A/42/PV.79 General Assembly

38.  gJESTION OF PALEB'rINE (.3.) REIDR'r OF THE mMMI'r'rEE ON THE EXERCISE OF THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS OF THE PALES'r IN IAN PED PLE (Aj4 2/ 3 5) (b) REFOR'f OF THE: S ECRETAR Y-GENERAL (A/42/277) (c) DRAFT RESOW'rIONS (A/42/L.33 to ,1\/42/L. 35) The PRESIDENT (interpretation from Arabic)~ I should like to remind representatives that, in accordance with the decision taken this morning, the of speakers in the debate will be closed today at S p.m. I therefore request representatives wishing to participate in the debate to put their names on the as soon as possible. Mr. KARIM (Sudan) (interpretation from Arabic)~ In its yearly discussion of the agenda item on the question of Palestine, the General Asselri:>ly reaffirms, at each consecutive session, the support of the entire international oommunity for the Palestinian cause and the legi timacy of the heroic Palestinian people's just, prolonged and legi timate struggle for the restoration of its occupied ter door iea and ita na tional ri ghts, to re tur n to its homeland, to e xercise its ri ght to self-determination and to establish its independent sovereign State on its national soil, under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization (POO), its sole, legi timate representa tive. The struggle of the Palestinian people under the leadership of the PLO has brought home to the world the unflinching resolve of those people, their steadfastness and their spirit of sacr ifice. Their continued struggle, sacr ifice and tenacity in defending their national identity and legitimate rights in the face of the unceasing attempts by Israel to change the demographic nature of the occupied terr i tor iea and blot ou t the iden tity of the ir papula tion, namely, the Palestinian Arabs, h a good example to all. Israel's excesses, intransigence and arrogant denial of the right of the . Palestinian people to self-determination, its daily violations of human rights in the occupied territories, blatant defiance of the international community and unjustified disregard of international unanimity, constitute a heinous crime aga inst all mank ind. This oonduct also poses a very gr ave ch allenge, wh ich the in ter national organ ization must face equarely so as to coun ter the terror ist action of the aUthorities of the Zionist regime against people struggling for their inalienable, legitimate rights. The world does not need to be reminded of the legitimacy of the struggle of the Palestin ian people. It does not need proof of the validi ty of those rights or further elucidation of their cause. The oocuments of the world Organization are replete with resolutions which bespeak not only the solidarity of the whole world with the Palestinians in their cause but also indicate that the whole world knows the facts of th is situation, the failure to solve which is a ser ious threat to international peace and security. The lessons of recent history show that appeasement of fascist and nazi terrorist regimes has always led to dire consequences for all mankind. To prevent history from repeating itself, it is more than ever necessary that the international Organization show resolve and firmness in seeking a lasting and just solution to the Palestinian question in all its aspects. That question is the crux of the Middle East conflict. The Palestinian people have reiterated, through their sole, legitimate representative, the pro, their deep faith in and genuine desire to reach a just, peaceful and lasting solution to the question of Palestine, so that peace and stability my be restored to the region. Thus, I reiterate from this rostrum that my country, in common with the majority of the countries of the world, agrees that the solution to the question of Palestine lies in convening the international conference on peace in the Middle East, wi th the participation of all the parties to the conflict, including the PLO, the sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. The people of Sudan reaffirm from this rostrum their absolute solidarity with the Palestinian people in their struggle. We stand side by side with the Palestinian people and their revolution until their victory. In conclusion, my delega tion wishes to express its apprecia tion of the valuable efforts of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and of its role in increasing the awareness of the international colMlunity of the suffering of the Palestinian people and the legitimacy of their struggle. Mr. SHAH (Pakistan>; The Palestinian question is at the core of the Middle East problem, the continued exacerbation of which constitutes a grave threat not only to the stability of the region but also to international peace and secur i ty. This year in particular has a unique significance for the Palestinian people: 70 years ago the Balfour Declara tion sowed the seeds of the Palestinian problem; 40 years ago the Palestinian homeland was forcibly rent asunder; 20 years ago the remaining territory of Palestine was occupied by Israel. The chronology outlined calls, therefore, for some retrospection. The zionist designs on Palestine were achieved through a distortion of his tory, an impos i tion of immigr a tion and acts of ter ror is m when the Isr ael i enti ty was established in 1948. For 38 years now the international community has been a witness to the sytematic aggression carried out by Israel against the people of Palestine. The Zionists have not been satisfied by merely usurping the Palestinian homeland. Their anbition is to create a greater Israel, and to this end the Israeli authorities have ruthlessly pursued their policy of displacing, dispossessing and harassing the Palestinian people inside and outside the occupied territories. They seek to er;3.dicate Palestinian nationalism and to wipe out any manifestation of the Palestinian struggle for the exercise of their inalienable right to self-determination and statehood. The Israeli authorities have errbarked systematically on a course designed to change the demographic composition of the occupied territories and to alter their status and historical character, particularly of the Holy City of Jerusalem. Similar motives have fuelled Israeli aggression and expansionist designs against the other Arab countries thereby unleashing a cycle of violence in the region. Peace in this tormented region remains as elusive as ever. Indeed, Israel's intensified campaign of destabilization of the region for its own untenable security objectives serves to increase the suffer ings of the Palestinian people and oontinues to endanger international peace and secur i ty. Israel per sists in the mistaken belief that by unleashing an endless cycle of terror and violence it can ensure its security and establish its hegemony. My delegation wishes to express its deep concern at the repressive measureS taken by Israel in the occupied territories, the desecration of the Holy Places, and the excavations being conducted adjacent to the DOme of the Rock, which threaten the holy Al Aasa mosaue. My delegation also condemns Israelis policy of expansion and its annexation of the occupied Arah territories. The United Nations and the international community must continue their efforts to secure a just and comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian problem and the Middle East conflict. ~he fundamental imperatives of such a settlement should be in accordance with the Geneva Declaration on Palestine of September 1986 and General Assemhly resolution 38/58 C, Which include the following elements: the Palestinian people must be enabled to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination and to establish their own independent State in Palestine; the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, must participate on an eaual footing with all the parties concerned in the process of finding a settlement of the Middle East question; Israel must he obliged to end its occupation of Arab territories, in accordance with the principle of the inadmissihility of the acauisition of territory by force, and to withdraw from the territories occupied since 1967, including the Holy City of Al Quds Al Shar if; there is a need to oppose and reject Israeli policies and practices in the occupieo territories, incluoing Jerusalem, and any de facto situation created by Israel, which are contrary to international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, particularly the estahlishment of settlements, as these policies and practices constitute major obstacles in the way of the achievement of peace in the Middle East; and all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, the occupying Power, that alter or purport to alter the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, making it the capital of Israel, must be declared null and void. of an international Conference to negotiate a comprehensive settlement in the Middle East. The Palestine Liberation organization, the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, must be enabled to participate, on an eaual footing, in that Conference. The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, under the guidance of its Chairman, Ambassador Massamba Sarre, has played an important role in focusing international consciousness and attention on the Palestinian auestion. It must continue its work of mobilizing international opinion with a view to an early and just settlement of the problem. The tragedy of Palestine is an injustice that is a threat to world peace. Until that auspicious day when the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people at restored, it is incumbent upon the international community, particularly the unite Nations, to make un£la9ging efforts to assist them in their noble and just struggle. Universal concern must be translated into universal action. Firm actio hy the Security Council, such as that prescribed under Chapter VII of the Charter, has become unavoidable as a means· of inducing Israel to heed the call of reason an, to respect the decisions of the United Nations aimed at promoting a just solution to this problem. At the same time, it is eaually important to protect the fundamental rights of the Palestinian and Arab population living under Israeli" occupation. The valiant struggle of the Palestinian people will not he deterred by the inhuman and repressive policies of Israel. The Palestinian people have demonstrated their determination to pursue the just and noble cause of establishing their own homeland. The Government and people of Pakistan will continue to stand hy their Palestinian hrothers and will extend to them every possible support in their just struggle. Mr. PEJIC (Yugoslavia): The auestion of Palestine is one of those problems that have preoccupied the world Organization almost since its inception. In the meantime, several generations of Palestinians, resolutely committed to realizing their legitimate rights and aspirations, have grown up in exile, denied the right to their own homeland or living under foreign occupation and domination. The last wave of repression of the Palestinian population on territories under Israeli occupation and the continuous attacks on the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon are clear proof that Israel is continuing its attempts to legalize the situation created by occupation and annexation. The growing revolt and resistance of the Palestinians on the west Bank and in the Gaza Strip clearly demonstrate the inadmissibility and limitations of these attempts and policies, regardless of the force and repression that stand behind them. The Middle East crisis has been one of the most dangerous sources of international tension for four decades now. It is, therefore, no mere coincidence that over this long period that has seen four bloody wars it has become obvious that every postponement of the solution of this problem could have unforeseeable ,onseauences, not only for this region but also for the overall international :lituation. rt is also becoming ever more obvious that the only way to achieve a lasting ~asing of tension in the region and the heginning of the process of a comprehensive ~litica1 solution of the crisis in the Middle Rast - and the Palestinian problem, ,hieh is at its core - is through the implementation of the relevant resolutions of :he General Assembly and the ,Security Council. This implies an urgent and complete rithdrawal of rsraeli troops from all the Arah and Palestinian territories occupied :ince 1967, including Jerusalem, the realization of the legitimate and inalienable ights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to the establishment of a State of its own under the leadership of the PLO, and full respect for the rights of all countries and peoples to peace and security within internationally recognized borders. The debate conducted within the United Nations in recent years has confirmed that the international community is not prepared to tolerate any longer the situation in the Middle East caused by the Israeli policy of force, expansion and annexation, particularly its attempts to suppress the national identity and awareness of the Palestinian people. There exists almost unanimous consent, subscribed to by non-aligned countries all along, that the united Nations should, and must, play the key, active role in the quest for a just and comprehensive solution to the problem of Palestine, which has broad political, international, legal, humanitarian and moral dimensions. This is the historic debt and the obligation of the united Nations and the international community to the tragedy of the Palestinian people. It is therefore auite understandable that the initiative for the convening of the International Peace Conference on the Middle East, launched at the thirty-eighth session of the General Assembly, with the participation of all directly interested parties on an eaual footing, including the PLO as the sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, is gaining ever broader acceptance and support. In this context, we have noted the statement 1n the Secretary-Generalt's report that "These positive trends, combined with the growing international conSensus in favour of the early convening of a conference, demand of us that we consolidate and build on the foundation that has so far been established." (A/42/7l4, para. 34) The realization of this initiative, after years of bloodshed and conflict, represents, in our opinion, the only realistic way to achieve a lasting and just solution of the problem of Palestine, without which there can be no stable peace in the Middle East. It is therefore encouraging that since the last session of the General Assembly broad consultations have been launched within the Security Council and with the directly interested parties, with the aim of finding generally acceptable formulas for the convening of the Middle East conference. Yugoslavia has fully supported all constructive efforts to ensure the convening of the international conference. Along these lines, we also support the efforts of the Secretary-General within the mandate entrusted to him by the relevant resolutions of the General Assemhly. We consider that what is most important in these efforts is to ensure adeauate participation and representation on an eaual footing of the Palestinian people in the conference, short of which no decision on its destiny can be made. At their summit Conference in Harare, Zimbabwe, the non-aligned countries took a clear and uneauivocal position regarding the international conference. The Committee of Nine of the non-aligned countries on Palestine, within the mandate accorded it on the hasis of the decisions of the summit Conference in Harare and the conclusions of the ministerial meetings this year in Harare, Pyongyang and New York, has also heen active in the effortR aimed at convening the conference. In this context, the Committee of Nine addressed an appeal from its meeting in Harare to all countries, international organizations and the world public to do a1 they could to promote and support all the efforts aimed at convening the international conference, one of whose goals is the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, particularly its right to establish its own Stab. We consider that all the necessary conditions exist at this session for the General Assembly to take a decisive step forward by translating the overwhelmingly favourable climate and the support for the proposal into the early attainment of this initiative. Of course, we are aware of all the obstacles and difficulties in the way of convening the conference. We are also aware that a long road of difficult consultations and agreement-making is ahead of us. The main reasons are clear. The hardest resistance to convening the conference comes from Israel - which does not want to abandon its ambition to impose itself as the dominant factor and arbiter in the Middle Rast and its attempts to dictate the conditions and outcome of the solution - and from some influential elements outside the region, whose political conceptions are such that they do not want to accept that a just solution of the auestion of Palestine, baseo on the exercise by the Palestinian people of their inalienable, legitimate rights, is the only way to achieve lasting peace in the region. It should be recalled, however, that any attempt to impose a solution that would not guarantee those rights is doomed to failure. We believe that the debate on and support for the draft resolutions on the auestion of Palestine will give a fresh, strong impetus to the intensification of the efforts, contacts and consultations within the Security Council and with directly interested parties, as well as between all those that can contribute to the solution of the problem. At the same time, opposition from certain political circles in Israel and occasional stalemate should not be allowed to discourage and immobilize these efforts. We therefore fully support the continuance of the Secretary-General's endeavours to overcome the present difficulties and promote the idea of the international conference. In this regard, it is of particular importance that countries that can exert political influence on Israel bring pressure to hear on those elements in that country that obstruct and block the political process. Por every postponement of a solution is fraught with danger, the conseauences of which can hardly he perceived at this time. Mr. ABULHASAN (Kuwait) (interpretation from Arabic): This session of the General Assembly is being held in a year that bears special historical significance for the auestion of Palestine, for it is the eight-hundredth anniversary of Jerusalem's liberation from the European Crusaders in the battle of Hattein, which was led by the Arab hero Salad in. It is also the seventieth anniversary of the sinister Balfour Declaration, in which a pledge was made by one who did not possess what was promised to those who did not deserve it, bartering the land of Palestine for Jewish support for the British Government, which held a Mandate over the Territory. It is also the year that marks the fortieth anniversary of the adoption of the famous TJnited Nations resolution partitioning Palestine, and the twentieth year since the Zionist entity occupied the rest of Palestine's territories and Holy Al Quds, and its forces marched on to occupy other Arab territories. And it is the fifth anniversary of the barbaric Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the massacres of Sabra and Shatila and the occupation of more Arab territories, whereby the conspiracy came to a head. Then world public opinion, especially in the part of the world that is free of zionist influence, woke up to Israel's aggressive reality (Mr. Pejic, Yugoslavia) and expansionist nature, after the myth of the peaceable lamb surrounded by wila wolves collapsed and the intentions of its racist propagators were exposed. We all know that the cause of the dispossessed, ancient nation of Palestine did not enjoy due recognition in international forums until a few years ago, aft~~ the third-world countries had rid themselves of the noose of colonialism in the 1950s and 1960s. The age of liberation and the restoration of national sovereign~y to most nations dawned, and we finally hear the truth of the Palestinian auestion • in our Organization and the var ious other forums of international action. Today, after all those years, while the Palestinian people are SUffering under occupation and in their exile and misery, we are still faced with the arrogance of power sheltering behind the misrepresentation of history, a formidable ohstac1e to th~ recovery by a whole nation of its legitimate rights, which are recognized byt~e overwhelming majority of the international community. Israel recklessly persists in its transgression and insolence hefore the wOllc community, perpetuating the occupation and remaining indifferent to the numerous resolutions adopted in this regard. The illegal and inhumane practices in the occupied Arab territories do not relate to the period of the occupation or even that since the emergence of Israel; they go far beyond that, for they relate to the zionist creed and thinking. Sind!', according to the basic philosophy of zionism, the land of Palestine is in fact the land of Israel and the Palestinian people must leave or be expelled either by force or through the gradual anne)Cation of their lands, the zionists committeti every possible outrage and imposed every oppressive measure to make life an unbearable inferno for the people in the Arab-occupied terri toties in order to f0Ice them to emigrate and make room for J1K)re Jews. As part of a studied scheme to realize their aims, the Israeli authorities practised every kind of oppression in order to transform the Palestinian identi,ty. ThdSe acts include the following: First, destroying the political establishment in the occupied territories by expe'lling the ir Arab popula tion, suppressing them, displacing them, ousting the elected heads of municipalities, disbanding their elected representa tive councils, and destroying Palestinian symbols and punishing those who carry a Palestinian flag or map, Secondly, breaking the cultural and social backbone by closing universities, schools and educational institutions, banning books, imposing censorship on the press, and harassing, expelling and deporting intellectuals, writers and poets~ Th irdly, crippling the economic structure by control! ing the sources of wa ter in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and oppressing the farmers by taking control of their crops and produce. In the case of a people who are basically agricul tural, as the Palestinians are, the means of livelihood are land and water, and controlling them makes life intolerable for the farmers and destroys the very basis of their livelihood. Fourthly, terrorizing the civilian population in the occupied territories either by imposing military rule on them or by using the brute force of the police, not hesitating to attack youths and throw rocks at them. What is even more calamitous and horrendous is that Jewish settlers undertook to form militias tb' strike at, and severely penalize, the unarmed civilian population, which has no support but international covenants and laws that are being violated day afterc1 ;i~· These crimes and inhuman practices will continue, for the Israeli occuPatio authorities have still more illegal acts and practices to carry out. Part of the blame falls on some Western circles for in the face of all th~t is happening in the Palestinian arena either they limit themselves to, at most, lukewarm denuncia tions or else they del iber ately press tr umped-up charges, such s branding every act of legitimate national resistance to occupation as an act of terrorism. Who could believe or take seriously anyone who ignores all the innoo lt Palestinians who are living under the oppression of Zionist occupation and the ' ii humil i.ation of its racism, or who are suffer ing the pl ight of homelessness outs:t the occupied Palestinian territories and the cruelty of Israeli attacks, even in their refugee camps? Nevertheless, the continued denial of Palestinian rights, the occupation, tl policies of aggression and e:lCpansion, the oppression of landowners, and reliance In brute force will neither obliterate the just Palestinian cause nor undermine its people's aspirations and their struggle for independence and the return to their lands. ~r will it fr ustrate the forces of inter national legi timacy in their determination to deal with the Palestinian problem within the framework of international law and the norms of international behaviour, beginning with the united Nations-sponsored In terna tional Conference w1 th the participa tion of allt e parties ooncerned, including the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole and legitimate representative, on an equal footing in accordance with General Assent1 resolution 38/58 C. While strongly supporting the convening of that Internatiorl~ Conference, Kuwait wishes to re fer to the support expressed by the Arab summi t conference held in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on 8 November 1987, for the convening of that parley within the context of the Arab nation's upholding of peaceful efforts and initiatives, seeking a just and lasting peace in the region. The proposed par ley also received substantial suppor t from the Organization of the Islamic Conference, which Kuwait had the pr iv ilege of cha iring, the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, the socialist countries, the member States of the &.1ropean Community, and the Nordic countries. It is worth mentioning that the Islamic summit conference held in Kuwait this year stressed the need for the Security Council to adopt a new resolution ensuring the Palestinian people's established rights, including their right to return to their homeland, their right to self-determination, and their right to establish their independent State, with holy Al Quds as its capital, under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, their legitimate and sole representative. Until such a resolution has been adopted and until its purposes have been carr ied out, it is incumbent upon all who are peace-lov ing and who abide by international law to stand by the Palestinian people in their resistance to Zionist terrorism and to the continuing efforts to seize their remaining lands by force. Mr. PITARKA (Albania); The Palestinian problem is one of the oldest questions considered by the General Assembly at everyone of its sessions. Justifiably, the early solution of this problem - the realization of the sovereign right of the Pales tin ian people to live free and independent in the ir own land - has oonstantly been the focus of the concern of our Organization and of wor Id public opinion. The Albanian people and their Government have constantly followed with concern and sympa thy the tragedy the Palestinian people have been going through for years, their sufferings and severe deprivations. The just cause of this dauntless and freedom-loving people, their struggle for liberation from Zionist and imperialisl aggression, has always been quite close and comprehensible to our people. It ha! enjoyed and will always enjoy our solidarity and full support. This was once mOl reiterated in the statement made by the Foreign Minister of the People's SOciali! Republic of Alban ia in the general debate at the current session of the General Assembly. The very unfolding of events bears evidence that the prospects for a solution to the Palestinian auestion remain dismal. ~s long as there is no solution to the just cause of the Palestinian people that lies at the core of the Middle East conflict, as long as the Palestinian people cannot return to their homeland, there will be no peace or tranaui11ity in this region, there will he no solution to the Middle East problems in general. It is common know1edqe that those bearing the main responsibility for this grave situation, which directly affects the destiny of an entire nation, as well as peace and security in the region, are the Israeli Zionists and the United States imperialists, who have stood and always stand in full support of and encourage the Israeli aggressive policy and criminal activity. In overt and arrogant defiance of world public opinion, the Israeli zionists unremittingly continue their persecutions and terror, their crimes and massacres against the Palestinian people in the occupied territories. In Lebanon, the camps of the Palestinian refugees remain permanent targets of Israeli attacks, bombardments and frenzied genocide. The Israeli prisons and concentration camps, their anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab terror, are living proof of the tragedy the Palestinian people is experiencing. The hideous massacres carried out in the refugee camps in Sahra and Shatila and in the occupied'territories in qeneral, the syste~atic forced deportation of the Palestinian and other Arab inhabitants from their national ancestral homes, and other criminal acts expose before the whole world the dark Israeli intentions: forced deportation and physical liauidation of the Palestinians and the creation of the great State of Israel through the annexation of the Arab lands. It is the occasion to once aqain point out that Israel, completely on its own, would not have been in a position to pursue such a criminal and annexationist policy, if it were not for the all-round support and assistance from world reaction and imper ial ism, Uni ted Sta tes imper ial ism fir st and foremost. Wash ington 's political and diplomatic manoeuvres on the alleged "peaceful settlement" of the Middle East problems, of the Palestinian one primarily, its propaganda on the "attempts" to talk Israel into the international peace conference on the Middle East and peaceful negotiations with the Arabs, deceive no one. Peoples, particularly the Arab peoples, jUdge from concrete deeds, from the hostile actions of united States imperialism against them. The Arab peoples and countries realize that what lies at the founda tion of the actual activation of Un ited States diplomacy is the inimical intentions and plots to impose upon them direct and separate negotiations with Israel, their old intentions to divide the Arab nation, which would thus foresake the sacred cause of the Palestinian people of creating their free and independent State. The Albanian delega tion upholds the v iew that the fur ther exacerbation of the si tua tion in the Middle East and in the Pers ian Gulf, as well as the tragedy and painful events that are taking place in Lebanon, aim at dealing a blow to the just cause of the Palestinian people. They have been calculated to damage and impede their str uggle and that of the other Arab peoples aga inst the Zion ist and imperialist aggression, to engage the peoples and countries of that region in fratricidal wars and grave conflicts with one another and to alienate them eventually from the main objective of their struggle\ the final settlement of the Palestin ian ques tion. All these have led to the creation of a dangerous situation for the Palestin ian libera tion movement and the cause of the Arab peoples at large. The Soviet social-imperialists, too, bear a great responsibility for the grave situation prevailing in the Middle East and the blows that are being dealt to the just liberation struggle of the Palestinian people. As in the past, in spi te of their declarations and demagogical manoeuvres to parade as friends of the Palestinian people and the other Arab peoples, the Soviet social-imperialists, with the rivalry and plotting activities they carry out in conjunction with the united states of America in this region, with the overt ties they maintain with Israel, which they continue increasingly to supply with new Jewish settlers for the npw colonies established in the occupied Arah territories, are evermore exposing themselves as enemies of the just Palestinian cause and of the entire Middle East in general. In addition, Moscow's attempts to make its plan on the international peace conference on the Middle East more acceptable, directly relate to its endeavours and intentions to secure its partnership in the bargains being made ~hind the scenes for spheres of influence and hegemony in this region. It is not the first time in the history of their interminable struggle that the Palestinian people and the other Arab peoples are faced with grave threats and dangers to their destinies. The long experience they have gained in their struggle against the zionist and imperialist aggression and the anti-Arab schemes of the super-Powers has trained them to cope courageously with hardships and a wide variety of dangers. The Palestinian people, through countless sacrifices and hardships, are continuing their just struggle to regain the territories occupied by the Israeli Zionists. The struggle they are waging for their homeland, for preserving their national identity, led by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), enjoys the support of the fraternal Arab peoples and all the freedom-loving and peace-loving nations and peoples of the world. The initiatives undertaken by the Palestinian movement and the Arab peoples to close their ranks and strengthen their unity, are positive developments that should be welcomed and further encouraged, for, in the face of the numerous dangers and threats they have to resist, the strengthening of their unity is presently more imperative than ever to the Arab peoples. The Palestinian cause has heen and remains the cause of all the Arab people. Therefore, unity among them has not been and will never be a cause of sentimehts: 'bt" religious beliefs. It is based first and foremost upon their common national .interests, their cormnon struggle against every enemy, the sacred cause of the liberation of the Arab territories and upon gaining their freedom and independence. The Palestinian people and the other Arah peoples are not alone in their struggle. On their side stand all the freedom-loving and progressive peoples of the world. The Albanian people, as a sincere friend of the Palestinian people and the other Arab peoples, have supported and will always support their just cause, the struggle for the realization of their legitimate national aspirations. We forcefully condemn the aggressive policy and criminal activity of the Israeli Zionists and the intrigues, plots and hegemonistic activity of the imperialist super-Powers in the Middle East, which greatly damage and threaten the interests of the Palestinian and the other Arab peoples as well as peace and security in the region. In conclusion, I would stress that, in the future, the People's Socialist Republic of Albania and the Albanian people will unflaggingly side with the struggle of these people. They are convinced that the resolute and uncompromising struggle of the Palestinian people will triumph. Mr. MERINO (Colombia) (interpretation from Spanish): On 29 November, exactly 40 years will have elapsed since the day on which the General Assembly, during what was only its second session, adopted resolution 181 (II), in which it decided on the geo-political partition of Palestine into two independent Stat~s, one Jewish and the other Arab. While the first has established itself in a geographical area of l4,UUU sauare kilometres, the latter has never been able to take root, and its people have been sent off into a wandering existence, despite the ~aet that the same resolution allocated to it 11,000 sauare kilometres of te~ri~ory. One state had formally been established, but a crisis had likewise been born. The decision of the united Nations had institutionalized confrontation and had hrought about civil war. Since then, our Assembly has been struggling year after year with an item that has already produced more than 200 resolutions but has not yet produced a definitive solution to a problem which is seriously eroding the credibility of our Organization because of its inabil ity, in th is speci fic case, to function as an appropria te and competent ins trument for the peaceful solu tion of a conflict that has destabilized the Middle East and seriously compromised peace in the region. It is obvious that the Middle East crisis will continue to deteriorate as long as the international community continues to show itself powerless to endow the Palestin ian people wi th the ir inalienable rights to self-determination, independence and national sovereignty; so long as thousands of Palestinians are denied the right to return to their land) so long as extensive Arab Palestinian territories remain under foreign domination. We should support the efforts of the Special Committee and the Secr etary-Genera1 to br ing about a negotia ted, peace ful and comprehensive settlement of the Palestin ian problem. We therefore support those efforts and those of the non-aligned countries to bring about the convening of a peace conference on the Middle East in which all the parties to the conflict, wi thout any exception, may arrive at a just, sincere and permanent peace that will oonsolidate the right of all peoples and States of the region to live in peace, security and good-neighbourliness, within secure and internationally reoogn ized border s. Colombia, as a non-aligned Latin American country, calls for the faithful fulfilment of the United Na Hons manda te, especially as oontemplated in resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) of the Security Council, which laid down the principles to be appl ied in the soluti0n of the Palestin ian problem. Colombia is convinced that the definitive solution must be based on the pr inciples of the Charter, which condemns the use of force and the aD:luisition of territory as the spoils of war. Only mutual recognition on an eaual footing of the interests of all the parties involved will hring tranauillity and well-being to a land and peoples who, by reason of many circumstances and motives, are linked to us by blood, culture, religion and character. Mr. AL-SHAKAR (Bahrain) (interpretation from Arabic): The question of Palestine and the auestion of the Palestinian people, by their nature and essence, are considered to be auestions directly related to the purposes an~ principles of the United Nations as set forth in the Charter, in view of the role played by the United Nations in defending the right of peoples struggling to achieve their liberty, national independence and self-determination, and in laying solid and just foundations for security and peace in the world. Despite recognition by the united Nations and the international community of the just character of the Palestinian cause, the Palestinian people continues to be deprived of its inalienable right, like that of other peoples of the world, to freedom, independence and self-determination. The crisis that this people is enduring, which is of tragic dimensions, is not an obscure or unknown problem for the United Nations. It is a auestion that has occupied the attention of the United Nations since its inception. seventy years ago, on 2 November 1917 the plot against Palestine and the , Palestinian people began, with world zionism and the colonialist States of that period, when the British Government, the mandatory Power for Palestin~, drew up, in secret, the Ba1four Declaration, which constituted a promise to aid the world Zionist movement to create a national homeland for the 3ewish people in Palestine, without giving notice of that decision to the Palestinian people themselves. Pursuant to that Declaration, a party which did not possesS gave to a party which was not entitled: the British Government gave what it did not possess, namely, Arab palestine, to a people who were not the legitimate owners of that land, namely, the Zion is ts. The world Zionist movement considered that Declaration a pretext for the Judaization of Palestine - its territory and its people - through the appropriation for the Jewish people of the territories expropriated from the Arab Palestinians, and through an invitation extended to Jewish people to come and settle in Palestine in place of the Palestinians, who were the original population of the country. More than 40 years ago Great Britain placed the question of Palestine before the united Nations. On 29 November 1947 the General Assembly adopted resolution 181 (II) concerning the plan for the partition of Palestine, which led to the er ea tion of the Sta te of Isr ael a t the expense of the major i ty of the Pales tin ian people, a people that was expelled and dispersed by various methods of terrorism and repression. The Palestin ians then became refugees in the neighbouring Arab Sta tes and indeed in other foreign coun tries. I srae1 had thus become an aggress ive colonialist base, unleashing successive wars against its Arab neighbours with a view to expansion and the Judaization of Palestine, the expulsion of the Palestinian people and the imposition of Israel's hegelOOny over the entire region. Israel, by its act 'of aggression in 1967, succeeded in carrying out its plan to occupy the remainder of the Palestinian terr i tory in the Gaza Str ip and on the West Bank. Since its occupation of Arab territories Israel has consistently pursued an extremist and expansionist policy, by creating settlements and establishing Zionist settlers in those territories and bringing about the expulsion and exodus of the Palestinians from their territory and the confiscation of their property and the settlement of their land. The Palestinian people, living under the yoke of the Israeli occupation, continues to endure the outrages of these colonialist, expansionist and racist policies. The aggressive intentions and designs of Israel are not limited to ~nfiscation of all Palestinian territory, the expulsion of the Palestinian people lnd aggression against neighbouring Arab States; in addition, Israel has invaded :'ebanon, perpetrated aggression against Irae by bombing the Iraqi nuclear facility, ~hich had been placed under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, not to mention the air raid on Tunisia. Lebanon continues to be exposed to air raids and other acts of aggression by Israel, which is still occupying part of its territory. Today Israel, which was created on the ruins of the Palestinian nation, is carrying out, as it has since 1967, that is, for two entire decades, an official policy that definitely has the long-term and medium-term objective of uprooting the Palestinian people from their territory and occupying that territory, by destroying the social and economic structures of the Palestinians, distorting their authentic cultural heritage and eliminating their Arab character and national identity. Because of the implementation of this arbitrary, terroristic policy, the inhabitants of the occupied Palestinian territories in the west Bank and the Gaza Strip continue to live under military occupation. This is a sombre chapter in their history - living in the shadow of the policy of the occupying Israeli authorities commonly known as the policy of the iron fist, which consists of using the procedures of deportation, administrative detention, house arrest and collective sanctions, destruction of housing, the despoliation of lands and restriction of the most elementary rights such as the right of free speech and the right of free movement, education and national economic development. What makes the situation even more explosive is that the Palestinians in the occupied territories are experiencing untold suffering under a repressive and terroristic occupa tion. What is happening in the occupied Arab terd tories cannot be considered temporary military occupation under international principles and norms. It is not a classical colonialist situation either, such as that experienced by the peoples of Asia and Africa. The very grave situation there is the result of a colonialist system unparalleled internationally. It is indeed a permanent planned and carefully programmed aggression typical of the cancerous settlement policy aimed at m:>difying the denographic structures of these territories through the progressive expulsion of their authentic owners, the systematic expropriation of their lands and their property, and the creation of settlements to be populated by foreign settlers. I do not wish to dwell in deta il on the question of Palestine in its two fundamental aspects, that is, the land and the people. These issues are well known, and the archives of the United Nations are full of the details of this painful and dangerous situation of a people, half of which has been expelled from its national terri tory and the other half of which is da ily exposed to collective extermination under the repressive practices of Israel, without any deterrent measures being acbpted to prevent the aggressor from persisting in his crime. Although the international community is becoming increasingly aware of the justice of the Palestinian people's caUSe and the need to settle all aspects of the problem, as may be seen from the adoption of a ser ies of General Assembly resolutions, such as resolutions 3236 (XXIX), adopted on 22 November 1974, and 41/43, adopted on 3 December 1986, which reaffirms the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and reaffirms the urgent need to achieve the realization of their national rights by the achievement of a just and lasting settlement of the question of Palestine inc~l,1din9 the rights of the Palestinian people to enjoy self-determination without foreign interference, independence and national sovereignty, to return to the homeland from which they were expelled, and to recover the property taken from them. Nevertheless, the achievement of all this has been impossible because of Israel's rejection of the General Assembly resolutions and its non-implementation of the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. During the past 20 years the united Nations has made praiseworthy efforts to undertake initiatives for programmes and projects aimed at achie~ing a just and lasting solution of the Arab-Israeli conflict in order to save Palestine and avoid the imposition of a policy of fait accompli by Israel. All these efforts and interna tional ini tia Uves have been in vain because of the permanent and persistent refusal of Israel and its stubborn contempt for all resolutions and international laws and customs. This attitude on the part of Israel in rejecting peace, a well-known atti tude that has not changed since 1961, clearly and unquestionably reveals the true intentions of Israel: to impose defeat and surrender and gi~e the appearance of peace - which of course is not Israel's aim - thus reaffirming its aggress ive and expansionist character and its hostility to peace and security in that region. We believe that the only possible peace would be one based on justice and equity, which would guarantee the Palestinian people the exercise of their full and inalienable rights, including the r 19ht to self-determination on its Palestinian Arab territory, led by its sole, legitimate representative, the Palestine Liberation Organization. The Arab leaders and Heads of State, including the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole, authentic representa til7e of the Palestin ian people, at th~. Fez summit meeting on 6 september 1982 expressed their willingness to work within the context of the United Nations towards the achievement of a just and campr ehens ive peace based on interna tional law and the pr inci ple of the peace ful settlement of the question of Palestine. qf:~· . ;(,1 The Arab States put forward the Fez peace plan containing eight points all of whioh were inspired by General Assembly resolutions and may be viewed as a solid foundation on whioh to build a just, honourable and peaceful solution of the question of Palestine. That Arab peace plan has been rejected by Israel, just as Israel has rejected and dismissed all other peaceful projects and initiatives since 1967 - not only because such initiatives do not guarantee Israelis full hegemony over all Palestinian territory but also because those initiatives and plans do not satisfy all Israel's designs for domination over the whole region. Despite Israel's refusal to accept this peaceful initiative within the united Nations framework, the Arab Heads of state have expressed their dedication to international legitimacy in seeking to achieve a just and lasting settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict in conformity with General Assembly resolutions and on the basis of recovery of all Arab and Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including the Holy City of Jerusalem, the recovery of the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people, and the solution of the auestion of Palestine in all its aspects. In that context and bearing in mind the historic responsibility of the Arab Heads of State, the Arab Summit held in Amman, Jordan, on 11 November 1987 supported the holding of an international conference under United Nations auspices, with the participation of all the parties concerned, including the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the sole authentic representative of the Palestinian people, and the permanent members of the Security Council. That conference is viewed as the only appropriate means to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict in a peaceful, just and comprehensive manner. We believe that today much more than in the past, the United Nations is being called upon to consolidate and support peace efforts for an international Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People in paragraphs 94 and 9S of its report in document A/42/3S. I should like to reaffirm my country's support for the recommendations and resolutions contained in that report. We share the Committee's admiration of the unity and resilience of the Palestinian people under the leadership of its sole authentic representative, the PLO, in resisting occupation. From this rostrum I should like to hail the resistance of the Palestinian people and the courage it has shown in the various popular uprisings we have witnessed recently in towns of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip expr.essing that people's opposition to occupation and to express the hope that the international community will express solidarity with that militant people and assist it hy supplying it with material, political and moral aid so that it may realize its inalienable national rights. We call upon all States, particularly the permanent members of the Security Council, not to grant financial, military or political assistance to Israel. That assistance enables Israel to persist in its occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories and to neutralize international efforts to bring about a just and lasting peace in the region. History has taught us that peace cannot be built except on a hasis of justice and eauity. Peace is fragile, and if we are not careful it will be defeated. However long the occupation may last, and however grave it may be, this dark night will sooner or later come to an end, because repression cannot succeed against the determination of people to recovery their legitimate rights. Proof of that may be seen in the heroic resistance in the occupied Arab territories and in the popular uprisings that are expressing the Palestinian people's dedication to their land, despite all the arbitrary and tyrannical repression imposed on them, which demonstrates every day the authenticity of that people, which, despite the tragedy through which it is living, continues to believe in its inalienable national rights and the inevitahility of its victory. This is a uniaue chapter in history. We have not seen any other like in anywhere in the world. For those reasons, my delegation hopes that the General Assembly, after having considered the auestion of Palestine for 40 years, will he able to adopt effective resolutions that can lead to a just and lasting solution of the Palestinian crisis and oblige Israel to suhmit to the international will and thus enable the Palestinian people to exercise its inalienable rights. Before concluding I should like to hail the continuing efforts of the members of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People - a Committee which enhances international awareness of the auestion of Palestine. I should also like to hail the efforts of the Chairman of that Committee, Ambassador Massamba Sarre of Senegal, and to express the hope that very soon the Palestinian people will ontain its legitimate inalienable national rights in its territory, in itR homeland, enabling it thus to build an independent State under the guidance of the PLO, its sole legitimate representative. Mr. KIKUCHI (Japan): Throughout the history of the united Nations much of its attention has been focused on the complex problems and tumultuous events in the Middle East region. Most recently, the extremely tense situation surrounding the Iran-Iraa conflict has been at the centre of international concern. While it is not my intention to downplay the urgent need to find an early solution to that tragic conflict, I believe that we must be careful not to allow it to distract us from other long-standing but nevertheless pressing issues in the region. Foremost among those issues is, of course, the auestion of Palestine. Over the years Japan has consistently maintained that as the Palestinian issue lies at the core of the Middle East peace problem its solution is of crucial importance. One of the fundamental questions regarding the Palestinian situation is whether the international community is in fact truly committed to the principle of equal rights and self-determination of all peoples under the United Nations Charter. What is at issue is not only the political and economic interests of the peoples in the region but also their fundamental human right to live in peace and security. It would be both dangerous and absurd to think that the legitimate desire of the Palestinian people for self-determination could be ignored indefinitely, and it would just as mistaken to think that the right of the Israeli people to live in peace and securi ty can be denied. If one's own rights are to be fully recognized and respected, then one has also to recognize and respect the ri ghts of others. Although prospects for an early settlement of the Palestinian question remain dim, the international community must be steadfast in its efforts towards the achievement of peace in the Middle East. I should like to take this opportunity to rei tera te the posi tion of the Go'Jernment of Japan on the Middle East as a whole. I do so in the belief that this position can serve as a useful basis for in terna tional efforts to atta in a just and lasting peace in the region. Fir st, peace in the Middle East must be just, lasting and comprehensive. Secondly, such a peace should be achieved through the early and complete implementation of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and through recognition of and respect for the legitimate rights of the palestinian people, inclUding the right to self-determination, under the United Nations Charter. Thirdly, each and every path towards realization of such a peace must be explored with careful consideration being given to the legi timate secur ity reauirements of the countries in the region and to the aspirations of all the peoples of the region, including the Palestinian people. Fourthly, Japan is of the view that the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) represents the Palestinian people. Thus, in order to advance the cause of peace in the Middle East, Japan believes that it is essential that Israel and the PLO recognize each other's position and that the PLO participate in the peace process. For any peace effort to be fruitful it is essential that the parties concerned show their readiness to enter into negotiations and to demonstrate flexibility as to the negotiation process. In turn, it is the responsibility of the international community to ensure that such forthcoming attitudes are neither ignored nor denigrated, but rather that they are encouraged to develop into a full-fledged peace process based on broad international support. In this regard Japan supports the idea of establishing an international framework for a peaceful settlement. As long as it truly helps facilitate the peace process, Japan is open and flexihle as to its modality. Accordingly my delegation last year voted in favour of resolution 41/43 0, which, among other things, called for convening an international peace conference on the Middle East. To be sure, there are wide differences of opinion with regard to this resolution and many obstacles to its implementation, but I am heartened to note in the Secr.etary-General's report that, in contrast with the experience of recent years, none of the Security Council members opposes in principle the idea of an international conference under United Nations auspices. On this occasion I wish to express Japan's appreciation to the Secretary-General and assure him of its continued support in his efforts to establish a peace process that will lead to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. (Hr. Kikuchi, Japan) Israel's dogged policy of establishing settlements in the occupied territories is an obstacle to any effort to achieve peace. Japan cannot condone that country's actions to change unilaterally the status of the occupied Arab territories, such as its annexation of East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. The recurring clashes between the Palestinians and the Israeli authorities in those territories are a source of serious concern to us. While each clash may arise from a specific set of circumstances, we must point to the underlying Gause of those difficulties, namely, the continued occupation by Israel of Arab territories. While it does not in any way sanction Israel's occupation of those territories, my Government strongly appeals to Israel to make special efforts to protect the human rights of the Palestinian people in full accordance with the Fourth Geneva Convention. Japan also calls upon Israel to demonstrate its sincere desire for peace by adopting a fair and just attitude in its administration of the territories under its occupation. Japan has been making efforts to foster conditions that will lead to a peaceful settlement of the problem. It is in this context that my country supports the idea of convening an international conference. Perhaps a more tangible aspect of Japan's efforts is the support it extends to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (TmRWA), which is playing a dual role in responding to the needs of the Palestinian people and in promoting regional stability. In addition to the contributions in cash and food that it has been extending to TmRWA since 1965, Japan started in 1985 to extend technical assistance as well. It has also been co-operating with UNRWA on its project to construct the Jerash Elementary preparatory School in Jordan. We have witnessed too many examples of countries trying to resolve their disputes by resorting to military means, but history has repeatedly shown that any solution imposed by military force never lasts. This holds true especially in the Middle East, where we have seen the outbreak of one conflict after another. All the parties concerned should learn from history and be prepared to work towards a peaceful solution through negotiations. No party should ever relinquish the goal of peace. I am convinced that among all the parties concerned there are those elements which are ready to enter into peace talks; it iA our collective responsibility to encourage those elements to speak out and call for the commencement of negotiations. In closing I should like to urge all the peoples of the Middle East to look to their rich and centuries-old traditions to find the wisdom that will lead them to a peaceful solution. The Palestinian people, in particular, have a great potential to contribute to regional stability and prosperity. It is my earnest hope therefore that they will soon attain their inalienable right to self-determination and become a genuine stabilizing influence in the region. (Mr. Kikuchi, Japan) Mr. OUDOVENKO (Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic) (interpretation from Russian): The year 1987 will undoubtedly go down in the history of the struggles of the Arab people of Palestine for its rights as a sort of anniversary year, more specifically a year of bitter anniversaries. There are certain dates in the history of the Palestinians which have been landmarks and turning points in their destiny. These are not simply historical milestones but scars on the body of that people. Forty years have elapsed since the Palestinian people was deprived of its right to self-determination and national independence, as recognized by the united Nations. Twenty years have passed since Israel occupied the Palestinian lands in the West Bank of the Jordan, the Gaza Strip and the Syrian Golan Heights, and more than five years have passed since Israel occupied South Lebanon. And lastly, it should be recalled that the so-called Balfour Declara tion, which cost the Palestinians so dearly, was issued 70 years ago. On the land occupied in 1967 there is savage and rampant terror, repression and persecution. One cOlTUllent on this has been made by Professor E. Ieibovitz of the Hebrew University at Jerusalem, who can hardly be accused of lack of pa tr iotism~ "What happened in June 1967 transformed Israel into a conquering PCMer, into an instrument for the harsh domination of another people.... In the territories occupied in 1967, Israel is a colonial PCMer. It is dominating another people by mili tary means." Indeed, it is true that much blood and many tears have been shed by the Pales tin ian people dur ing the past few decades. However, the Pales tin ians are a resilient people and no repression can stop their national liberation struggle, in the vanguard of which stands the Palestine Liberation Organization (POO). This people, continuing in various ways its just struggle against Israeli occupation despi te everyth ing which it has suffered because of the policies of Israeli s Zionist ruling circles, supports efforts aimed at achieving a political resolution to the Palestin ian problem, which would help to el iminate a source of tension in the Middle East. Despi te wide international support for the cause of the Palestinian people and the efforts of the Uni ted Na Hons to plt an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Palestinian problem continues to be a running sore. As I stated previously, this problem has been dealt with in our Organization for almost 40 years now, and whole qenerations of people have been born and have grown up in the Middle East within earshot of the sinister rumblings of war. The human lives which the Arab-Israeli wars have cost and the material damage beyond accurate calculation which has been caused to the peoples of the Middle East - and most of all to the long-afflicted people of Palestine - are truly immeasurable. Those responsible for the fact that the Middle East conflict remains unsettled are by no means anonymous. Fbremost among them is Israel, which for many years now has been pursuing an aggressive, expansionist policy towards the Arab States and peoples, continuing to occuP'/ unlawfully the Arab lands it seized in 1967 and obstinately resisting the restoration and realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestin ian people. ~ypt, Jordan, Syr ia, Iebanon and other Arab countr ies have become victims of Israeli expansionism at various stages. The official statements and the actual deeds of the Israeli authorities have frequently indicated their clear intention to annex the territory of the west Bank of the Jordan and the Gaza Strip. Hand in hand with the economic blood-letting of Palestinian lands and the unlawful changing of their legal status, dellPgraphic structure and histor ica1 character, Israel has been systematically carrying out an .. iron fist" policy, which, as is rightly pointed out in the report of the Committ:e'~ on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, now before the present session of the General Assembly, is pursued: "by Israel, the occupying Power, in the occupied territories, in an effort to curb popular sentiment and activities in opposition to the occupation and in support of the PLO. Demonstrations and protests which spread throughout the territories ••• were met with armed force by Israeli troops on repeated occasions •••• (A/42/3S, para. 22) In the lands expropriated by the occupiers, Israeli settlements have grown up in a dense network. Israel is trying to preclude the very possibility of returning the West Bank of the Jordan River and the Gaza Strip to their legitimate owners and i8 bent upon depriving the Palestinian people of the inalienable right to live on the land of its forefathers. Israel's senior partner in the "strategic alliance" bears equal responsibility for the failure to solve the Palestinian problem. It is the diplomatic and political protection of the United states that provides Israel with a reliahle shield. And by the way, we have an opportunity to observe this political symbiosis in action at every session of the General Assembly. Furthermore, the generous military, economic and financial assistance Israel receives has given it the material capability to pursue its policies in the Middle East and beyond. Another aspect which has a considerable negative effect on efforts to reach a speedy solution to the Palestinian problem is the general state of militar.y and political tension in the area. The continuing Iran-Iraq war is cause for concern and justifiable alarm. The Palestinian problem has been awaiting settlement for a long time. The humiliations and privations which have fallen to the lot of the Palestinian people (Mr. Oudovenko, Ukrainian SSR) force us all to look at this problem differently. And mere words of regret about what is happening to the Palestinians in today's world and about the role which is played in the Middle East by the State of Israel, or irrelevant expressions of sentiment, will not do any good here. The only thing that can help is practical collective effort aimed at a political and comprehensive solution to this difficult problem, taking account of the fundamental interests of all the peoples in the region. Today no one can doubt the objective fact that the absence of a political solution to the Palestinian problem, the crux of the Middle East problem, is the reason for the continuing tension in the Middle Eastern region as a whole, and since this tension has become particularly intense, it constitutes a threat to international peace and security. Finding a just solution to the Palestinian problem means enabling the Palestinian Arabs to enjoy their inalienable rights to return to their homes and to exercise self-determination without outside interference, and to create their own independent State, in accordance with the well-known decisions of the United Nations. (Mr. Oudovenko, Ukrainian SSR) It is perfectly obvious that the Arab people of Palestine has legitimate reason to demand to be allowed to participate in any negotiations which affect either the question of Palestine itself or the Middle East settlement as a whole. This means participation by the PLO as the sole, legitimate represe~tative of the Arab Palestinian people in a Middle East settlement, on an equal f~ting with other concerned parties, at all stages of such negotiations. ~rowing international support for the struggle of the Palestinian people to exercise its inalienable rights has been accompanied by a growing awareness on the part of world pUblic opinion of the crux of this difficult and complex political problem, Which, I repeat, can he resolved only by collective efforts with the participation of all concerned parties. Today, it can be noted with gratification that there is wide international understanding of the fact that the real way to achieve a comprehensive settlement in the Middle East is the immediate convening of an international conference. This idea was supported by the Secretary-General in his report on this item, which states: "I am encouraged by the increased interest on the part of the international community in the idea of a conference that would be convened under United Nations auspices on a basis acceptable to all". (A/42/277, para. 6) Clear evidence of this is also to be found in the course of the discussion of this item at the current session of the General Assembly. Particularly important in this connection are the results of the Arab summit Conference held at Amman, whose participants unanimously confirmed their support for the idea of convening a plenipotentiary international conference. Year after year, the representatives of certain States, speaking from this rostrum, have listed the existing and potential obstacles to convening an international conference to settle the Middle East problem and the auestion of Palestine. Is it not time for us to get down to clearing away the political obstructions along the pa th to a Middle Fas t settlement? We must do th is in a concer ted way, wi th pa tience, tact and an ab ili ty to take into account and respect each other's views and legitimate demands and to speak the same political language. As Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev in an article widely publicized on the international scene, entitled tiThe realities and guarantees for a secure world", said that in order to regulate conflicts: "i t is necessary to make wide use of every means for the peaceful settlement of dispu tes and disagreements between Sta tes, to offer good offices and media tion". The Ukrainian SSR has firmly and consistently taken the side of the Arab people of Palestine in its efforts to exercise its inalienable rights. This is a position of principle which has also been reflected in the diplomatic support we have given the just aspirations of the Palestinian people in the United Nations, in its organs and specialized agencies and in various international forums. An important mission in reaching a solution to the Palestinian problem has also been en trusted to the Committee on the EXercise of the Inalianable Rights of the Palestinian People. The Ukrainian SSR has been a member of the Committee since it was first founded and has been an active participant in the many-faceted work of that body to acquaint international pUblic opinion with the essence of the Palestinian problem and to mobilize efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive M.iddle East settlement and establishing a lasting peace in that part of the world. We value highly the work done by Ambassador Massamba Sarre, the Permanent Representa tive of Senegal, who is the Cha irman of the Commi ttee. 'Ibday the Committee does wide-ranging and useful work with non-governmental organizations of those countries to support the efforts being made to resolve the Palestinian problem and acquainting them with the undistorted facts about the Arab Israeli conflict. Growing interest: is being given to seminars and regional symposia held by non-governmenta1 organ ha tions on the ques tion of Pales tine, and the wor k of tlle Committee is being given wider coverage by the media in various countries, which undoubtedly indicates a growing interest in the question of a Middle East settlement in general, as well as serious concern about the fate of the millions Q.f Palestinian Arabs. The delegation of the Ukrainian SSR believes that a valuable contribution to drawing up the principles for solving the Palestinian problem and taking practical steps to that end is to be found in the Committee's recommendations, which were approved by the General Assembly at its last session. In the present circumstances, the time is ripe to initiate the careful and painstaking work of preparations for an authoritative international conference On, the Middle East, under the auspices of the United Nations, with the participation of all concerned parties, including the PLO, on an equal footing. In this oonnection, as we see it, the mandate of the Committee enables it to intensi'fy the work of helping to realize the idea of creating, within the framework of the Security Council, the preparatory machinery for conven ing an international conference on the Middle East. We also believe that a possible step in that direCtion might be the holding of special meetings of the Committee in order to consider specific political aspects of the present Middle East situation and to discuss thoroughly the possible practical steps for carrying out the appropriate prepara tory work in the framework of the Securi ty CounciL The preparatory work for the conference would also help increase confidence, mutual under standing and co-operation among all interested parties for the settlement of the Palestinian problem and the entire range of difficult elements which make up the Arab-Israeli conflict. Our delega tion urges giv ing a new practical dimension to efforts aimed at resolving the Palestinian problem and embarking on a constructive dialogue, prepar ing and subsequently increas ing confidence-building measures between the parties to the conflict, and seeking mutually acceptable and exclusively peaceful solutions to these problems. For its part, the Ukrainian SSR declares its readiness to make whatever contribution it can to these efforts of our Organization.