CEIRPP meeting – Summary record

COMMITTEE ON THE EXERCISE OF THE INALIENABLE

RIGHTS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE 184th MEETING

Held at Headquarters, New York

on Wednesday, 18 December 1991, at 10 a.m.

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CONTENTS

Adoption of the agenda

Programme of work of the Committee for 1992

Other matters

Farewell statement by the Chairman

The meeting was called to order at 10.20 a.m.

ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA

1. The agenda was adopted.

PROGRAMME OF WORK OF THE COMMITTEE FOR 1992

2. The CHAIRMAN said that, in adopting resolution 46/74 A, B and C, the General Assembly had again reaffirmed the importance which it attached to the Committee's role in promoting a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestine question, with the assistance of the Division for Palestinian Rights and the Department of Public Information (DPI).

3. The steady deterioration of the Palestinians' living conditions, the apparent impasse in the peace process, owing to Israel's intransigence, and Israel's stepped-up annexation of the occupied Palestinian territory called for redoubled efforts by the Committee to fulfil its mandate and to ensure the implementation of the relevant United Nations resolutions.

4. On 16 December 1991, in a letter addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council on behalf of the Committee, she had drawn their attention, as a matter of urgency, to further attacks carried out by the Israeli Government and settlers against the Holy Places and Palestinian property in East Jerusalem and adjoining neighbourhoods.  She had requested that all the necessary measures should be taken to induce Israel, the occupying Power, to put an end to all its illegal settlement activities, ensure respect for the Holy Places and guarantee protection of the Palestinians and their property, in accordance with the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and the relevant Security Council resolutions.  Her letter had been issued in document A/46/788-S/23291.

5. She also wished to inform Committee members that the officers of the Committee had begun preparations for the various seminars and meetings of non-governmental organizations with the assistance of the Secretariat and in consultation with the coordinating committees of those organizations.  A tentative calendar had been distributed to all the members of the Committee. Preparations were continuing, in particular, for the United Nations Asian Seminar and NGO Symposium on the Question of Palestine, to be held at Nicosia, Cyprus, from 20 to 24 January 1992.  The officers of the Committee would keep Committee members informed of subsequent developments in that area.

6. The Committee would continue to monitor closely the situation in the occupied territory and the developments in the peace process and would intensify its efforts to fulfil the mandate which had been entrusted to it by the General Assembly.

OTHER MATTERS

7. Mr. AL-KIDWA (Observer for Palestine) said that, with the recent adoption of five resolutions on the question of Palestine, the General Assembly had reaffirmed its continuing support for the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.  He expressed appreciation to those States which were members of the Committee for their support for the resolutions. The position taken by the General Assembly undoubtedly reflected the work of the Committee, the Division for Palestinian Rights and DPI, as well as the principle that Palestinian rights should constitute the basis for a settlement in the Middle East.

8. The situation in the occupied territory continued to deteriorate rapidly.  The occupation forces had again reverted to repressive policies and practices, such as the seizure of a number of houses in East Jerusalem, the expulsion of their inhabitants and their replacement with illegal settlers. The attempts to establish a dialogue continued to be frustrated, to the point where it had proved impossible even to begin the talks.  That was evidence of Israel's true position, namely, that it did not accept the principle of land for peace or the rights of the Palestinian people as recognized by the United Nations.  For those reasons, his delegation had found the repeal of General Assembly resolution 3379 (XXX) a few days earlier to be unacceptable.  His delegation wished to put that painful experience behind it and was looking forward with hope to the future, based on the support of the international community.

9. Mr. OUDOVENKO (Ukraine) said that his delegation had been a sponsor of the five General Assembly resolutions confirming the Committee's mandate and that it would work for their implementation.  Having declared its independence, Ukraine would play a more active role in the Committee's work.

FAREWELL STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN

10. The CHAIRMAN said that, as she had been called to other duties by her Government and would soon be leaving Headquarters, she wished to thank all the members of the Committee for their collaboration over the past three years.

11. She noted with satisfaction that the efforts undertaken by the Committee in fulfilment of the mandate entrusted to it by the General Assembly had begun to yield results, as shown by the peace process initiated at Madrid under the auspices of the United States and the Soviet Union.  That process, she hoped, would culminate in an equitable and lasting peace for all the inhabitants of the region.  She looked forward to the day when Palestine would take its place as a full member of the international community.  In the meanwhile, her country, Senegal, would continue to support the Committee's work and the just cause of the Palestinian people in every possible way.  

12. She expressed appreciation to the Secretary-General for his valuable advice and the interest which he had always shown in the Palestinian question.  Furthermore, she was convinced that the Committee would be able to rely on the same determination from his successor, Mr. Boutros Boutros Ghali. She also wished to pay tribute to the Division for Palestinian Rights and its Chief, Mr. Mirza, to DPI, to the Secretary of the Committee and to the other officers of the Committee for their devotion and competence.

13. Mr. AKSIN (Turkey), Mr. INSANALLY (Guyana), Mr. ADEYANJU (Nigeria), Mr. RAOLINA (Madagascar), Mr. DIAKITE (Mali), Mr. OUDOVENKO (Ukraine), Mr. BASHARMAL (Afghanistan), Mr. KALPAGE (Observer for Sri Lanka), Mr. BOUKADOUM (Observer for Algeria) and Mr. AL-KIDWA (Observer for Palestine) paid tribute to the Chairman for her leadership of the Committee.

The meeting rose at 11.15 a.m.