Israeli practices – Fourth Cttee debate – Summary record

SPECIAL POLITICAL AND

DECOLONIZATION COMMITTEE

(FOURTH COMMITTEE)

29th meeting

held on

1 December 1994

at 3 p.m.

New York

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE 29th MEETING

CONTENTS

AGENDA ITEM 78:  REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE ISRAELI PRACTICES AFFECTING THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND OTHER ARABS OF THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES (continued)

COMPLETION OF THE COMMITTEE'S WORK

The meeting was called to order at 3.30 p.m.

AGENDA ITEM 78:  REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE ISRAELI PRACTICES AFFECTING THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND OTHER ARABS OF THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES (continued) (A/C.4/49/L.23)

Draft resolution A/C.4/49/L.23

1. Mr. MORENO (Cuba) said that, as a result of consultations with members of the Committee, the sponsors wished to revise the draft resolution by adding a final preambular paragraph, reading:

"Welcoming the convening at Madrid of the Peace Conference on the Middle East on the basis of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) aimed at the realization of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace and stressing the need for rapid progress in all bilateral negotiations,".

He believed that the vast majority of the members could now vote in favour of the text.

2. A recorded vote was taken on draft resolution A/C.4/49/L.23, as orally revised.

In favour: Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: Israel.

Abstaining: Argentina, Barbados, Côte d'Ivoire, Fiji, Jamaica, Kenya, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Papua New Guinea, Peru, Russian Federation, United States of America, Uruguay.

3. Draft resolution A/C.4/49/L.23, as orally revised, was adopted by 108 votes to 1, with 13 abstentions.

4. The CHAIRMAN invited any members wishing to explain their votes after the vote to do so.

5. Mr. WOLFF (Germany), speaking on behalf of the States members of the European Union, Austria, Finland and Sweden, all of which had voted in favour of the draft resolution, said that it was their conviction that all the difficulties between the parties had to be resolved in the ongoing negotiations within the framework of the Madrid peace process, an approach which was in line with the principles expressed in the resolution.  The extremely important results achieved since the Madrid Peace Conference proved that there was no alternative.  They called upon all parties to solve their problems through negotiations and to participate actively in all bilateral and multilateral fora of the Middle East peace process in order to enhance its momentum.

6. Mr. JELBAN (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) said that his delegation had voted in favour of the draft resolution, but wished to register a reservation to all references to the recognition of Israel or to the welcoming of the current peace process.

7. Mr. AL-NIMA (Iraq) said that his delegation had voted in favour of the draft resolution despite its reservations on the last preambular paragraph.

8. Mr. SAMADI (Islamic Republic of Iran) observed that his delegation's vote in favour of the draft resolution should not be interpreted as a recognition of Israel.

9. Mr. AL-ATTAR (Syrian Arab Republic) thanked all the sponsors and supporters of the draft resolution, whose numbers proved the overwhelming support for the justness of his country's cause in seeking to bring an end to the occupation of parts of its territory and at the same time achieve a just, comprehensive and lasting peace based on legitimate international resolutions and the principle of the exchange of land for peace.

COMPLETION OF THE COMMITTEE'S WORK

10. The CHAIRMAN, after reviewing the Committee's work during the session, announced that the Committee had completed its work for the forty-ninth session.

The meeting rose at 3.55 p.m.

This record is subject to correction.  Corrections should be sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned within one week of the date of the publication to the Chief of the Official Records Editing Section, room DC2-794, 2 United Nations Plaza, and incorporated in a copy of the record.  Corrections will be issued after the end of the session, in a separate corrigendum for each Committee.