Situation in Lebanon – Letter from Belgium

I have the honour to draw your attention to the attached communication concerning  the situation in the Middle East issued at the conclusion of  the meeting of Heads of State and Government of the ten States members of the European Community held at Brussels on 28 and 29 June  1982.

I  should be grateful to you,  Sir,   if you would kindly arrange to have the text of this communication circulated as a document of the General Assembly,  under item 34 of the preliminary list, and of the Security Council.

ANNEX

Statement on the situation in the Middle East issued by the

Heads of State and Government of the ten States members of

the European Community, at the conclusion of the meeting

held at Brussels on 28 and 29 June 1982

1. The Ten maintain their vigorous condemnation of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. They are greatly concerned about the situation in that country and in particular in Beirut.  They believe that the present cease-fire must at all costs be preserved.

2. This cease-fire should be accompanied on one hand by an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from their positions around the Lebanese capital as a first step towards their complete withdrawal, and on the other hand by a simultaneous withdrawal of the Palestinian forces in West Beirut in accordance with procedures to be agreed between the parties.

3. In order to facilitate this withdrawal, the separation of forces would be controlled during this short transitional period by Lebanese forces and, by agreement with the Lebanese Government, by United Nations observers or forces.

4. The establishment of a final peace in Lebanon requires the complete and prompt withdrawal of Israeli forces from that country as well as the departure of all foreign forces, except those which may be authorized by a legitimate and broadly representative Government of Lebanon whose authority would be fully re-established over all its national territory.  The Ten support all efforts for the achievement of these objectives.

5. For the present, the Ten have decided to continue their activity to bring relief to the population in distress and, in this context, call on all parties to act in accordance with Security Council resolutions 511 (1982) and 512 (1982) and to co-operate with the responsible international agencies as well as with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.  They are also ready in due course to assist in the reconstruction of the country.

6. Anxious to initiate, over and above the settlement of the Lebanese problem, the lasting restoration of peace and security in the region, the Ten wish to see negotiations based on the principles of security for all States and justice for all peoples.  All the parties concerned should be associated with these and thus should accept one another's existence.  Israel will not obtain the security to which it has a right by using force and creating faits accomplis but it can find this security by satisfying the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, who should have the opportunity to exercise their right to self-determination with all that this implies.

7. They believe that for negotiations to be possible the Palestinian people must be able to commit themselves to them and thus to be represented at them.  The position of the Ten remains that the Palestine Liberation Organization should be associated with the negotiations.

8. The Ten wish to see the Palestinian people in a position to pursue their demands by political means and wish that the achievement of these should take account of the need to recognize and respect the existence and security of all.

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