CEIRPP – Hungary statement

Statement by the representative of Hungary at the 15th meeting of the Committee on 11 May 1976*

We axe about to conclude the first phase of our work here in the Committee.  In the opinion of the Government of the Hungarian People's Republic this extremely important Committee has done a considerably good job. It has lived up to the expectations of the Member States which voted in favour of General Assembly resolution 3376 (XXX). Its free discussions and exchanges of views have helped further to promote a better understanding of the Palestinian cause among the whole international community. The draft prepared by the Committee is proof of the high level of integrity, morality and international responsibility of all those who participated in our work.

The Hungarian People's Republic has always expressed its firm conviction that the dangerous hotbed in the Middle East has been created and maintained by imperialist manoeuvres, by colonialist designs. And we fully agree with that basic statement of the draft that underlines the fact that "The question of Palestine is at the heart of the Middle East problem and consequently the Committee stresses its belief that no solution in the Middle East can be envisaged which does not fully take into account the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people."

The implementation of the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to sovereign national existence, to a homeland and to return is a cornerstone of any possible just and lasting peaceful solution of the Middle East conflict. Unless the striking injustices and untold sufferings that have afflicted the Arab people of Palestine for over a quarter of a century are brought to an end, there will be no peace in the Middle East. My country, which always whole heartedly supported the just struggle of the Palestinian Arab people and its genuine liberation movement the PLO, under the leadership of the great statesman Yasser Arafat, fully endorses the idea contained in paragraph 61 of the draft report, namely, that

"The participation of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the representative of the Palestinian people, on an equal footing with other parties … is indispensable in all efforts, deliberations and conferences on the Middle East …".

During our deliberations, the delegation of the Palestine Liberation Organization and other participants in our work made many important and interesting proposals. We feel that this draft is quite a successful compilation of all these ideas. It clearly shows the basic conviction of the members of this Committee that the right of return and the right to a homeland of the Palestinian Arab people are not negotiable. The United Nations has the obligation to  implement the long overdue resolutions and to help in the solution of the many political and practical matters in the way our draft suggests. It cannot be disputed that the Middle East tension, that still carries within it the danger of the outbreak of a new war, is a question of basic concern to international peace and security and, as such, belongs, first and foremost, to the sphere of competence of the Security Council. We sincerely hope that the Security Council will endorse the recommendations of our Committee.

Needless to say the Socialist countries, among them Hungary, have no selfish interests in the Middle East. Our sole interest is to promote peace based on justice and security through the peaceful co-operation of all the nations of the region. In this spirit we shall continue to support all anti–imperialist forces fighting for the final liquidation of the consequences of aggression. In this spirit we shall continue our work here in the Committee.

* Distributed in accordance with a decision of the Committee.

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