Right of the Palestinian people to self-determination – Third Cttee debate – Summary record (excerpts)

Third Committee 

Summary record of the 28th meeting

Held at Headquarters, New York, on Monday, 28 October 2002, at 3 p.m. 

Chairman:   Mr. Wenaweser …………………………………..  (Liechtenstein)

later:  Mr. Morikawa (Vice-Chairman) ……………………………….. (Japan)

Contents

Agenda item 105: Promotion and protection of the rights of children ( continued)

Agenda item 106: Programme of activities of the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (continued)

Agenda item 107: Elimination of racism and racial discrimination (continued )*

 (a)   Elimination of racism and racial discrimination (continued)*

 (b)   Comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (continued)*

Agenda item 108: Right of peoples to self-determination (continued)*

The meeting was called to order at 3.05 p.m.

/…

Agenda item 108: Right of peoples to self-determination ( continued ) (A/57/178 and 312)

Continuation of the general discussion

5.   Mr. Amorós Núñez (Cuba) said that the right of peoples to self-determination and respect for the sovereign equality of all States were immutable pillars of international law. That principle had been maintained by the struggle of peoples under the colonial yoke and foreign occupation. Cuba was profoundly concerned over Israel’s prolonged illegal occupation of Palestinian territory and hoped that sooner rather than later the international community would see a free and independent Palestinian State in Gaza and the West Bank, southern Lebanon totally liberated and demined, and the Golan restored to Syrian sovereignty.

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8.  Mr. Taihitu (Indonesia) …

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9.   Concerning self-determination, Indonesia believed that ending the suffering of the Palestinian people, which was in no small way attributable to racism, required the full withdrawal of Israel from all occupied Arab lands, respect for the right of all States in the region to live within secure and internationally recognized boundaries and the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the establishment of a Palestinian State with Al-Quds-Al- Sharif (Jerusalem) as its capital.

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28.  Mr. Kumar Panja (India) …

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30.   Turning to the right of peoples to self-determination, he said that India had been privileged to play a leading role in the historic struggle for decolonization. As a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement, it had been at the forefront of initiatives which had led to recognition of the right of peoples to self-determination. That the majority of the current membership of the United Nations were former colonies was a measure of the success of that struggle. India had been unwavering in its solidarity with the people of Palestine, who had struggled bravely over the preceding five decades to attain their inalienable rights, including the right of self-determination. 

/…

The meeting rose at 4.45 p.m.

This record is subject to correction. Corrections should be sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned within one week of the date of publication to the Chief of the Official Records Editing Section, room DC2-750, 2 United Nations Plaza, and incorporated in a copy of the record.

Corrections will be issued after the end of the session, in a separate corrigendum for each Committee.