S/PV.2253 Security Council

In accordance with previous decisions [2247th, 2248rh, 2250th and 2251s~ meetings], I invite the representatives of Iran and Iraq to take places at the Council table and I invite the representatives of Cuba and Japan to take the places reserved for them at the side of the Council chamber. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Ardakani (Iran) and Mr. Kittani (Iraq) took places at the Council table and Mr. Ron Kouri (Cuba) and Mr. Nisibori (Japan) took’ the places reserved for them at the side of the Council chamber.

First, Mr. President, I should like to congratulate you very warmly on your assumption of and conduct of the presidency of the Council this month and, by the same token, my warmest thanks go to my colleague, Anlbassador Taieb Slim of Tunisia, for the skill with which he conducted our work last month. 3. When I addressed the Council on this question on 28 September [2248th meeting], it was to urge the need for an immediate end to the fighting betwee? Iraq and Iran and to express the hope that, once the fighting had ceased, negotiations could start in order to find a settlement to the complicated dispute between those _- 1 two countries. Unhappily, that hope has not yet been fulfilled. There has been no cease-fire. There have been no negotiations. 4. For five weeks now open warfare has raged between Iraq and Iran, and it has not been confined to the border areas but has reached far into the territories of both countries. There has been extensive loss of life and suffering for the civilian population on both sides. Each side has inflicted major damage on the economic installations of the other: the economies of both of them will probably take years to recover, even from the damage they have sustained so far. Moreover, this war is taking place in a part of the world which is of critical importance to the well-being of us all. Many countries represented round this table, incltiding my own, have been innocent sufferers from this conflict: foreign nationals have been killed or wounded, merchant ships damaged by gunfire or immobilized in the area Of conflict, trade and communications interrupted. 5. No country represented on the Cbuncil, indeed no country in the world, can be happy that this dreadful conflict should continue. My Government has welcomed the efforts that hnve been made by you and your predecessor, Mr. President, by the Secretary-General, by the Islamic Conference and by the non-aligned countries, to urge restraint on the parties and to try to find some basis on which they can settle their diiferences peacefully. The Council has heard representatives of both sides giving a full exposition of their respective points of view. It was good that the Council did so. We have learned at first hand how deep and how wide the differences are between the two sides. At the same time their statements have given us the opportunity to try to identify points on which in due course it may be possible-indeed must be possible--to base a settlement. 6. As I indicated in my statement on 28 September, I do not believe that the Council need apologize for what some allege to be its inaction during the last five weeks. We continue to seek a peaceful settlement of this dispute with the consent of both parties. 7. It is not for me to say whether the two parties to the present conflict are yet ready to let the Council help them find a peaceful settlement. I hope that their representatives will soon be in a position to tell us that they are ready. But, meanwhile, my delegation believes that if we examine the statements made by the 8. First, territory is one of th$points at issue. My Government has noted with approbation the statements by the President and Foreign Minister of Iraq that Iraq has no territorial ambitions against Iran. The border conflict between Iraq and Iran goes back over four centuries. There have been a number of treaties in that time. The most recent of them was signed in 1975. We have noted the frustration expressed by the representatives of Iraq at the delay in implementing it. Equally, we have noted the complaints by the representatives of Iran that the mechanisms it contains for the.resoiution of any dispute over its implementation have not been resorted to. It is not for my delegation to apportion blame. But we docontinue to urge both sides to acknowledge the commitments they have entered into to settle their disputes by peaceful means. 9. Finally, there is one further principle which is of general interest as well as being of direct concern to the parties to the conflict. I refer to the arrangements for navigation in the Shatt-Al-Arab, which is a major waterway vital to international shipping. We are fully aware of Iraq’s legitimate concern to have unimpeded access to the Gulf. We are equally aware that Iran has major ports on the east bank of the waterway. A settiement of the present conflict should take into account all these factors. In a broader context, I welcome the assurances given by both parties regarding freedom of navigation through the Gulf. 10. This war is not only about territory. Each side alleges the use or threat of force and interference by the other in its internal affairs. My delegation is not in a position to express a view about the validity of those allegations. But again we should draw the combatants’ attention to two more of the basic principles of conduct which arise out of the Charter and international law, namely, that States should refrain from the threat or use of force against each other and that,States should not interfere in each other’s internal affairs. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the past, it is surely on a mutual commitment to these fundamental principles that a peaceful settlement must be based. 11. In conclusion, I again urge the Governments of Iran and Iraq to heed the resolution the Council adopted on 28 September [resolution 479 (1980)J and to find a peaceful solution to their conflict. And I pledge again my Government’s full support for all the efforts which are being undertaken to mediate between them.

Mr. President, on this occasion, I should like to join the other delegations 13. At the same time, my delegation wishes to express its appreciation of the efforts expended by your predecessor, the representative of Tunisia, on the same problem. It will be recalled that during his incumbency as President, the Council adopted unanimously resolution 479 (1980) seeking an immediate cessation of hostilities between Iran and Iraq and urging a peaceful solution through negotiations of the differences between them. We also recall that the President had appealed to the two parties, in our behalf,’ to settle their dispute by the same peaceful means. 14. Needless to say, we are all highly appreciative of the unremitting efforts of the Secretary-General to bring both parties to the negotiating table and to offer his good oflices in assisting the unfortunate victims of this conflict, especially non-combatants, and in ensuring that peaceful commercial navigation in the area of conflict is not placed in jeopardy. 15. On a matter that seriously threatens the peace and security not only of two parties but also of the international community, as the present situation actually does, the responsibility of the Council is clear and unambiguous. It cannot and should not take a secondary role to any other organization or any other effort; it cannot and should not shirk its responsibility just because other initiatives are being taken; it cannot and should not be inactive because of the uncompromising posture of either’ or both parties. It must now resolutely and decisively address itself to this crisis. Inasmuch as no progress towards peace is foreseeable at the present time, the United Nations’ must redouble its efforts to find a common ground on which ’ the parties concerned could begin a serious and positive movement towards a peaceful accommodation. This common ground, which so far has eluded our search, must be one which will lead to a solution that is satisfactory and acceptable to both parties. It must be one on which a just and durable settlement can be based, in view of the fact, .of which we are ail aware, . that the issues involved go back far in time and, unless resolved, could again create discord in the region. 16. This is an issue that constantly threatens to involve other parties-not only a few, but the entire region and even much of the international commu- 17. This point-that the. United Nations should be involved in the dispute as a third party-is important and cannot be over-emphasized. We are all aware of .how divisive this conflict has become. We therefore urge all other parties to assist the United Nations in our search for a common ground as a starting-point from which both parties could move towards peace.. If third parties continue to abet the conflict, not only will it threaten to engulf many other parties, the super- Powers included, but it will also influence each party to become less inciined to favour the compromise so necessary as a starting-point in this matter. 18. Much as we deplore the death and destruction caused by this war, we are also aware of the violation this war has caused of the universal principles for which the United Nations stands, on which are premised good relations among States and our hope for the future of the community of nations. Those, we all know, include principles on non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of States; respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of States; the inadmissibility of the use of force in the settlement of disputes, and its corollary, the necessity to resort to peaceful means in the settlement of disputes among States. 19. Apart from the universal yearning for peace and the desirability of co-operation in relations among States, those principles could, together with other elements which we all know both parties share, form . the basis of the common ground of which we speak, on which to rebuild a structure of peace in that troubled region. Between Iran and Iraq, as in any other situation of conflict anywhere in the world, mutual interests outweigh any differences and should in the end prevail over all other considerations. 20. On such common grounds, both parties can by themselves or with the assistance of the international community begin to resolve their differences by means ‘of a peace formula. Such a formula may not at the outset address itself to issues on which there is total disagreement and on which both parties do not for the moment foresee any compromise. But it can, and it should, begin with an agreement, inter alia, to cease all hostilities; to desist from all acts that tend to draw other parties into the conflict; to effect a’ disengage- 22. We are gratified that a beginning has been made towards the resolution of this conflict. The fact that both parties have appeared before the Council and have stated their case to the international community cannot but be regarded as a hopeful sign by all of us. Indeed, we take it as’ the start of the common ground from which we can proceed. We are gratified at the appeal to the community of nations that such an act signifies. More than that, we are gratified at the recognition of the fact that unless certain norms of international law and of the charter pertaining to relations among States are observed and respected by all States, man cannot coexist on this planet. 23. The Council has already appealed directly to both parties-through you, Mr. President, and the Secretary-General-to begin the peacemaking process between themselves. We have adopted resolution 479 (1980); we have met unceasingly with the repiesentatives of the parties. If at this juncture our efforts are not met with complete success, it is not for lack of trying. But try we must, as often as necessary; seek we must for that glimmer of rapprochement, no matter how faint, that may signify that an arrangement that is mutually acceptable and offers promise of eventual resolution of the issues in this conflict is near at hand. 24. As we renew our appeal to both parties, let us assure them both that our deepest concern embraces their legitimate national interests as well as the welfare of their peoples and of their neighbours. It is in no one’s interest further to prolong this war. In the final analysis, in such a war there are no winners, only losers. The meeting rose at 4.40 p.m. NOTE ’ See Resolutions und Decisions of the Security Council. 1980, p. 23. HOW TO OBTAIN UNITED NATIONS PUBLICAI’IONS United Nations publications may be obtained from bookstores and distributors throughout the world. Consult your bookstore or write to: United Nations, Sales Section. New York or Geneva. COMMENT SE PROCURER LES PUBLICATIONS DES NAllONS UNIES Les publications da Nations Unies sent en vente dans les librairies et les agences d&&aim du monde cntier. Informer-vous aupr&s de votre libraire ou adressez-vous B : Nations Unies. Section ties ventes. New York ou Gentle. 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