Situation in the Middle East – Final Communique of the Meeting of Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Heads of Delegation – Non-UN document

Final Communique of the Meeting of Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Heads of Delegation of the Non-Aligned Movement, held in New York on 23 September 1999

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45. We reiterate the support for the establishment in the Middle East of a zone free of all weapons of mass destruction. To this end, we reaffirm the need for the speedy establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East in accordance with Security Council resolutions 487 (1981) and 687 (1991) and the relevant General Assembly resolutions adopted by consensus. We also call upon all parties concerned to take urgent and practical steps towards the establishment of such a zone and, pending its establishment, we call on Israel, the only country in the region that has not joined the NPT nor declared its intention to do so, to renounce possession of nuclear weapons, to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) without delay, and to place promptly all its nuclear facilities under IAEA full-scope safeguards.

46. We, the Ministers of the States parties to the NPT, reiterate our call and the firm commitment by all States parties to the Treaty for the full implementation at the 2000 NPT Review Conference, of the package agreed at the 1995 NPT Review and Extension Conference which comprises of the decision on "Strengthening the review process for the Treaty", the decision on "Principles and objectives for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament", the decision on "Extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons", and the "Resolution on the Middle East".

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72. We reaffirm the positions taken by the XII Summit in Durban on the Question of Palestine and the Situation in the Middle East. We unequivocally support the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right return to their homeland and to have their own independent State with Jerusalem as its capital, and we reiterate our demand for the withdrawal of Israel, the occupying Power, from all of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and the other Arab territories occupied since 1967. We call for the implementation of all United Nations resolutions on the question of Palestine, and reaffirm the permanent responsibility of the United Nations toward the question of Palestine until it is effectively solved in all its aspects. 73. We reaffirm the Movement’s position on Occupied East Jerusalem, the illegal Israeli settlements and the applicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to all the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem. We demand that Israel, the occupying Power, implement Security Council resolutions in this regard and abide by its legal obligations. We welcome the convening of the conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention on Measures to Enforce the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem on 15 July 1999, as recommended by the resolutions of the 10^th Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly. We further welcome the important statement adopted by the Conference, which reaffirms the applicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and we reiterate support for the reconvening of the Conference should the need arise. We reiterate that Israeli representation in the work of the General Assembly must be in conformity with international law, thus ensuring that Israeli credentials do not cover the territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem. Furthermore, we reaffirm our support for the Bethlehem 2000 Project in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem and express confidence that the increased assistance and engagement of the international community will ensure the successful commemoration of the event.

74. We reaffirm our support for the Middle East Peace Process based on Security Council resolutions 242, 338 and 425 and the principle of land for peace. We further reiterate the need for compliance with and implementation of the agreements reached between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel as well as the fulfillment of the commitments and pledges made in accordance with the terms of reference of the Madrid Conference and the ensuing negotiations. We express grave concern over the ongoing total cessation of the Peace Process on the Syrian-Israeli and the Lebanese-Israeli tracks due to the Israeli maneuvers and rejection to start the talks from the point they stopped at.

75. We reaffirm that measures and actions taken, or to be taken by Israel, the occupying power, such as its illegal decision of 14 December 1981 that purports to alter the legal, physical and demographic status of the occupied Syrian Golan and its institutional structure, as well as the Israeli measures to apply its jurisdiction and administration there, are null and void. We also reaffirm that all such measures and actions constitute a flagrant violation of international law, international conventions, the Charter and decisions of the United Nations, particularly Security Council resolution 497 (1981), the Fourth Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949 on the protection of civilians in time of war, and the defiance of will of the international community. We demand that Israel comply with Security Council resolution 497 (1981) and withdraw fully from the occupied Syrian Golan, to the lines of 4 June 1967, in implementation of Security Council resolutions 242 and 338.

76. We reaffirm our unwavering support and solidarity with the Syrian just demand and right to fully restore the occupied Syrian Golan on the basis of the terms of reference of the Madrid peace process, the decisions of the international legitimacy, as well as the formula of land for peace. We urge that all commitments and pledges made during the peace talks between Syria and Israel be respected and that these talks be resumed from the point at which they stopped.

77. While expressing our deep concern over the continued Israeli aggression against Lebanon and the ensuing illegal detention of Lebanese nationals, loss of innocent civilian lives and extensive destruction of property, we call on Israel to withdraw immediately, completely and unconditionally from South Lebanon and the Western Bekaa to the internationally recognized boundaries in compliance with Security Council resolutions 425 (1978) and 426 (1978) and to fully and strictly respect the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon. We also maintain that any conditions put forward by Israel for the implementation of resolution 425 (1978) would alter its legal and political structure and are hence unacceptable.

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IRAN

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

No. 1034

The Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations presents its compliments to the Permanent Mission of the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations, in its capacity as the Chair of Non-Aligned Movement, and has the honour to refer to the latter’s Note No. NAM/374A/99 dated 7 October 1999 regarding Final Communique of the Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement during the 54^th Session of the United Nations General Assembly and state that this Mission would like to put on record its reservation with regard to Paragraph 74 of the Final Communique concerning the Middle East Peace Process.

The Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Permanent Mission of the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations the assurances of its highest consideration.

New York, 11 October 1999

Permanent Mission of the Republic of South Africa
to the United Nations
New York

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Source: http://www.nam.gov.za/minmeet/newyorkcom.htm