Letter dated 28 April 1980 from the Permanent Representative
of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to the United Nations addressed
On behalf of the Permanent Representatives of the States members of the Steadfastness and Confrontation National Front, I have the honour to convey herewith the text of the Declaration made at the conclusion of the Fourth Summit Conference of the Steadfastness and Confrontation National Front, held at Tripoli, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, between 12 and 15 April 1980.
I have the further honour to request that the said Declaration be circulated as an official document of the General Assembly, under items 24 and 26 of the preliminary list, and of the Security Council.
(Signed) Mansur R. KIKHIA
Declaration made at the conclusion of the Fourth Summit Conference of the
Steadfastness and Confrontation National Front
Upon invitation from Colonel Muammar Al Qathafi, leader of the glorious September 1st revolution, an Arab summit conference for the Steadfastness and Confrontation Front was convened in Tripoli from 26-29 Jumada Al-Awwal 1389 corresponding to 12-15 April 1980. The attendants were as follows:
1) President Shad li Ben Jedid, President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria.
2) President Hafiz Al-Assad, President of the Syrian Arab Republic.
3) Colonel Muammar Al Qathafi, leader of the glorious September 1st revolution of the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.
4) Brother Abdul Fatah Ismail, Secretary-General of the Central Committee of the Yemeni Socialist Party and Chairman of the People’s Supreme Congress in the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen.
5) Brother Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and General Commander of the Palestinian Revolutionary Forces.
The Conference reviewed all the developments in both the Arab and international arenas since the convening of the Front’s Third Conference in Damascus, and discussed at length the current situation of the Arab-Israeli-Imperialist conflict, and the grave consequences of the continuation of the Camp David policies which revealed and clarified the extent of the conspiracy being perpetrated by international Zionism and American imperialism against the Arab Nation seeking its fragmentation, the elimination of its national unity, and the creation of contradiction between the Arab states by drawing them into irrelevant battles employing the Sadat regime against the Arab Nation, foremost, the people of Egypt, all of which is done for the sake of complete domination over the Arab homeland and the subjugation of the Arab Nation by destroying its national achievements, and plundering its wealth and placing it under the Zionist-American umbrella. After the thorough analysis of the situation the Conference concluded the following:
1. What the Camp David parties have done is but one link in the chain of the vicious conspiracy designed by imperialism and Zionism against the Arab Nation and its central cause, Palestine.
2. The normalization of relations between Egyptian regime and the Zionist entity constitutes a new step toward the consolidation of the aggressive alliance between the United States of America, the Zionist enemy, and the Sadat regime – an alliance that is directed basically against the Arab Nation including the Arab people in Egypt.
3. The principle objective of the imperialist-Zionist scheme seeks the liquidation of the Palestinian cause, the fragmentation of the Arab people in Palestine, the obliteration of their national character and infringement upon their representative unity. It further seeks the elimination of the Palestine Liberation Organization as the armed leader of the Palestinian people and the legitimate and sole representative of the Palestinian Arab people; hence, the determination of the Camp David parties to carry out the conspiracy of liquidating the Palestinian revolution, to proceed with the establishment of Zionist settlements and to implement the conspiracy of liquidating the Palestinian revolution, to proceed with the establishment of Zionist settlements and implement the conspiracy of self-determination for the inhabitants of the West Bank and Gaza Strip resettling Palestinian refugees and ousting the Palestinian people from their homeland.
4. Syria, at this stage, represents the chief target for strike and liquidation, being the base of steadfastness and confrontation by virtue of its geographic location and national position on the Palestine cause, and because it constitutes the main political and military power confronting the Zionist enemy and its allies; hence, the explanation of the vicious attack against the Syrian Arab State in an attempt to cease its national role by striking its internal front as the main support of the steadfastness and strength of Syria, employing certain circles that are involved with the parties to Camp David.
5. The extension of American hegemony over some Arab states, in establishing American military bases in them to protect western interests is under the guise of defending the independence of these states against alleged threats.
6. The attempt to narrow the gap between the Sadat regime and the Arab regimes as a step toward drawing them into the framework of the Camp David policy, and toward the liquidation of unity in the Arab stance set by the resolutions of the Arab summit, is an escalation of conflict in the Arab region by pitting Arab against Arab rather than having a united Arab front against the chief enemy represented in the Zionist entity, American imperialist ambitions, and the parties to Camp David.
7. Some West European countries are still vacillating in adopting attitudes consistent with the interests of their people, attempting to encircle the Arab stance through projects complimentary to the Camp David formula and Security Council Resolution No. 242, driven in sodoing by the United States policy in the Middle East region disregarding the justice of the Arab cause and its essence, Palestine, and disregarding further the dangerous consequences of continuing the United States policy in the Arab region.
8. The Arab position, embodied in the resolutions of the Steadfastness and Confrontation Front and of the Arab Summit Conferences in Baghdad and Tunis, and the support of the Islamic Nations, the Non-Aligned Nations, the Socialist and African states, the friendly nations and the Liberation and Progressive Forces the world over, which they extended to the Arab Nation in its rejection of the Camp David Accords, has given a tremendous thrust to the struggling forces in Arab Egypt to intensify their campaign against the Sadat regime and his capitulationist path, leading to the escalation of nationalist action reflecting the determination of the masses in Arab Egypt to defeat the schemes aimed at snatching Egypt from its natural pioneering position in the Arab Nation’s struggle against imperialism and Zionism.
9. The events and developments which the Arab homeland has witnessed since the establishment of the National Front for Steadfastness and Confrontation in Tripoli in 1977 have proven that this Front constitute the nucleus for an Arab stand that rejects the capitulationist course for the Arab region and assumes a leading role in international and Arab conferences. The development of this Front, the mobilization of the energies of its parties, and the materialization of its institution have all now become an urgent requirement for its transformation into a more effective retaliation against the conspiracy and its challenges, and in the consolidation of Arab solidarity on the basis of confronting and defeating the Camp David schemes, and in supporting and promoting the progressive liberation trends in the Arab homeland. In light of the above and after a thorough examination of both the Arab and international situation, the Conference ratified a number of resolutions, some of which are the following:
1. The Conference reaffirms the continuation of the policy of steadfastness and confrontation against Zionism and American Imperialism as the two main enemies of the Arab Nation and calls upon the Arab governments to reconsider their relations with the United States of America, and views the establishment of any American base in the Arab Nation as a direct aggression against the parties of the Front and the Arab Nation that should be resisted by all the means and urges an appeal to the Arab masses to accelerate their struggle against these bases.
2. The formation of the following councils to the Steadfastness and Confrontation Front as stipulated in the Damascus Declaration:
a) The Supreme Command
b) The Political Committee
c) The Information Committee
d) The Military Command
It has been resolved that these councils should assume their duties immediately and appoint their executive officers. It has been further resolved to establish a joint military force for the Front responsible to the Military Command.
3. Charging the Political Committee to draft a program for joint Arab action to be presented to the parties of the Front and, after their endorsement, to be submitted to the Arab governments. The program is to be founded on the following principles:
a) Resistance to the Zionist presence and the struggle against the imperialist policy in the region.
b) The enlistment of political, economic and military efforts in the struggle against the enemy, and the provision of a program for the establishment of military forces to help regain military parity with the Zionist enemy.
c) The oncentration of the principle Arab effort and its direction toward confrontation with the Zionist enemy.
d) The drawing of a clear-cut position against the policy of the United States of America of providing support and assistance to the Zionist enemy leading to the reinforcement of the Zionist entity and the solidification of its occupation of the Arab lands.
e) The presentation, by the parties of the Front, of an economic program to the Arab Summit’s preparatory meeting of the Arab Ministers of Economy and Foreign Affairs, with the purpose of using the Arab economy in both passive and active confrontation.
4. To proceed with the action of resisting the Camp David policy and the confrontation of the Zionist and imperialist schemes, and the mobilization of the Arab masses to thrust all their capabilities into the confrontation arena and the enlistment of the energies of all popular organizations, trade unions and associations to confront the Camp David parties and their interests in the region, since the Arab masses are the actual leaders of the national struggle and the main force in the battlefield, and it is they who are targeted by Zionism and imperialism as those who possess genuine interest in liberation, progress and the defeat of all the schemes and conspiracies aimed at the domination of the region.
5. The Conference resolves to support the General People’s Congress and condemns all attempts aimed at splitting or infringing upon its unity.
6. The Conference resolves to redefine the economic relations of the Front’s parties with European countries if they proceed to play a role on behalf of America in Arab development.
7. The Conference reaffirms its determination on tightening the boycott against the Sadat regime economically, politically, technically and media-wise, and on applying the boycott rules against the Israeli enemy to the Sadat regime, its establishments and institutions, and calls upon the Arab governments to apply the same rules.
8. a) Support of the Palestinian Arab People’s resistance in and outside the occupied homeland materially and politically, and the reinforcement of their capabilities in facing the self-administration conspiracy, and resisting the occupation, and support of the Palestine Liberation Organization as the leader of the armed struggle of the Palestinian people and the legitimate and sole representative of the Palestinian people in and outside the occupied homeland.
b) The states of the Front commit themselves to dealing with all suspect attempts promoted by imperialism, Zionism and the reactionary elements within the occupied homeland and aimed at infringing upon the unity of the Palestinian people, the unity of its representation and the unity of its leadership through the Palestine Liberation Organization.
9. Standing by the Syrian Arab country in the face of the imperialist Zionist vicious attack it is subjected to since it is considered the main link in the Arab steadfastness, and to take further action to reinforce its resistance in order to restore the strategic balance between itself and the Zionist enemy as an inevitable stage toward liberation and the restoration of national rights.
10. The resistance of any attempt aimed at the encirclement of the Arab position, and the rejection of any settlement of the Palestinian cause based on Security Council Resolution No.242 or any amendment stemming from said resolution.
11. The Conference asserts the right of the Palestinian Revolution to operate on all Arab fronts, and calls upon the government of Jordan to enable the Palestinian Revolution to exercise its role and combative responsibilities against the Zionist enemy across the Jordanian front.
12. Support of the struggle of the Arab people in Egypt to counter the treason of the Sadat regime and the Zionist penetration and support for all the Egyptian Patriotic and Progressive Forces in their national struggle for the liberation of Egypt and its restoration to the Arab Nation.
13. The Conference affirms the unity and Arab character of Lebanon, its independence and sovereignty and honours agreements concluded between the Lebanese government and the Palestine Liberation Organization and also the resolutions of the Arab Summit Conferences and Beit El-Din and support of the principles of Lebanese National reconciliation and appeals to all parties in Lebanon to put them into force.
It also reaffirms its firm support of Lebanon against the Zionist aggression against the Arab lands and demands of the Arab governments to take joint action to confront this aggression.
14. The Conference resolved to recognize the Saharan Democratic Arab Republic and calls upon the Arab States to recognize it.
15. The parties of the Front will act on the solidification and promotion of their relations on various areas with the countries of the Socialist bloc, foremost, the Soviet Union, and the development of the formula of these relations in a manner to strengthen the firm and effective resistance against the Camp David Accords and the parties involved. Within this framework the Conference confirms its belief in the principles of non-alignment, and that non-alignment does not mean assuming neutrality in the conflict between the imperialist and Zionist forces on the one hand and the forces of liberation and progress on the other, since it is not possible to place both friend and foe on equal footing.
16. The Conference has resolved that Brother Colonel Muammar Al Qathafi contact the Soviet Union in the name of the Front to explore the possibilities of developing relations between the Soviet Union and the Front in a manner conducive to greater military and political support for the Steadfastness Front, and the restoration of the political and military balance to the region, and also the cementing of relations between the Soviet Union and the Front’s States.
17. The Conference reaffirms its solidarity with the Iranian Revolution in its struggle against the plotting of the United States of America and considers any aggressive American measures against it to constitute a grave threat to peace and security in the region and the world.
18. The Conference reaffirms its respect for the determination of Afghanistan to defend its homeland and the security of its territory and its non-alignment.
19. The Conference stresses the importance of the reinforcement of relations with the African States and the consolidation of African-Arab solidarity in the face of the imperialist and Zionist schemes and the racist presence in the African continent and occupied Palestine, and the importance of granting priority in Arab support and assistance to the friendly African States which stand in support of the Palestinian and the Arab rights.
20. The Conference affirms its support and assistance to the legitimate government in Chad, headed by Mr. Goukouni Oueddei which, issued out of the Lagos Agreement, against the colonialist schemes and the parties cooperating with colonialism and demands the evacuation of the colonialist forces whose presence in Chad is considered an obstacle to the achievement of national reconciliation in Chad in accordance with the aforementioned Agreement.
21. The provision of all forms of support and assistance to the national liberation movements in Asia, Africa and Latin America to accelerate their struggle against imperialism, zionism and racism and for the sake of achieving their goals in freedom, independence and progress.
22. The Conference emphasizes the firm linkage between security in the Mediterranean and security in the Arab region and in this respect confirms its support and backing of the Republic of Malta which, declaring its neutrality, has carried out the evacuation of the colonial forces from its lands.
23. The continuation of action for the reinforcement of Arab solidarity to be more effective in confronting the Zionist enemy and imperialism, and the dedication of the Arab Nation’s energies to the battlefield of the Arab-Zionist conflict, and further action to maintain the unity of the Arab position in the face of the great dangers threatening the Arab Nation which are represented in the Camp David Accords, and to appeal to the Arab governments to avoid petty differences and face the chief enemy in occupied Palestine and the other occupied Arab lands.
The Conference resolves further to continue following the developments in both the Arab and international arenas and to stay in contact with the friendly Arab States with the aim of reinforcing the joint Arab action to increase the Arab Nation’s capabilities in total confrontation with the Zionist enemy and the Camp David policy.
It was resolved to make further contact with the non-aligned nations, the Socialist bloc countries and the European States to provide the widest international support for the just struggle of the Arab Nation.
The Conference, while renewing its commitment to the Steadfastness and Confrontation policy until the Arab Nation’s goals are realized, affirms that the Arab Nation with its moral and material capabilities, its vast masses and is national forces, is capable of facing aggression and conspiracy, and achieving victory, God willing, over all its enemies.
