Doha Declaration – ASPA declaration/Non-UN document (excerpts)

II SUMMIT OF SOUTH AMERICAN AND ARAB HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT 

(Doha, 31 March 2009) 

DOHA DECLARATION   

              We, the Heads of State and Government of the Arab and South American Countries, in our Second Summit held in Doha (31/3/2009), upon the generous invitation of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Ben Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, and in accordance with what was stipulated in our First Summit, held in Brasilia (10-11/5/2005), upon the invitation of His Excellency Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, who co-presided the First Summit together with His Excellency Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, as the Chairman of the Arab Summit, with keenness to work on promoting Arab-South American relations and to benefit from its available chances, and coordinating bi-regional efforts to build a strong community in which mutual benefits can be exchanged and common interests protected, in the framework of constructive and concrete relations,

AGREE TO: 

I – Preamble:   

1.              Note with satisfaction the evolution of bi-regional relations and the intensified dialogue achieved since the First ASPA Summit, which provided a strong framework for cooperation in key areas, and welcome, in particular, the Joint Meetings of Arab and South American Ministers Responsible for Culture, Economic Affairs, Environmental Affairs, Social Affairs, and Water Resources and Combating Desertification, which outlined action plans that constitute the basis for bi-regional cooperation. 

2.              Express our conviction about the importance of South-South cooperation as an effective mechanism to promote capacity building and the exchange of experiences in relevant areas, such as development, innovation, and the fight against poverty. Also, express our conviction about the importance of promoting trilateral cooperation that allows donors to enhance South-South cooperation programs and initiatives. 

3.              Reaffirm the necessity to build dense and dynamic relations between the both regions that contribute to structure more just and fair international relations and to establish a new framework for international cooperation, based on parity and equality, allowing the parties to benefit from the agreed initiatives, as well as providing the base for creating a common space of partnership between the both regions.  

4.              Affirm that, to promote peace, security and stability in the world, the cooperation between both regions should be guided by a commitment to multilateral instruments and respect for international law, by the observance of human rights and international humanitarian law; and reaffirm full compliance with and respect for the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, the peaceful settlement of all international conflicts, particularly regional and bilateral conflicts and issues in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations and our commitment to the full implementation of all UN resolutions without selection.   

II – Political Coordination:   

5.              Reaffirm the need to reach a just, durable and comprehensive peace in the Middle East on the basis of the principle of land for peace and relevant resolutions of the Security Council and of the General Assembly of the United Nations, in particular Resolutions  (1967) and 338 (1973) of the Security Council, as well as the Madrid Framework and the "Arab Peace Initiative" adopted at the Beirut Summit (2002) and reaffirmed at the Riyadh Summit (2007) and the Damascus Summit (2008), that ensure the realization of security for all countries in the region. Also highlight the necessity of the full implementation of the “Road Map”. Reaffirm the need for the materialization of the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, and for the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1515 (2003), and the establishment of the independent Palestinian State, based on the 1967 lines, living side by side with the State of Israel, and the withdrawal of Israel from all occupied Arab territories to the lines of 4/6/1967, including the occupied Syrian Golan and what remained from the Lebanese territories and the dismantling of the settlements including those in East Jerusalem. Duly take into account the advisory opinion rendered on 9/7/2004 by the International Court of Justice concerning the "Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory", and call upon all parties concerned to comply with the said advisory opinion.

Express our respect for the Palestinian legitimacy under the leadership of President Mahmoud Abbas and appreciate his efforts with all Arab and Palestinian parties to achieve national reconciliation and ensure that the Palestinian dialogue succeeds. Also express our respect for the legitimate institutions of the Palestinian National Authority established by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), including the elected Palestinian legislative council. 

Appreciate Egyptian efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and to seek Palestinian reconciliation, as well as welcome the results of the International Conference for Donors in Sharm El-Sheikh, held by both Egypt and Norway on 2/3/2009, in order to offer needed funds to rebuild the Gaza Strip and the resumption of international assistance to the Palestinian National Authority and the Palestinian people. 

Deplore the Israeli military action in the Gaza Strip, which led to thousands of civilian Palestinian casualties and the destruction of the infrastructure as well as the private and public institutions, and call for the immediate reopening of all the crossing points between Gaza and Israel, and for lifting the siege, so that essential goods and services, including fuel, can be supplied on a continuous basis, in order to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories. Reaffirm our full support for the implementation of the Fourth Geneva Convention in the Palestinian occupied territories.

6.              Reaffirm the need for the respect of the unity, freedom, sovereignty and independence of Iraq and the right of non-interference in its internal affairs; respect the will of the Iraqi people to freely decide their future, and strongly condemn all acts of terrorism and violence affecting, particularly, the Iraqi people. Also reaffirm the need to achieve national reconciliation in Iraq, and support the efforts of the Iraqi government in this regard to achieve security and stability; also support the efforts of the United Nations and the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and the various national Iraqi political actors committed to this process. Also express our support to the efforts made by the League of Arab States for that purpose, and call upon the international community to implement their commitments made in relation to Iraq’s debts and to offer the assistance needed to undergo the process of reconstructing its institutions and infrastructure, especially upon the progress Iraq is witnessing, both at the political and security levels, in particular since the application of the security program and the advancement of the democratic process. 

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