Sovereignty over natural resources in the OPT/Golan – GA debate – Press release (excerpts)

ACTING ON SECOND COMMITTEE REPORTS, ASSEMBLY ADOPTS 38 TEXTS

Resolutions on Palestinian Natural Resources, Coercive Economic

Measures Adopted by Recorded Vote; Action on Multilingualism Draft Deferred

Acting on the recommendations of its Second Committee (Economic and Financial), the General Assembly this morning adopted 38 resolutions – two by recorded vote – and 11 decisions.

The Assembly called on Israel 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.  It took that action by a vote of 148 in favour to four against (Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, United States) with four abstentions (Cameroon, Fiji, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea).  (See voting Annex II for details.)

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Background

The General Assembly met this morning to consider the reports of its Second Committee (Economic and Financial).  It was then expected to take up the question of multilingualism and a draft resolution on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Reports of Second Committee

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Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources

The Committee's report on "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/56/564) contains one draft resolution.

By a vote of 131 in favour to 3 against (Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, United States), with 2 abstentions (Cameroon, Nicaragua), the draft resolution, on 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, was approved on 4 December.

The text would have the Assembly call on Israel 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.  It would also 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, and would express the hope that this issue will be dealt with in the framework of the final status negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides.

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Action on Second Committee Reports

JANA SIMONOVA (Czech Republic), Rapporteur of the Second Committee, introduced the reports of the Committee.

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The Assembly then took up the Committee's report on 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/56/564), which contains one draft resolution.

By a vote of 148 in favour to 4 against (Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, United States), with 4 abstentions (Cameroon, Fiji, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea), the draft resolution on 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 was adopted.  (Annex II)

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ANNEX II

Vote 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 draft resolution on the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people (document A/56/564) was adopted by a recorded vote of 148 in favour to 4 against, with 4 abstentions, as follows:

In favour:  Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, 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, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against:  Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, United States.

Abstaining:  Cameroon, Fiji, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea.

Absent:  Afghanistan, Chad, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Gambia, Guatemala, Guinea, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Nauru, Palau, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Seychelles, Suriname, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.

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