DPR Monthly Bulletin, Vol. XV, No. 1 – CEIRPP, DPR bulletin (January 1992) – DPR publication

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January 1992

Volume XV, No. 1

Contents

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I.  ELECTION OF OFFICERS AT FIRST MEETING IN 1992 OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE

    EXERCISE OF THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS OF THE PALESTINE PEOPLE:

   STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

On 15 January 1992, the Committee unanimously elected H.E. Mr. Kéba Birane Cissé (Senegal) as Chairman. H.E. Mr. Ricardo Alarcón de Quesada (Cuba) and H.E. Mr. Khodaidad Basharmal (Afghanistan)  were re-elected as Vice-Chairmen, and H.E. Mr. Victor Camilleri (Malta) as Rapporteur, also by acclamation.

At the same meeting, the Committee also decided to re-establish its Working Group under the chairmanship of Mr. Victor Camilleri and the vice-chairmanship of Mr. Dinesh Kumar Jain (India).

After congratulating the Chairman and other members of the Bureau on their election, the Secretary-General made the following statement:

"I, for my part, attach the utmost importance to the quest for a comprehensive settlement of the Middle East conflict, enabling the Palestinian people to exercise its inalienable rights in accordance with the general principles of international law and United Nations resolutions.  The Committee is resuming its work on the basis of a mandate which was renewed with the approval of the overwhelming majority of Member States as part of the ongoing international effort.

"There is broad agreement within the international community that the settlement of the question of Palestine must be based on the following terms:  withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian territories and other Arab territories occupied since June 1967; recognition of, and respect for, the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all States in the region, as well as their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries; and lastly, recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination, the question of Jerusalem being of prime importance in that connection.

"I have followed with keen interest the bilateral diplomatic efforts of the past year, efforts which have been intense and often arduous, and which culminated in the autumn in the historic decision of the parties to come to the negotiating table with the aim of reaching what was described in the letter of invitation to the Madrid conference as a comprehensive, just and lasting peace settlement through two parallel processes of direct negotiations, between Israel and the Arab States, on the one hand, and between Israel and the Palestinians, on the other.

"We would stress in this connection that, while the negotiations are taking place outside the framework of the United Nations, they enjoy the support of all parties concerned and are based on Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), long recognized as the cornerstones of a comprehensive settlement.

"At its forty-sixth session, the General Assembly, in adopting resolution 46/75, welcomed the convening of the peace conference in Madrid on 30 October 1991 as 'a significant step towards the establishment of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the region', and requested me to continue my efforts with the parties concerned, and in consultation with the Security Council, for the promotion of peace in the region.  It is my earnest hope that the momentum that has been generated by the Madrid talks and the more recent rounds of bilateral negotiations in Washington will be sustained and that the lasting peace that has so long been denied to all the peoples of the Middle East will indeed become a reality.  For my part, I shall do all that I can to discharge the responsibilities entrusted to me in this regard by the United Nations.

"Pending the achievement of a settlement, however, it is of the greatest importance to find ways by which to promote the safety and protection of Palestinian civilians living under occupation, as my predecessor stressed in the reports submitted to the Security Council since the beginning of the intifadah which has now entered its fifth year.

"In numerous resolutions, the United Nations and in particular the Security Council have expressed the consensus of the international community with regard to the legal obligations of Israel, as the occupying Power, under the Fourth Geneva Convention and have called for implementation of its provisions.  In its resolution 726 (1992), adopted unanimously last week, the Council has forcefully reaffirmed this position and strongly condemned Israel's decision to resume deportations of Palestinian civilians.  The fact that talks are going on between the parties, and outside of the United Nations framework, does not detract in any way from Israel's obligations to respect the Convention and to abide by the Security Council resolutions.

"Before concluding, I would like to express my heartfelt congratulations for the tireless efforts of this Committee, thanks to which the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people are now better understood and supported.

"I extend my full support to your Committee in all its endeavours to promote international efforts so as to enable the Palestinian people to gain its legitimate rights, which have been recognized and reiterated by the General Assembly."  (See SG/SM/4684 – GA/PAL/548).

II.   ACTION TAKEN BY THE COMMITTEE ON THE EXERCISE

     OF THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

On 6 January 1992, in a letter addressed to the Secretary-General (see A/46/837-S/23374), the Acting Chairman of the Committee stated the following:

"In my capacity as Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, I wish to condemn the decision by Israel, the occupying Power, to continue its deportations of Palestinians from the occupied Palestinian territory.

"According to The New York Times of 3 January 1992,  the Israeli Defense Minister has ordered the deportation of 12 residents of the occupied Palestinian territory suspected of directing and taking part in violent acts against Israel.  They were identified as Raáfat al Najar, Ahmad Abu Seif, Iyhab Al Ashkar, Sami Abu Samhadan, Khader Atich Khader, Ahmad Hamdan and Marwan Afanah – from the Gaza Strip – and Omar Safi, Ghassan Jarrar, Hassan Shaaban, Ali Al-Khatib and Iyad Judeh from the West Bank.  The deportations were ordered following pressure on the Government by Jewish settlers after ambush attacks on four of their number in the last 10 weeks.  The 12 men have not been accused of involvement in any of the attacks.

"The New York Times also reported that, since the beginning of the intifadah, Israel has deported at least 66 Palestinians, not including the 12 men mentioned above, in violation of article 49 of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, and several resolutions of the Security Council.

"The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People is gravely concerned at the increasing imposition of harsh collective punishment against the population of the occupied Palestinian territory, such as curfews, school closings, administrative detention, and other repressive measures contrary to Israel's obligations as the occupying Power.  The Committee is also greatly concerned at recent statements by Israeli officials indicating an intention to increase the number and size of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, which represents a serious obstruction to the establishment of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East.

"The Committee therefore addresses an urgent appeal to you, as well as all the parties concerned, to see that all the necessary measures are taken in order to induce Israel, the occupying Power, to desist forthwith from deporting the 12 men and to ensure the safe and immediate return to the occupied Palestinian territories of those deported."

III.  SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS ISRAEL'S DECISION TO RESUME

            DEPORTATION OF PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS, URGES END TO

            PRACTICE AND SAFE RETURN OF THOSE DEPORTED

On 6 January 1992, at its 3026th meeting, the Security Council strongly condemned Israel's decision to resume deportation of Palestinian civilians from the occupied Palestinian territories.

It took that action by unanimously adopting resolution 726 (1992) which reads as follows:

"The Security Council,

"Recalling the obligations of Member States under the United Nations Charter,

"Recalling its resolutions 607 (1988), 608 (1988), 636 (1989), 641 (1989), and 694 (1991),

"Having been apprised of the decision of Israel, the occupying Power, to deport twelve Palestinian civilians from the occupied Palestinian territories,

"1. Strongly condemns the decision of Israel, the occupying Power, to resume deportations of Palestinian civilians;

"2. Reaffirms the applicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949 to all the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem;

"3. Requests Israel, the occupying Power, to refrain from deporting any Palestinian civilian from occupied territories;

"4. Also requests Israel, the occupying Power, to ensure the safe and immediate return to the occupied territories of all those deported;

"5. Decides to keep the matter under review."

IV. STATEMENT ON THE DEPORTATION OF 12 PALESTINIANS FROM THE OCCUPIED

     TERRITORIES ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND ITS MEMBER STATES

The following statement was issued by the Twelve States members of the European Community on 4 January 1992 (See A/46/839-S/23381):

"The Community and its member States express their grave concern following the recent decision by the Israeli Government to deport 12 Palestinians from the occupied territories, an illegal decision with regard to international law, in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention.

"The Community and its member States strongly reiterate their demand for Israel to fully meet with its obligations towards the residents of the occupied territories and to abide by the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention.  They condemn violence from whatever quarters it may come and call upon the parties concerned to refrain from taking any measures which would risk to jeopardize the peace process."

V.  EXCERPT FROM THE FINAL COMMUNIQUE AND RESOLUTIONS

    OF THE SIXTH ISLAMIC SUMMIT CONFERENCE,

    HELD AT DAKAR, SENEGAL, FROM 9 TO 11 DECEMBER 1991

The Sixth Islamic Conference, held at Dakar, Senegal, from 9 to 11 December 1991, adopted a final communiqué, the relevant parts of which are reproduced below:

"The Conference reaffirmed that the Palestine question was the prime cause for Muslims and that it was at the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

"The Conference expressed support for the efforts made to bring about a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East region through the convening of the Peace Conference in Madrid and the beginning of negotiations among the parties concerned based on international legality, including Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) the principle of land for peace so as to ensure total Israeli withdrawal from all Palestinian and Arab territories, occupied in 1967 including Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their inalienable national rights, including their right of return, self-determination and the establishment of their independent State on their national soil, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

"The Conference affirmed its active solidarity and total support for the just struggle of the valiant Palestinian people, under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, their sole legitimate representative and saluted with great pride the blessed intifadah of the Palestinian people against Israeli occupation.

"The Conference considered that establishment of settlements in occupied Palestinian territories including Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the occupied Syrian Golan constitute a fundamental obstacle to international efforts exerted towards a just and global peace in the region.

"The Conference declared the Islamic Ummah's commitment to liberate the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, First Qibla and Third Holy Shrine, reaffirmed that Al-Quds Al-Sharif is an integral part of the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967 and reiterated its commitment to strengthen Islamic solidarity for the return of Al-Quds Al-Sharif to Palestinian sovereignty and to preserve the Arab Islamic character of the Holy City.

"The Conference reaffirmed that all the measures taken to annex Al-Quds Al-Sharif and impose Israeli laws on its Arab Palestinian inhabitants are null and void and called on the international community to condemn the continuing violations of Al-Aqsa mosque, the Islamic Sharia Court and other Islamic and Christian Holy Places, and to force Israel to comply with all international resolutions, the latest of which is Security Council resolution 681 (1990).  It also called on the international community to provide the necessary protection to the Palestinian people and the Holy Places.

"The Conference invited all States to refuse to locate their Embassies and Missions in the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, thus expressing their opposition to the annexation, by Israel, of the Holy City.

"The Conference expressed its deep concern at the continuing implementation of the scheme of transferring Soviet and other Jews and settling them in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories including Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the Syrian Golan and urged all States not to adopt any measures that may facilitate the settlement operations in the occupied territories.

"The Conference appealed to all States to respond to the request of the United Nations Secretary-General for implementation of the operative paragraph of resolution 681 (1990) calling for a meeting of the States signatories to the Fourth Geneva Convention to discuss the necessary measures for the protection of the Palestinian people in accordance with international covenants and for enabling them to exercise their right to self-determination.

"The Conference expressed its deep concern over the ongoing attempts at repealing United Nations General Assembly resolution 3379 (XXX) of 10 November 1975 and which are bound to impede the peaceful, just and comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the Palestine question.  The Conference declared its adherence to the above-mentioned resolution until such time as the reasons having led to its adoption have ceased to exist." (See A/47/88-S/23563).

The following resolutions relating to the question of Palestine were adopted at the Sixth Islamic Summit Conference:

"Resolution No. 1/6-P(IS) on the Question of Palestine

   and the Arab-Israeli Conflict

"Having considered with satisfaction the Report of the Secretary-General on the Palestinian Question and the Arab-Israeli Conflict in Document No. IS/6-91/QP/D.q.;

"Proceeding from the principles and objectives of the Charter of the Organization of the Islamic Conference;

"Recalling resolutions of the Islamic Summit and Foreign Ministers Conferences on the Palestinian Question and the Arab-Israeli Conflict;

"Considering that Israel's continued occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories, its annexation of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the Syrian Golan, its denial of the inalienable national and political rights of the Palestinian people, and its escalation of repressive practices against Arab citizens, constitute a flagrant violation of international legality and the principles of international law as well as the United Nations Charter and the relevant United Nations resolutions;

"Expressing deep concern at the continuing flow of hundreds of thousands of Soviet and other Jewish immigrants into the occupied territories and their settlement there, and at Israel's continued expansion and establishment of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories including Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the occupied Syrian Golan;

"Affirming that the Geneva Convention of 1949 relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War applies to the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967 including Al-Quds Al-Sharif;

"Affirming also that the Israeli expansionist policies, practices and schemes are aimed not only at the Arab Frontline States, but also seeks to destabilize the Islamic countries thereby threatening international peace and security;

"Following with satisfaction the continuation of the popular intifadah in the occupied Palestinian territories for the fifth year, aimed at putting an end to Israeli occupation and restoring the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people;

"Following with concern Israel's continuing stockpiling and developing of all weapons of mass destruction, their components and their delivery systems;

"Following with interest the peaceful efforts exerted so as to convene the Middle East Peace Conference to achieve a just and comprehensive solution of the Palestinian Question and the Arab-Israeli conflict based on Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and on the principle of land for peace as well as on the inalienable national, political and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people;

"Stresses the importance of the role of the United Nations and the efforts to reach a just and comprehensive political settlement of the Palestine Question and the Arab-Israeli conflict;

"1. Recalls all the resolutions of the Islamic Summit and Foreign Ministers Conferences relating to the Palestinian question and the Arab-Israeli conflict; expresses pride in the blessed intifadah of the Palestinian people, and calls upon all Member States to continue to enhance their solidarity with, and support of the just and legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people for putting an end to Israel's occupation, which continues its repressive measures and settlement policies, until they have fully attained their objectives of freedom and independence;

"2. Reaffirms that the Palestine Question and the Arab-Israeli conflict are an indivisible whole in terms of approach and settlement; the solution cannot be divided or made to cover only some parties to the conflict or some of the prime causes of the conflict to the exclusion of others; peace cannot prevail in the region if it does not involve all parties including the Palestinian party whose cause is the prime cause of all Muslims and the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict;

"3. Reaffirms the legitimacy of the resistance mounted by the Palestinian people under the leadership of the PLO, their sole legitimate representative, to recover their land and exercise their inalienable national rights including their rights to repatriation, to self-determination and the establishment of their independent Palestinian State, on their national soil, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital;

"4. Affirms that just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East Region can only be established through Israel's total and unconditional withdrawal from all the Palestinian and Arab territories occupied since 1967;

"5. Expresses its support for the efforts and good offices that have led to the convening of the Peace Conference in Madrid aimed at finding a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian question and the Arab-Israeli conflict and takes the view that the success of this Conference hinges on fulfilment of the following principles and elements:

First: That the Peace Conference be based on international legality and its resolutions including Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), and commitment to implementation of these resolutions which stipulate total Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories including Al-Quds Al-Sharif,the Syrian Golan and the occupied Jordanian territories based on the formula of land in exchange for peace and of the national and political rights of the Palestinian people to enable them to exercise their right to self-determination which guarantees their right to freedom and national independence;

Second: To reaffirm that occupied Al-Quds is an integral part of the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, to which apply the provisions applicable to all occupied territories under the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly;

Third: To halt the establishment of settlements in the occupied territories including Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and providing international guarantees to that effect and for the dismantling of existing settlements as they are illegal under the resolutions of international legality including Security Council resolution 465 (1980);

Fourth: To ensure the linkage between the various stages of the solution up to the final comprehensive solution on all fronts pursuant to the resolutions of international legality; to ensure that any interim arrangements include the right of the Palestinian people to establish their control over all land, water and other natural resources, as well as all political and economic affairs; and solve the Palestinian refugees problem in accordance with United Nations resolutions, in particular General Assembly resolution 194 (III) and Security Council resolution 237 (1967);

"6. Strongly condemns Israel's policy of refusing to abide by Security Council resolution 497 (1981); for occupied Syrian Golan, and for pursuing there the policies and practices of annexation, of establishing settlements, confiscating land, diverting water resources and imposing the Israeli nationality on Syrian citizens; and considers all these measures as null and void, and as a violation of the rules and principles of international law pertaining to occupation and war, in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949;

"7. Condemns Israel's continuing occupation of Southern Lebanon and its repressive and military practices against Lebanese citizens and demands Israel's immediate, total, and unconditional withdrawal from the Lebanese territory; it affirms its eagerness to maintain the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon within its internationally recognized borders, and stresses the necessity of implementing the United Nations Security Council resolutions on Lebanon, in particular resolution 425 (1978); it expresses its appreciation for the accomplishments made by the Supreme Tripartite Arab Committee and calls on the international community to contribute to the International Fund for the Reconstruction of Lebanon;

"8. Strongly condemns the continuing Israeli repressive practices against the citizens of the occupied Palestinian territories, Syrian Golan and other occupied Arab territories, and appeals to international organizations to intervene in order to implement the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and stop such inhuman Israeli practices which constitute a flagrant violation of human rights;

"9. Strongly condemns Israel's expansionist policy of establishing settlements and reaffirms its commitment and adherence to the principle of the inadmissibility of acquisition of territory by force, and regards all settlements established or to be established by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the Syrian Golan, as measures and practices which are null and void and illegal, and must be removed in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Charter and numerous resolutions adopted in this regard, in particular Security Council resolution 465 (1980);

"10. Condemns the policy of transferring Soviet, Falasha and other Jews to the Palestinian and Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the Syrian Golan, and settling them there, and appeals to all States to refrain from taking any steps to facilitate the process of settlement in the occupied territories;

"11. Calls on the International Community to induce Israel to implement relevant resolutions of the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which call for placing all nuclear installations under the IAEA System of Safeguards and also to respond to current endeavours and initiatives for the creation of a nuclear weapon and mass-destruction weapon free zone in the Middle East region; it calls upon Member States to continue their cooperation within the framework of the United Nations, the IAEA and other relevant international fora in order to ensure Israel's compliance with international resolutions particularly those calling for subjecting its nuclear facilities to international inspection and submitting a full statement on its stock of nuclear materials to the Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency;

"12. Urges all States to respond to the request of the United Nations Secretary-General for implementation of the operative paragraphs of Security Council resolution 681 (1990) by calling a meeting of the high contracting parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to consider measures to be taken in order to protect the Palestinian people, in accordance with international agreements so as to enable them to exercise their right to self-determination;

"13. Expresses its appreciation to the States of the European Community, the Vatican, the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organisation of African Unity, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, and all the peoples and peace-loving forces, for their support for the Palestinian question at international fora and their assistance to the struggle of the Palestinian people and their blessed intifadah;

"14. Commends the continued efforts of Al-Quds Committee under the Chairmanship of H.M. King Hassan II, Sovereign of the Kingdom of Morocco, and reaffirms all the recommendations made by the meetings of Al-Quds Committee;

"15. Calls upon Member States to honour their commitment to cover the approved budgets of Al-Quds Fund and its Waqf set at one hundred million dollars each, and also calls on Member States to pay their contributions and to continue the campaign for the collection of donations at both popular and official levels in favour of Al-Quds Fund and its Waqf;

"16. Invites the Secretary-General to follow up the implementation of this resolution and to submit a report thereon to the next Summit Conference."

"Resolution No. 2/6-P(IS) on the Blessed Intifadah

    of the Palestinian People

"Proceeding from the principles and objectives of the Charter;

"Pursuant to all relevant Islamic resolutions;

"Recalling the resolutions adopted by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council on the situation in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif;

"Proceeding from the United Nations General Assembly resolutions and in particular United Nations Security Council resolution 681 (1990) which stresses the applicability of all the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, signed on 12 August 1949, to the Palestinian people in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif;

"Expressing its deep concern over the serious situation prevailing in the occupied Palestinian territories as a result of continued Israeli occupation, and of Israel's arbitrary practices, repressive measures, continuing confiscation of land and property to build settlements, escalation of the policy of deportation, demolition of houses and imposition of collective sanctions on the inhabitants, and desecration of Islamic and Christian holy places;

"Expressing its deep concern over the continuing influx and settlement of hundreds of thousands of Soviet Jewish immigrants and others in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories as well as occupied Syrian Golan, which constitutes a flagrant violation of the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people and Syrian citizens in the occupied Golan, and undermines the efforts exerted towards establishing a just and comprehensive peace in the region;

"Taking into account the deteriorating economic situation in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories and the necessity of extending every kind of material and political support to strengthen the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and continuation of their blessed intifadah;

"Commending the unanimous international opposition to the Israeli Government's policy of expansion and settlement, and the international community's support for the Palestinian intifadah and the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people;

"1. Reaffirms the previous resolutions of Islamic Conferences as well as the recommendations made by the Islamic Committees appointed within the framework of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, to deal with the various aspects of the Palestinian question and stresses the necessity of providing all forms of support to the blessed intifadah in confronting Israeli occupation and against the continuation of settlement policies and repressive practices to enable it to continue until it achieves its objectives;

"2. Reaffirms also that a just, comprehensive and peaceful solution of the Palestinian Question and the Arab-Israeli conflict is based on the relevant United Nations resolutions which demand the withdrawal of Israel from the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories in 1967 including Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and which guarantee for the Palestinian people the exercise of their inalienable national rights, including the right to return, to self-determination, and the establishment of their independent State in their homeland with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its Capital;

"3. Strongly condemns Israel's uninterrupted policy of settlement and expansionism, its insistence on continuing to occupy the Arab territories, deportation of Palestinian Arab citizens from their territory and homeland, and replacing them by immigrant Jews from different parts of the world, which constitutes a direct threat to the security and vital interests of the Islamic Ummah;

"4. Calls upon the United Nations, its specialized agencies and all States and Governments to take action to force the Israeli occupation authorities to abide by the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and to put an end to their repressive and arbitrary measures against the inhabitants of the occupied territories, to seek the release of Palestinian detainees, return the deportees, cease the practice of collective punishment, reopen all closed educational institutions, refrain from desecrating places of worship, also refrain from demolishing and sealing houses and to lift all restrictions on the freedom of movement;

"5. Appeals to all States to respond to the request of the United Nations Secretary-General to implement the provisions of United Nations Security Council resolution 681 (1990) calling for convening a meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention with a view to discussing the procedures which should be followed to protect the Palestinian people in the occupied territories;

"6. Requests the Member States to implement the projects relating to the support of the Palestinian intifadah which were approved by the Eighteenth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers and reaffirmed by the Nineteenth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers in its Resolution No.1/19-P;

"7. Expresses its appreciation to all international organisations, popular bodies, and information media, which have declared their solidarity with the just cause of the Palestinian people and their popular intifadah, and calls upon them to continue to expose the brutal crimes perpetrated by the Israeli forces of occupation in view of its effective impact on world opinion;

"8. Requests the Secretary General to follow up the implementation of the provisions of this resolution at international and Islamic levels and submit a report thereon to the next Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers."

"Resolution No. 3/6-P(IS) on the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif

"Proceeding from the principles and objectives of the Charter and guided by Resolution No. 1/3-P (I.S) of the Third Islamic Summit Conference held in Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Taif;

"Reaffirming the need for sustained enhancement of Islamic solidarity with the Palestinian people and the solemn commitment of Islamic States to implement all resolutions adopted on the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and in particular declaring Jihad to liberate it and the Blessed Mosque of Al-Aqsa from the yoke of occupation;

"Recalling the relevant resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council, in particular resolutions 476 (1980) and 478 (1980) which consider as null and void the Israeli Law stipulating Al-Quds as the united capital of Israel;

"Expressing its deep concern at the escalation of organised attacks on the Holy Places and worshippers in the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif by the Israeli occupation forces and extremist Zionist gangs, and also expressing its deep concern over the deteriorating situation of the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and all Islamic and Christian Holy Places, especially the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock Mosque;

"Having taken cognizance of the deteriorating condition of the sacred Dome of the Rock, threatening its destruction;

"Expressing its complete solidarity with the blessed intifadah of the Palestinian people;

"Commending the continuous efforts of the Al-Quds Committee under the Chairmanship of His Majesty King Hassan II, Sovereign of the Kingdom of Morocco;

"1. Reaffirms all relevant Islamic Summit resolutions;

"2. Reaffirms the recommendations of the Al-Quds Committee;

"3. Reaffirms that the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif is an integral part of the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967 and that all legislative and administrative procedures and measures aiming at altering its legal status are a flagrant violation of international charters, conventions and laws, and should be considered as null and void;

"4. Reaffirms the commitment of Member States to pursue and coordinate their action with those international groups which support the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people with a view to implementing the international resolutions adopted by the United Nations and its specialized agencies in particular UNESCO to stop the hostile measures and aggressive practices in this Holy City, the violations of the sanctity of the Blessed Mosque of Al-Aqsa and other Sacred Places in Palestine and to safeguard the cultural and historical heritage of the Holy City;

"5. Reaffirms that peace will not prevail in the Middle East unless and until Israel withdraws from all occupied Arab and Palestinian territories, including the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and unless the Palestinian cause, considered the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict, is solved in the context of an overall and just settlement in the region that ensures for the Palestinian people the exercise of their inalienable national rights including their right to return to their homeland, self-determination and the establishment of their independent State, on their home territory, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital;

"6. Condemns the Israeli occupation authorities for having destroyed the "mihrab" of Othman Ibn 'Affan Mosque in Al-Quds Al-Sharif and calls on the United Nations to protect Islamic and Christian holy places in the sacred city;

"7. Condemns the plundering of documents of the Shari'ah Court in Al-Quds Al-Sharif by the Israeli occupation authorities for the purpose of confiscating the properties of the Islamic Waqf in Al-Quds, and calls on international and governmental bodies and institutions to take the necessary measures to have the documents returned, and prevent the recurrence of such practices, which constitute a violation of international conventions and laws;

"8. Condemns the Israeli policies and practices against the Palestinian people, as these constitute a flagrant violation of the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; and also condemns Israel's designs of causing demographic changes therein and Judaizing it, thereby flagrantly violating the principles of international law, and the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, and the Security Council, as well as the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949;

"9. Invites all States to refrain from having any dealings with the Israeli occupation authorities which might be interpreted or claimed by those authorities as an implicit recognition and acceptance of the "fait accompli" imposed by the proclamation of Al-Quds as the capital of Israel and invites all States maintaining diplomatic relations with Israel to refrain from transferring their Embassies and Missions to the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif;

"10. Invites also the Member States to exert efforts to urge the Security Council to take the necessary measures which would stop Israeli practices, and provide the necessary protection for the Palestinian people and the Holy Places, including sending international observers, and banning the building of new settlements in the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the other occupied Arab territories;

"11. Calls on the Member States which have announced the twinning of their capitals and cities with the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif to promptly sponsor some projects which strengthen the steadfastness of the Holy City, its inhabitants and its institutions and calls on the Member States which have not yet announced the twinning of their capitals and cities with the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, the capital of Palestine, to take early action to this effect, thereby enhancing the spirit of Islamic solidarity with the Palestinian people;

"12. Expresses its deep appreciation of the position of His Holiness the Pope for his condemnation and denunciation of Israeli practices in the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and calls for continued coordination with the Vatican so as to safeguard the Arab, religious and historical identity of Al-Quds;

"13. Entrusts His Majesty King Hassan II, Sovereign of the Kingdom of Morocco and Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee to take the measures he deems appropriate for the maintenance and restoration of the sacred Dome of the Rock;

"14. Stresses the importance of seeking to organize Symposia to Publicize the Question of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif in all World Capitals; and to contact the Vatican, for the convening of an Islamic-Christian Meeting with the participation of the Eastern and other Churches with a view to preserving the identity of the Holy City as well as its religious, historical and demographic character;

"15. Requests the Secretary General to follow-up the implementation of this resolution and to submit a report thereon to the next Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers."

VI. TWENTY-NINTH UNITED NATIONS SEMINAR ON THE QUESTION OF PALESTINE,

    HELD AT NICOSIA, CYPRUS, FROM 20 TO 24 JANUARY 1992

The Twenty-ninth United Nations Seminar on the Question of Palestine (Sixth Asian Seminar) was held jointly with the Fourth United Nations Asian NGO Symposium on the Question of Palestine at the Cyprus International Conference Centre, Nicosia, from 20 to 24 January 1992, in accordance with the provisions of General Assembly resolution 46/74 B of 11 December 1991.

The Committee was represented by a delegation comprising: H.E. Mr. Kéba Birane Cissé (Senegal), Chairman of the Committee, and Chairman of the Seminar and Symposium; H.E. Mr. Victor Camilleri (Malta), Rapporteur of the Committee, Vice-Chairman and Rapporteur of the Seminar; H.E. Mr. Andreas Mavrommatis (Cyprus), Vice-Chairman of the Seminar; Mr. Dinesh Kumar Jain (India); and, Dr. Nasser Al-Kidwa, Permanent Observer for Palestine.

A total of 9 plenary meetings were held and 20 experts presented papers on selected aspects of the question of Palestine.  In addition, representatives of 22 Governments, Palestine, 1 United Nations specialized agency, 3 United Nations organs, 1 intergovernmental organization, as well as 50 NGOs attended the Seminar and Symposium.

The joint event was opened by Mr. Cissé and a welcoming address was delivered by H.E. Mr. George Iacovou, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus.

The representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Under-Secretary-General, Mr. Ronald I. Spiers, made a statement as did the Chairman of the Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.  Mr. Samir Abu Ghazaleh, the representative of Palestine in Cyprus read out a message from Mr. Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization.  The representative of the Asian Coordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine, Mr. Syed Farid Alatas, also addressed the Meeting.

Further statements were made by Mr. Nabil Maarouf, representative of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and also by Drs. P. Pradier and Robert Cook, representatives of the World Health Organization.

The Seminar participants adopted a motion of thanks to the Government and people of Cyprus, as well as conclusions and recommendations which are reproduced below.

Three round tables were established.  The topics addressed and the panelists were as follows:

Round table I: A just settlement of the question of Palestine

(a) The inalienable rights of the Palestinian people

Mr. Muhammad Hallaj (Palestinian); Mr. He Yafei (China); Mr. Don Betz (United States of America);

(b) Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territory

Mr. Hashim Mahamid (Israel);

(c) Israeli settlements

Mr. Ian S. Lustick (United States of America);

(d) Palestinian refugees

Mr. Ron Macintyre (New Zealand);

(e) Jerusalem

Mr. Moshe Amirav (Israel); Mr. Albert Aghazarian (Palestinian);

(f) Security arrangements in the region

Mr. Mattityahu Peled (Israel); Mr. Yezid Sayigh (Palestinian);

(g) Presentations on the round table as a whole

Mr. Radwan Abu-Ayyash (Palestinian); Ms. Yael Dayan (Israel).

Round table II: Safety and protection of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory

(a) The current situation in the occupied Palestinian territory as regards the need for humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people

Dr. Ahmad Yaziji (Palestinian).

Round table III: International and regional issues

(a) International responsibility for advancing the peace process

Mr. A.H. Rizavi (India);

(b) Nuclear and conventional armament in the region

Mr. Omran El-Shafie (Egypt);

(c) International economic assistance to the Palestinian people and to the region

Mr. Ryoji Tateyama (Japan); Dr. Vassos Lyssarides (Cyprus); Mr. Mohamad Amerah (Jordan);

(d) Jewish immigration

Dr. Muhammad Hallaj (Palestinian); Mr. Ian S. Lustick (United States of America).

The summary of the proceedings will be published in due course as a publication of the Division for Palestinian Rights of the United Nations Secretariat.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

"1. The participants welcomed the convening of the Asian Seminar and NGO Symposium as an important contribution to continuing efforts to bring about a just and lasting settlement of the question of Palestine.  They emphasized the significance of the role that the Asian region had to play, and could continue to play, towards this objective.  They particularly welcomed the holding of the meeting in Cyprus because of its traditional friendly ties with the peoples in the region and its geographical proximity to the Middle East.

"2. The participants noted that the fundamental changes in the international political scene created fresh opportunities for renewed efforts to resolve outstanding problems.  In this connection they stressed the importance of equal applicability of the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and the norms of international law.

"3. The participants expressed their appreciation to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the Division for Palestinian Rights for having once again provided a forum for an in-depth exchange of views on key aspects of the Palestine question.  They reaffirmed their determination to continue to work for a just and peaceful settlement.  They felt that their discussions had been useful and constructive and had covered a wide range of topics, thereby contributing to better understanding of the positions of the parties to the conflict, and helping to identify important issues for further discussion.

"4. The participants reiterated the essential elements of a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the question of Palestine which include:  withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian territory occupied since June 1967, including Jerusalem, and other occupied Arab territories; respect for the right of all the States in the region to live in peace within secure and internationally recognized boundaries; and the recognition and exercise of the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, primarily the right to self-determination, in accordance with the pertinent resolutions of the United Nations.

"5. The participants welcomed the convening of the Peace Conference on the Middle East in Madrid on 30 October 1991 and the subsequent bilateral talks between the parties in Washington, and expressed their earnest hope that the talks would be successful in establishing a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the region.  They noted in this connection that this process had the support of the parties concerned and had as its basis Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), which had long been recognized as the cornerstone of a comprehensive settlement.  They stressed the essential need for an active role by the United Nations, the Secretary-General and the Security Council, for a successful outcome of the peace process.

"6. The participants expressed the utmost concern at the continuing settlement activity and land confiscation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, which had come to pose an existential threat to the Palestinian community never experienced by previous generations.  They stressed the illegal nature of those settlements and the imperative need for the immediate halt of settlement activity for the success of the peace process.  Furthermore they expressed concern at the provocative actions of Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians.  They underlined the obligation of Israel to respect fully the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention and relevant Security Council resolutions.  They urged the peace forces in Israel to strengthen their activities in opposition to further settlements and in favour of withdrawal.  The participants expressed the view that economic assistance to Israel should be made conditional upon the termination of the settlement policy.

"7. The participants condemned the settlement of immigrants and Israeli citizens in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and urged the Security Council and other relevant international bodies to take appropriate measures to address this serious problem.

"8. The participants stressed the fundamental linkage between an overall political settlement based on the principle of Palestinian self-determination and a solution of the continuing plight of the Palestinian refugees in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions, in particular General Assembly resolution 194 (III).  They pointed out that such a solution would greatly contribute to the achievement of peace and stability and economic development in the region.  They expressed deep appreciation to UNRWA for its work carried out under difficult circumstances, and called on all Governments to contribute generously to its activities and to the activities of other United Nations agencies active in the region.

"9. The participants expressed the most serious concern at the continued threat of a wider conflict in the region, which was aggravated by the increasing arms race.  They stressed that arms control measures in both conventional arms and weapons of mass-destruction can only be effective if they are structured as an integral part of a political and territorial settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict.  They also emphasized the necessity for the Governments in the region to consider seriously the establishment of a nuclear-arms free zone in the region as requested by the General Assembly of the United Nations in its various resolutions.

"10. The participants recognized that the intifadah is the expression of the national will of the Palestinian people and of its determination to remain on its land and to attain its inalienable national rights.  They reaffirmed the rights of the Palestinian people to choose its own leadership, the Palestine Liberation Organization.  They voiced deep concern that in its efforts to repress the intifadah, Israel continued to violate the fundamental human rights of Palestinians, in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention and generally recognized norms of international law, as well as numerous United Nations resolutions. The Security Council, in resolution 681 (1990), had urged once again the Government of Israel to accept the de jure applicability of that convention and had asked the High Contracting Parties to ensure that Israel fulfilled its obligations as the occupying Power.  The participants stressed that Israel be required to abide fully with international law in its treatment of tens of thousands of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.  Participants appealed to the Security Council to persevere in its responsibility to ensure the physical protection and to guarantee the safety and security of all Palestinian people living under Israeli occupation by, inter alia, strengthening the United Nations presence in the occupied territory.  They noted that the Security Council in resolution 726 (1992) of 6 January 1992 had strongly condemned Israel's deportation of Palestinians, and called for an end to that policy and the return of all those deported.

"11. The participants expressed great concern at the negligence and indifference of the Israeli authorities to public health in the occupied territory, particularly with regard to water supply and quality, sanitation, and the provision of medical care.  They condemned reported abuses by Israeli forces of Palestinian patients.  They called on the international community as a whole to intensify their assistance to meet the health needs in the occupied territory as well as to cease measures of shutting down educational institutions as a form of collective punishment.  They also emphasized the need for protection of Palestinian trade union organizations and their activities.

"12. The participants noted with great concern that the current situation in the occupied Palestinian territory was characterized by economic collapse and massive and dangerous levels of poverty.  The participants strongly deplored the continued constraints imposed by Israel on Palestinian economic development and recognized the important interconnections between economic advancement and the promotion of peace.  They called for long-term developmental measures to liberate the Palestinian economy from its subordination to, and dependence on the Israeli economy, as well as for short-term immediate humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people.  They stressed that the international community has a duty and responsibility to render all assistance necessary to promote the social and economic development of the Palestinian people in the occupied territory in preparation for the full exercise of national sovereignty, and called on all United Nations agencies concerned to intensify their efforts in this regard.

"13. The participants expressed their appreciation to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for his constant efforts to bring about a peaceful settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and for his support for the programme of work of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the Division for Palestinian Rights.  They expressed the confidence that the Committee and the Division would continue and increase their activities to promote a constructive debate and a concrete and action-oriented analysis of the most important issues relating to the question of Palestine.

"14. The participants expressed their warm appreciation to the Government and the people of Cyprus for providing a venue for the Asian Seminar and NGO Symposium on the Question of Palestine and for the excellent facilities, courtesies and warm hospitality extended to them."

VII.  FOURTH UNITED NATIONS ASIAN NGO SYMPOSIUM

   HELD AT NICOSIA, CYPRUS, FROM 20 TO 24 JANUARY 1992

The Fourth United Nations Asian NGO Symposium on the Question of Palestine was held at the Cyprus International Conference Centre, Nicosia, from 20 to 24 January 1992, concurrently with the Twenty-ninth United Nations Seminar on the Question of Palestine.  Mr. Syed Farid Alatas, representative of the Asian Coordinating Committee for NGOs, acted as Symposium moderator.

In addition to the plenary meetings, which were held jointly for the Seminar and Symposium, three workshops specifically related to NGO activities were organized.  The workshop topics and experts were as follows:

"Developing solidarity activities by Israeli and other organizations

with Palestinian women, physicians, health workers and students"

(a) Women:

Ms. Hanna Knaz (Israel);

(b) Physicians, health workers, health services:

Dr. Ahmad Yaziji (Palestinian); Dr. Ruchama Marton (Israel);

(c) Educational institutions, students:

Mr. Albert Aghazarian (Palestinian).

The declaration adopted by the NGOs participating in the Symposium is reproduced below.  The NGOs also elected a new Asian Coordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine.

A report on the Symposium proceedings will be issued in due course by the United Nations Division for Palestinian Rights.

DECLARATION

"1. We, the non-governmental organizations gathered at the United Nations Asian Regional Seminar and NGO Symposium on the Question of Palestine, representing millions of people concerned with a peaceful solution of that question, believe that the situation has acquired great urgency following the Gulf war.  We totally uphold the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. We recognize and uphold the historic proclamation of the State of Palestine made on 15 November 1988.  We recognize the proclamation as the expression of the continuous struggle of  the heroic Palestinian people culminating in the intifadah.  We unconditionally affirm the rights of self-determination, statehood and return of the Palestinian people as guaranteed by the Charter of the United Nations and all relevant United Nations resolutions.  We call on all Governments of Asia and the Pacific region who have not already done so to recognize the State of Palestine in unequivocal terms and without delay.

"2. We are motivated by the genuine desire to establish a durable and just peace in the Middle East on the basis of international legitimacy as provided by all relevant United Nations resolutions, and mutual recognition of the right of both the Palestinian and Israeli people to self-determination and the right to live in sovereign independent States alongside each other.

"3. We draw attention to the peace process initiated by the Palestine National Council (PNC) in compliance with all relevant United Nations resolutions.  We note and welcome the resolutions of the PNC to the effect that any international peace conference be based on the implementation of all United Nations resolutions and the right of the Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.  We fully support the objectives of the Palestine Liberation Organization in the peace process, and therefore urge all Governments to follow suit.

 

"4. We note with utmost concern the continuous systematic policy of violating the rights of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories conducted by the Israeli occupation authorities.  We deplore and denounce the continuation of the Israeli occupation of all Palestinian and Arab territories including East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and southern Lebanon, and Israel's brutal measures against the Palestinians, including the current policy  designed to dismember the West Bank by restricting movement of Palestinian individuals and goods through the City of Jerusalem.  We condemn the conditions of Palestinian prisoners in the administrative detention camps and the use of torture and brutality during their interrogation, including women and children. Furthermore, we condemn the Israeli Government's policy of the systematic expulsion of Palestinians from the national homeland as a clear violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and affirm the United Nations Security Council's adoption of resolution 726 (1992), which strongly condemn the decision of Israel to resume the deportation of Palestinians.

Therefore, we call upon all Israeli authorities to permit the return of all deportees to their homeland.

"5. We observe with great concern the illegal colonization by Israel of the occupied Palestinian territory.  We demand the immediate cessation of the construction and expansion of all Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine, which undermine the current peace process.

"6. We draw attention to the fact that Jewish immigration poses a great threat to the Palestinian survival on their land and is an obstacle to the resolution of the Palestinian problem due to the ensuing demographic changes.  This is especially true while Palestinians continue to be denied their right of return. We call upon new immigrants to Israel and all Israelis to refuse to settle in the occupied Palestinian territories.  We also call upon the international community to mobilize in all ways for the return of the Palestinians to their homeland, thus contributing to the efforts for a just settlement of the question of Palestine.

"7. We call upon the United States to recognize the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people as they have done in the case of Israel.  We also call upon the United States to apply pressure upon Israel to comply with all relevant United Nations resolutions.

"8. We oppose the massive and unconditional aid to Israel provided by the United States and other States which underwrite the continuing occupation.  We call upon all Governments to condition all aids, loans and guarantees to Israel on the cessation of Israeli settlement construction and expansion in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories, including East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and southern Lebanon.  We call on all Governments and the United Nations Security Council to institute sanctions against Israeli occupation.

"9. We unanimously recognize and support the intifadah as a national liberation struggle for the achievement of the State of Palestine and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

"10. We condemn the American and Israeli endeavours to bypass the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, in the current peace talks.  We call upon the American Administration to re-establish dialogue with the PLO.  We insist that Palestinians, as do all other peoples, have full right to choose their own political representatives in any peace process. We call for direct participation of the PLO and the effective participation of the United Nations in the peace process.

"11. The issue of the status of Jerusalem should not be excluded from negotiations, nor should Palestinian residents of that city be excluded from participation in the negotiations currently under way.

"12. We consider it most urgent that the United Nations provide immediate and sustained protection for the Palestinians under occupation, and that the Security Council establish in East Jerusalem an authority responsible for the monitoring of human rights violations in contravention of the Fourth Geneva Convention.  We urge the Security Council to take all necessary measures to facilitate the exercise by the Palestinians of their inalienable rights.  We call for the establishment of a United Nations force to protect the Palestinian people and to stop Israel's attempts at uprooting and destroying it.

"13. We observe that Palestinians in Israel are subjected to a policy of legal and political discrimination and demand that Israel apply the principles of justice and equality to Israeli Palestinians in accordance with their status as a national minority in Israel.  We condemn the Israeli policy of continued confiscations of Palestinian lands and destruction of Palestinian homes for the purpose of settlements of immigrants inside Israel.

"14. We express our strongest protest against the action of the Israeli Government in preventing the distinguished expert, Mr. Omar Abdel-Razeq of Al-Najah University from attending this Seminar and Symposium.

"15. We call upon all NGOs to establish contacts with and extend support to fellow NGOs in occupied Palestine, especially those related to human rights, women, health, labour, children and education.  Furthermore, we call upon all Asian NGOs to monitor the relationships among Asian governmental and private institutions and Israeli governmental and private institutions. We urge NGOs to publicize these linkages and to take collective action against them including organizing boycotts of Israeli products regardless of the exporting or intermediary country.

"16. We request all Asian Governments to support the important role of NGOs in Asia in mobilizing public opinion and to extend financial and other assistance to these organizations so that they can more effectively support the struggle of the Palestinian people.

"17. We warmly thank the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People for convening this Asian Seminar and NGO Symposium on the Question of Palestine.  We greatly appreciate the presence of the Committee delegation and its guidance at this meeting.  We wish to convey our deep appreciation to His Excellency Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Secretary-General of the United Nations for his message, which was read by Mr. Ronald I. Spiers, Under-Secretary-General for Political and General Assembly Affairs and Secretariat Services, whose presence in our meeting was most highly appreciated.  We thank the Division for Palestinian Rights and all others of the United Nations Secretariat including the interpreters who so valuably contributed to our deliberations.  We express our heartfelt appreciation to the Government of Cyprus for being our gracious host and for all the excellent facilities so generously provided.   We particularly wish to express our gratitude to the Acting President of the Republic of Cyprus, His Excellency Dr. Vassos Lyssarides for his presence in our meeting.  We extend similar appreciation to Her Excellency Mrs. Androulla Vassiliou, the First Lady of the Republic of Cyprus, for her highly inspiring message. In addition, we extend our appreciation to His Excellency Mr. George Iacovou, the Honourable Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cyprus for addressing the opening session of the meeting.  We also wish to express our appreciation to His Excellency President Yasser Arafat for his message."

VIII. NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS:  ACTIVITIES AND INFORMATION

In the course of January, the following information was received by the Division for Palestinian Rights:

1. ICCP Newsletter No. 39, available from:  the International Coordinating Committee for NGOs on the Question of Palestine, 150, route de Ferney, Case postale 2100, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland.

2. A Palestinian Perspective on the Peace Process, publication of the Centre for Policy Analysis on Palestine. Available from 2435 Virginia Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037.

3. News from Within, independent newsletter, available from:  Alternative Centre, P.O. Box 24278, Jerusalem.

4. Middle East International, bi-weekly publication, available from:  P.O. Box 53365, Temple Heights Station, Washington, D.C. 20009, United States of America.

5. UNRWA Report, available from P.O. Box 700, A-1400 Vienna, Austria.

6. Challenge, Magazine of the Israeli left.  Available from:  P.O. Box 14338, Tel Aviv 61142, Israel.

7. Another Viewpoint, commentary available from:  AVP, 604 Barbera Place, Davis, California 95616, United States of America.

8. The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, monthly publication available from:  P.O. Box 53062, Washington, D.C. 20009, United States of America.

9. Newsletter on Freedom of the Press, issued monthly by the Forum of Action for Freedom of the Press and the Re-opening of Derech Hanitzotz/Tarik Al Sharana.  Available from: P.O. Box 1575, Jerusalem.

10. The Other Front, weekly bulletin on development in Israeli society, available from:  The Alternative Information Centre, P.O. Box 24278, Jerusalem.

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