S/PV.1739 Security Council

In accordance with the decision taken at our 1736th meeting, I shall now, with the consent of the Council, invite the representatives of Lebanon and Israel to take places at the Council table in order to participate in the di’scussion, without the right to vote, At tlzc inviturion of the President, Mr. E. Gholra (Lebauorz) a& Mr. J. Barmore (Israel) took places at the SecltritJI Council tuble.

I shall next, in accordance with our previous decisions, and with the consent of the Council, invite the representatives of Iraq, Egypt and the People’s Deniocratic Republic of Yemen to take the places reserved for them at the side of the Council chamber. 7. My delegation believes that the gravity of these violations call for some reaction on the part of the Security Council, which has been informed of them. In that way we can avoid the creation of the dangerous precedent of ignoring a violation of international norms in matters as important as freedom of communication. Furthermore, there can be no denial of the fact that this reprehensible incident will make more difficult the efforts to solve the A f the invitation of the Presidelzt, Mr. A. K. Al-Shaikhly (Iraq), LW. A. E. Abdel Meguitl (Egypt) and Mr. A. S. Ashtal (Democratic Yemen) took the places reserved for tlrcr?~ ut the side of the Council chamber. 9. I must say that I am rather sorry to find this accumulation of negative notes, which might give the impression that the position of my delegation is partial or subjective, particularly when dealing with a subject that pits two countries against each other, countries with which Peru maintains normal relations. 10. However, I did want to put before the Council very clearly the views of my delegation and explain why we feel constrained to support any draft resolution that condemns the act committed on 10 August. 1 1. Mr. RIOS (Panama) (interpretation from Sparzishl: Mr. President, may I congratulate you on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council. During this month of August you will have a very weighty responsibility upon your shoulders, but we are sure that with yol~r wisdom and ability you will be able to discharge your functions. My delegation would also like to express its appreciation to Sir Colin Crowe and Mr. Kenneth Jamieson, for the very wise way in which they presided over our debates during the month of July. 12. My delegation has made very clear its position OJI the problem of the Middle East on a number of occasions, and most recently on 14 June 1973 /I726t11 meeting/. Therefore, I do not need to go into the matter at length at this meeting. That being the case, we merely want to state our opposition to the action taken by the Government of Israel on 10 August. We are confronted by two specific facts: first, the penetration of Lebanese air space by Israeli military pianes; and second, the diversion by force of a civil aircraft to a military airport, endangering the lives of many innocent passengers. 13. There is no doubt that that was a violation of the sovereignty of a State Member, of the United Nations, in lontraverltion of the norms and tenets of international civil aviation, as well as the use of force in the solution of a controversy. We also consider that the act of 10 August is a typical example of what was discussed during the recent meetings of the Ad Hoc Committee on International Terrorism and defined as State terrorism, which in the very near future will be condemned by the United Nations. Litho in United Nations, New York Price: $U.S. 1.00 (or equivalent in other currencies) 82001-May 1979-2,200 14. For those of us who have placed our faith in the worll Organization as that force which can bring peace to t]~, Middle East, any act that hinders the achievement of 111, fundamental objective or makes its attainment more &f[i cult is discouraging and depressing. We have heard l]t, reasons adduced by Israel to justify its action of 10 Angllsl and we have also heard the angry protests of Lebanon an, other Arab States. 15. But, sadly, we must note that the event with which W, are now dealing is a great obstacle to the search for peace ii the Middle East. And we feel sad because, as Ambassada Boyd stated in this Chamber: “Panama considers itself linked by special ties o friendship to both parties to the conflict, and it is for t]ja reason that we shall always endeavour cralmly to find jujs and equitable solutions within the framework of t]lr principles and tenets of the United Nations Charter alrd ij keeping with the norms of international law. “The Jews of Panama have contributed significantly 1~ the nation’s economic development and to its social and cultural progress; they constitute a highly respected community in our country, and one that exerts consider. able influence on important facets of the life of lhs country. “The Arabs of Panama, because of their own attributes, because of the many customs they have inherited from Spain, and because they are hard-working and industrious and have mixed with the other people of the cou111~~ have earned the affection of the Panamanians.” /I 7Xrlr meeting, paras. 3 7-39.1 16. We sincerely desire peace in the Middle East so &at the immense resources which arc today being squandered on equipment of death and destruction can be freed to tlclp in the economic and social development of that sorely best region. 17. In conclusion, we must once again invoke resolulion 242 (I 967) as the basic instrument on which negotiationi in good faith and honesty must be undertaken so as to achieve the peace we all desire for our friends in Israel and in the Arab world before it is too late. When I speakofom yearning for peace in the Middle East, I think also of world peace. For no one in today’s world can feel secure whik there are threats of armed conflict in any region of the planet. The meetirlg rose at 12.35 p.m.