SG report on the work of UN – GA debate – Verbatim record (excerpts)

Official Records

General Assembly
Sixty-third session

21st plenary meeting
Monday, 6 October 2008, 3 p.m. 
New York

President: Mr. D’Escoto Brockmann …………………………………… (Nicaragua)

  In the absence of the President, Mr. Mbuende (Namibia), Vice-President, took the Chair.

The meeting was called to order at 3.10 p.m.

 Agenda item 100 (continued )

Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization (A/63/1)

 Mr. Ali (Malaysia): …

/…

 I would be remiss if I did not address the question of Palestine. That is an issue that has been on the agenda of the United Nations for more than 50 years and remains one of the most vital components of general peace and security. The Security Council has adopted important resolutions on that question that should have accorded to Palestinians the restoration of their rights. Unfortunately, there has been no follow-up action to compel Israel to respect international law and thus end its illegal occupation and illegitimate practices in the occupied Palestinian territories. Today, the violations of the human rights of the Palestinian people continue and the daily life of ordinary people in Gaza is made difficult by economic blockades.

  Illegal settlements are still on the increase despite widespread condemnation. Thus, the Organization has not delivered on its potential in that situation, at least not to the millions of Palestinian refugees caught in the conflict or to those whose human rights continue to be violated.

/…

The meeting rose at 3.45 p.m.

This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the interpretation of speeches delivered in the other languages. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room C-154A. Corrections will be issued after the end of the session in a consolidated corrigendum.