COMMITTEE ON THE EXERCISE OF THE INALIENABLE
RIGHTS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE
VERBATIM RECORD OF THE SEVENTY-FOURTH MEETINGS
Held at Headquarters, New York,
on Monday, 30 November 1981, at 3 p.m.
Chairman: Mr. SARRE (Senegal)
CONTENTS
Special meetings to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
—–
This record is subject to correction.
Corrections should be submitted in one of the working languages, preferably in the same language as the text to which they refer. They should be set forth in a memorandum and also, if possible, incorporated in a copy of the record. They should be sent within one month of the date of this document to the Chief, official Records Editing Section, Department of Conference Services, room A-3550.
Any correction to the record of this meeting and of other meetings will be issued in a corrigendum.
SPECIAL MEETINGS TO COMMEMORATE THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I should like to draw member attention to the map and flag now positioned just outside this chamber; they are those of Palestine as it existed in 1948. If there is no objection I shall ask for that map and that flag to be brought into the chamber, where they will remain until the end of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. If there is no objection, it will be so decided.
It was so decided.
The CHAIRMAN: I now call upon the representative of the South West Africa People's Organization.
Mr. GURIRAB (South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO)): I cannot miss this opportunity to note the map that has just been brought into the room, which shows Palestine as it existed in 1947, and the flag, which symbolizes the aspirations and legitimate demands of the Palestinian people. It is therefore my pleasure to be speaking at this point, and I thank you, Mr. Chairman, for directing the Secretariat to bring the flag and the map into the room.
On this solemn occasion I have the distinct honour and privilege, on behalf of the Central Committee of SWAPO and in the name of Comrade Sam Nujoma, President of our movement, national leader of the Namibian revolution and Commander-in-Chief of the People's Liberation Army of Namibia, to convey fraternal greetings and felicitations to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and to all participants and in particular to the struggling people of Palestine under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), their sole and authentic liberation movement and representative.
Apartheid South Africa and Zionist Israel have over a period of many years adopted criminal policies and practices based on racial supremacy, colonialist and the systematic eviction of the people from their ancestral lands, exiling hundreds of thousands-of them and making them foreigners in their own land.
Through their belligerent behaviour and consistent acts of aggression and regional hegemonic designs, the fascist regimes of Pretoria and Tel Aviv over created grave challenges of a permanent war and instability in both southern Africa and the Middle East. Occupied Namibia and occupied Palestine bear parallel experiences of historical and colonial manipulation and foreign occupation. It was in the face of the persistent victimization of our peoples and the institutionalization of racism and political repression that the populations of Palestine and Namibia launched their vanguard national liberation movements to unite their peoples, to mobilize them and guide them in the struggle for the liberation of Palestine and Namibia, our beleaguered but beloved countries.
The PLO of Palestine and SWAPO of Namibia have been exerting multidimensional pressures on the illegal occupiers of our respective countries. Both movements have earned the respect and admiration of the progressive world community for their statesmanship, political acumen and intensification of the armed struggle liberation, self-determination and independence. The PLO and SWAPO are valued members of the international community, being, inter alia, members of the great movement of non-aligned countries.
With the exception of the racists and Zionists, nobody questions the legitimacy of the oppressed peoples' using all means at their disposal, including revolutionary violence – that is, armed struggle – for the restoration of their inalienable rights to freedom, self-determination and nationhood. The cause of Palestine's liberation and the establishment of a national State by the Palestinian people on their national territory is now a cause of all progressive mankind. SWAPO supports this cause and fully associates itself with the contention of the PLO that a prerequisite for the achievement of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East is recognition of the fact that the question of Palestine is at the core of Middle East conflict and that the involvement and participation of the Palestinian people and their sole and authentic representative, the PLO, in any peace initiative or any conference aimed at finding a solution to the Palestinian problem is essential, indeed imperative.
We in SWAPO are convinced of the ultimate victory of the cause of the Palestinian people and the restoration of all their inalienable rights on the, soil of their homeland. We are also confident that the international community will continue to render all-round material, political, diplomatic and moral assistance to the PLO for as long as the Zionists persist in their occupation of Palestine and other Arab territories.
It is not for lack of political objectivity or intellectual balance that each year, and perhaps each month, one or the other United Nations organ condemns either the chieftains of apartheid or those of Zionism for their blatant acts of aggression and brutality against the occupied peoples and also against the independent States of the regions concerned.
The South African-Israeli axis, which has now found a common friend in Washington, and the ever expanding collaboration in various fields, including nuclear and military activities, as well as in the fields of mercenarism and intelligence-sharing, have created a grave situation which seriously threatens the peace and security of the world.
The condemnation of and attacks on those pariah States are the result of the fact that they have persistently and in a most arrogant manner defied the authority of the United Nations, flouted the resolutions of the world organization and ignored -world public opinion. It is not a sterile exercise to repeat those condemnations and attacks because, together, they reaffirm militant solidarity with and support for the struggling peoples and reassure them that they are not alone but are backed by the overwhelming majority of the peoples of the world.
A month ago the United Nations Council for Namibia convened a solemn meeting on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the International Day of Solidarity with the Struggling People of Namibia and their National Liberation Movement, SWAPO, an initiative that was launched in 1976 by the former president of Senegal, His Excellency Mr. Leopold Senghor, and since then has been endorsed by the General Assembly and commemorated every year by the international community. The Permanent Observer of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Comrade Zuhdi Labib Terzi, was among the participants in that meeting, as he has always been in similar meetings in the past. Today it is my pleasant duty to reciprocate that demonstration of solidarity and to extend on this solemn International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People our revolutionary greetings and warm congratulations to the delegation of the Palestine liberation Organization and its Chairman, Comrade Arafat, both for their Diplomatic achievements, which are being echoed here today, and for the intensification of the armed struggle against the common enemy.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, I wish to thank you and all the members of the Committee for allowing me to address the Committee, and I should further like to congratulate the Committee under your most dynamic and wise leadership for all the efforts that are being made to hasten the day of the final liberation of Palestine. That day is inevitable, whether it comes through the bullet or the ballot. Until that day, the struggle continues.
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call on Kurt Seibt, President of the German Democratic Republic Solidarity Committee. I should like to point out to the members of the Committee that it was under the aegis of Mr. Kurt Seibt that the German Democratic Republic Solidarity Committee issued a calendar based on the theme of the Palestinian flag.
Mr. SEIBT (President of the German Democratic Republic Solidarity Committee) (spoke in German; English text furnished by the delegation): As everyone here knows, solidarity with the Arab people of Palestine is a long tradition among the people of the German Democratic Republic. It is part and parcel of the broad and deeply rooted solidarity movement, which include all strata of my country's population.
How great our sympathy has always been for the Palestinian people in the suffering is reflected in the following facts. Apart from the manifold polling and diplomatic activities of the German Democratic Republic in favour of the just struggle of the Palestinian people, my country has extended comprehensive material support. Every year Palestinian children spend their vacation in German Democratic Republic holiday camps. Wounded Palestine Liberation Organization fighters and other sick persons are given treatment and regain health and strength at medical facilities of my country.
For eight years now the Palestine Liberation Organization has been represented in the German Democratic Republic capital by a diplomatic mission. A cultural agreement with that organization provides for exhibitions, film festivals and other events, which have net with wide public acclaim.
At this very moment when we are assembled here at the United Nations Headquarters on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, a commemorative meeting is also taking place in my country. It is an expression of the full support of the German Democratic Republic for the just struggle of the Arab people of Palestine and of my country's deep commitment to the comprehensive and multifaceted work of the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.
All our people are gravely alarmed by the fact that American circles allied with the Israeli aggressor are constantly aggravating the situation in the Middle East. The manoeuvres held in the Arab region by the so-called rapid deployment force indicate how justified that concern is. Such manoeuvres are clearly directed against the progressive regimes of that region. As has become obvious to everybody, they are in the first place designed to bring to the Arab peoples again under the heel of United States imperialism, particularly that of the oil monopolies.
I "believe that it is appropriate to recall here the words of Leonid Brezhnev, who said that one ill-considered step would suffice "to cause the fire of war to consume the entire Middle East. No one knows " how far sparks from this fire can range."
In our opinion, the settlement of the Palestine question is the most important element of a just and lasting solution of the Middle East issue. Now, as before, the people of the German Democratic Republic support the rights of the Palestinian peoples which have repeatedly been endorsed by the United Nations, including; their right of return and of self-determination and the right to establish their own State. We regard the Soviet proposal to convene an international peace conference on the Middle East as a timely initiative to bring about, through the sincere co-operation of all interested parties, the justice to the Palestinian people of which they have been deprived for decades, as a result of imperialist machinations.
Nobody, not even the Israeli Government, can today ignore the fact that the Palestine Liberation Organization is the sole and authentic representative of the Arab people of Palestine. That fact has been duly recognized by the United Nations.
We also hold the view that the PLO, as the official representative of the Palestinian people, is similarly entitled to take its rightful place in all international forums and to participate on an equal footing in all negotiations related to a settlement of the Middle East issue.
You are all well aware of how important it is to solve the Middle East question and to achieve a just peace in that region. Such a settlement would have a stabilizing effect for the elimination of conflicts in other parts of the world as well and would assist in the maintenance and safeguarding of international peace.
In this respect, the initiative to convene an international peace conference on the Middle East and resolution ES-7/2 adopted at the General Assembly's seventh emergency special session on Palestine, as well as other relevant resolutions of the Security Council and General Assembly, provide a solid basis for future activities aimed at achieving a just solution to this major issue.
In the future, we shall continue to consider it our duty to extend our help and solidarity to the sorely afflicted Palestinian people in their heroic struggle for the implementation of their rights. At the request of the Special Committee, we have designed a calendar for 1982 dedicated to the aspirations and the struggle of the Arab people of Palestine, a copy of which I would like to present to you, Mr. Chairman.
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call upon the representative of Greece.
Mr. KATAPODIS (Greece): I have the honour to read-out the following message addressed to the Chairman by Mr. Yannis Haralambopoulos, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece:
"Once again the international community is called upon to express its solidarity with the Palestinian people, who continue to be denied one of the most sacred rights of the Charter, the right of self-determination. This state of affairs causes unending bloodshed and suffering and perpetuates the confrontation and the tension in the Middle East, with all its dangers for international peace and security.
"The Greek Government, whose devotion to the principles of the United Nations is well known, has always supported and will go on supporting the Palestinian people and their sole representative, the Palestine Liberation Organization, in their struggle to gain statehood. We sincerely hope that, with the contribution of the international community, an equitable solution will be reached to one of the longest-standing international problems.
"I am convinced, Mr. Chairman, that your Committee will continue to bring its valuable contribution to this endeavour."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I call upon the representative of Pakistan.
Mr. SIDDIQUI (Pakistan): It is my singular pleasure this afternoon to read out the message my President, General Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq, has addressed to you,
Mr. Chairman, in your capacity as Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian Peoples, on this solemn occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is observed every year under the aegis of the United Nations.
"For us in Pakistan, it is a solemn occasion of great significance and a grim reminder of the grievous wrongs which have long been perpetrated against the Palestinian people. Forcibly uprooted from their ancestral homes, they have had to suffer every kind of hardship and indignity, including the deprivation of their inalienable and legitimate right to a homeland and to an independent and sovereign State of their own. Under the dedicated leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the people of Palestine have waged and continue to wage a relentless and valiant Struggle against the forces of oppression and usurpation. It is a matter of great satisfaction to us that the people of Pakistan have stood by their Palestinian brethren at every stage of their trial and tribulation and have extended their unwavering support and assistance to them. In the various international forums too, Pakistan has made strenuous efforts towards restoring the just and legitimate rights of the Palestinian peoples. Today once again, we reaffirm our commitment to their cause and reassure our Palestinian brothers of our full support in their struggle for a sovereign and independent State. The keen interest being displayed by the international community in the Palestinian cause is a testimony to the growing acceptance and recognition being accorded to the rights of the Palestinian people. It is also indicative of the fact that an irreversible historical process has been set in motion, a process which will inevitably lead to the vindication of the Just stand of the Palestine people. At this crucial juncture in the Palestinian people's struggle, I reaffirm our solidarity with the Palestinian people, which is rooted in the strong bonds of Islamic identity and cultural affinity as well as being in consonance with the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. It is our firm conviction that the Palestinian people's cause is Just and legitimate. As the brave people of Palestine continue their determined struggle and sacrifices for the liberation of their homeland, the people of Pakistan stand firmly by them and pray for their success in the critical times ahead.
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call upon the representative of Egypt.
Mr. ABDEL MEGUID (Egypt) (interpretation from Arabic): I take pleasure in reading a message from the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt. His Excellency Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, addressed, to the Chairman of the United. Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian people on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of the Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"The commemoration of this Day of Solidarity by the United Nations reaffirms the commitment of the international community to the noble principles upon which the Charter of the United Nations is based. The commemoration of this Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People once again expresses the confidence and conviction with which the international community regards the importance of establishing the rule of international law based on respect for the rights of peoples and human rights.
"The tragedies and devastating wars that have stricken the Middle East for more than 30 years have resulted in the denial of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people and in millions of victims who have fallen in those wars. The vast financial resources needed for the development and prosperity of peoples in the region have been unavailable owing to such devastating wars. The international community cannot stand idly by. We must have peace and stability in this area.
"The Palestinian problem lies at the very heart of the problems and conflicts that are determining the fate of the Middle East.
"There are historic links between the Palestinian people and the people of Egypt. The question of Palestine has been a priority matter of concern to the Egyptian people. Egypt has continued, to strive to support the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people in accordance with United Nations resolutions as a basis for solving the problems of the Middle East and restoring peace and security in the region.
"Egypt has met its national responsibilities towards the Palestinian people and has spared no effort to support the Palestinian people. It has called on the international community to assist the Palestinian people to recover its inalienable rights as a sine qua non condition for the establishment of peace in the area in accordance with the Camp David agreements.
"I have the pleasure of expressing on this occasion our appreciation of and satisfaction at the constructive role played by the United Nations towards ensuring for the Palestinian people the enjoyment of its inalienable and legitimate rights. The Egyptian people is firmly convinced of its responsibilities and is determined to continue to work to ensure peace in that area in accordance with the principles of the United Nations."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the Ambassador of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.
Mr. MUHTASSER (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) (interpretation from Arabic):
Mr. Chairman, I have the pleasure of reading out to you a message that has been sent by the Secretary of the People's Committee of Foreign Affairs:
"Mr. Chairman, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestine People, a day to be celebrated by all peoples in the world, reaffirms the commitment of the international community to noble principles and also reaffirms the will of all peoples to support the Palestinian people in their struggle to establish a sovereign state. This is the duty of the international community to the Palestinian people.
The celebration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is being carried, out pursuant to General Assembly resolution 32/40 B. This is one of the resolutions that have confirmed the right of the Palestinian people to return to their land and their right to self-determination. This Organization is reaffirming its convictions as regards the rights of the Palestinian people to recover their land and their legitimate right to build a sovereign State in accordance with the principles of the United Rations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
"The Zionist entity is a discriminatory entity that is challenging international public opinion and is denying the rights of the Palestinian people. The Zionist entity is trying to destroy the homes of the Palestinians and is pursuing a policy of aggression and expulsion of Palestinians from the occupied territories. The Zionist entity is continuing to attack occupied Arab territories and is trying to destroy by every means the Palestinian Arab civilization in occupied Palestine. The Zionist entity is perpetrating barbarous crimes against Lebanon, and thus exposes women, children and old people to collective genocide. I would go so far as to say that these crimes even exceed the crimes committed by Nazi Germany. The systematic aggression against Lebanon and against the territory and the security of its people has resulted in the total destruction of certain parts of that country. These barbarous attacks have an ignoble aim, that is, to divide the Palestinian people by the use of such methods as the division of the people and the destruction of their convictions. The Zionist entity also bombed and attacked the nuclear power station in Iraq. This attack was just an attempt to prevent the Arab nation from benefiting from modern technology in the various economic fields and from using atomic energy for peaceful purposes.
"The Zionist entity, which is defying international public opinion and is defying the resolutions of the United Rations and the principles of the United Nations Charter and the principles of international organizations, would not have been able to carry out these crimes without the military, economic and moral support given "by United States imperialism. This is a violation of recognized international principles and this is a danger to international- peace and security. This military support given to the Zionist entity is an obstacle preventing the realization by the Palestinians of the right to self- determination and the right to build a sovereign State.
"Any sanctions that might be applied could help to promote the cause of the Palestinian people – a cause which has had no response since 1948. The agreements which have been concluded cannot achieve a just solution of the problems of the Middle East, because United States imperialism has tried to find in the Zionist entity an ally and a partner, and the agreements concluded with regard to the Palestinian question deny the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. These agreements are a distortion of the role that must be played by the United Nations. They neglect the inalienable rights of the parties concerned.
"The Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, in rejecting these agreements, also rejects any collusion which leads to a mortal attack on the Palestinian people's right to return to their homeland.
"To realize the noble principles of the just cause of the Palestinian people, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya offers its support to the Palestinian people in their struggle to regain their legitimate right to build a sovereign State on the territory of Palestine. The Jamahiriya is willing to co-operate with all peace-loving countries in order to find a just and lasting solution to the problem. The Jamahiriya does not fear the threats made against it by imperialistic and Zionist circles."
Mr. Chairman the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya is particularly glad to express its appreciation to and esteem for you personally, the Rapporteur and all the members of the Bureau for the important work they are doing.
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call on the representative of the democratic Republic of Yemen.
Mr. ASHTAL (Democratic Yemen) (interpretation from Arabic): I have the pleasure to read out the text of the message sent by our President on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"I have the pleasure to convey the greetings of the Central Committee of the Yemeni Socialist Party and its political leaders and the masses of our Yemenite people, confirming our support and solidarity with the legitimate struggle waged by the Palestinian people under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization to achieve its right to self-determination and to return, to its homeland, thereby achieving its independence.
"The resistance and the heroic revolution in Palestine are clear proof of the potential of the struggle represented by Arab resistance movements against the plans for aggression by imperialist and Zionist forces, aimed at aborting the armed struggle of our Arab brothers to recover hegemony over our destiny and future. The Palestine revolution, as a result of its position in the Arab armed struggle, has managed to foil all the plots, machinations and betrayals practised against it, achieving countless military and political victories, thanks to the coherence of its militant ranks and the support from Arab resistance movements in general, as well as the commitment of all peace-loving peoples and of socialism around the world.
"The relationship between the struggle of the Yemenite revolution and that of the Palestinian revolution is a source of strength for both resistance movements, rejecting all acts of aggression against the Arab peoples. We are convinced that these revolutions will be further strengthened and will increasingly move towards resisting and combating the Camp David manoeuvres and all forms of conspiracy against the legitimate rights of our peoples. The message is signed by All Nasser Mohammed, Secretary-General of the Central Committee of the Yemenite Socialist Party and Chairman of the People's Supreme Council of the Yemenite Revolution.
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is our colleague and Rapporteur, Ambassador Gauci of Malta.
Mr. GAUCI (Malta): I have the pleasure to read out the following message from the Prime Minister of the Republic of Malta, Mr. Dom Mintoff:
"The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People provides us with the welcome opportunity to reiterate our support for and renew our commitment to a just and noble cause – the struggle of a suffering people for dignity, peace and independence. The Government of the Republic of Malta has steadfastly maintained its solidarity with the Palestinian people in the pursuit of their inalienable rights to self-determination, national independence and sovereignty. We have shared their dismay at the many obstacles, which have incessantly blocked the way to an early fulfillment of their deepest aspirations, and we have joined in their rejoicing at the increasingly successful manner in which these obstacles are being eliminated.
"The last few months have marked a crucial turning point in the struggle of the Palestinian people. Under the heroic leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, their sole and legitimate representative, they have widened and consolidated the international respect and support for their just cause. The Socialist Government of Malta is convinced that the day is drawing near when the long overdue solution of the Palestinian problem will be achieved, thereby opening the way for an era of peace and co-operation in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. We pledge our continuing support to the ongoing struggle."
As a further tangible contribution of our support, I have today been authorized add that, should the Committee so decide, Malta would be willing to arrange for the Mediterranean Conference Centre to be made available to accommodate one of the seminars on Palestine scheduled for next year.
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of Malta for conveying to us the willingness of the Government of Malta to serve as host for the next conference of our Committee. We are not surprised to hear this, because Ambassador Gauci has always played a distinguished role in our Committee.
The next speaker is the representative of Senegal, who will read out a message from the President of the Republic of Senegal.
Mr. DIOP (Senegal) (interpretation from French): I have the honour to read out the message which His Excellency Mr. Abdou Diouf, President of the Republic of Senegal, has addressed, on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, to the Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Alienable Rights of the Palestinian People, New York.
"At a time when the United Nations is commemorating the International Tin I of Solidarity -with the Palestinian People, I should like to convey to you on behalf of the people and Government of Senegal, and on my own personal "behalf all our best wishes.
"This is an occasion for my Government, which attaches particular importance to the commemoration of this Day, to reaffirm its determination and to spare no effort to contribute to the implementation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to return to its homeland, to self-determination and to the creation of an independent State in Palestine, as defined by the relevant resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly.
"We are moreover convinced that any equitable settlement of the question of Palestine must inevitably involve the full and thorough participation by the Palestine Liberation Organization in its capacity as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, in any talks or negotiations aimed at bringing about such a settlement.
"The Day which we are all celebrating is particularly important because it testifies to the determination of the international community to promote the restoration of the national inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and its determination, through the United Nations, to play an active and constructive role to achieve this goal. In this respect, it is a particular pleasure today to be able to pay a tribute to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People for the useful, serious and outstanding work it has performed since it was created.
"As a result of its persistence and determination, your Committee has helped to present the question of Palestine in its true light. I should like to reaffirm the support of the Senegalese Government and my own support for the recommendations made by your Committee as a basis for a fair settlement of the question of Palestine.
"The Senegalese Government and I personally urge you to continue in your efforts, and we assure you of our whole-hearted co-operation. In working to promote Palestinian rights, you are serving the ideals of peace and justice which lie at the foundations of the United Nations itself."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of the German Democratic Republic.
Mr. ZACHMANN (German Democratic Republic): I have the honour to read out the message of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and Chairman of the Council of State of the German Democratic Republic, Erich Honecker, to the Secretary-General of the United nations, Mr. Kurt Waldheim:
"The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people is an occasion to reaffirm the consistent support by the German Democratic Republic of the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization for self-determination and the establishment of a State of its own.
"In conformity with the decisions adopted by the United Nations, the German Democratic Republic invariably believes that the solution of the question of Palestine is basic to a Just and lasting peace in the Middle East.
"Stability and security for all States of that region can only be achieved by the unconditional withdrawal of the Israeli aggressor from all Arab territories occupied in 1967 and by the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.
In view of the increase in international tensions, which are threatening world peace, a comprehensive peace settlement in the Middle East is becoming ever more urgent. In order to achieve it, the German Democratic Republic feels it is necessary to implement consistently the resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations,
The convening of an international Middle East conference with the Palestine Liberation Organization participating on an equal footing can, in the view of the German Democratic Republic, pave the way towards peace in the Middle East.
"The German Democratic Republic will also in future consider it its duty to render all possible support and assistance to the sorely-tried Palestinian people and its legitimate representatives the Palestine Liberation Organization."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of Jordan.
Mr. KABARITI (Jordan) (interpretation from Arabic): I should like to read out to the members of this body the text of the message sent on behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan:
"On behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the Chairman of the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People on the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People: It is my pleasure and honour to take this opportunity to greet you on this International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
Our people consider that the cause of the Palestinian people is their cause too and take this opportunity to express their total solidarity with the Palestinian people in its attempt to regain its inalienable rights. Our people are willing to co-operate with all peace-loving peoples in order to combat the enemy, inspired as we are by the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to recover their territory, a right which is reaffirmed by the Charter of the United Nations, by international law and by all principles and values recognized by the United Nations.
I should like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our conviction that the right of Palestinians will be realized and that the Palestinian people will return to its homeland."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic, on whom I now call.
Mr. EL-FATTAL (Syrian Arab Republic) (interpretation from Arabic): I have the honour and the pleasure to read out the message President Hafez Al-Assad has addressed to you, Mr. Chairman, on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people:
"I have the pleasure of taking the opportunity of the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People to express on my own behalf and on behalf of the Syrian Arab people sincere greetings on the occasion of this meeting which is to reaffirm solidarity with the Palestinian people.
"That is a people which still suffers from flagrant injustice practised by Zionism and imperialism. It suffers from the fact that its rights are rejected and flouted every day, since the imperialist and Zionist forces are trying to achieve their grandiose dream of preventing the Arab people from creating its own homeland and of strengthening their hegemony in this region.
"By celebrating the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, you are reaffirming here a noble principle: that of the reaffirmation of the just cause of the Palestinian people. By doing so you are rejecting the flagrant injustice carried out against that people.
"Therefore, I should like to reaffirm here that Syria wishes to participate in all efforts made by the international community, as represented by the United Nations, to enable the Palestinian, people to realize their rights to recover their territory and to establish a homeland on that territory.
"Syria would like to reaffirm here its solidarity with the Palestinian people and its commitment to the principles and resolutions of the United Nations. We should like to reaffirm here the right of the Palestinian people to recover their rights and to exercise their right to self-determination and to a sovereign State.
"Allow me to say here that Israel and the imperialist forces are ignoring reality and are defying the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. They are trying by all means to increase and to worsen the conflict in this region by using threats and aggression, which can have very serious consequences and which can threaten peace and security in that region and in the entire world.
"As a consequence of this policy the imperialist and Zionist forces are trying to impose, in the name of peace, capitulation in that region. These forces are trying to preserve their occupation of Arab territories in the name of secure borders. These forces are trying to deprive the Palestinian and Arab people of their most natural rights, their fundamental rights which have been reaffirmed by the Charter of the United Nations.
"The Arab-Israeli conflict, which is the very consequence of imperialist and Zionist aggression against the Arab nation, is indeed a struggle between good and evil, a struggle between peace and war, a struggle between respect for the Charter of the United Nations and international law and against the flagrant violation of these principles and of the Charter of the United Nations.
"We in Syria feel that the Palestinian question lies at the very heart of our concern, for Syria and Palestine are only a part of the great Arab nation. That is why the reaffirmation of the right of the Palestinian people lies at the very heart of our concern. We hope that this Just cause will finally triumph and that is why we are sparing no effort to achieve the triumph of this just cause.
"In this regard, we should like to express our thanks to the international community for making every effort to support the Palestinian people in their struggle. The commemoration of this Day is an expression of support for the Just cause of the Palestinian people.
"May I once again express our sincere greetings and wish you every success in this meeting."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of Lebanon, on whom I now call.
Mr. TUENI (Lebanon) (interpretation from Arabic): I have the honour of reading out on this International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People the following message from the President of Lebanon:
"This year again we celebrate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People and hope that a Just and lasting solution will be found. This is represented by the affirmation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to return to their homeland. These rights are the very essence of any solution; they are the corner stone of any peaceful solution to this problem in the Middle East.
"Oppressed, peoples have always aspired to those principles contained, in the United Nations Charter, and Lebanon, which more than any other country has suffered, from Israeli aggression, would, like to address an appeal to the international community to shoulder its responsibility, which has been reaffirmed many times in United Nations resolutions.
"Palestine Day is a day which reawakens the international conscience, and we hope that this Day will make it possible for the United Nations to continue its mission to find a just and equitable solution in this region so as to establish peace here."
The CHAIRMAN: The next speaker is the representative of Viet Nam, on whom I now call.
Mr. HA VAN LAU (Viet Nam) (interpretation from French): I have the honour of reading out the following message sent to the President of the Council of Ministers of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim and the Chairman of this Committee on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"On the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, on behalf of the Vietnamese people and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam I have the honour to extend to you and, through you, to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, my warm greetings.
"We greatly acclaim the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, a people which has tirelessly waged a struggle against the Israeli aggressors and the American imperialists to safeguard independence and freedom. We are of the view that now more than any other time forces in the world which love peace and justice must give solidarity, support and assistance to the struggle of the Palestinian and other Arab Peoples against the perfidious plots of imperialism and Zionism aimed at eliminating the struggle of the Palestinian people and imposing on the Arab peoples a solution of division. This movement of solidarity must go hand in hand with the struggle against the arms race and American military presence, which is constantly increasing in the Middle East, and for the independence, sovereignty and security of the peoples of the region and of the world.
"We strongly condemn the Camp David agreements and give unreserved support to the sacred struggle of the Palestinian people under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, its sole legitimate representative, to regain its fundamental national rights, including the right to self-determination, to return to its homeland and to establish a Palestinian State. We support the struggle of the Arab peoples to recover all the Arab territories occupied by Israel. The message was signed in Hanoi on 29 November 1981 by Pham Van Dong, President of the Council of Ministers of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of the People's Republic of Mongolia.
Mr. DASHTSEREN (Mongolia): I have the honour of reading out the following message from Yu Tsedenbal, Chairman of the Presidium of the Great People's Khural of the Mongolian People's Republic:
(spoke in Russian):
"On behalf of the Mongolian People's Republic and the Mongolian people, I extend to you, Mr. Chairman, the Palestinian people and the Palestine Liberation Organization sincerest congratulations on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
"The worsening situation in the Middle East calls for effective measures to be taken to support the Palestine liberation movement. The United States Administration is pursuing a policy of open terrorism against the Arab peoples, trying to strengthen the United States political, military, strategic and economic positions in the Middle East and to undermine the liberation movements in the region, including the Palestine liberation movement. It is trying to use Egypt to justify the so-called strategic co-operation between the United States and Israel. The large-scale manoeuvres called 'Brightstar' with the use of interventionist troops of the Rapid Deployment Force, are a further addition to Israeli-United States manoeuvres in the Middle East and North Africa.
The hegemonist desires of the United States serve the aim of creating a so-called multinational armed force to maintain peace in the Sinai Peninsula. As a result of such actions, the United States and the growing aggressiveness of Israel have created particularly dangerous tensions in the Middle East, fraught with serious consequences for the peace and security of peoples throughout the world. Such a development of events makes it extremely urgent that we find a just and acceptable settlement in the Middle East.
"My Government feels that the Palestinian question lies at the heart of the problem of the Middle East and that without the implementation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people it will be impossible to achieve a just settlement in the Middle East. Therefore, we strongly condemn the attempts made by the parties to the Camp David agreements to undermine administrative autonomy for the Palestinians, avoiding solution of the fundamental questions regarding the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to exercise self-determination and to create its own State. The Mongolian Government supports the convening of an international conference on a Middle East settlement, with the obligatory participation in it of the PLO, the sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, on an equal footing with all other interested parties.
"It must be noted that the just struggle of the Arab people of Palestine is gaining ever wider support in the world community and the PLO is increasing in authority.
"On this solemn Day our people again expresses its warm solidarity with the Arab Palestinian people fighting to exercise its inalienable rights and sincerely wishes it every success in its just struggle against imperialism and Zionism, and for freedom and independence and the establishment of a stable, lasting peace in the Middle East.
"May I take this opportunity, Mr. Chairman, to wish you and your Committee every success in the noble activities aimed at the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, in implementation of United Nations resolutions on this question."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call on the representative of Hungary.
Mr. RACZ (Hungary): Mr. Chairman, I have great pleasure in extending on behalf of the Hungarian delegation, our felicitations to you and to this special meeting of the Committee of the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People held in observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
It is a great honour and privilege for me to read out on this occasion the text of the telegram sent by the President of the Presidential Council of the Hungarian People's Republic, Mr. Pal Losonczi, to the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Mr. Yasser Arafat:
"On the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian Arab People may I assure you that the people of the Hungarian People's Republic consistently and fully support your just struggle.
"The extreme reactionary forces increase tension also in the Middle East and oppose the most fundamental rights of peoples.
"The Palestinian Arab people is fighting for a just cause, for the assertion of rights which all peoples, including the Palestinian Arab people are inalienably entitled to. The Hungarian people follow with sympathy and support the struggle of the Palestinian Arab people for self-determination and for the establishment of an independent State of its own. It is our firm conviction and we have repeatedly stated it in the United Nations and at all other international forums that only a just and comprehensive settlement of the Middle East situation can guarantee the peace and security of the countries and peoples in that region and that all parties concerned, including the Palestine Liberation Organization, the only legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, should take part in this settlement as equal parties.
"On behalf of the Presidential Council of the Hungarian People's Republic and all the Hungarian people and on my own behalf, I wish the Palestinian Arab people further successes in their devoted struggle, in which they can always rely on our solidarity and manifold support."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I call now upon the representative of Tunisia.
Mr. LADGHAM (Tunisia) (interpretation from Arabic): I am honoured to read out the message from President Bourguiba of Tunisia on this Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"I have the pleasure, on this special Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, to express greetings on behalf of my country and on my own behalf, and to say how much we respect commendable efforts made constantly by you to support the just and legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people.
"I should like to take this opportunity to appeal to the international community and all peoples of the world to recognize the growing scope of the Palestinian cause, since it is quite clear today that there are dangers to the international community's principles and values stemming from international strategies deployed against the Palestinian people.
"There can be no doubt about the barbarous and cruel policy pursued by Israel, which uses all means to expand, and to occupy those territories. For more than three decades now it has been using this strategy against the Palestinian people. The Zionists have tried to usurp Palestinian territory, confiscating the property of the Palestinians. They have launched raids on Lebanon and other Arab territories
"Furthermore, Israel has murdered several leaders and militants of the Palestinian people around the world in various capitals.
"Everybody now knows of the suffering of the Palestinian people through detention, torture, collective punishment, physical liquidation, persecution and wanton racial discrimination to ensure that the Palestinian people will once and for all renounce its right to its territory and its country.
"Israel is attempting to impose this strategy on all the countries of the area. Israel has tried to spread a state of permanent conflict to all the countries of the region. On more than four occasions Israel has declared war in the area in order to exhaust the Arabs' determination and force them to sacrifice Arab development. Israel has attempted to impose its economy on that people; which wishes to live in peace and security.
"The Palestinian people has suffered one catastrophe after another as a result of this barbarous strategy. The international community also has I suffered as a result of this policy because Israel is using all means I available to it to spread confusion and tension, threatening international t peace and security. This policy is aimed at undermining the efforts of the international community to ensure detente around the world.
"The peoples of the East and the West are aware of the dangers involved in this strategy. Projects are being set up to find a solution to the problem of the Middle East. Tunisia is one of the countries that has recognized the need to find a solution to the problem in the Middle East, thus avoiding the scourge of war in our part of the world. Projects were H set up reflecting the clear determination to get all the parties to the conflict to participate in negotiations. However, despite the desire of the Palestinian people for peace in that part of the world, Israel has resorted to false allegations to kill such projects.
"Tunisia thinks it is high time that the international community and the United Rations exercised all due pressure to put a halt to the arrogance and intransigence of Israel. Such pressure could bring Israel to heel and Get it to respect the principles of international Conventions. We could thus lay the foundations for a just and equitable solution in the region and bring about the triumph of justice, allowing the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian people to create an independent State, lie are convinced that such a solution would make it possible to establish peace and security in the area and to allow the peoples of the region to live in peace and security, sparing them wars and conflicts and thereby assisting international detente.
"We are profoundly convinced that the international community can build a society of peace and security."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French); The next speaker is the representative of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. I call upon him.
Mr. TROYANOVSKY (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) (interpretational from Russian): Mr. Chairman, allow me to transmit to you, to all members of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and to the leaders of the Palestine Liberation Organization and other Palestinian representatives our sincere congratulations and best wishes on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
It is my honour to read out a message from the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and President of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev, to the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Yasser Arafat:
"On the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, on behalf of the Soviet people and on my own behalf I offer you. Comrade Arafat, of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and the entire Palestinian people warm congratulations and good wishes.
"Together with progressive Arab States and all the patriotic forces of the Arab world, the Palestinian people are stubbornly and bravely fighting against Israeli aggression and the plots of imperialism. They are strongly rejecting the separate deals and dangerous military plans of the United States and Israel and are consistently in favour of achieving a comprehensive and. just settlement of the Middle East problem. The heart of such a settlement lies in the implementation of the legitimate rights of the Arab people of Palestine, above all the right to self-determination and to creation of their own independent State.
"All-round support for those just demands and recognition of the Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian Arab people indicate the real intentions of those who express their adherence to the idea of peace in the Middle East.
"The Soviet Union again declares its consistent sympathy and support for the rights of the Palestinians, and -we note with satisfaction the further growth of the international authority of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the reliable vanguard of the Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle for their rights.
"I wish you. Comrade Arafat, your co-fighters and the entire friendly Palestinian people further success in the struggle for national independence and the creation of your own State, and for just and lasting peace in the Middle East."
The message was signed by Leonid Brezhnev at the Kremlin, Moscow, on 23 November 1981.
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of Algeria. I call upon him.
Mr. TADLAOUI (Algeria) (interpretation from Arabic): I have the honour to read out the following message addressed, to you, Mr. Chairman, by His Excellency Mr. Chadii Bendjedid, President of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria and Secretary-General of the National Liberation Front Party, on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
"This Commemoration every year by the United Nations of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is a healthy custom. It reminds the entire world of the tragic state of affairs of the Palestinian people, and the United Nations of the very important responsibility encumbent upon the international community as a result of the tragic situation of the Palestinian people.
"On behalf of the Algerian people and in my personal capacity, I should like to pay a tribute to the United Nations for its efforts to find a solution to the Palestinian problem by the return of the Palestinian people to its territory and the establishment of an independent State under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, its sole legitimate representative. It is very regrettable, however, that to date those efforts have not had any positive results because of the intransigence and arrogance of Israel, which has violated United Nations resolutions and because of attempts to find partial solutions which run counter to the resolutions and the Charter of our Organization.
"Any attempt to bring about a Just and equitable peace in the region without considering the question which is at the heart of the matter, namely, the unconditional and complete withdrawal of Israel from all Arab territories and respect for the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and independence, will be incomplete and doomed to failure, as was the case with the tripartite Camp David agreements, which met with the just rejection of the Palestinian people. That is clear proof of the truth of this statement.
"Since Israel was created in 1948, the Israeli authorities have embarked on a policy of large-scale colonization, to the detriment of the Arab owners of the land, who were driven out. Although the United Nations and its various organs have adopted resolutions in support of the Palestinian cause and. have condemned, the Israeli settlement policy in occupied Arab territories, calling for a halt to it and the dismantling of the settlements already established, the Zionist entity nevertheless continues to flout human rights before the eyes of the entire world. The Zionist settlement policy is aimed at Judaizing the occupied Arab territories and isolating that part of the world, cutting it off from surrounding areas and encircling Arab towns with Israeli settlements in order to create a human barrier and impose a solution on the Arab population, forcing them to leave the territory. That policy therefore represents a policy of coercion by Israel of the Palestinian population.
"Among the clearest signs of Israel's indifference to United Nations resolutions is it flagrant defiance of General Assembly resolutions, in particular the resolution adopted at its emergency special session in July 1960, which calls for Israel's withdrawal from all Arab territories occupied since June 1980, including the City of Jerusalem, before 15 November 1980. The Israeli Knesset immediately after the adoption of that resolution adopted a decision making Jerusalem the eternal capital of Israel.
"Given that state of affairs it is up to the General Assembly, and the Security Council in particular, to take firm urgent measures to put a halt to this policy of expansionism, aggression and racism and to require Israel to respect United Nations resolutions. The Palestinian people will continue its heroic struggle of resistance and exercise its right to self-determination and to create an independent State.
"In conclusion, we are quite sure that next year the Middle East will know peace and stability."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call on the representative of Iraq.
Mr. AL-ALI (Iraq) (interpretation from Arabic): I have the honour to read out a message from Mr. Saddam Hussain, the President of the Republic of Iraq, to the Chairman of this Committee, on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
"We have the pleasure of reaffirming our profound esteem for the efforts made by your Committee. We should also like to express our satisfaction with the activities undertaken by the Committee to reaffirm the rights of the Palestinian people. We should like to pay a tribute to your personal efforts to have the resolutions of the United Nations on this question implemented.
"However, I should like to draw your attention to the serious events which have taken place in this region, events which were reflected in an escalation of military operations by the Zionist entity in southern Lebanon, which was bombed in July. There were thousands of innocent victims of that bombing, property and vital services were destroyed. There was also Zionist aggression against the Iraqi nuclear power station, which led to its destruction. That station was built for peaceful purposes.
"The barbarous behaviour of the Zionist entity has been condemned by international public opinion and by all peace-loving peoples and has been denounced in international forums. The attitude of the Zionist entity has been characterized by intransigence and arrogance. The Zionist leaders have constantly made threats and resorted to all means to implement the very strange theory of 'Israel's security'. Thus, we are convinced that the struggle against international Zionism will be a difficult and long struggle because of the nature of Zionism and racial discrimination and the nature of the Zionist policy and its perfidious plans of hegemony, its denial of the legitimate rights of the Palestinians. Its authorities flout the rules of international law, and the resolutions of all international organizations and defy international public opinion.
This is "because the Israeli authorities receive material and military support from the imperialist forces represented by the United States, which has had an ambiguous attitude and which has tried to find justifications and pretexts for its actions, frequently overt and sometimes covert. The Zionist entity is constantly perpetrating crimes against the heroic Palestinian people. The wars it has waged have had very harmful effects on the Palestinian people as well as on those in neighbouring countries, for example, the people of Lebanon. The imperialist forces are giving to the Zionist entity, as they do to the former Iranian regime, financial and military support.
"Last year, on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, we sent a message stating that the Iranian regime was forcing a war upon us in this region and that that war was being fed by the United States, which gives constant support to the Iranian regime in the form of equipment and spare parts. This war has created great tension in the region. As the Cypriot representative has noted, an Argentinian plane was shot down in the region, with American weapons and spare parts supplied by the United States.
"Once again I should like to express our great confidence in the work of this Committee. We express the hope that the Committee will continue its activities and that it will continue to make every effort to reaffirm the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. We would like to express our satisfaction at the efforts made by the international community to reaffirm the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people on an international level. We would like to thank the Committee for its efforts to reaffirm the rights of the Palestinian people under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and to express the hope that the Committee will enjoy full success."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call upon the representative of the Maldives.
Mr. ZAKI (Maldives): I have the honour to read out the message sent by His Excellency Mr. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, President of the Republic of Maldives, on the occasion of the commemoration of the Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"There could be no better occasion than this International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People for the international community to express in unequivocal terms its fullest support for the Palestinian people in their just struggle to regain their inalienable rights. The United Nations, in my view, provides the best forum for educating world public opinion and arousing the international conscience about the hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women and children of Palestine who have been forcibly and systematically driven out of their homes and deprived of their fundamental rights as human beings.
"The people of the Republic of Maldives once again condemn in most vigorous terms the unprecedented atrocities, including the indiscriminate murder of civilians, torture, wanton destruction of homes, illegal confiscation of property and desecration of holy places, that the people of Palestine are still being subjected to, in spite of all United Nations resolutions. We reiterate, as we have done on numerous occasions, our unwavering support for the people of Palestine, who are waging a sacred battle to free themselves from the yoke of oppression and occupation.
"Last month marked the sixty-fourth anniversary of the so-called Balfour Declaration, which extended support for the intentions of Zionist Jews to establish a national home on Palestinian soil. It is worthwhile recalling that at the time this Declaration was made, in 1917, more than 90 per cent of the population of Palestine were Moslem Arabs. Today, almost the entire Arab Palestinian population has been driven out of this land and turned into helpless refugees. Thousands of innocent children have been born in exile, with the consequence that hundreds of thousands of children and young people are at present living in subhuman conditions, without proper shelter, food and clothing.
"We believe that the latent conscience of the international community should awaken to the sufferings of these men, women and children so that Serious thought will be given to their humanitarian problems, as well as to the political issue of Palestine. We hope that the world community will, without any further delay, accelerate its efforts to achieve justice in this major international problem that has eluded solution for more than 30 years and that has sparked four wars.
"The people of Maldives take this opportunity to declare, with other peace-loving nations of the world that are participating in this meeting, their solidarity with the people of Palestine and vehemently to denounce the acts of war and violence that are being committed against them every day. We fully support the aspirations of the Palestinian people, who are striving to regain their rightful homeland and set up an independent Palestinian State on their national soil. We also call for the unconditional withdrawal of all Israeli armed forces from all the occupied Arab territories, which is a prerequisite for any just and lasting peace in the Middle East.
"We are confident that the day is not far off when the cause of justice and peace will triumph on the soil that is sacred to three major religions of the world the soil of Palestine."
I should like, on behalf of my delegation, to extend to you, Mr. Chairman, our sincere thanks for the tremendous hard work you are doing, day and night, in the cause of the Palestinian people and our good wishes for your success.
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call upon the representative of India.
Mr. SREENIVASAN (India): I have the honour to read a message from the Prime Minister of India, Her Excellency Mrs. India Gandhi, addressed to you. Sir in your capacity as the Chairman of the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People:
"On the solemn occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, I affirm to the Committee the full support of the Government and the people of India in the realization of its objectives.
"Our support to the Palestinian cause has been consistent and has been part of our foreign policy since its very inception. Even in the thirties, when we ourselves were struggling for freedom, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru expressed sympathy for the Arabs of Palestine in the face of Zionist threats and wished them complete success in the attainment of their objectives. We are glad there is increasing awareness in the world community of this just cause.
"The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People has a significant role. I send my good wishes for its endeavours."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of China. I call upon him.
Mr. LIANG Yufan (China) (interpretation from Chinese): Mr. Chairman, first of all I should like to thank the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People for inviting the Chinese delegation to take part in this special meeting commemorating the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
Today I have the honour to read out the following message, dated 29 November 1981, from Zhao Ziyang, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, addressed to you. Sir, as Chairman of this Committee on the solemn occasion of this special meeting:
"On the occasion of the fourth meeting to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People', I wish to express, on behalf of the Chinese Government and people, our high respects to the Palestinian people who are fighting for the restoration of their national rights.
"The core of the Middle East question lies in the Palestinian question. The Palestine Liberation Organization has become a political force not to be ignored in the Middle East. Most countries in the world hold that the United Nations resolutions relating to the Middle East question should be carried out and the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people regained so as to attain a fair and comprehensive settlement of the Middle East question.
"The Chinese and Palestinian peoples have long sympathized with and supported each other and have established a profound friendship. Not long ago. Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization paid an official and goodwill visit to China. The visit was a complete success. It further enhanced the understanding and friendship between the Chinese and Palestinian peoples and will exert a positive influence on the development of Sino-Palestinian relations.
"I wish to take this opportunity to reiterate that the Chinese Government and people strongly condemn the Israeli authorities for their continued persistence in a policy of aggression and expansion and firmly support the Palestinian and other Arab peoples in their just struggle. I am convinced that so long as the Palestinian and other Arab peoples persist in unity and make unremitting efforts, they will succeed in realizing their lofty goal of regaining their national rights and recovering their lost territories."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): There is something troubling me: I am aware of the interest of all Heads of State in the question of Palestine, Particularly on this occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. We have received more than 60 messages from Heads of State, Heads of Governments and Ministers of Foreign Affairs dedicated to the Palestinian cause. But we have a technical problem, which is that we are half an hour away from the closure of our Day of Solidarity and there are still 22 speakers. At this rate I do not know whether we shall be able to finish on time. Very respectfully I should like to make the following proposal: either those representatives who have messages to read on behalf of their Heads of State sum them u? in a speech of a few minutes or they transmit directly to the Secretariat the messages concerned, which will be fully reproduced in the verbatim records made during this Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
I call on the representative of Oman.
Mr. AL-ANSI (Oman) (interpretation from Arabic): Mr. Chairman, I should like to support your first suggestion. I would request you to call on representatives to read out briefly the messages sent by their Heads of State or by Foreign Ministers.
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): A proposal has been made by the representative of Oman as regards those who would like to read out their messages here and those who prefer to send them to the Secretariat, to be published. I must say that I have already received indications from the following delegations that they no longer wish to speak: Grenada, Kenya, Japan and Sudan – and also the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
I now call on the representative of Qatar.
Mr. JAMAL (Qatar) (interpretation from Arabic): I have the honour to read out the text of a message addressed by His Majesty Sheik Khalifa bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar to you. Sir, as Chairman of the Committee:
"Your Committee is meeting to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people against a background of certain events. The situation is very serious in view of Israeli practices which not only usurp Arab territories and Moslem and Christian holy places but violate all international rights and principles and infringe upon the dignity of Moslems and Christians around the world. Israel has also defied the United Nations force in southern Lebanon, an infamous and unprecedented act because it flouts the will of the United Nations and undermines the prestige of the Organization, which has sought to protect international peace and security.
"The second serious international issue is the international reaction to the barbarous and inhuman crimes constantly committed by Israel. They have gone far beyond any possible limits.
"However, while the international reaction has not been as firm and clear as the serious international situation stemming from Israeli practices and aggression requires, it does give grounds to hope for international action as a result of international recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, and in particular its right to self-determination, total freedom and the creation of an independent State on the soil of its homeland, under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), its sole legitimate representative.
"Any delay in finding a comprehensive and just solution to the Palestinian problem would inevitably endanger international peace and security. To avoid such a danger it is more than ever necessary for the United Nations and the great thinkers of our time to work together in order to call a halt to Israel's manoeuvres, to find an equitable solution to the problem and to impose that solution on Israel.
"There can be no doubt that your commendable efforts, inside and outside the United Nations, to affirm solidarity with the Palestinian Arab people will make it possible to find a just and equitable solution to the problem in the Middle East, making it possible to restore peace and security in the area and thereby helping to strengthen international peace and security.
"I should like to express to you our great respect and wish you full success in the discharge of your mission."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call on the representative of Saudi Arabia.
Mr. ALLAGAKY (Saudi Arabia) (interpretation from Arabic): On behalf of His Royal Highness Prince Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Deputy Prime Minister, I have the honour to transmit the text of the message which he has kindly sent the Chairman of this Committee on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"On the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, I have the pleasure to express to you our greatest appreciation for the praiseworthy efforts made by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Bights of the Palestinian People in support of their just cause.
"This is for us a timely opportunity to recall our support for the Palestinian people's regaining in the near future all their legitimate rights – the right to return to their homes, the right to achieve self-determination and the right to establish an independent State on their national territory.
"I should also like to express my thanks and appreciation to the States which have supported law and justice by committing themselves to the international instruments and supporting Security Council resolution 478 (1980), which requested States that had established diplomatic missions at Jerusalem to transfer them to Tel Aviv as an expression of their non-recognition of Israel's making Jerusalem its unified capital. That resolution revealed Israel's intransigence and its annexationist policies in the occupied Arab territories, designed to eliminate the heritage of the Palestinian people, thus defying all the resolutions of the United Nations and international instruments declaring the illegitimacy of the annexation of territory by force.
"I should thus like to appeal to all friendly States to oppose the Zionist plots aimed at distorting the Palestinian personality, driving out the Palestinian people and making them suffer both within and outside the territories, and which threaten peace and security in the region of the Middle East and in the entire world.
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia remains convinced that a comprehensive and just peace cannot be achieved in the Middle East -without fulfilling the principle of total withdrawal from all occupied Arab territories, including Arab Jerusalem, and granting the Palestinians the right to self-determination and to create its own State on its territory. We in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are firmly convinced that the Palestinian question enjoys the understanding of friendly States and peace-loving countries and that the Palestinian people, led by the PLO, will find full support among those peoples.
"We are convinced that international solidarity with the Palestinian people, as expressed by this special Day, is a good opportunity for the peace-loving countries to express their support for putting an end to foreign domination so that the Palestinian people can regain their legitimate rights; including their right to self-determination, and achieve their freedom and independence, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of Oman, upon whom I now call.
Mr. AL-ANSI (Oman) (interpretation from Arabic): I have the honour to read out the following message which we received today, addressed to this Committee by His Majesty Sultan taboos bin Said, Emir of Oman, from Muscat on 28 November:
"This International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is a fitting occasion to confirm our solidarity with the Palestinian people, which have lived and continues to live in tragic circumstances since Israel plundered their territory, scattering them to the four corners of the earth. We should like to reconfirm our support for their just struggle to recover their legitimate rights.
"The people of the whole world are called upon today to stand side by side with the Palestinian people, which have been fighting for more than 34 years now to live a decent life like other people. This Day of Solidarity coincides with very dangerous events imposed by Israel's aggressive policy, not merely upon the Palestinian people, but also against other Arab peoples, thereby defying United Nations resolutions which condemn Israel. This Day coincides with acts of aggression by Israel against the Palestinian people. Israel has bombed Lebanese towns, under the pretext of bombing Palestinian refugee camps; the Israeli air force attacked the Iraqi nuclear reactor, violating the airspace of certain Arab countries; Israel plans to dig a canal linking the Dead Sea with the Mediterranean; Israel is carrying out diggings near the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
"All these Israeli practices are a threat to peace and security not merely in our region but throughout the world, and they should be condemned by the international community, which should discharge its responsibility by bringing international pressure to bear to force Israel to give up its policy. The international community must step up its support for the Palestinian people. Previous attempts to bring about a just and equitable peace in the Middle East failed because of Israel's intransigence and we hope that the peace plan presented by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be successful and that the Middle East will come to know peace.
"We should like to commend here the United Nations contribution to bringing about a peaceful settlement."
In conclusion, my delegation would like to express its appreciation to you, Mr. Chairman, for your decision to bring the flag and the map of Palestine into this chamber. We hope that that flag will be raised outside the United Nations very shortly.
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of Nicaragua, on whom I now call.
Mr. BENDANA RODRIGUEZ (Nicaragua) (interpretation from Spanish): I have the honour to read out the following message from the Board of Government of National Reconstruction of Nicaragua addressed to you, Mr. Chairman, on this International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"The Board of Government of National Reconstruction of Nicaragua has the honour of addressing Your Excellency and through you the Committee and the Palestinian people and the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of the heroic brother Palestinian people, on 29 November, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
"We should like to express our militant support for your Just cause which you are facing with sacrifice and determination, irrespective of imperialist, Zionist aggression in the defense of your inalienable rights.
"The message is signed by Daniel Ortega Saavedra, Sergio Mercado and the members of the Board of Government of National Reconstruction of Nicaragua.
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of Morocco, on whom I now call.
Mr. MRANI ZENTAR (Morocco) (interpretation from Arabic); I have the pleasure of reading out the following message addressed to this body by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"I have the pleasure, on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, to address to you the congratulations and thanks for the efforts which you are making for the benefit of Palestine and its people.
"Morocco, led by its King, Hassan II, has always expressed its constant support for the Palestinian people in their attempt to recover all their inalienable and legitimate rights, including the right to return, the right to self-determination and the right to create an independent State on their national soil under the guidance of the Palestine Liberation Organization, their sole legitimate representative.
"Morocco expresses its commitment to continue all its support and assistance for the Palestinian people to enable them to recover all their occupied territory, including the Holy City of Jerusalem so that it may remain a meeting place for all peoples around the world.
"Like all people in the world, I welcome the resistance of the Palestinian people in their struggle, their dignity in the face of Israeli intransigence, and their attachment to the struggle for their rights. The Arab and Islamic nation, as a whole, which has expressed its determination to support the Palestinian people in their resistance to the Zionist invasion, is fully willing to use all its means to counter the Israeli challenge.
"The resolutions of the United Nations supporting the rights of the Palestinian people are very clear. It is high time that these resolutions were implemented and that an end was put to Israeli aggression.
"The international community, together with peace-loving States, headed by the States of the third world, are called on to continue their efforts and to carry out all measures to ensure victory.
"Once again I welcome the struggle and the victory of the Palestinian people and the measures carried out by the United Nations, and the legitimate efforts made by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.
"I should also like to pay a tribute to the efforts of its Chairman, Mr. Sarre of Senegal, a brother country which deserves the fullest esteem."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of Bahrain, on whom I now call.
Mr. NIMER (Bahrain) (interpretation from Arabic): I have the honour of reading out the following message from His Highness Sheikh Isan bin Sulman Al Khalifa, the Emir of the State of Bahrain, on the occasion of this International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"Bahrain is today celebrating with the entire world the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
"The United Nations declaration of 29 November each year as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People has enjoyed support and attention from all peoples in the world which cherish Justice and peace. This Day relates to the future and the fate of the question of the Palestinian people and nobody can deny that this is of concern to everybody, just as nobody can deny the legitimacy of the cause of the Palestinian people.
"The importance of this day of commemoration is not solely to inform public opinion about the legitimacy of the Palestinian cause; above all, it highlights the urgent need for an equitable resolution of the cause of the Palestinian people, which has been aired for 36 years now in the United Nations, since its very creation.
"This International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People coincides this year with a set of circumstances which has made the world more convinced than ever that it is necessary to put a speedy end to the suffering of the Palestinian people and to support them in achieving their legitimate rights as a sine qua non for Just and equitable peace in the Middle East.
"Unfortunately, however, even though the United Nations is commemorating this Day there is nothing to bring comfort to the Palestinian people as regards the implementation of previous resolutions to relieve their suffering.
"The tragedy of the Palestinian people has been going on for 34 years now, since, for no reason, the General Assembly on 29 November 1947 adopted a resolution to divide Palestine. At that time the United Nations had been in existence for only two years. Since the adoption of that resolution the world has witnessed a series of tragedies in the Middle East, which has known neither stability nor real peace since that time. Four devastating wars have broken out, armistice agreements have been concluded, disengagement agreements have been drawn up, partial agreements have been enacted and the United Nations has adopted more than 300 resolutions on the question of Palestine; but nevertheless the question of the Palestinian people remains unanswered, and this issue still lies at the very core of international consciousness in the twentieth century. The injustices meted out to the Palestinian people are the result not of United Nations principles, but of Israel's refusal to implement United Nations resolutions, Israel the aggressor, which is occupying the territories of other people.
"On this commemorative day the eyes of the world are turned to the United Nations and we should like to underscore that the tragedy of the Palestinian people cannot be allowed to continue without its threatening the very existence of the United Nations and exposing the international community to danger. The development of events this year in the Middle East has given clear proof of the danger of the situation and its potential impact on international peace and stability.
"The attitude of the State of Bahrain about the justice of the Palestinian cause is quite clear. We have on many occasions reaffirmed our solidarity with the Palestinian people, which is heroically combating world Zionism. On this International Day of Solidarity we commend the heroic resistance of the Palestinian people to the racist practices of Zionism.
We should also like to reaffirm the total support of the people and Government of Bahrain for the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people. Furthermore, we support the legitimate struggle being waged by the Palestinian people under the leadership of its sole authentic representative, the Palestine Liberation Organization, to recover the rights of which it has been deprived. We reaffirm that the establishment of a just and lasting peace can be achieved only by Israel's complete withdrawal from all the occupied Arab territories and the exercise by the Palestinian people of its inalienable rights, in particular the right of return to its country, recovery of its national sovereignty, self-determination and the creation of an independent State on its own soil.
"The United Nations commemoration of this day at a tine when the United Nations has a special responsibility vis-a-vis the Palestinian. tragedy calls for a responsible attitude on our part to solve the problem. This can be achieved only through, not so much further resolutions, but a firm stand to prevent Israel from arrogantly pursuing its expansionist aggressive policies practised to the detriment of its Arab neighbours and the will of the Palestinian people, as well as its total refusal to grant their legitimate rights.
"Given that situation, the international community, through the United Nations, should do everything to compel Israel to heed United Nations resolutions and return Arab territories to their true legitimate owners, thereby sparing the world catastrophe and destruction and ensuring international peace and security."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of Mauritania, on whom I now call.
Mr. HAMODY (Mauritania) (interpretation from French): On behalf of the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, I should, like to express thanks for granting us the honour of addressing this important body on a day so dear to our hearts the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
I should like to read out the telegram addressed to the Chairman of this Committee by Mr. Mohamed Quid Haidalla, President of the Military Committee and Head of State of the Republic of Mauritania:
"On the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, it is a pleasure for me to "be able to express to you the sincere and lasting devotion of the Mauritania^ people, its Military Committee and its Government to the triumph of liberty and justice in the Holy Land of Palestine. I am also very happy to be able personally to convey to you our warm congratulations and to ask you to convey those sentiments to the Committee working with perseverance and determination to accomplish its very difficult task.
"Finally, I should like to reiterate our faithfulness to your constant position in favour of the just cause of the suffering Palestinian people, the restoration of an independent Palestine under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and the unconditional and total withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian and other occupied Arab territories, including the City of Jerusalem. We are certain that under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization and thanks to increased support on the part of international public opinion which you are so effectively mobilizing, the Arab people of Palestine will recover their inalienable rights."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, on whom I now call.
Mr. CHON Jae Hong (Democratic People's Republic of Korea): I have the honour to read out the congratulatory message of Comrade Kim II Sung, President of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and great leader of the Korean people, addressed to His Excellency Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the PLO, on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"Being pleased to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People when the militant bonds between the Korean and Palestinian peoples are strengthening day by day, I extend my brotherly greetings to you and, through you, to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian people on behalf of the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Korean people and on my own behalf.
"On this occasion the Korean people express firm solidarity with the Palestinian people and all Palestinian fighters in their brave struggle for the just cause.
"The struggle being waged by the Palestinian people today is a righteous struggle to regain the lost fatherland, completely restore their legitimate national rights, including the establishment of an independent State, and defend the dignity of the Arab nation, and it is a link in the chain of struggle of the world revolutionary people for anti-imperialism and independence.
"Assuring you that the Korean people always stand by the fighting Palestinian people, I take this opportunity to sincerely wish the Palestinian people greater victory in their struggle against the U.S. imperialists and the Israeli aggressors, under your leadership." The message is signed:- Kin II Sung, President of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, 28 November 1981, Pyongyang, Korea.
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call on the representative of Yugoslavia.
Mr. ZAGAJAC (Yugoslavia): In the absence of my Ambassador, the permanent Representative of Yugoslavia to the United Nations, Mr. Miljan Komatina, I have the honour to read out the message of the President of the Presidency of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Sergej Kraigher, on the occasion of the observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, observed this year for the fourth tine, is another opportunity to reaffirm the legitimate right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, national independence, sovereignty and the right to its own State.
"Although the people of Palestine has not yet realized its national rights, its justified struggle meets with ever-wider support by the international community. Today the national being of the Palestinian people and its right to a State are most broadly accepted, and the Palestine Liberation Organization, as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and an active member of the international community, recognized. The Palestine Liberation Organization has become a full member of the Non-Aligned Movement, an observer at the United Nations and a member of a number of international agencies and bodies.
"The foundations of this positive evolution are, above all, the increased national consciousness of the people of Palestine, its readiness to suffer enormous human losses for its liberation, the clearness of the vision of its liberation movement and its constructive approach to the search for a lasting and just solution.
"Non-aligned countries have always been the harbingers of the struggle for freedom and independence of all peoples and countries, and they have thus become the most stable support of the struggle of the Arab countries for the liberation of occupied territories, and of the struggle of the people of Palestine for the realization of its national rights. The recent special mission of non-aligned countries which visited the Palestinian camps was given evidence of the vast destruction resulting from the last Israeli aggression.
"Today, more than ever before, we are witnessing a number of new initiatives and efforts aimed at helping the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. Yugoslavia welcomes and supports these, initiatives for the cessation of Israeli aggression, the withdrawal of Israel from the Arab territories occupied in the war of 1967, the recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to its own State, and the equal participation of the Palestine Liberation Organization, as the sole legitimate representative of the people of Palestine, in all negotiations.
"It is encouraging that most countries accept these realities and that such a positive approach is becoming ever more dominant."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call on the representative of Bangladesh.
Mr. ZAMIR (Bangladesh): Mr. Chairman, I have the honour to read out the following message addressed to you by His Excellency Mr. Justice Abdus Sattar, the President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh on the occasion of this special meeting to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestine People:
"On the occasion of the observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, I, on behalf of the Government and people of Bangladesh, wish to reiterate our abiding support to the Palestinian people in their heroic struggle for independence and national liberation.
"The Palestinian situation continues to challenge the international community as a major test of the credibility and capacity of the United Nations in pursuit of its fundamental responsibility for preserving peace and security in the world. No other problem has provoked so much thought, unleashed so much indignation or polarized the emotions of nations and individuals alike. It is our duty to promote a lasting and durable peace. If the peace is to endure it must be based on justice, and justice demands the redressing of all wrongs done contrary to international law, adherence to the norms and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and to the establishment of fundamental human rights.
"There cannot be any doubt that the people of Palestine are a definite political entity. To ignore their presence is to discount a reality recognized by the overwhelming majority of States and, indeed, all mankind. Thus the fundamental element of a durable and permanent Middle-East peace revolves around the recognition of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to a State of their own in their own homeland.
"I take this opportunity to convey the deep appreciation of the Government and the people of Bangladesh to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People for their commendable efforts in projecting the Just cause of the Palestinian People."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): I now call on the representative of the United Arab Emirates.
Mr. AL-QASIMI (United Arab Emirates) (interpretation from Arabic): I have the pleasure to read out the message from Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, President of the Republic of the United Arab Emirates, addressed to the Chairman of the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Bights of the Palestinian People:
"On the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, I should like to express to your Committee our deep appreciation and thanks for the support you are giving the struggle of the Palestinian people and your efforts to ensure that that people may exercise its inalienable rights.
"The Palestinian people has suffered the partition of its land and violation of its right to self-determination as a result of the decision of the Israeli authorities to expel that people from its territory and its homes and to confiscate its property.
"On the Gaza Strip and the West Bank the Israeli authorities are constantly violating human rights. Examples of such violations are the killings and jailing, the torturing of individuals and the establishment of settlements on the territory of the Palestinian people.
"We see the Palestinian people suffering daily as a result of those Israeli practices. We should like to greet and welcome the choice of this day as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which reflects the will of the international Community to assume its responsibility for that people.
"This Day also tangibly reflects the great respect of the international community for the cause of justice in that area and its desire to continue supporting the heroic struggle of the Palestinian people.
"We are happy to see the systematic refusal of the international community to recognize agreements or conventions that do not take into account the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.
"We should like to express our satisfaction at the renewed support for the Palestine Liberation Organization and its legal representation on a basis of equality with other members at international conferences and in the context of the United Nations itself, in bodies that are trying to find a Just and equitable solution to the Palestinian problem.
"We are sorry to see some States here pursuing policies contrary to the rights of the Palestinian people and policies favourable to Israel, because Israel would not have been able to continue defying international opinion and resolutions of the General Assembly if it had not enjoyed military, economic, financial, political and diplomatic support from such States.
"Given this situation we must ask the international community to translate its support for the Palestinian people into effective measures to discourage and frustrate the aggressor and to bring about realization of the people's rights.
"We should like to assure you. Sir, that we shall spare no effort to help the struggling people, nor shall we spare any effort or support to help that people to recover its rights."
The CHAIRMAN: The next speaker is the representative of the Arab Republic of Yemen, upon whom I now call.
Mr. MUFAREH (Yemen) (interpretation from Arabic): Mr. Chairman, with your permission I shall now read out the message addressed to you by Commander Ali Abdulla Saleh, President of the Yemen Arab Republic and Chief Commander of the Armed Forces of the Republic. The message is addressed to you in your capacity as Chairman of the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People on the occasion of these social meetings to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"I have the honour to address this important gathering to commemorate the struggle of the Palestinian people. I should like to reaffirm the support of our country and our people for our Palestinian brothers in their struggle to regain their legitimate rights, including their right to their land and their territory and their right to self-determination and to the creation of a free and independent State. This solidarity affirms the legitimacy of the struggle of the Palestinian people, which is striving to regain its legitimate rights. This solidarity also reflects the will of the international community as expressed in various relevant United Nations resolutions.
"The aggressor's policy of aggression and settlements is a challenge to the international community, and we should like to draw attention to the fact that the perpetuation of Israel's expansionist policies represents a danger to the security of that region and the Arab States of the area and makes it imperative for the Palestinian people to protect themselves and their land.
"We should like to express our confidence that the struggle of the Palestinian people will be successful. We appeal to peace-loving countries and peoples to intensify their support for the Palestinian revolution so that the Palestinian people may recover their full and inalienable rights".
Mr. Chairman, I cannot fail to take this opportunity to congratulate you and your co-workers on your efforts on behalf of the Palestinian cause we should like on behalf of Commander All Abdulla Saleh to extend to you best wishes.
The CHAIRMAN: The next speaker is the representative of Sri Lanka. I call upon him.
Mr. RODRIGO (Sri Lanka): I have the honour to read out the text of the message received from His Excellency Mr. J.R. Jayawardene, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, on this occasion, the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People affords the world community the opportunity once again to focus attention on the plight of the Palestinian people. Despite rapidly growing international recognition of the fact that the question of Palestine lies at the very core of the conflict in the Middle East, the people of Palestine continue to be denied their inalienable national rights. No solution of the Middle East conflict will be either just or lasting unless it ensures the exercise by the Palestinian people of their inalienable national rights, including the right to return and to self-determination and the right to establish an independent State in Palestine, a prerequisite to which is the withdrawal by Israel from all occupied Palestinian and Arab territories.
"Sri Lanka has been constant in its support of the Palestinian people and their sole and legitimate representative, the Palestine Liberation Organization. I take this opportunity to express once more on behalf of the Government and people of Sri Lanka our solidarity with them."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of the Republic of Korea.
Mr. Soo Gil PARK (Republic of Korea): I have the honour to read out the message sent by Mr. Shinyong Lho, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea, to the Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
"On the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, I would like to join the international community, on behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of Korea, in expressing once again our full support for the cause of the Palestinian people and our solidarity with them in their Just struggle for self-determination.
"It is our firm belief that all the international disputes should be settled not by force but through peaceful negotiation, and that acquisition of territory by force is inadmissible.
"Based on this belief, the Government of the Republic of Korea has made its position on the question of Palestine known to the international community and I would like to reiterate it as follows:
"1. The legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination, should be fully respected;
"2. The Palestine Liberation Organization solely represents the people of Palestine;
"3. The Israeli forces should withdraw from the Arab territories occupied since the 1967 war, including Jerusalem.
"In this connexion, I would like to draw your attention to the recent decision of my Government to contribute one million US dollars to the Student Aid International to help assist the Palestinian refugee students.
"I take this opportunity to pay a tribute to the Chairman and members of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People for their unswerving efforts to help solve the question of Palestine, which is essential to the settlement of the Middle East question as a whole."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of Somalia.
Mr. ADAM (Somalia): I have great pleasure in reading out the text of a short telegram which has been addressed to you, Mr. Chairman, by Major General Mohamed Siad Barre, President of the Somali Democratic Republic, on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"On the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People I wish to express the strong support of the Somalia people and Government for the struggle of the Palestinian people for their national independence and the restoration of their usurped land. We call for the unconditional and immediate withdrawal of Israel from all Arab territories occupied in 1967, the dismantling of all Israeli settlements, the recognition of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole representative of the Palestinian people. We further call on the international community to oppose the continued illegal occupation by Israel of the Arab territories and its violation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. The international community has a special responsibility to bring about a lasting peace to the Middle East question on the basis of a Just settlement of the Palestinian issue."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of Guinea.
Mr. KABA (Guinea) (interpretation from French): I have the pleasure and honour to read out the message sent to the Chairman of the let Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Bights of the Palestinian People by President Ahmed Sekou Toure, President of the People's Revolutionary Republic of Guinea, on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"For more than three decades now the question of Palestine has been at the very heart of the various conflicts which have convulsed the Middle East. Today it would be futile to try to ignore the fact that the PLO has become the sole and legitimate interlocutor without which no viable solution can be envisaged. Our deep conviction remains that this is the only realistic way to resolve the crisis and achieve the desired peace. As long as Israel maintains its annexation of the Holy City of Jerusalem and continues to occupy Arab territories by force, violating the sacred national rights of the Palestinian people and in violating the resolutions of the United Nations, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Organization of African Unity, tension and the constant state of war will continue in this region and peace will continue to be threatened.
"On the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, on behalf of the people of Guinea and its State Party, we reaffirm to the Palestinian people and its avant garde movement, the Palestine Liberation Organization, our militant solidarity.
"We are convinced of the inevitable victory of the Just cause of the Palestinian people, a cause which is also that of all peace- and Justice-loving peoples."
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): The next speaker is the representative of Indonesia.
Mr. IBRAHIM (Indonesia): I have the honour to read out the text of a message from the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Indonesia, Professor Dr. Mochtar Kusumaatmadja, on behalf of the Government and people of Indonesia, on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People:
"On the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, on behalf of the Government and people of Indonesia I wish to express once again our full support for the just struggle of the Palestinian people for the implementation of their inalienable rights to self-determination, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian State.
"The present commemoration underscores the support of the international community for the just cause of the Palestinians. At the same time, it also reflects the urgency of resolving the Palestinian problem, which is the core of the Middle East question. It is noteworthy to point out that today, more than ever, it is universally recognized that any solution to the Palestinian problem must include the withdrawal of Israel from all occupied Arab territories. My Government strongly believes that the United Nations must and will continue to play an important role in supporting the attainment of the sacred aspirations of the Palestinian people.
"It is my earnest hope that the Palestinian people will soon take their rightful place among the community of nations as an independent and sovereign State."
The CHAIRMAN: We have heard the last speaker inscribed on our list. It is therefore now my pleasure and honour to call upon Mr. Farouk Kaddoumi, Chairman of the delegation of the Palestine Liberation Organization to conclude our meeting.
Mr. KADDOUMI (Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO))(interpret at ion from Arabic): Dear friends, I have the honour, at the end of this commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, and the great pleasure on behalf of my people and its representative, the Palestine Liberation Organization, to express to you our deep thanks and warmest gratitude for your messages of solidarity and for your determined support and systematic assistance to the Palestine Liberation Organization and its heroic struggle embodying the heroic battle of our people against the Israeli foe, a struggle for the restoration of our inalienable rights.
Allow us to take this opportunity, my dear friends, to greet you and to express our deepest thanks, as well as those of our leaders, for all the messages of solidarity that have been conveyed to us, messages that are a sincere reflection of the solidarity of your friendly countries and peoples with our Palestinian people. Allow me also to take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude to the heroic people of Namibia and our admiration of that people and of the head of its liberation movement, the South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Mr. Sam Hjoma. We should like to thank that people and movement for the solidarity it has expressed towards our people.
Mr. Nujoma and SWAPO are carrying on a heroic struggle against the racist regime in South Africa, thereby offering yet further proof of their strength and their determination to win their Just cause. Their struggle further attests to their determination to recover their independence and to eliminate I the regime of discrimination that is the ally of the Zionist entity in Palestine. Our struggle and that of the people of Namibia are common struggles against a common enemy. The triumph of the people of Namibia will therefore also be the triumph of the Palestinian people.
I should also like to express my warm thanks to the people of the German Democratic Republic for the calendar they have issued on our behalf, a tangible proof of the solidarity of the people of the German Democratic Republic with our own. I should also like to extend our thanks to the Chairman of the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Mr. Sarre, as well as the other members of the Committee, for their loyal devotion and for the considerable time they have devoted to ensuring the Committee's success. Their unceasing efforts have made it possible for us to hope that, thanks to the role being played by this Organization and to the contribution it is making, peoples struggling to achieve the ultimate triumph of their rights will ultimately gain a universal triumph for human rights g and for the rights of peoples.
Finally, we must say a few words with regard to the United States of America and its allies, particularly its ally the Israeli entity. The authorities of whom we speak are isolating themselves from the international community in order to destroy and distort clear realities and facts, thereby constituting an obstacle to the restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. Their attitude reflects a rejection not only of the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, but of the Charter itself, of the principles of the Organization and of its noble goals. That rejection goes far beyond normal behaviour. It is a daily reflection of a barbaric attitude towards a hotbed of tension in the world that is constantly being refueled. Those two regimes are implementing a policy of aggression, of intransigence and of arrogance, reaffirming day by day Israel's hegemonism over Palestinian lands and its policy of expansion with regard to those territories.
Israeli aggression extends to Libya and Saudi Arabia. United States military manoeuvres are exacerbating tensions in the Middle East. Such imperialist actions by the Americans and the Zionists constitute, in the final analysis, the only obstacles to all the international efforts being made to find a just solution to the Middle East problem. In addition, by those manoeuvres and practices in various areas, those two regimes are trying to eliminate and rupture any attempt to bring about international detente. Here, we are speaking of the international community and its responsibility to put an end to such manoeuvres and attempts. International co-operation must be consolidated and strengthened in order to put an end to these hotbeds of tension We must not allow the law of the jungle to triumph. That law must not govern international relations, for that would deal a death blow to the prestige of this international Organization.
In conclusion, permit me to reiterate our expressions of warm thanks and great appreciation to our friends in the international community, who are ceaselessly making efforts to bring about a reign of peace, for their work on behalf of the noble goals of the United Nations Charter.
The CHAIRMAN (interpretation from French): We have now almost reached the end of our work. For more than 10 hours today we have, in this solemn forum, on this auspicious occasion once again drawn the attention of the entire world to the need to find a just and comprehensive solution to the question of the Middle East, and more particularly the question of Palestine.
All the statements made today by Permanent Representatives and Ministers, as well as the messages sent to us by Heads of State, Heads of Government and Foreign Ministers, converge upon one single goal, and that is peace and how to achieve it with the restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. As will have been noticed, this Day has been organized and observed within a context of understanding as well as of co-operation and fraternity. This demonstrates once again that in our undertakings and initiatives In this area we have placed our trust in the United Nations. Today's ceremony reflects once again the popular nature of the cause we are defending, because it Is a Just cause, one of peace.
On behalf of the Committee, I should like to thank everyone who so graciously attended and participated in this ceremony of solidarity. The comments and suggestions offered during these meetings will, I am certain, be a great contribution to the coming work and the initiatives we shall have to undertake to ensure the triumph of our goals and thus comply with the mandate entrusted to us by the United Nations.
"In conclusion, I should like to quote a verse of the Holy Koran: Those who are patient and work to accomplish good are those for whom we shall reserve the great reward. In the specific case of this Committee and the international community, I think we have indeed been patient during the period of over 30 years in -which the international community has worked to solve this painful problem of the Middle East. As for doing good, I think that ever since the question of the Middle East has been on the agenda of the United Nations, we have taken peaceful initiatives, and today we should indeed be able to hope – particularly now, at a time when our Organization is about to adopt a resolution to this effect – for a day of peace, a month of peace, a year of peace. We hope that, with the inspiration of the holy verse I have just quoted and the adoption of that resolution of the United Nations, we shall be able to say that the people of Palestine will be among the first beneficiaries of this peace which we all desire.
Once again I should like to thank everyone here for the understanding that has been demonstrated throughout the day and particularly for the comments and the suggestions that have been offered for the purpose of helping us to carry out our task.
I now declare concluded the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
The meeting rose at 7.30 p.m.
Document Type: Document, Meeting record, Verbatim Record
Document Sources: Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP), General Assembly
Subject: Palestine question, Solidarity day
Publication Date: 30/11/1981