Palestine question/Mideast situation – Group of 77 Ministerial Declaration, Letter from Antigua and Barbuda (excerpts)

The situation in the Middle East

Question of Palestine

Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial

embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba

Report of the Economic and Social Council

Integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up

to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences

and summits in the economic, social and related fields

Macroeconomic policy questions

Follow-up to and implementation of the outcome of the

2002 International Conference on Financing for Development

and the preparation of the 2008 Review Conference

Sustainable development

Implementation of the outcome of the United Nations

Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) and

strengthening of the United Nations Human Settlements

Programme (UN-Habitat)

Globalization and interdependence

Groups of countries in special situations

Eradication of poverty and other development issues

Operational activities for development

New Partnership for Africa’s Development: progress in

implementation and international support

Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and

disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including

special economic assistance

Oceans and the law of the sea

Follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit

Review of the efficiency of the administrative and

financial functioning of the United Nations

Programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009

Improving the financial situation of the United Nation

Scale of assessments for the apportionment of the

expenses of the United Nations

Letter dated 3 October 2008 from the Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

I have the honour to transmit herewith the Ministerial Declaration adopted at the thirty-second annual meeting of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Group of 77, held at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 26 September 2008 (see annex).

On behalf of the Group of 77 and China, I would appreciate it if the present letter and its annex were circulated as a document of the sixty-third session of the General Assembly under agenda items 15, 16, 19, 40, 44, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 57, 65, 70, 107, 117, 118, 120 and 122.

(Signed) John W. Ashe

Ambassador, Permanent Representative of

Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations

Chairman of the Group of 77

Annex to the letter dated 3 October 2008 from the Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

Ministerial Declaration adopted at the thirty-second annual meeting of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Group of 77

New York, 26 September 2008

MINISTERIAL DECLARATION

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Group of 77 and China met in New York, at the United Nations Headquarters, on 26 September 2008 on the occasion of their Thirty-second Annual Meeting. The Ministers reviewed the progress of the world economy and the challenges in economic development and social progress of developing countries, and adopted the following Declaration:

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59. The Ministers reiterated their call for the immediate withdrawal of Israel, the occupying Power, from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan to the line of 4 June 1967 and from other occupied Arab territories. They reaffirmed their support for the Middle East peace process, begun in Madrid in 1991, aimed at achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the region, in accordance with Security Council resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973) and 425 (1978) and the principle of land for peace. In this context, they also reaffirmed their support for the Arab Peace Initiative adopted at the Arab Summit in Beirut, renewed by the Arab Summits held in Riyadh in March 2007 and in Damascus in March 2008, and for all the positive efforts being exerted in this regard, including the Annapolis Conference held on 27 November 2007.

60. The Ministers condemned the ongoing Israeli military campaign against the Palestinian people in Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, which has resulted in the loss of civilian lives and the vast destruction of Palestinian properties, infrastructure and agricultural lands. The Ministers expressed deep concern about the further decline of the social and economic conditions of the Palestinian people, particularly in the besieged Gaza Strip, as a result of the illegal Israeli practices, including its illegitimate construction of settlements, the wall and bypass roads and the imposition of closures. They called upon Israel, the occupying Power, to cease immediately all illegal measures impairing the Palestinian economy, including, in particular, restrictions on the movement of persons and goods throughout, into and out of the Occupied Territory and to release all remaining tax revenues due to the Palestinian Authority and to make reparation for all damages caused to Palestinian properties, institutions and infrastructure. They reiterated their call upon the international community to continue providing much needed developmental and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people during this critical period.

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