Palestine question/PNC Declaration of Independence – Letter from Madagascar

Letter dated 28 November 1988 from the Permanent Representative of Madagascar

to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

I have the honour to transmit to you herewith the text of a message addressed by the President of the Democratic Republic of Madagascar on 15 November 1988 to His Excellency Mr. Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, on the subject of the recognition of the independent Palestinian State by the Government of Madagascar.

I should be grateful if you could arrange for the text of this letter and of its annex to be circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda items 37 and 40, and of the Security Council.

ANNEX

Message dated 15 November 1988 from the President of the Democratic Republic

of Madagascar addressed to the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the

Palestine Liberation Organization

It is with joy that we have just learned that your National Council, meeting in Algiers since 12 November 1988, has proclaimed an independent Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital.

The Democratic Republic of Madagascar, faithful to its commitments in support of the just struggle of the Palestinian people, under the leadership of the PLO, its sole legitimate representative, warmly welcomes the birth of the new independent State, born of the sovereign self-determination and legitimate aspirations of your courageous people.

Accordingly, the Democratic Republic of Madagascar has decided to recognize the independent Palestinian State de jure as of this very day, in accordance with the relevant norms of international law.

I should be grateful if you would bring this decision to the attention of the Palestine National Council, and through it to the attention of the entire fraternal people of Palestine, which we wish once again to congratulate on the act of historic significance that it has just performed in the interest of establishing a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.