S/PV.238 Security Council

Members of the Council have before them document S/15255/Rev.2, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by France. 8. Faced with such prospects, the French Government considers that the Council has the obligation to act. On the basis of its resolutions 508 (1982), 509 ( 1982) and 5 12 (I 982), it must remind the parties to the conflict, and particularly Israel, with all the seriousness that the situation demands, of the requirements of the cease-fire. In order to protect the innocent civilian populations from the consequences of the clashes, it must impose a disengagement of the forces fighting in West Beirut and ensure that that city is spared from total destruction by means of effective neutralization. 9. In the present situation the United Nations can, by its action, promote a development which will banish the spectre of war and desolation. Alongside the Lebanese army, on which the full task of interposing itself and protecting the civilian population will fall, the Council could agree to station United Nations military observers. Their presence would first and foremost meet the concern of the international community, which is also the concern of France, to alleviate the sufferings of the victims of the fighting, to ensure that international assistance reaches the civilian populations and to guarantee the restoration of minimum security in the area. 10. This neutralization of kest Beirut which France proposes cannot therefore be considered as a lasting political solution. It is only the first condition for the opening of genuine negotiations designed to guarantee the existence, security and legitimate rights of each of the States and peoples involved and primarily those of Lebanon itself. The final solution to the present tragedy will be achieved through the restoration of the integrity, sovereignty and independence of Lebanon. It also implies that the problem of the Palestinian people, without the solution of which there can be no hope for peace and stability in the Middle East, will be solved by the recognition of that people’s right to a State enjoying the same rights as the other States of the region, in particular the State of Israel. 11. I shall now resume my functions as PRESIDENT, 12. It is my understanding that the Council is ready to vote on the draft resolution before it, with the corrections which I read out at the beginning of the meeting. If’ there are no objections, I shall now put the draft resolution to the vote, In .fi~of~~: China, France, Guyana, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Panama, Poland, Spain, Togo, Uganda, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Zaire

i I shall now call on those representatives who hitve asked to be allowed to make statements after the voting.

The fundamental basis of the policy of the United States is now, and has consistently been, to contribute to the restoration of the full authority of the IGovern- ~ ment of Lebanon throughout its land and it:: sovereignty and territorial integrity. My Government is deeply moved by the suffering of the Lebanese people in the present crisis. We had hoped that the draft rcsulution before the Council tonight would have reflected this basic concern. Unfortunately the draft resolution, while containing many elements we support, fails 10 call for the essential requisite for the restoration of the authority of the Government of Lebanon, that is the elimination from Beirut and elsewhere of the presence of armed Palestinian elements who neither submit to nor respect the sovereign authority of the Llebancse Government. 15. The omission of this requisite, in our view, thus is inconsistent with the essential goal of restoration of Lebanese sovereignty. That, we believe, is a fatul flaw. 16. The draft resolution does contain many elcments that we support, namely: first, a call for itn immediate cease-fire; secondly, a call for simultaneons withdrawal of Israeli and Palestinian forces from the area of Beirut; and thirdly, the proposal that United Nations observers, upon the request of the Government of Lebanon, monitor the cease-fire. 17. The members of the Council are well aware uf the threat which armed foreign elements pose to the authority of the Government of Lebanon and to stubility throughout the region. We deeply regret that this central factor was not accorded the weight WCJ believed it must have in the draft resolution before us. 18. The PRESIDENT (intcrprctcttion .fiorn Frcnchl: The next speaker is the representative of Israel, upon whom I now call.

On Friday, I I June, the Government of Israel adopted a decision which stated. inter trlirr : This position of my Government has been reaffirmed on a number of occasions since, despite the fact that the cease-fire has been broken and violated repeatedly by the other side. 20. In keeping with this position, my Government once again instructed the Israel Defence Forces yesterday, 25 June, to cease fire on all fronts in Lebanon at 8 p.m., local time, corresponding to 2 p.m., New York time. According to the information that reached me some I5 minutes ago, this cease-fire 22. Mr. TUl?NI (Lebanon): It is no longer the hour for speeches, Mr. President, and 1 simply take the floor to say how much my country and Government appreciate the initiative of France and its President, Mr. Mitterrand. We know that no resolution can be perfect. The draft before the Council is not something we can discuss-we are not members of the Council. We can only express our regret at the fact that it was not adopted. HOW TO OBTAIN UNITED NATIONS PUBLICATIONS 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 NATIONS UNIES Les publications des Nations Unies sont en vente dans les librairies ct les agences depositaires du monde entier. Informez-vous auprds de votre libraire ou adressez-vous B : Nations Unies, Section des vcntes. New York ou Gen&ve. COMO CONSEGUIR PUBLICACIONES DE LAS NACIONES UNJDAS Las publicaciones de las Naciones Unidas estdn en venta en librerlas y casas distribuidoras en todas panes del mundo. Consulte a su librero o dirijase a; Nacioncs Unidas, Secci6n de Ventas. Nueva York o Ginebra. Litho in United Nations. New York 00300 8%60989-June 1989-4.050