Sovereignty over national resources in the OPT – GA debate – Press release (excerpts)

ASSEMBLY CALLS FOR ACTION ON EXCESSIVE VOLATILITY IN GLOBAL

FINANCIAL FLOWS; SEES POSSIBILITY OF REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Action on Economic Committee Texts; Development, Environment,

Poverty Eradication, Palestinian Sovereignty Among Issues Addressed

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Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this morning to consider the reports of its Second Committee (Economic and Financial). The reports concern the following topics: report of the Economic and Social Council; macroeconomic policy questions; sectoral policy questions; sustainable development and international economic cooperation; environment and sustainable development; operational activities for development; training and research; permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their resources; and the implementation of the First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty.

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Sovereignty of Palestinian People

The report of the Committee on the "permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources" (document A/53/612) contains one draft resolution under the same title. The draft was approved by a recorded vote on 16 November of 116 in favour to 2 against (United States, Israel) with 8 abstentions (Bahamas, El Salvador, Federated States of Micronesia, Georgia, Marshall Islands, Panama, Paraguay, Swaziland).

By that draft, the Assembly would call upon Israel, the occupying Power, not to exploit, to cause loss or depletion of, or to endanger, the natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan. The Assembly would recognize the right of the Palestinian people to claim restitution as a result of any exploitation, loss or depletion of, or danger to, their natural resources. The Assembly would also express the hope that the issue would be dealt with in the framework of the final status negotiation between the Palestinian and Israeli sides.

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Action on Second Committee Reports

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… Turning to the report of the Committee on the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources, the Assembly adopted the related draft resolution by a recorded vote of 144 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 12 abstentions. (See Annex.)

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ANNEX 

Vote on Sovereignty of Palestinian People

The Assembly adopted the draft resolution on the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory (document A/53/612) by a recorded vote of 144 in favour to 2 against, with 12 abstentions, as follows:

In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe.

Against: Israel, United States.

Abstain: Bahamas, Barbados, Cameroon, El Salvador, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Georgia, Grenada, Marshall Islands, Paraguay, Swaziland, Uzbekistan.

Absent: Albania, Burundi, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Gambia, Guatemala, Honduras, Madagascar, Palau, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Turkmenistan, Zambia.

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