all the Palestinian people: their right to return to their homes; their right to be represented by their chosen leadership, the Palestine Liberation Organization; their right to live as a free and independent people with full national sovereignty. As we witness today, the vast majority of humanity recognizes those rights of the Palestinian people. Only a few States, led by our Government, the United States, remain outside this international consensus. We in the Palestine Human Rights Campaign draw special attention to the fact that our Government has chosen to boycott these meetings. We feel that in doing so the United States has turned a deaf ear to the causes of human rights and peace which it so ardently claims to pursue.  This unfortunately does not surprise us, however, for while claiming to maintain those goals for the peoples of the Middle East, evidence of United States commitment is hard to find. For example, while the United States Government called last year for an investigation into Israeli practices of torture of Palestinian prisoners, it allowed Israel to investigate itself, ignoring United Nations findings, and Israel gave itself a clean bill of health; and while there exists the United States law which makes it illegal for the United States Government to give military and economic aid to countries which are violators of human rights; and while not only the United Nations but the United States State Department itself shows that Israel is violating human rights in at least five significant areas, still Israel continues to receive the lion's share of United States military and economic aid – $12 billion since 1973.  And while the United States has expressed concern for Palestinian rights, it proceeded, together with the Egyptian and Israeli Governments at Camp David, to define away all meaningful rights of the Palestinians and instead offered them only Tinned occupation or exile.

Thus we have sadly concluded that it is not only as a result of the racism expansionism of the Israeli Government that Palestinian rights are violated, but it is sadly due to the policies of our own Government that the Palestinian people is denied its national and human rights.

Our Palestine Human Rights Campaign was therefore formed to call on our Government to speak and, act with one voice and to commit itself to the recognition of Palestinian rights by recognizing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people as outlined in United Nations resolutions on the Palestine question, by recognizing the Palestine Liberation Organization as representative of the Palestinian people and by calling on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian lands. Our Palestine Human Rights Campaign declares its intent to intensify its efforts to build a mass movement of the American people and to mobilize public opinion to change United States policy into a policy committed in both word and deed to human rights and peace. We are confident that our people will unite around the cause of justice for the Palestinian people. In the past few months alone we have seen evidence of what profound changes can occur in the United States; not only black and Arab Americans have come forward to join our campaign for Palestinian rights, but major Hispanic and American Indian organizations and church and peace organizations have committed themselves to building a movement-to put recognition of Palestinian rights on the United States political agenda. This is why we are here today: to commit ourselves as Americans to peace, to, human rights and to the recognition of Palestinian national and human rights.

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): On behalf of the members of the Committee I should like to thank the Chairman of the Palestine Human Rights  Campaign. I hope that his words to this meeting will inspire Governments in the, future. I now call upon the representative of the South West Africa People's  Organization (SWAPO).

Mr. MUESHIHANGE (South West Africa People's Organization): The South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) of Namibia is gratified to carry out, revolutionary duty in expressing its militant support for and solidarity with the Palestine Liberation Organization and the struggling Palestinian people on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

It will be understood if we sound emphatic and strong. Our Namibia and Palestine, as represented by the PLO, share certain similarities deeply rooted in our colonial past and based on our common struggles to bring about national independence and social liberation in our respective countries. In the eyes of the imperialists and colonialists at the Versailles Conference, both our peoples were mere chattels – spoils of war relegated to inhuman alphabetical categories. Throughout the long period since the end of the First World War, which has seen the creation and demise of the moribund League of Nations and the creation of the United Nations, our peoples have remained faithful and committed to the sacred principles of the right to self-determination and national independence. Today the PLO and SWAPO are recognized universally as the sole and authentic representatives of their respective peoples.  Equally, the legitimacy of the armed struggle has been recognized and endorsed in each case.

As regards Palestine, SWAPO recognizes only the Palestine Liberation Organization as the spokesman and representative of the Palestinian people who are fighting so gallantly to recover their legitimate and inalienable rights, including the right to a homeland, as an independent, sovereign State.  On the other hand, SWAPO vehemently and strongly condemns the Zionist entity of Israel which, in defiance of the numerous United Nations resolutions and decisions, continues illegally to occupy Palestine and other Arab lands.  We categorically reject any claim by that entity or from any other quarter purporting to represent or speak for the Palestinian people.

Much has been said and written about the Israeli-South African connexion, which has been extended and broadened by leaps and bounds in all spheres and activities since the Second World War.  We reiterate our resolute condemnation of this unholy alliance and similarly condemn the major Western imperialist Powers which support and abet this connexion, which increasingly endangers southern Africa and the Middle East and poses a serious threat to world peace and security.

We appeal to the international community and all progressive and peace-loving forces to continue and increase their support and assistance of the Palestine Liberation Organization until the rebirth of democratic Palestine.

We thank the Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and its members for allowing us to add our militant voice to this commemoration.  The struggle continues.

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French):  On behalf of the Committee I wish to thank the representative of SWAPO for his statement. I call on the representative of the African National Congress of South Africa.

Mr. MAKATINI (African National Congress of South Africa):  The African Rational Congress appreciates and attaches a great deal of importance to the invitation extended to it to attend and address this solemn  meeting marking the second commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.  We warmly welcome the initiative taken by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People which, under your able, dynamic and dedicated leadership, Mr. Chairman, has always associated our movement with the Palestinian struggle. We do so not only because of the position of the Organization of African Unity, which recognizes the Palestinian cause as the African cause but also because of our own analysis which has led to the conclusion that there exist far-reaching and striking similarities as regards the root cause of the creation of the Zionist and apartheid regimes, artificial creations that can be traced to the same source, that is, the decisive role played by the imperialist countries at a time when the majority of the countries that today wield considerable influence on the side of justice were themselves still under colonial subjugation because the architects and champions of both the Zionist and apartheid regimes fanatically believe they are God-chosen races inspired by divine right; because the raison d'etre of the policies pursued by the two has always been and continues to be an intention to perpetuate the denial of the rights to self-determination and citizenship of our two peoples, whose lot is one of alienation and exploitation; because both regimes were created to serve and continue to serve as imperialist outposts and bases for repression internally and aggression beyond their borders in order to perpetuate the status quo in the region and to serve as bases for launching aggression against the neighbouring States; because the two regimes pursue a policy of close collaboration and alliance in the Political, economic, military and nuclear fields; because both rely on the same group of Western countries which not only buttress their repressive and oppressive potential but also frustrate every effort by the international community to impose punitive measures to achieve a just and lasting solution of this problem; and, finally, because the systems of the two regimes constitute a threat to peace and international security.

The Secretary-General has today correctly said that the fact that the desired just and lasting solution of the problem in the Middle East, the problem whose core is the Palestinian question, has eluded the United Nations for so long does not exonerate this body from the pressing and imperative responsibility to redouble its efforts for the realization of this goal.  It is also generally agreed that a just and lasting solution of the Palestinian and southern African problems is an unavoidable prerequisite to the solution of the problems of those two regions, because they are the root causes of the problems in the areas concerned.

We take this opportunity to appeal to all the individuals, organizations and States committed to the principles and purposes of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, whose universal implementation was regarded by the founding fathers of the United Nations as a guarantee of the maintenance of world peace and international security, to rededicate themselves, to stand up and be counted on the side of justice and to facilitate the attainment by the Palestinian people of the full exercise of their inalienable right to self-determination, including the establishment of an independent and sovereign State on Palestinian land.

To those whose support of the Palestinian people, rendered through the Palestine Liberation Organization, its sole legitimate representative, has always been unswerving, we appeal for a redoubling of such support. To those whose support has been of a lip-service character and wavering, we appeal for a renewed, full and unequivocal commitment.  To those whose role has been one of duplicity, those who profess support for the principle of self-determination for all peoples, including the Palestinian people, while buttressing the Tel Aviv regime economically and militarily, we make an appeal to abandon this policy before it is too late, before they are irreversibly dragged into a position of alliance with the doomed Israeli expansionist positions, which are definitely not in the long-term interests of their own people or conducive to the maintenance of international peace and security.

For our part, and in keeping with our role as the vanguard of the liberation struggle in South Africa, we wish to declare that our solidarity will also take the form of redoubling our efforts towards the replacement of the apartheid regime with a democratic State based on the will of all the South African people, regardless of race, colour or creed. We shall remain unflinching in our resolve to pay the supreme sacrifice to attain that sacred goal.

Finally, Mr. Chairman, we wish to place on record our deep appreciation for the highly commendable work that this Committee has done and continues to do under your leadership.

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French):  I now call upon the representative of the Patriotic Front of Zimbabwe.

Mr. NCUBE (Patriotic Front of Zimbabwe) The Patriotic Front is honoured to share in this second commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People established by resolution 32/40 B of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

The question of Palestine is one which the international community has rightly taken up at all levels. The United Nations, the Organization of African Unity and the Non-Aligned Movement have concerned themselves in detail with the implementation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. Many resolutions bearing on this question have been passed by those organizations. What remains is an active solidarity. However, we see an aspect of that in the convening of this meeting by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People for which we congratulate the Committee and its able Chairman.

The Patriotic Front salutes the heroic Palestinian people and its sole authentic liberation movement, the Palestine Liberation Organization, for fighting valiantly in defence of its inalienable right to self-determination.  We salute the Palestinian people for daring to struggle against the powerful forces of Zionism and imperialism and showing us that no odds can be greater than the collective spirit of a nation united against dispossession, oppression and exploitation.

The Palestinian nation is today's most blatant case of dispossession, Accordingly, from the very beginning of this thirty-fourth session of the United Nations General Assembly it was clear that there is a general consensus among Members of the United Nations that the Palestinians have been displaced by Zionism and that the denial of the rights of the Palestinian people is at the centre of the long conflict in the Middle East.

But more importantly, the majority of mankind has declared that an aggressive colonialism and racism in the form of Zionism, supported by imperialism and particularly American imperialism, lie behind the denial of the rights of the Palestinian people to their own land.

For a long time now the people of Zimbabwe have experienced colonialism, racism and apartheid. Recently, when we took up arms to liberate the oppressed nation of Zimbabwe, we were confronted by colonialism, imperialism, racism, apartheid and Zionism which has become one of the sustainers of the Smith-Muzorewa military machine and a supplier of mercenaries.

This is the daily experience of our people in refugee camps in Zambia, Mozambique and Botswana; the young people, old women and men who sought refuge in those countries after having survived the bombardment of their homes and the torture by the racist colonial troops of Smith and Muzorewa then face bombs and napalm from jets and helicopters flown by Israeli pilots. Our people therefore fully comprehend the terror and massacres faced by the Palestinian people at the hands of the Zionist State.   Our people therefore fully understand the crimes of Zionism since they, like the Palestinian people, have been victims.

Not only have the Israelis committed these crimes against our people, they have also served as the conduit for the illegal supply of war planes, helicopters and small arms to the Rhodesian colonial regime by the United States of America! and other Western countries.

These are the acts which have proved the inseparable relations among colonialism, racism, Zionism and imperialism. These are the acts which unite the Palestinian people with the peoples of Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa who have suffered at the hands of the same enemy. It is evident that there cannot be peace in the world and indeed there cannot be a solution to the problems of national oppression, hunger, starvation and exploitation as long as the hateful syndicate of imperialism, colonialism, racism and Zionism persists in the world.

It is those forces which drove the Palestinian people into the wilderness in order to establish a Zionist State in Palestine. The rights of the Palestinian people have been trampled upon. Thus the Palestinian nation was left with no choice but to fight back to regain its birthright. It is now the consensus of the international community that without the restoration of the Palestinian right to self-determination and nationhood in Palestine there cannot be a solution to the conflict in the Middle East. No just solution is possible which does not recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization as  the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian nation.

The people of Zimbabwe, through their sole legitimate representative, the Patriotic Front, stand firmly behind the Palestine Liberation Organization In its just struggle against the Zionist occupation of Palestine. We join the non-aligned countries in condemning Israel's persistent violation of the fundamental rights and freedoms of the inhabitants of occupied Palestine and Arab territories. We also condemn the Zionist State of Israel for its policy Of expelling the indigenous Arab population, the destruction of Arab homes and cultural and religious institutions in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, and its persistent aggression against neighbouring States and Palestinian refugee camps.

We equally condemn the racist and fascist military co-operation between Israel on the one hand and South Africa and Rhodesia on the other. This alliance has resulted in untold massacres of innocent people, including women, elderly people and children in Palestine, Arab countries, Zimbabwe, Namibia South Africa.

The Patriotic Front is convinced that the Palestinian people will be victorious. We extend our militant solidarity to our Palestinian brothers and sisters who face the same struggle against the same enemy. We call upon the international community to redouble its efforts in the struggle for the restoration of the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people.  The Patriotic Front stands shoulder to shoulder with the PLO in that struggle their victories are our victories. Victory is certain. Long live the Palestinian people.

 The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of the Patriotic Front of Zimbabwe.

We have received a number of messages from Foreign Ministers and other personalities, and messages continue to arrive. They will all be included in the summary records of this meeting. We have on the table messages from the Foreign Ministers of Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Indonesia. Libya, Malaysia, Turkey and Yemen. Before I close the meeting, I shall give the final word to Mr. Kaddumi, Head of the Department of Political Affairs of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Mr. KADDUMI (Palestine Liberation Organization) (interpretation from Arabic): I am happy for this opportunity on the occasion when we are marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, to extend to you all our appreciation and gratitude for your being here and participating with us in this celebration. We wish to extend to you our deep gratitude for the faithful, loyal and wonderful words sent by your leaders on this occasion expressing the solidarity of your peoples and friendly Governments with the people of Palestine in their legitimate and Just struggle for the restoration of their inalienable rights under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

I also wish to express my thanks to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council for attending this meeting. It indicates the extent of the United Nations interest in the Palestine question and the struggle of the Palestinian people. Your solidarity with and support for the Palestinian people show also solidarity with all national liberation movements throughout the World and support for the cause of freedom and justice.

Our Palestinian people place great hopes in the United Nations and its member States because this is the natural forum in which to seek a just solution to the causes of oppressed peoples. Your celebration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is an expression of the determination United Nations, with all its organs and bodies, to continue its action deploy every effort to solve the problem of the Middle East in a just manner.

The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, under the Chairmanship of Ambassador Fall, came into being as the fruit of the efforts which you have deployed in order to deal with the question of Palestine by taking large and constructive steps.

That Committee has shown great capacity and efficiency in disseminating information and awareness in every part of the world through the publications and booklets which it has issued.  It has also worked to ensure that the Palestinian people may enjoy their national rights as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, the Committee's efforts have met with impediments and obstructions.  Despite that, it has not remained quiet, but has continued in its actions and its work in order to achieve its objectives.

Our peoples – the peoples whom you support – wish to express their appreciation for what you have done and for your continued support and solidarity.  That solidarity is dear and precious to them in their daily violent struggles within the occupied territories, as well as outside, for the liberation of their territory, the return to their homeland and the setting up of an independent Palestinian state on their national territory and soil.  They will remain loyal and committed to the principles and the Charter of the United Nations and to the cause of peace and justice.

In conclusion, I have the pleasure of reiterating, on behalf of the Executive Committee of the PLO and also in the name of the Palestinian people and their militants, our gratitude and appreciation for the valuable and continuous efforts of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the great actions and work carried out by the Committee throughout its mandate.  I wish also to pay tribute to our dear friend, Mr. Fall, for his dedication and for giving all his time in guiding the work of the Committee.  We wish him every success and satisfaction in his future work and actions.  Finally, I extend to you all our deep gratitude and appreciation of your continued support and assistance and of your solidarity with our Palestinian peoples and their Just cause. May God's peace and blessings be with you.

The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): On behalf of the members of the Committee, I wish to thank the Head of the Department of political Affairs, Palestine Liberation Organization for the kind words be has addressed to the members of the Committee and to me as its Chairman.