S/38/PV.44 Security Council

Alarm, indignation and condemnation, these are the particularly eloquent terms that were used - on 19 June 1981 by Mr. Mufioz Ledo, representative of Mexico, who was then President of the Security Coun- cil, I to describe the state of mind of the international community when faced with the air attack on the Iraqi nuclear reactor for peaceful purposes by the Israeli air force. 2. The circumstances of this premeditated, unprovoked and unprecedented act of war certainly do not require any tedious elaboration in the Assembly, which has expressed in clear terms, in the relevant resolutions, the justifiable feelings of the whole international community, and its firm condemnation of this most distressing event. 3. The delegation of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania has on several occasions conveyed to the Organization the feelings of indignation aroused by that action in our people. Our delegation wishes'to recall once again today that the attack against the nuclear installations of Iraq committed on 7 June 1981 was not only a characteristic act of armed aggression but a further challenge to the Arab nation and the United Nations by international zionism. 4. The destruction of the Tamuz plant has taken on dimensions which make it a matter of concern to the whole international community, including those who persist against all common sense in excusing crimes when they are committed by Israel and, with surprising indul- gence, always find mitigating circumstances in the case of the Palestinian usurper. 5. First of all, it was a deliberate attack against the IAEA safeguards system. That Agency, which had inspected the Iraqi reactors, stated clearly in its report that it had not found any violation of the safeguards agreements. 6. Crying "stop thief", Israel, which is not·a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons [resolution 2373 (XXII), annex] and which alone and in close collaboration with its South African ally and emu- lator is establishing a nuclear arsenal, attacks a country which is a member of the Treatyand, in addition, follows strictly the verification rules of the IAEA. ·Resumed from the 42nd meeting. NEW YORK 7. Israel, governed by its racial disdain and hegemon- istic appetite, was actually attacking the technological and industrial prospects that the reactors could offer a country, which, in strange Zionist logic, must remain backward and therefore vulnerable. That, we are certain, is a theory that the overwhelming majority of countries represented here can neither understand nor accept and even less excuse. 8. Finally, obstinately refusing to be part of any peace process and emboldened by its military superiority in present circumstances, Israel· continues to display dis- quieting signs of belligerence that are dangerous for the security and stability of the Arab East, while dangerously mortgaging the future of hundreds of thousands of innocent people brought over from five continents by international zionism to strip the Palestinian people of its inalienable and unrestricted rights. 9. In addition, the immeasurable harm suffered by Iraq is difficult to quantify, while the adverse effects which the attack against the nuclear facilities will have for decades to come on the health of the Iraqi people are impossible to determine. 10. It goes without saying that this barbarous act and Israel's stubborn desire to carry out further attacks call for appropriate and truly deterrent sanctions from the international community, primarily from the Security Council and the General Assembly. 11. The delegation of the Islamic Republic of Mauri- tania is of the view that the measures proposed in draft resolution A/38/L.7 now before us could, interalia, help us attain part of this objective. 12. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can surprise us from an entity which constantly defies all recognized practices of international legality and the rights of others. For Israel, crime has always paid and its main concern is to prevent all·progress and stability in the Middle East. 13. We have no doubt that it is for the Arab peoples and for their brothers and allies to put an end to Israeli arrogance in all its unspeakable acts. But it is also the collective responsibility of the Assembly and the par- ticular responsibility of those who shower this entity- which knows little fear and shows such disregard for the Organization's Charter-with human, technological, economic and military assistance, thus giving it this astonishing, emboldening but highly ephemeral illusion of eternal superiority. 14. Mr. PASHKEVICH (Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic) (interpretation from Russian): The piratical raid by the Israeli air force on the Iraqi nuclear centre near Baghdad was a deliberate and unprecedented act of aggression in terms of its unforeseeable consequences and a violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the norms of international law. The attack on the nuclear facilities of Iraq, which were under IAEA safeguards and were located on the territory of a Member State party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, is an act of defiance by Israel which demonstrates its disregard not only of the Non-Proliferation Treaty but of the role and functions of the IAEA and the international system of safeguards. 36. Despite all these efforts, no measures have been adopted that would preclude a repetition of the attack against peaceful nuclear facilities. 37. Neither the requests and demands made in Security Council resolution 487 (1981) nor those contained in General Assembly resolutions 36/27 and 37/18 have be-en complied with. The causes of the disregard of those resolutions must be seen in the light of the following background. The armed Israeli aggression against Iraqi nuclear installations is a consequence of the imperialist policy of confrontation. That l~f)licy has encouraged Israel to commit aggressive acts against the Arab States and the Palestinian people who, under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO], are fighting for the implementation of their inalienable rights. It is that policy that has led to the "strategic alliance" between future, States m-e placed in a position to acquire weapons systems that would :nsure the protection of their peace- ful nuclear installations. There can be no doubt that such a development would be contrary to the concerted efforts of the international community to reverse the dangerous and expensive arms race. 77 0 The Israeli action and the subsequent intolerable posture that it has adopted impinge upon a State's right to select nudear energy as an alternative energy source for its national economic development. In addition, as is well known, nuclear research centres play an important and crucial role in developing scientific and technical excellence and contribute to related research in non- nuclear areas of economic development. 78. Thus, for developing countries the development of nuclear energy can be an important component in the attainm~nt of their national economic goals. However, owing to the highly technical and,scientific complexities involved, such development is dependent on bilateral and ,multilateral co-operation with advanced States. It should be noted that, in the context of the new international pos:~:on is supported by numerous international decisions of the lAEA, the General Assembly and the Security Council, which in June 1981 unanimously adopted reso- lution 487 (1981). The Security Council strongly con- demned that armed aggression and considered it a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international conduct. 100. On 15 June 1981 the Egyptian delegation joined with others in the debate in the Security Council.3 We denounced the Israeli act of aggression, refuted all Israeli pretexts and rejected all Israeli claims that it had acted in self-defence by carrying out pre-emptive attacks. 101. The study concerning the consequences of the Israeli armed attack against the Iraqi nuclear installations devoted to peaceful purposes [ibid.) contains conclusions which draw our attention. We are reminded that Iraqi. nuclear activities were covered by the lAEA safeguards system, and that Iraq had committed itself to respect its safeguards agreement with the Agency, based on Iraq's accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, whereas Israel, which destroyed the nuclear reactor, has not thus far acceded to that Treaty or placed its nuclear activities under the lAEA safeguards system. 102. Among the consequences to which the study attaches great importance is the potentially serious dam- age to international norms and institutions. The report calls on all of us to guarantee t~e safe development of nuclear activities, and emphasizts that radioactive fall- out is not restricted to the country which is the victim of any attack, but could spread to other areas, since it does not respect national boundaries. Furthermore, the study refers in paragraph 128 to the future and draws attention to a number of measures that need to be taken. 103. International law confirms the right of every country to develop its economy and to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. In light of the well-known inter- national safeguards and of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, to which it has acceded, Iraq is fully entitled to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes on a par with all nations without any discrimination. Therefore any act or threat aimed at preventing or limiting the exercise of this right would be in violation of a basic principle of the Charter of the United Nations, namely, the equal sovereignty of States. Such act or threat would affect international co-operation and destabilize the established system created by the international community to organize the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. 104. Consequently we feel impelled to reiterate our total rejection of any impediment to the exercise of that right on any grounds. The respect for that right is a basic principle which has been embodied in United Nations resolutions as well as in IAEA decisions and the safe- guards system. 105. In conclusion, my delegation believes that the draft resolution before the General Assembly reflects all these considerations and fears and therefore, as at previous sessions, we will vote in favour of this draft, including the oral aplendments lliade by the representative of Iraq. 106. Mr. NAWAZ (pakistan): The blatant Israeli attack against the Iraqi nuclear research reactor compfex nearly two and a half years ago "{as a violation of international i29. In conclusion, I would like to express sincere thanks to the Secretary-General and the group of experts who prepared the comprehensive study on this act of aggression. 130. Mr. EL-FATTAL (Syrian Arab Republic) (inter- pretationfrom Arabic): Once again the delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic is participating in this discussion, and that is because Israeli aggression is continuing. This aggression has so far gone unpunished. We speak once again to reaffirm that the Israeli attack against an instal- lation which was intended for peaceful purposes, to prodlce energy, was only one more link in the chain of Israeli attacks against a part of the Arab nation and against the will of that people to joil. in the march towards progress, especially progress in the sophisticated technological field. 131. The Israeli aggression against the Iraqi reactor took place with the full knowledge and assistance of the United States of America. In spite of the fact that the United States did not vote against Security Council resolu- tion 487 (1981), it has in no way dispelled the suspicion that it was fully aware of that attack and that it co- operated with Israel, its agent in the area. 132. The United States voted as it did on that Security Council decision in order to frustrate international efforts to isolate Israel completely from the international com- munity through the application of the provisions of Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, which provides for the imposition of collective, comprehensive and effective sanctions against the aggressor. The act of aggression against the peaceful Iraqi nuclear installations was aimed not only at damaging""an Arab project, but also at paving the way towards bombing every Arab " project serving the interests of our people. 134. We have become a sponsor of the draft resolu- tion [A/38/L. 7] which the General Assembly has before it, and this was but one step with a view to encouraging the Assembly to put an end to the Israeli presence among the States which are represented here. 135. At the 42nd meeting we heard the statements of the Israeli delegation, in which crocodile tears were shed over the waters and the environment of the Gulf. We did not hear one word which would enable us to believe that Israel will abide by international law or, at least, take into consideration the fact that it has been condemned by world public opinion. Resolutions will not halt Israeli aggression. We must take specific measures. The repre- sentative of Israel must leave this Hall following a resolution adopted by an overwhelming majority. 136. From the beginning of this session we have felt that there is a trend to deprive Israel of its presence in the General Assembly, just as we have deprived South Africa of the privilege of sitting in the Assembly-South Africa which is co-operating in the nuclear field with Israel, a country which has no love for peace. 137. There are indications that prove without a shadow of doubt that Israel is determined to wage further aggres- sion against m:clear and non-nuclear installations, inside and outside Arab countries. Israel acts as if any progress scored by developing peoples constitutes a threat against it. According to its colonialist and racist logic, these projects must be eliminated. The co-operation between the two racist, colonialist resimes in occupied Palestine and in South Africa is but proof that the racists cannot live in an area which is prosperous and which witnesses socio-economic and technological progress. 138. The pretext used by Israel has always been Israel's security. The representative of Israel can laugh if he wishes, but others do not laugh. They weep as they see the effects of Israeli and United States aggression on the destiny of the third world. 139. I would like to quote from the statement of the Syrian representative in the Security Council concerning Israel's security: "Israel's fantasy of security is but a cover for its war crimes and expansionist practices. At all stages of the unfolding of the Zionist stratagem, fear for its security has remained the deceitful slogan of Israeli leaders, used to cover up any aggression or expansion. Colonial settlements in the occupied Arab territories are built on that false pretence; southern Lebanon has been subjected to a scorched-earth policy and repeatedly invaded on the pretext of security, pre-emptive or preventive; thousands of Arabs have been evicted from home and property, and the excuse is Israeli security; the Israeli collusion in the 1956 tripartite aggression occurred under the banner of preventive security; and the 1967 blitzkrieg and Israel's consequent expansion to sby:times its original size were also justified as a pre-e'mptive imperative. Arrests, assassinations, col- lective punishments, deportations, the maiming of the *Quoted in English by the speaker. NOTES