Question of Palestine – Final documents of NAM Conference of Foreign Ministers – Letter from Cyprus (excerpts)

Letter dated 29 September 1988 from the Permanent Representative of

Cyprus to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

I have the honor to forward a copy of the final documents adopted by the Conference of Foreign Ministers of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries held at Nicosia from 5 to 10 September 1988, with the request that the present letter and its annex be circulated among Member States as an official document of the General Assembly, under agenda items 18, 22, 23, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 75, 76, 77, 79, 80, 82, 83, 87, 88, 91, 95, 96, 102, 103, 108, 109, 110, 116, 128, 129, 133, 135, 136, 137, 139, 143 and 146, and of the Security Council.

ANNEX

Final documents of the Conference of Foreign Ministers of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, held at Nicosia from 5 to 10 September 1988

CONTENTS

  I. POLITICAL PART

 II. ECONOMIC PART

III. NICOSIA DECLARATION

 IV. DECISIONS

A. VENUE OF THE NINTH SUMMIT

B. ESTABLISHMENT OF A MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE

C. SPECIAL MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE OF THE

MOVEMENT OF NON-ALIGNED COUNTRIES ON

PEACE AND INTERNATIONAL LAW

D. ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMITTEE ON KAMPUCHEA

APPENDICES

A. AGENDA OF THE MINISTERIAL MEETING

B. ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS

C. MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MOVEMENT

D. REPORT OF THE RAPPORTEUR GENERAL

E. REPORT OF THE MEETING OF AMBASSADORS AND

SENIOR OFFICIALS

F. REPORT OF THE CO-ORDINATING BUREAU

G. RESOLUTION ON APPRECIATION

I. POLITICAL PART

I. INTRODUCTION

1. The Conference of Foreign Ministers of Non-Aligned Countries was held in Nicosia, Cyprus, from 7 to 10 September 1988.

2. The Conference was preceded by a Meeting of Senior Officials on 5 and 6 September 1988.

3. The representatives of the following countries and organizations which are members of the Movement participated in the Conference: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, the Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Paso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Colombia, the Comoros, the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Yemen, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iran (the Islamic Republic-of), Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, the Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, the Palestine Liberation Organization, Panama, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, the South West Africa People's Organization, Sri Lanka, the Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, the Syrian Arab Republic, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, the United Arab Emirates, the United Republic of Tanzania, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, the Yemen Arab Republic, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

4. The representatives of the following countries and organizations, as well as national liberation movements, attended the Conference as observers: Brazil, Mexico, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Uruguay, Venezuela, the African National Congress, the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organization, the League of Arab States, the Pan-Africanist Congress of Azania, the Socialist Party of Puerto Rico and the United Nations.

5. Guest delegations were present at the Conference from the following countries and organizations: Australia, Austria, Finland, Greece, the Holy See, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Latin-American Economic System (SELA), the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean, the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the

inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the United Nations Council for Namibia, the United Nations Development Program, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Special Committee against Apartheid, the United Nations Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration of the Granting of independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, the World Health Organization and the Non-Governmental and Independent Commission of the South for Development issues.

6. During the inaugural ceremony the Conference heard a keynote address by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Cyprus Mr. George Vassiliou. The text of the address was adopted by acclamation as an official document of the Conference.

7. Also by acclamation, the Conference adopted the message by the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and chairman of the Movement, the Honorable Robert G. Mugabe, as an official document.

II. ROLE OF NON-ALIGNMENT

8. For over a quarter of a Century, the Non-Aligned Movement has contributed significantly to changes in world affairs and, by remaining consistent to the principles and objectives of Non-Alignment, gained international respect. The Ministers observed that recent encouraging developments on the international political scene, including the efforts for peaceful solutions to various outstanding regional conflicts, fully vindicate the continuing validity and the relevance of the policy of Non-Alignment as a non-bloc, independent and global force in international relations. The Movement welcomed the dialogue and agreements between the United States of America and the Soviet Union with a view to transforming the on-going efforts into a lasting and comprehensive process which would benefit humanity. The Movement is committed to deepening and widening the climate of détente and enhancing co-operation with all groupings in accordance with the principles and goals of Non-Alignment.

9. The Ministers recalled that the Non-Aligned Movement was the natural offspring of the struggle against colonialism and the need to counter the growing polarization of international relations resulting from the rivalry of military blocs and alliances. The quintessence of the policy of Non-Alignment, based on its principles and objectives as set out in successive Summit Conferences, is the struggle against imperialism; colonialism; neo-colonialism; apartheid; racism; zionism; and all forms of foreign aggression, occupation, domination, interference or hegemony. Non-Alignment involves the rejection of all forms of subjugation, dependence, interference or intervention – direct or indirect, overt or covert – and all pressures – political, diplomatic, economic, military and cultural – in international relations.

10. Non-Aligned countries have consistently supported the complete emancipation of the peoples of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and other regions of the world. In this context the Ministers stressed their total rejection of all attempts to distort the struggles of peoples for independence and human dignity by placing them in the context of East-West confrontation.

11. In the last twenty-seven years, many obstacles notwithstanding, the Movement has achieved significant successes. It has been the protagonist of the promotion of peace and peaceful coexistence; independence; disarmament; the accelerated economic development of developing countries; and the struggle for a now economic order based on equality, justice and peace. The Movement has, thus, as a moral and political force, exerted significant influence on the evolution of international political and economic relations as a whole.

12. The Ministers observed that the security and independence of Non-Aligned countries were still being threatened by colonialist and imperialist policies and by the quest for spheres of influence, as well as by the persisting unjust economic system, all of which had led to military, political and economic pressures, foreign intervention and interference in the internal affairs of Non-Aligned countries. In this regard, they reiterate that such policies are unjustifiable and unacceptable under any circumstances. The Ministers reaffirmed the right of all States to pursue their own political, social and economic development without intimidation, hindrance or pressure.

13. The Ministers noted that a number of Non-Aligned countries were still being subjected to pressures aimed at weakening the unity of the Movement and diverting it from its fundamental principles and objectives. In this context, they appealed for greater unity, solidarity and co-ordinated action on the part of Non-Aligned countries to resist such pressures. The Ministers agreed that there is growing readiness for international co-operation based on the principles and goals of Non-Alignment even among countries outside the Movement, in recognition of its importance as a moral and political force in world affairs.

14. The Ministers reiterated the Non-Aligned countries' commitment to respect scrupulously the principles and objectives of Non-Alignment and expressed their determination to make every effort to further strengthen the Non-Aligned Movement's capacity for action and to develop concrete modalities to enhance the influence and impact of its decisions on world affairs. They emphasized that the effectiveness of the Non-Aligned Movement was directly related to the adherence of its members to the principles and spirit of Non-Alignment as well as their consistency in opposing injustice, regardless -of its source.

15. They also renewed their commitment not to be parties to and not to take action leading to Great Power confrontations and rivalry or the strengthening of existing military alliances and the interlocking arrangements arising therefrom, particularly through participation in military arrangements or through the provision of military bases and facilities for Great Power military presence conceived in the context of Great Power confrontation or between one of those Powers and countries 11 members of the Non-Aligned Movement.

16. The Ministers, reaffirming their faith in and commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the necessity for further co-operation in strengthening the important role played by the Non-Aligned countries within the United Nations, where the Movement has particularly demonstrated its abiding appeal and continuing relevance, which stem from the and rational exercise of its power in accordance with the principles of Non-Alignment. They also welcomed the continuing role played by the United Nations in the fields of peace-keeping and peace-making, particularly in recent months.

III. DISARMAMENT AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

17. The Ministers, aware that the gravest danger confronting humanity today is the nuclear threat, welcomed the recent developments in the field of disarmament, which they consider a historic achievement; vindicating the position of the Non-Aligned countries, they expressed the hope that they would result in further substantive progress in the field of current and future bilateral and multilateral negotiations on disarmament. They, therefore, emphasized the need to encourage this positive trend through the immediate adoption of measures for the prevention of nuclear war and the reversal of the nuclear arms race, so as to remove the threat of a nuclear holocaust which endangers the very survival of mankind.

18. The Ministers welcomed the entry into force of the treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the elimination of intermediate- and shorter-range missiles, and considered this positive step towards arms control and disarmament to be indicative of the growing realization that more weapons did not mean more security. In this connection the Ministers were of the view that an agreement between the USA and the USSR on the elimination of 50 per cent of all strategic weapons in 1988 would be a milestone on the road to a nuclear-weapon-free world. The Ministers-stressed the need for the adoption of a timetable for the gradual elimination of all nuclear weapons as a logical follow-up to the INF Treaty and the proposed 50 per cent reduction agreement between the USA and the USSR. They also called for the incorporation of other nuclear-weapon States into this process of nuclear disarmament.

19. The Ministers, however, viewed once again with concern those newly-emerging technologies which are producing a now generation of weapons of mass destruction, both nuclear and non-nuclear whose effects are so similar as to blur the distinction between nuclear and conventional weapons and consequently involve the risk of legitimizing the possession of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. They called for a continuous international assessment, under the United Nations, of the implication of these technologies and for monitoring and forecasting those technological developments which have potential military applications. The Ministers were of the view that global measures were imperative to ensure that scientific and technical progress was directed, without any discrimination, towards the benefit of mankind. In the same vein, now technologies are being applied in preparation for the development of new weapons-and weapons systems in outer space, adding a new dimension of grave import to the arms race. The Ministers strongly reaffirmed the principle that outer space, which is the common heritage of mankind, should be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and for the benefit and in the interest of all countries and that it should be open to all States.

20. The Ministers recognized the important role that the legal regime applicable to outer space played in the prevention of an arms race in outer space. They recalled that this legal regime was not sufficient to guarantee the prevention of an arms race in outer space. The Ministers reaffirmed their belief in the need to consolidate and strengthen that regime and to increase its effectiveness and the importance of strict compliance with existing agreements, both bilateral and multilateral.

…

130. They expressed their sorrow over the violence and loss of life which occurred on the Island of Ouvea in late April and early May of this year and the events which led to the violent confrontations.

131. They noted with satisfaction that the French authorities and the people of Now Caledonia have initiated a dialogue on the status of the Territory and that measures are being taken to promote political, economic and social development in Now Caledonia which could provide a framework for the peaceful evolution of the Territory to self-determination and independence.

132. They further urged the parties involved, in the interests of all the people of New Caledonia, to continue their dialogue and refrain from acts of violence, and they urged that the question of Now Caledonia be kept under active consideration at the United Nations until the conditions for an internationally acceptable act of self-determination in accordance with United Nations principles and practices have been met.

XVI. SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

133. The Ministers expressed concern over the deterioration of the situation in the Middle East as a result of the continued Israeli occupation of Palestine, the Syrian Golan and parts of southern Lebanon, and the policy and practices manifested by Israel's expansionist acts of aggression in the region, which posed a dangerous threat to international peace and security.

134. They reaffirmed the active solidarity of the Movement of Ron-Aligned Countries with the Arab countries which were victims of Israeli aggression and with the just struggle of the Palestinian people, under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), their sole legitimate representative, for the restoration of their usurped national rights and the recovery of the occupied territories.

135. They also reaffirmed their Governments' commitment to supporting the Arab front-line States and the PLO in the face of Israeli threats and aggression, as well as their struggle to liberate their territories.

136. The Ministers recalled that the Harare Summit had reaffirmed that the question of Palestine was the core of the Middle East crisis and the root cause of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The Ministers condemned any accord or treaty that violates or infringes on the rights of the Palestinian people as recognized by the Non-Aligned Movement, in accordance with international law, the United Nations Charter and relevant resolutions. They also condemned any initiative that would violate these rights and obstruct the liberation of Jerusalem and of the occupied Palestinian and other Arab territories and prevent the Palestinian Arab people from exercising their inalienable rights They condemned unilateral and partial solutions.

137. The Ministers once again emphasized that a just and comprehensive peace in the region could only be based on Israel, total and unconditional withdrawal from all the Palestinian and other occupied Arab territories, including Jerusalem, and the restoration of all the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to return to their homeland, the right to self-determination without foreign intervention and the right to establish their own independent and sovereign State in their national territory On the basis of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3236 (XXIX), of 22 November 1974, and other United Nations relevant resolutions.

138. The Ministers stressed the urgent need to convene the International Peace Conference on the Middle East, in conformity with paragraph 6 of the Geneva Declaration and United Nations General Assembly Resolutions 38/58 C, of 13 December 1983, and 42/66 D, of 2 December 1987, in order to achieve a just and comprehensive solution to the Middle East problem, based essentially on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and their right to establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian State in their national homeland, Palestine, in conformity with General Assembly Resolutions 3236 (XXIX), of 22 November 1974, and ES-7/2, of 29 June 1980. They stressed that the participation in the Conference of all parties directly concerned in the Arab-Israeli conflict, including the Palestine Liberation Organization, on an equal footing, and the permanent members of the Security Council, would be a sine qua non for the attainment of the objectives sought by the Conference. They therefore called upon the Security Council to set up a Preparatory Committee, with the participation of the Council's permanent members, to examine effective ways and means of holding the International Conference called for by the United Nations General Assembly in its Resolution 38/58 C concerning the Middle East crisis, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and all United Nations resolutions pertaining to the Arab-Israeli conflict. They also emphasized the Security Council's responsibility to provide an adequate institutional framework for guaranteeing compliance with agreements stemming from the Conference.

139. The Ministers strongly condemned the establishment of Israeli settlements in the Palestinian and other occupied Arab territories, the Judaization of Jerusalem and its proclamation as the capital of Israel and reaffirmed that all such measures carried out with a view to altering the political, cultural, religious, demographic and other features of the Palestinian and other Arab territories were illegal, null and void.

140. The Ministers agreed to request the United Nations to take effective steps, including imposition of the sanctions stipulated in Chapter VII of the Charter, against Israel with a view to enforcing the immediate and total withdrawal of the Israeli forces and the ending of Israel's occupation of all Palestinian territory as well as other Arab territories, including the city of Al Quds (Jerusalem), occupied since 1967.

141. The Ministers condemned Israel for its continued occupation of the Syrian Arab Golan, its defiance of pertinent United Nations resolutions and its flagrant violation of the provisions the Hague Convention of 1907 and the Geneva Convention of 1949 on the Protection of Civilians in Time of War. They reiterated

that Israel's decision of 14 December 1981 to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the occupied Syrian Golan was null and void and was considered an act of aggression under Article 39 of the Charter of the United Nations.

142. The Ministers condemned the arbitrary practices imposed by Israel on the inhabitants of the occupied Syrian Golan, aimed at destroying their cultural and historical roots and their Syrian Arab, identity. They also condemned the illegal measures of establishing Jewish settlements and changing the demographic and socio-economic structure of the occupied Syrian Golan.

143. The Ministers reiterated their total support for the struggle of the Syrian Arab Republic to liberate its occupied lands. They hailed the continued resistance of the Syrian Arab inhabitants of the Golan against Israeli occupation and oppression and called upon the Security Council to take effective measures, including the imposition of sanctions under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, in order to achieve the immediate withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Syrian Arab territories.

144. The Ministers condemned the "strategic alliance" between the United States of America and Israel and emphasized that such in alliance strengthened the expansionist regime of Tel Aviv, which seeks to destabilize the region, and encouraged it to pursue and escalate its aggression. They condemned in particular the United States' policy of developing military industries in Israel as well as involving Israel in its Strategic Defense Initiative program. In that regard, they considered that alliance to constitute a threat to peace and security in the Middle East and the world.

145. The Ministers expressed deep appreciation to the African States for rejecting the agreement concluded between the UNDP and Israel on 22 February 1988 in violation of General Assembly Resolution S/9/1, of 5 February 1982, and for refraining from receiving any assistance from Israel under the UNDP. They condemned Israel's attempts to infiltrate into developing countries' markets on the pretext of channeling UN technical assistance. They called on the UNDP to revoke that agreement rather than merely freeze it.

146. The Ministers strongly condemned Israel's exploitation of the natural resources and wealth of the Palestinian and other occupied Arab territories, in defiance of the Hague and Geneva Conventions and the principle of permanent sovereignty of States over their natural resources and wealth, and called upon all States and international bodies to abstain from recognizing Israel's authority and to refrain from any co-operation with it.

147. The Ministers reaffirmed their adherence to the resolution adopted at the Seventh Summit Conference, held in New Delhi from 7 to 12 March 1983, urging Non-Aligned countries to work for a boycott of Israel in the diplomatic, economic, commercial and financial, military and cultural fields and in the sphere of maritime and air transport, and they called upon the Security Council to enforce the provisions of Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations in order to oblige Israel to put an end to its occupation of Palestinian and other Arab territories and to enable the Palestinian people to recover their national rights, in conformity with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations and other international forums and the recommendations of the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People adopted by the General Assembly.

148. The Ministers expressed their full support for the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East aimed at reducing tensions and increasing security in the region, in conformity with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, in particular Resolution S-10/2 of 30 June 1978. In view of this, they appealed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations to adopt concrete measures in order to create favorable conditions for the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East. The Ministers condemned Israel for continuing to pursue a nuclear military policy undermining all efforts exerted to achieve this objective, which would never be attained unless Israel complied with United Nations resolutions requesting Israel to join the nuclear Arms Non-Proliferation Treaty, to allow its nuclear installations to be subject to full scope safeguards by IAEA, to destroy its nuclear arsenal and delivery systems and to cease their production.

149. The Ministers stressed the urgent need to adopt appropriate measures to counter the threat posed to Africa's regional security by the close co-operation between Israel and the apartheid regime of South Africa in the military, economic and nuclear fields and their contribution to the perpetuation of the illegal occupation of Namibia and the strengthening of the aggressive and repressive apparatus of the criminal apartheid regime against the people of South Africa and the neighboring States.

150. The Ministers vigorously condemned the now terrorist assault by Israel on 16 August 1988 against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Tunisia, in flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and norms of conduct, as a result of which Mr. Khalil Al-Wazir (OAbu Jihadw), Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Forces of the Palestine Liberation Organization, was assassinated together with other Palestinian and Tunisian nationals. In this regard, they noted that this new aggressive act, which followed the one committed against Tunisia on 1 October 1985, proved once more the total disregard by Israel of Security Council Resolution 573 (1985) and expressed their support for and solidarity with the people and Government of Tunisia and the PLO. They also recalled Security Council Resolution 611 (1988), condemning the 16 April 1988 aggression and urging member States to take measures to prevent such acts against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States and expressing its determination to take appropriate steps to ensure its implementation.

XVII. ISRAELI AGGRESSION AGAINST IRAQI

NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS

151. The Ministers recalled their condemnation of Israel for its armed aggression against the peaceful Iraqi nuclear installations, which was also a violation of the IAEA system of safeguards, and the inalienable right of peoples to use atomic energy for peaceful purposes. The Ministers again requested the Security Council to take effective measures to ensure the implementation of Security Council Resolution 487 (1981), which, inter alia, called upon Israel urgently to place its nuclear facilities under the safeguards of the IAEA. The Ministers noted that Israel had not, as yet, adequately committed itself not -attack or threaten nuclear installations in Iraq or elsewhere, including installations subject to the safeguards of the IAEA. The Ministers therefore requested that additional measures be taken to effectively ensure that Israel would undertake not to strike or threaten nuclear installations in Iraq or elsewhere in contravention of the Charter of the United Nations. The Ministers also urged that the item on "The armed Israeli aggression against the Iraqi nuclear installations and its grave consequences for the established international system concerning the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and international peace and security" be retained on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly until Israel complies with Security Council Resolution 487 (1981).

XVIII. THE QUESTION OF PALESTINE

152. The Ministers reaffirmed that the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries as a whole had undertaken to give its support to the Palestinian people in their just struggle for the liberation of their homeland and the' recovery of their inalienable national rights.

153. The Ministers stressed that a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the problem of the Middle East could not be achieved without the total and unconditional withdrawal of Israel from all Palestinian and other Arab territories it has occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, and the regaining and exorcise in Palestine of the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to return to their homes, the right to self-determination without external interference and the right to national independence, as well as the right to establish a sovereign, independent State in Palestine, in conformity with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and relevant resolutions.

154. The Ministers reaffirmed their strong support for the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and emphasized that only the PLO had the right to represent the Palestinian people. They reaffirmed the right of the PLO to participate on an independent and equal footing, In accordance with international law, in all endeavors, international conferences and activities the objectives of which were to ensure respect for the attainment and the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people as specified in General Assembly Resolution 3236 (XXIX), of 22 November 1974, and Resolution 2 of the Seventh Emergency Special Session of 29 June 1980 and Resolution 38/58 C of 13 December 1983.

155. The Ministers affirmed the indisputable right of the PLO to participate in the sessions and the work of the General Assembly as an observer. The right of the PLO to maintain a mission at United Nations headquarters in New York and the right to maintain premises and other functional facilities and right of entry to and stay in the United States of America of its personnel to carry out their functions have been reaffirmed by the relevant resolutions of the forty-second regular and resumed sessions of the General Assembly. The Ministers recognized the significance of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice in this matter.

156. The Ministers warmly welcomed the outcome of the Palestine National Council (PNC) meeting held in Algiers from 20 to April 1987 as a major victory for the Palestinian people. In this connection, they expressed their deep appreciation for the great efforts exerted by President Chadli Benjedid and the Algerian people towards the success of the PNC meeting. They also welcomed the convening of the Summit of the League of Arab States in Algiers from 7 to 9 June 1988 to discuss the uprising of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories.

157. The Ministers welcomed the important efforts of the Committee of Nine Non-Aligned Countries on Palestine (comprising Algeria, Bangladesh, Cuba, India, the PLO, Senegal, Yugoslavia, Zambia and Zimbabwe) to contribute to the resolution of the question of Palestine, which is the core of the Middle East problem. They urged the Committee to continue to work for the early convening of an International Peace Conference on the Middle East under the auspices of the United Nations by actively approaching the members of the United Nations Security Council and in other appropriate ways initiating and directing the efforts of the Non-Aligned countries to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the problem. In this respect, they .fully supported the communiqués issued by the said Committee at its meetings held in Harare on 14 and 15 April 1987 and in Pyongyang on 10 June 1987 and commended its activities in assisting the Secretary-General in his efforts to accelerate the preparatory process leading to the convening of the International Peace Conference. They also took note of the communiqué adopted by the Committee at its meeting in Nicosia on 7 September 1988.

158. The Ministers reiterated their grave concern over the situation in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon resulting from repeated Israeli aggressions on them and decided to reaffirm the responsibility of the United Nations in the full implementation of Security Council resolutions calling for the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon and to deter it from repeated aggression on those camps to ensure the safety of all civilians, whether Lebanese or Palestinian refugees.

159. The Ministers once again strongly deplored the fact that the Palestinians and other Arabs of the Israeli-occupied territories were deprived of all forms of legal protection and were victims of repressive legislation, the "iron-fist" policy, arbitrary mass arrests, torture, displacement of persons, expulsion and the destruction of homes, in flagrant violation of their human rights and of the Fourth Geneva Convention. The Ministers condemned Israel for refusing to implement the Fourth Geneva Convention in the occupied Arab territories. They requested all member States to respect and ensure respect by Israel of this Convention.

160. The Ministers reaffirmed their rejection of all Israeli policies and practices aimed at altering the geographic features of the occupied Palestinian and other Arab territories, including Jerusalem, or at altering the demographic structure therein, particularly Israel's plans to displace and transfer Palestinian refugee camps to hew sites. They reiterated their demand to all nations not to recognize such alterations and to cease and sever any co-operation with Israel that might encourage it to pursue its policies and practices in violation of Security Council Resolution 465 (1980).

161. The Ministers condemned Israeli policies aimed at bringing now Jewish immigrants to settle in occupied Palestine and, occupied Syrian Golan at the expense of the indigenous Arab population and of the right of the Palestinian people to return to their homes and lands and urged all States to stop offering Israel or world zionism facilities or encouragement under any form whatsoever to pursue its colonization and expansionist policies in the occupied Arab territories. In this context, the Ministers considered that offering such facilities or encouraging them was essentially a flagrant violation of Palestinian and Syrian Arab rights, particularly their right to return to their homeland, to their homes and property.

162. The Ministers strongly condemned the aggression committed against Holy Places in the Palestinian and other occupied Arab territories. In this context, they expressed full support for the relevant resolutions adopted by the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

163. The Ministers reiterated their support for the Arab Peace Plan adopted by the Twelfth Arab Summit, hold at Paz from 6 to 12 September 1982, that was reaffirmed in Arab Summits, the last of which was the Extraordinary Arab Summit hold in Algiers from 7 to 9 June 1988. They further affirmed their support for the resolutions adopted in support of the Arab Peace Plan by Arab and other international conferences.

XIX. LEBAN0N

164. The Ministers expressed grave concern over the dangerous situation that continues to confront Lebanon. They reaffirmed previous resolutions adopted in this respect by the Non-Aligned countries, particularly those adopted by the Seventh Summit Conference. They demanded the full implementation of Security Council Resolutions 425 and 426 (1978) and 508 and 509 (1982), calling for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Israeli forces from all Lebanese territory and for the deployment of UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army up to the internationally-recognized boundaries of Lebanon. They also declared their solidarity with the Government and people of Lebanon and reaffirmed their full support for Lebanon's safety, for its territorial integrity and for its right to exercise sovereignty throughout its territory within its internationally-recognized boundaries.

165. The Ministers condemned the Israeli aggression against Lebanon and the continued occupation of parts of southern Lebanon, as well as the inhuman practices of the occupation forces in those territories, in flagrant violation of the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention, of 1949, and they expressed their appreciation and full support for the National Lebanese Resistance, aimed at the liberation of southern Lebanon.

166. The Ministers condemned Israel for the deportation of Palestinian citizens from the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip to Lebanon, an inhuman act perpetrated against the sovereignty of Lebanon and a new act of aggression against its territorial integrity, in flagrant violation of the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention, of 1949. The Ministers requested that Israel abide by the resolution adopted by the United Nations Security Council on that matter and refrain from deporting Palestinians from their land and homes to Lebanon or any other country.

XX. THE UPRISING OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

167. The Ministers noted that, since the Harare Summit Conference, the situation in the Middle East had worsened considerably, in particular as a result of the actions of the Israeli occupation forces against the civilian population in the occupied territories, in flagrant violation of the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention, of 1949, and of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. They included that the situation created in the occupied Palestinian territories by the acts of violence of the occupation forces posed a serious threat to international peace and security.

168. They condemned the criminal practices of the occupation forces in the Gaza Strip and on the West Bank and in particular the killing of defenseless Palestinians, as well as the torturing, wounding, massive arrests and detention of youths; the beating and harassing of women and children; the deportations; the imposition of sieges; the acts of aggression against Holy Places, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and scientific and health institutions; and the usurpation and destruction of homes.

169. In this regard, they recalled Security Council Resolutions 605 (1987) and 607 and 608 (1988), which, inter alia, strongly deplored those policies and practices of Israel's that violated the human rights of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories and, in particular, the opening of fire by the occupation army resulting in the killing and wounding of defenseless Palestinian civilians and the deporting of Palestinians from the occupied territories, and they called upon the occupying Power to abide immediately by the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Persons in Time of War and to desist forthwith from its policies and practices that are in violation of the provisions of the Convention.

170. They noted that those atrocities and acts of terrorism constituted one aspect of the "iron fist" policy that the occupying Power has already been practicing with a view to reinforcing its "creeping annexation" of the Palestinian and other occupied Arab territories.

171. The Ministers saluted the heroic uprising of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories, which represents a further step in their struggle against repression and tyranny; praised their courage and determination to liberate the occupied territories; and expressed satisfaction over the contribution it made to the consolidation of Arab solidarity.

172. The Ministers further underlined the significance of the uprising of the Palestinian people as an irreversible historical event and tangible evidence of their determination to have a State of their own, which proves the futility of the Israeli efforts to continue the occupation of Palestine. They further welcomed the growing international support for the uprising of the Palestinian people, viewed as a legitimate action within the context of their just struggle for the restoration of their usurped rights and attainment of full independence.

173. The Ministers reiterated the Non-Aligned Movement's call upon the United Nations urgently to take effective steps, including the imposition of the sanctions stipulated in Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, against Israel with a view to enforcing the immediate and total withdrawal of its troops and the termination of its occupation of all the Palestinian territories as well as other Arab territories, including the city of Jerusalem, which have been illegally occupied since 1967. They also called upon the Security Council to place Palestinian territories under temporary United Nations supervision so as to protect the Palestinian people.

174. They called upon all States to increase pressure on the Israeli occupation authorities in order to put an end to the war of intimidation and oppression inflicted upon the heroic Palestinian people and to impose effective sanctions on the perpetrators of such intolerable acts, which constitute crimes against humanity. In this regard, they considered the legislation issued by some States against the Arab boycott of Israel to be hostile to Arab rights. They urged the Governments of member States of the United Nations to mobilize further support in favor of the Palestinian uprising.

175. The Ministers reaffirmed the will of their Governments to continue to extend their full support to the Palestinian people, so as to enable then to pursue the struggle to end Israeli occupation and achieve their inalienable national rights. They commended the League of Arab States for its pledge to provide the means of living and resistance to the Palestinian population in the occupied territories and to grant adequate financial support throughout the duration of the uprising, in Co-ordination with the PLO and through the Uprising Fund created by the PLO to this effect, as well as through other international bodies and available channels. They also commended the commitment of the League to support the States at the front line with Israel so as to enable them to consolidate their defense and reinforce their ability to liberate the occupied Arab territories.

176. The Ministers appealed to all members of the Non-Aligned Government and the international community to extend additional support to the legitimate uprising of the Palestinian people, including, financial and material assistance for the relief of the Palestinian population in the occupied areas. They entrusted the committee of Nine Non-Aligned Countries on Palestine with the task of following up closely developments related to the uprising ad the needs of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories and making proposals to the Co-ordinating Bureau.

XXI. INDIAN OCEAN AS A ZONE OF PEACE

177. The Ministers reaffirmed the determination of the Non-Aligned States to continue their endeavors to attain the objectives embodied in the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace as considered at the Meeting of the Littoral and Hinterland States of the Indian Ocean in July 1979, As well as in the subsequent meetings of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean. They reiterated their conviction that the existence in the Indian Ocean area of any manifestation of Great Power military presence, foreign bases, military installations, logistical supply facilities, nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction conceived in the context of Great Power rivalries constituted a flagrant violation of the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace.

178. The Ministers viewed with growing concern the escalation the Great Powers' military presence in the Indian Ocean area. They emphasized that such a presence aggravated tension and endangered the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and peaceful development of the States in the region.

179. The Ministers expressed their full support for the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution 2832 (XXVI), of 16 December 1971, and urged its early implementation. They also noted that, notwithstanding the efforts of the Non-Aligned States, the convening of the Conference on the Indian Ocean at Colombo had been inordinately delayed because of the unhelpful attitude adopted by some States. They urged the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee to complete its preparations for the Conference strictly in accordance with its mandate.

180. The Ministers decided to continue their efforts to ensure that the Conference on the Indian Ocean would be held at Colombia at the earliest possible date, not later than 1990. In this context, they urged full and active participation in the Conference by all the permanent members of the Security Council and the major maritime users, as well as co-operation by those States with the littoral and hinterland States, which was essential for the success of the Conference.

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XXII. ASSISTANCE TO BANGLADESH IN THE WAKE

OF UNPRECEDENTED FLOODS

145. The Ministers expressed deep concern and anxiety over the devastating impact of sudden and unprecedented floods in Bangladesh, the worst in living memory. They called upon all Non-Aligned countries in a position to do so, to respond urgently to the appeal launched by the Government of Bangladesh for assistance towards immediate relief and rehabilitation and also to consider longer term measures for reconstruction of the severely damaged infrastructure of the country.

XXXII. LIVING CONDITIONS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

146. The Ministers expressed grave concern over the rapid deterioration in the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories as a result of the escalation in the repressive measures and policies of the occupying power, Israel. The Ministers strongly condemned Israel for its brutal crimes against the Palestinian people which included killing of defenseless civilians, bombardment of Palestine refugee camps, shooting, assassination, deportation, limb-breaking, detention, torture, demolition of houses, burning of crops and harvests and imposition of military and economic sieges, and called for their immediate cessation. The Ministers stressed the obligation of Israel to compensate the Palestinian people for any form of loss, suffering and damage they sustained as a result of its policies and practices.

147. The Ministers expressed great admiration and support for the heroic uprising of the Palestinian people against the Israeli occupation including its economic and social policies, and reaffirmed that the elimination of that occupation is a pro-requisite for the development of the Palestinian national economy. They stressed their commitment to continue providing material and moral support to the Palestinian people to enable them exercise their inalienable national rights, including the right to return, the right to self-determination and the right to establish their sovereign independent state in Palestine.

148. The Ministers took note of the recent Jordanian decisions and measures concerning the occupied Palestinian territory of the West Bank and asked all states and donors that provided any form of aid to the Palestinian people to sustain and increase this aid and channel it to the Palestinian people through their sole legitimate representative, the Palestine Liberation Organization, and whenever necessary through the relevant United Nations bodies n close co-operation and co-ordination with the Palestine Liberation Organization.

149. The Ministers endorsed the 1988 Economic and Social Council Resolution on assistance to the Palestinian people which, inter alia, decided to extend to the occupied Palestinian territories the same preferential treatment accorded the least developed countries pending the elimination of the Israeli occupation and the assumption of full control by the Palestinian people over their national economy without external interference.

XXXV. THE SITUATION OR REFUGEES AND DISPLACED

PERSONS IN AFRICA

150. The Ministers noted with deep concern the massive flows of refugees in Africa and the socio-economic burden which they imposed on the countries receiving them.

151. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to and reiterated the validity of the objectives that have been approved by the 1984 second International Conference on Assistance to Refugees in Africa (ICARA II).

152. The Ministers welcomed the decision taken by the Organization of African unity to convene in September 1988 an International Conference on the Plight of Refugees and Displaced Persons in Africa and reiterated their full support for the relevant provisions contained in General Assembly Resolution 42/106. The Ministers noted with satisfaction the outcome of the International Conference on the Plight of Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in Southern Africa, held in Oslo from August 22-24/1988. They also expressed their deep appreciation to the Kingdom of Norway for having hosted this important conference, demonstrating once more, its traditional solidarity with the struggling peoples of southern Africa for freedom, equality and democracy. They also reaffirmed their solidarity with and support for the oppressed peoples of southern Africa and strongly condemned the racist Pretoria regime for its acts of oppression, repression and discrimination and its policies of military aggression and economic destabilization against the States and peoples of the region – acts and policies which are the root cause of the increased number of refugees and displaced persons in that region.

APPENDIX F

REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COORDINATING BUREAU

OF THE MOVEMENT OF NON-ALIGNED COUNTRIES

0N ACTIVITIES OF THE MOVEMENT DURING THE PERIOD

OCTOBER 1987 TO SEPTEMBER 1988

INTRODUCTION

At the Meeting of Ministers and Heads of Delegation to the 42nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly held in New York from 5 to 6 October 1987, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Zimbabwe, presented a Report of the Chairman of the Movement on the activities of NAM covering the period since the Eighth Summit (i.e. from September 1986 to October 1987). The present Report of the Chairman of the Coordinating Bureau records the activities of the Movement during the period October 1987 to September 1988.

The period under review is a very significant one for the Movement. The current report is being submitted midway between the Eighth Summit and the next Conference of Heads of State and Government. It, therefore, offers the opportunity to evaluate the progress made so far in implementing the decisions taken at the Eighth Summit and subsequent Ministerial meetings and to identify the outstanding tasks and ways of carrying them out.

The period is also significant in the light of the now trends and developments in international affairs. In the emerging now international situation, the role of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, in the promotion of global peace, independence, equality, development and prosperity for all has, more than ever before, become of paramount importance.

During the period under review, the Movement continued to work for the relaxation and elimination of focal points of conflict and tension and for the promotion of dialogue and cooperation in the international community. The Movement made continuous efforts to implement the important decisions taken by the Eighth Summit and remained seized with matters disarmament, and areas of conflict in various regions, particularly the crisis in the Middle East, Southern Africa, Central America, South West Asia and South East Asia. The Movement was also preoccupied with matters of economic cooperation and the reform process of the United Nations.

Disarmament

The Chairman of the Movement continued his regular contacts with the United States and the Soviet Union on the question of Disarmament. On the eve of the Washington Summit hold from 7 to 10 December 1987, between Secretary-General Mikhail Gorbachev and President Ronald Reagan, the Chairman sent messages to each of the two leaders drawing their attention once again to the Harare Appeal on Disarmament issued by the Eighth Summit. The message also urged the two leaders to reach agreement on the elimination of intermediate nuclear forces as a significant step towards the ultimate goal of general and complete disarmament.

Following the signing of the INF Treaty in December 1987, the Chairman sent congratulatory messages to President Reagan and Secretary-General Gorbachev in which he welcomed the signing of the Treaty. Subsequently, the two leaders dispatched their envoys to brief, the Chairman on disarmament issues. Contacts with the two leaders continued following the ratification of the Treaty in Moscow in May.

In their Communiqué adopted on 7 October 1987, the Ministers and Heads of Delegation to the 42nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly entrusted the Coordinating Bureau with the task of presenting, during the 42nd Session, a draft resolution urging the United States and the Soviet Union to avail themselves of the

current momentum and to advance towards the achievement of agreements in order to halt and reverse the nuclear arms race. The Non-Aligned group in the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly subsequently prepared and presented draft Resolution A/C.1/42/40 entitled "Bilateral Nuclear Arms Negotiations" which was considered and adopted by the Committee. The General Assembly adopted it as Resolution 42/38 D.

Pursuant to the decision taken by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Heads of Delegation to the 42nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, an Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau was convened in Havana in May, in order to review disarmament issues in preparation for the Third Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly devoted to Disarmament. Following the Havana Meeting the Coordinating Bureau and the Non-Aligned Group of the First Committee held several meetings during the Special Session in order to exchange views and coordinate positions in accordance with the decisions taken by the Ministers at Havana. The Chairman of the Movement personally attended the Special Session and delivered a statement on behalf of the Movement.

MIDDLE EAST AND PALESTINE

The Movement continued to give priority to the search for a comprehensive, lasting and peaceful solution to the acute crisis in the Middle East during the period under review.

The period witnessed the march of the popular uprising of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories against Israeli occupation. The situation of Palestinian refugees in the camps continued to deteriorate and the Israeli army intensified its iron fist policy against defenseless Palestinians in the occupied territories. The Coordinating Bureau and the Committee of Nine on Palestine continued to monitor closely developments in the Middle East and to push for efforts to break the impasse on the Middle East peace process. Following their decision taken at the Meeting held in Pyongyang in June 1987, the Ministers of the Committee of Nine on Palestine met in New York on 8 October 1987 to review the efforts underway to facilitate progress on the convening of the international peace conference.

The Committee of Nine also regularly held meetings to consider developments on the ground in the occupied territories. On 22 January, the Committee met to assess the report submitted to the Security Council on 21 January by the Secretary-General of the United Nations following the visit to the occupied territories by the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Special. Political Affairs to examine the situation on the spot in pursuance of Security Council Resolution 605 (1987). Following their sound tradition, the Non-Aligned Countries continued to coordinate their views prior to Security Council debates on the Middle East and to initiate action through the NAM caucus. On 29 January the Coordinating Bureau met to discuss NAM participation in the subsequent Security Council debate on the Secretary-General's Report. The Bureau issued a Communiqué in which it saluted the popular uprising of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories and expressed appreciation for the Secretary- General Is Report. The Communiqué also called upon the Security Council to provide guarantees for the safety and protection of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories in compliance with the responsibilities of the United Nations. In that regard, the Bureau urged the Council to approve the dispatching of United Nations observers to the occupied territories with a view to monitoring compliance by the occupying power with the provision's of the Fourth General Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in time of War.

The Chairman of the Movement continued to devote personal attention to the situation in the occupied territories during the period under review, he issued several press statements condemning the massacre of innocent Palestinian civilians by the Israeli occupation army. He sent messages to the PLO Chairman expressing support for the Intifadah and to the Secretary-General of the United Nations urging him to intervene to stop Israel from perpetrating its acts of brutality in the occupied territories. The Chairman also called upon the Secretary-General to stop up his efforts to break the impasse over the convening of the international peace conference on the Middle East.

Following the adoption by the U.S. Senate of Amendment No. 940, which sought to make unlawful the establishment and maintenance of PLO Offices in the United States, the Coordinating Bureau held its first meeting on this subject on 16 October 1987, where it heard a statement by the PLO Permanent Observer to the United Nations with regard to the status of the PLO Observer Mission in Now York. The Bureau adopted a Communiqué which inter alia recalled that the PLO Observer Mission to the United Nations was present in the United States in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 3232 (XXIX) of November 1974 as well as the Headquarters Agreement between the United States as the host country and the United Nations. In this context, the Bureau determined that Amendment No. 940 was a flagrant violation of international law and the rights of United Nations invitees, such as the PLO and other recognized Liberation Movements.

In pursuance of the decision of the Bureau at its Meeting of 16 October 1987, the Chairman of the Coordinating Bureau met the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 19 October and conveyed to him the concern of NAH over the attempt by the host country to close down the PLO Observer Mission. The Chairman of the Movement, H.E. President Robert Mugabe, also personally raised this matter with the Secretary- General when he visited New York to address the 42nd Session of the General Assembly. The Secretary -General assured the Chairman that he had done his Utmost to make the United States authorities aware of the serious concern of the United Nations on the implications of Amendment No. 940. He had sent his personal envoy to Washington to convey his views on the matter and he also issued a statement in which he appealed to the United States to rescind its decision. The Chairman of the Bureau also conveyed the views and concerns of the Movement on this subject to the President of the 42nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Following the signing of the bill into law by the President of the United States in December 1987, both the Coordinating Bureau and the Committee of Nine met regularly to review negotiations that were taking place between the United States an the representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. In the light of the impasse that ensued over the negotiations, the Committee of Nine decided to request the reconvening of the 42nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly in a resumed Session to consider the move by the host country. The Chairman of the Coordinating Bureau made the request jointly with the Arab League on 22 February 1988. The resumed session of the General Assembly was convened on 29 February.

The Committee of Nine met again on 18 March to consider the decision by the United States to go ahead with the closure of the PLO Observer Mission irrespective of its obligations under the Headquarters Agreement and in defiance of Resolution A/RES/42/210 adopted by the General Assembly on 3 March. The 42nd Session of the General Assembly was reconvened again on the same day. On 20 March, the Committee met the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Security Council, respectively and requested them to use their good offices in urging the host country to honor its legal obligations under the Headquarters Agreement. The President of the General Assembly subsequently issued a press statement on the meeting with the Committee, and the President of the Security Council briefed other Council members on the concern expressed to him by the Committee. The Secretary-General met the Committee on 21 March and apprised it of the actions he was undertaking to ensure compliance by the host country with the Headquarters Agreement.

Another resumed session of the General Assembly was convened at the request of the Coordinating Bureau on 11 May following which Resolution A/RES/42/232, urging the United States to abide by its international obligations and to act consistently with the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of 26 April 1988.

The Non-Aligned Countries played a most effective role in winning the sympathy and support of the entire international community for the Palestinian cause regarding the attempt to close down the PLO Observer Mission. The Coordinating Bureau worked jointly with the Arab League in initiating the convening of the three resumed sessions of the General Assembly on this subject and the Chairman of the Coordinating Bureau addressed all the resumed sessions on behalf of the Movement. Eventually the United States took the matter to its domestic court and on 29 June a U.S. Federal Court ruled that the Act did not require the closure of the PLO. Observer Mission and that the United States had an obligation to refrain from impairing the functioning of the Mission.

On 21 April, the Coordinating Bureau met to consider the situation created by Israel's aggression against Tunisia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, resulting in the assassination of the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the PLO. A Communiqué was adopted which requested States Members of the United Nations to take measures to dissuade Israel from resorting to acts of aggression and State terrorism against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other States. The Chairman of the Movement also issued a Statement condemning the Israeli violation of Tunisia's territorial integrity and sent a message of condolence to the PLO Chairman reaffirming the Movement continued support and solidarity.

During the period under review a representative of the Chairman of the Movement attended the Seventeenth Conference of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference hold in Amman, Jordan from 21 to 25 March 1988. The Chairman also received special envoys from the PLO Chairman for consultations on the situation in the occupied territories, the convening of the international peace conference on the Middle East and the attempts to close the PLO Observer Mission to the United Nations.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

The period under review witnessed some significant developments regarding the situation in Southern Africa. It saw the opening of four-way talks between the United States, South Africa, Cuba and Angola, aimed at the attainment of Namibian independence and the withdrawal of South Africa from the southern part of Angola. The talks are still underway and are expected to be completed by and of this month, which marks the 10th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 435 on Namibia. At their meeting held from 5 to 7 October 1987, the Ministers and Heads of Delegation of Non-Aligned Countries to the 42hd Session of the United Nations entrusted the Coordinating Bureau with the task of preparing the launching of an international campaign fox the speedy implementation of Security Council Resolution 435 (1978) on the tenth anniversary of its adoption. The Bureau is closely following the current developments relating to the Namibian question with a view to exploring ways of carrying out this task.

The Ministers and Heads of Delegation had also called for the urgent convening of the Security Council in order to finally implement its resolutions on Namibia, particularly Resolution 42 (1978). The Coordinating Bureau acted jointly with the African Group at the United Nations in requesting for the Council Meeting. On 29 October, the Security Council adopted Resolution 601 (1987) which, Inter alia, authorized the Secretary-General to proceed to arrange a cease-fire between South Africa and SWAPO in order to undertake the administrative and other steps necessary for the emplacement of the United Nations Transition Assistance Group.

In spite of the developments taking place with regard to the situation in the Southwestern part of Southern Africa there h been no signs during the period under review that South Africa about to abandon its immoral policies of apartheid and its destabilization of neighboring States. The regime has in fact stopped up its policy of State terrorism at home and abroad.

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