S/PV.2910 Security Council

I should like to inform the -- Council that I have received letters from the reoresentativee of Israel, Jordan and Uenecsl in which thev request to be invited to particioate in the Biscueelon of the item on the Council’s aaenda. fn accorilame with the usual oractice, I propose0 rJith the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to particioate in the discueeion without the risht to vote, in accordance 4th the relevant orovteione of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council*e vrovisionel rules of prooedure. There being no objection, it ie 80 decided. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Rein (Israel), Mr. Salah (Jordan) and Mrs. Diallo (r)enecal) took the places reserved for t&em ict the aide of the Council - -- Chamber.

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter dated 13 March 1990 from the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, which has been issued aa document S/21191 and reads aa follows: “I have the honour to request that, in accordance with its orevious oractice, the Securitv Council invite His Ezcella~ Mr. Farouq Qaddoumi. Head of the Political Department of the Palestine Liberation Oraanizetion, to oarticioate in the debate cn the item entitled ‘The situation in the occuoiad Arab territories’. * The request ie not made nursuant to rule 37 or rule 39 of the provisional rulea of orocedure oE the Securitv Council but if aDoroved bv the Council would invite the Head of the Political DeDartment of the Palestine Liberation Oraanization to Particioate, not under rule 37 or rule 39, but with the same riahts of PntticiMtion of rule 37. Doe6 anv member of the Secutitv Council wish to sneak on this request? Mr. WASON (United States of America) t Aa thie ie the f iret time I have eaoken during vour pre8idencv, Sir, I ehould like to consratulate vou warmly on your asaumMion of that PoBt. I should also like to thank VOW Dredsce880rr the EeDresentative of Cuba, for hio exemplarv performfmce aa President last month. I The United States will request a vote cn the rxooasal before the Security Council, and the United States will vote aqainat it on two around& Piret, we believe that the Council does not have before it a valid requeet to eoeak. Secondiv, the iinited ikate maiiitGtiiG that the ObGt-t=: & tbo ?=Ltstfnt Liberation Orqanization should be aranted oermiesion to speak onlv if the requeet COmDliee with rule 39 of the rules of Praeedure. xn our ViQW it ia unwarranted and unwise foe the Council to break with its Own practice and roles. As members of the Counci 1 we should ask ourselves this quest ion: does a decision to break with our rules and DcmadUCes enlaW or diainish the Council’s abilitv to play a constcucttve role in the Middle East peace Qmcess? My delesation fir&v believes it diminishes the Counoil*s abilitv to PlaV Such a tale. As all members of the Council ace aware, it is a lam established oractice that Observers do not have the ctoht to speak in the Secucitv Council at their oUn request. Rather a request must be raade on the Observer’s behalf bv a Member State. MY Government sees no justification for anv departure from that ocactice. It is eleac that General Assembly resolutions ace not bindiM on the SecucitV Council. In any event, there is nothinq in resolutions recently i?dODted bv the Assembly thet woub3 warrant a chsnae in Secutity Council Dracttce. General Assemblv resolution 43/177, which oucoorted to chanse the desimation of the FLO Mission did so g’without Pceiudice to the observer statue and functions of the Palestine Liberation Orqanizetion within the United hlatfons sVstemr in COnfOcmitV with relevant unitea PJations resolutions and otsctice*. (Yr. Watson, United States\ ---.w-__I---- That resolution does not constitute recognition of any State of Palestine. Like manv other Members of the United Nations , the United States does not recoanise such a State. The United States has consistentlv taken the position that under the Provisional rules of procedure of the Securitv Council, the onlv lesal basis on which the Council may orant a hearing to persons speaking on behalf of non-uovernmental entities is rule 39. For four decades the United States has suoported a generous interpretation of rule 39, and it would not have objected had this matter heen aoororxiately raised under that rule. We are, however, ouoosed to SDecial, ad hoc deDarture8 from orderly procedure. The United States consequently opposes arantino to the PLO the same riohts to narticioate in the proceedinos of the Security Council 83 those that would be qranted if that orqanization reoresented a State Member of the United Nations. We believe in listeninq to all points of view, but not in a manner that requires violatiw the rules. In uarticular, the United States does not aciree dth the recent practice of the Security Council that aDDears selectivelv to trv, throuah a departure from the rules of procedure , to enhance the prestioe of those who wi8h to speak in the Security Council. The PRESIDaOT (interoretation from Arabic) ; I thank the ropreaentative of the United Sta tee for the kind words he addressed to (PB. If no other me&dr of the Council wishes to speak et this staqe, I shall take it that the Council is ready to vote CBI the request bv Palestine. It ie so decided. I therefore nw out to the vote the request by Palestine. (Mr. Watson, United States) A, vote WI~B taken by ahow of hands. In tavouet China, Colombia, C6te d*Ivoire, Cuba, Dercocrattc Yemen. Ethinoia, Finland, Malay8 ia. mmanfa, Union of Soviet Sociali8t ReOubliC8. Zaire Aaain8t: United State8 of America Abstainins: Canada, France, United Kinadorn of Great Britain and Northern Ireland *he PmIDmT (interpretation from Arabic) r The reeul t of the votinu ie 88 fd1ow81 11 votes in favour, 1 against MB 3 abstentions. The request nai3 been anoroved. At the invitation of the President, the rerxesentative of Psleatine took a Dlace at the Council table. *he PNE~Iu~* ( Lntarotetaion f corn Arabic) : I should like to inform the Council that I have teeeived a letter dated 14 March 1990 from the Permanent Reoreeentetfve Of Jordan to the United Nations, which read8 a# fo11cwer “f have the hcmour to ttXJU68t th8t the Beeuritv Counail extend an fnvitatton under rule 39 of its orovisional rule8 of orocedure to lie Esccellencv Ambaeaatfor Clovie Maksoud, Permanent Obeerver of the Leaaue Of Arab Statea to the United Nations, durina the Council’s dieoueeion of the item oreaentlv on it8 auenba: That letter wil1 be publiehed as a document of the Securitv Council under the 8yrpbO1 8/21193. If I h8ar no objection, I shall tske it that the Council apreee to extend an invitation under ruie 39 00 rir. MK~ow~. There beina no objection, it ie 80 decided. The Securitv Council will now besin ite consideration of the item on fte aaenda. The Security Council ie meetinq in response to the request contained in a letter (S/21139) dated 12 Februarv 1990 from the Permanent Representative cf the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Securitv Council. f should like to draw the attention of members of the Council to the followina documents: S/21118, letter dated 31 Januarv 1990 from the Char& d’affaires ad interim of the Permanent Mission of the Union of Soviet Socialist Reoublics to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General3 S/21133, letter dated 7 February 1990 from the Char& d’affaires ad interim of the Permanent Mission of Kuwait to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-Generdlt s/21134, letter dated 7 February 1990 from the Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-Generals S/21137, letter dated 9 February 1990 from the Permanent Representative of the Union of Soviet Socialist Rewblics to the United Nations addressed to the Secretarv-General) s/21143, letter Bated 13 February 1990 from the Permanent Representative of the Union of Soviet Socialist &publics to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General; s/21144, letter dated 12 February 1990 from the Permanent Representative of Tunieia to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-Gemcal: S/21182, letter dated 8 Maroh 1990 from the Chars6 d’affairee ad interim of the Permanent Mission of Oman to the United Nations addressed to the Becretarv-Generals S/21186, letter dated 12 March 1990 from the Permanent Representative of the Unbn of Soviet Sooialiet Republics to the United Nations addressed to the Secretarv-General: and B/21192, letter dated 13 March 1990 from the Permanent Representative of Yuqoslavia to the United Nations addressed to ths Secretary-General. (The President) The first speaker is the reaceaenta tive of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, on whom I now call. Ht. BEUMDDGOV (Wnion of Soviet Socialist Republics) (interpretation from Russian) i I should like to take this opportunity to conaratulate YOU, Sir, the representative of the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen - a countrv for which the Soviet people have feelinqs of friendship and svmpathv - on your assumPtion of the important post of President of the Securitv Council. Allw me to express mv convicticn that your rich political experience and hiqh level cf professionalism ensure the effective and fruitful work of the Securitv Council in March. It is with a feelins of meat eatisfacticm that I express also mv gratitude to VOUZ DredBCeEsOr, the Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations, for his skilful conduct of the proceedinqs of the Council in Pebruaw. I wish to welcome the Foreiqn Mfnietere of Cuba and Malaysia and the Head of the Political Department of the Paleetine Liberation Drqaniaation. Their Particioation in the work of the Council will lend a much more veiqhtv character to the discussion of the item on the aqenda today. This maetinq of the Security Council has been convened at the request of the Soviet Union. Pollowins a number of statement5 bv u5 - par tlcularly the eta tement bv the Mlniater for Poreiqn Affairs of the USSR on 9 Februsrv - and also contacts 4th Istael, ?he United States and Arab oountriea, we have some to the oonolusion that the queetion of Iarael*e action5 in eettlins the occupied territoriee with oersone who have never lived in those territories is eztremelv serious and affects matters of seouritv in the #iddle East. (The Preoident) In that reaard, the Soviet Government has decided to brina before the . securitv Council the question of the consideration of Israel*s unlawful actions iu settlins the occupied terrftor les. Statements by Prime Minister Yitahak Shamir and other brominent Iarsells about the settlement in the occupied Arab territories of lmiqtants arziVi!W in Israel from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic8 and elsewhere are causinq deep concern in the 8oviet Union. The International reaction has also been uniformb critical- Practical moves in furtherance of such schemes are a violation of aenerallv recoanized etandarde of international law# leadinq to heightened tensions and atcnuina confrontation and extremism In the Middle East - esoeciallv the OCtXIDied terr i tor tea - further increaeina the danaer to human rtqhts, human safetv and even human life. Meabers of the Securitv Council are of course aware that the United Nations her teoeatedlv coudemued illeqel moves bv Iersel to establish settlements in the OONDied terfitarie6, holdins them to be in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, of which Israel is a eiqnatozv. Pursuant to article 49 of the Carvention, “the Ckcuoyino Pauer shall not deport or tranefer parta of its own civilian population into the territory it occuoiesa. The situation arieincr bv Virtue of IeraelDs flartinq of international leqal standarde in the oacur>ied territories requires the Seouritv Council~~ immediate attention. It ie relev8nt in that reeserd ta draw the Counoil’e attention to the statement of 16rae1’8 #inieter of ftoueinq on 8 Maroh 1990, to the effeot that his Wniettv ia workins on plane for buildine 4,000 ho-0 and auaztmentg en the Ueet Bank for the settlement of imiarante. BY theze meane, the Government of Ierael la heading toward8 deliberate violation the ~covlsion5 of the Geneva Convention. 1t.s ooeition 10 also in violation of the decieione of the decucity Camcil on that subject, in oartlcular (Mr. Belmoaov, USSR) its resolution 465 (1980), which was unanimouslv adopted, wberebv the Security Council stipulated that: “Israel’s policy and Practices of settlinq parts of its popultation and new immiqrants in those territories constitute a flaqrant violation of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and also constitute a serious obstruction to achievinq a comDrehensive, just and lastinq Deace in the Middle East’. (resolution 465 (1960), Dara. 5). I would recall that the SecUritv Council called UDOn Israel to cease the establishment, construction and Dlanninq of settlements in the Arab territories occuoied since 1967, includins Jerusalem. The Soviet Union viqorously condemns Israel0 s illeqal acts of settlement in the occupied territories. The Soviet Union has never recoqnized and does not recoqniae the Israeli occupation of Arab, includlnq Palestinian, territories since 1967; we reqard it as illeqal and demand that it should end, as called for in United Nations resolut.ions. We 8re also adamantly ODposed to any measures to alter the physical character, demoqraphic composition, orqanisational structure or status of the ocaupied territories. In the Soviet Union, Tel Aviv’s frank ststements about its interest that there should be the qreatest po6eible number of Jews in East Jerusalem - includina immiqrante from the Union of Soviet Socialist ReDUblias - have not qone unnoticed. The Soviet Dosition an the question of Arab Jerusalem is well known: we consider East Jerusalem an inteqral Dart of the West Rank of the Jordan ocaupied by Iwael, and that it falls within the purview of the provisions of the relevant United Nations resolutions and the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949. (Mr. Relonoqov, USSR) The evolution of the situation in the Middle East has, in recent times, been riahtlv viewed in the world and, indeed, within the Orcianizetion with a certain aatuunt of hone that a real beqinninq will soon be made towards a real settlement. That Qromect was onened UD first and foremost by the constructive wsition of the Palestine Liberation Oreanizetion (PLO) and the Arab States. They have ConVinainqly demonstrated their desire to put an end to the many years of cunfrontation anil to enter into aureements that would ensure a peaceful and secure future for all Parties to the conflict:, includinq Israel. Unfortunately, the settlement of immiqrants in the occupied territories and the statement8 of politic81 leaders in Tel Aviv about the crevltion thereby of a “Greater Israel” are a new and serious obstacle to peace in that resion. Those steps can only be viewed as further evidence that certain circles in Israel are deliberatelv creatitua obstacles to a peaceful settlement in tha bliddle East and are UndetrmininQ efforts, which have recentlv become more active, to brins about a settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict and a just solution to the Palestinian woblem. It is aleO alear that, behind all thfe, there lies the intent - throuoh the clash of interests between the Palestinian oupulation and the settlers - to ODen Yet another front in the strusole against the intifadah, a heroic an6 non-violent upt is ill0 - the basic form of enpression of the Palestinian oeople*s will - to which the lane-sufferino oeople of the occupied territorie6 have been swelled to resort. Of couree, the eituation that has arieen is a matter of serious concern to Palestinians and ether Arab aountries. There are qcnnl qrounde for that aoncetn, eince Israel’s actions in eettliw the weet Rank and Gaza with immiorante affects not only the vital national interests of the Arab people of Palestine, but also questions of security in the Middle East as a whole, Mr. Selonoaov, USSR) Appeal6 are sometimes spade to the Soviet Union to ocevent Soviet Jews from emiaratinq to I erael. That is imposeible, because it would be contrary to the overall policy of enauribq all citizens of the Soviet Union equal riahts and freedoms, reoardlees of their nationality or ethnic orioine. At present, we are uxdertakins a major democratisation of soviet leqislation, lncludinq exit from the Soviet Union. Indeed, the Suoreme Soviet of the USSR is considerinq a bill on exit and entry which is in line with exietinq international otactice. Its orovisions correspond to those in force in other countries of the world, includinq Arab countries. (Mr. BelonOqov, USSR) Exit restrictions can be applied only in connection with wooer leqal norms recoonized in international law and international Practice. Tire point is not that the Soviet Union should imuose urohibitionsz the Wint is that Israel should Prohibit its citizens and others from settlinq in the occupied terr 1 tot ies. The resuonsibilitv lies with Israel, which is violatinq current Orovisions 0P international law. There is another side to this problem, to which I should like to draw attention. Verv few of those of Jewish nationalitv leavinq the Soviet Union desire to live in Xsruel. Evervone knavs the countries to which most emiqrants have thus far been cio inq and whv. We have consulted with the Government of the United States in connection with reuorts that since last Auqust the United States has cut the number of entrv permits for individuals of Jewish nationalitv from the Soviet Union. We have received amurances from the united States that its oractica in thio reqard has no connection whatsoever with Israel’s decision, and in Particular with Prime Minister Shamir’s statement on the “qreat aliva” to Israel, and that the United States Is continuinq to admit individuals af Jewish netionalitv emiqratinq ftoro the Soviet Union, altholrah for varLau6 reasons the United States ei& clailae that it cannot do this quickly. The United Statee denies that there ie iM’H? CO-Ordination with ferael and as8erte that the reasons for the delay in consir3erina applications from thase wiehinq to enter the United States from the Soviet Union are of a purely technical nature. Of course, a broader ranqe of omortunities far thaae of Jewish nationalitv leavinq the USSR to settle freetv in Weetern Countries wOuld bo mch to allay the cmwsrnne of the Paleetinians and other Arabs. At the ea&rn time, this in no way alters the respaneibility of the Government of Zerael to ensure that individuals arminq to live in Israel do not settle where they should notr in the ~acupied territories. We would houe that the Israeli Goverment will make a sober asseeement of the situation and will not permit action8 liable to alter the demociraohic structure of the occuoied territories. Apart etoar anvthiwa else, that would he in the interests of the State of Israel itself. It ia hiqh time that State beaan a serious , sincere search for peace and friendship with ita neiahbours. Nor would it do any harm for Israel to heed the views of the international community , includins Israelga allies, which, like othera, have expreaaed concern over Israelgs intention to settle immiorants in the occupied territories. In our view, the Security CouncilBe attention should be focused on the fol1owi1~1 three elements; first, confirmation of the applicabilitv of the fourth Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 Auqust 1949, to Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied bv Israel since 1967, includirq Jerusalem; eecondlv, disssreement bv the Securttv Council with the intention of the Government of Ierael to settle immiqrants in the OCCUDfed territories in contravention of the orovisbns of the fourth Geneva Conventton, and in DSrtiCUl8r atti&le 49, which Drohibits the settlement Of nom-native iIbbitSnt8 in oCas~is8 lands; and thirdly, an amesl bv the Security Council to the &vsrwpt of Ierael not to permit acttone liable to alter the demr8DhiC structure of the 0ccrupiea t4rritories. We hope the Goverrumtnt of Iersel will am~lv with such a deoieion aQdree8ed to it by the Seourity Council. We are convinced that nope of the uany oroblems affliatUu! the Hid&e Eaet asn be considered artside the context of the ArslrIerseli conflict and the oncroine .,-no‘mn .- AL- ---.-- ..a “I. ‘q&w”. Qiie Soviet ihion bsees its posftion QI the Middle East on the bslief that there is a poseibilitv of solvine the problems of the reoion ~1 the baa18 of compliance with the principle of balancina the interests of all osrtiee aoncerned in the Pramework of an international conference. (Hr. Belonmov, USSR) In that connection, it would ba useful to recall once more how we view the fUndrrWnta1 elements of such a sett&nent. First, the territorial basis ot such a settlement has been determined bv SQCUritV Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (19731, which call for the withdrawal of Israeli trooras from territories occupted durins and after the 1967 armed conf 1 ict . SQCOndlV, the Palestinian people should be enable+3 to exercise the tiaht of self-determination to preciselv the same extent as this is ensured for the DQODle of Israel. I must note in that connection that the Soviet Union has recoqinxed the proclamation of the Palestinian State, with which we maintain relations at the ambaseador is1 level. Thirdlv, all parties to the conflict have the riqht to a DeaCQfUl and secure existence within internationally recoqnixed bcmdaries. That is the foundation for a comprehensive political settleraent. We should like to see a multi-option approach to development of the peace PrawB8 on the basis of the potential of the United Nations. Ae mrt of the praatiasl oreParationt3 for an international conference , there could be mmmseful bilateral and mltifateral contacts to find oompromise decisions, includino inLerim dsoiskms, and to work on the basic of these towards quidelines ecceotable t0 all t3LcleS for a corPort3hensive waoB process. We continue to 8umort ale0 the coWMU!ement of preparetom work for the international conference on peace in the Middle bet in the frmetwork of the Security Council. ‘WW Swrkc Uai~ ham always summortea. and continues to sumortr the iust cause of the Palestinian wale, and we smoort its uprieinq - whioh has alreadv lasted more than two Year6 - aqainst Israeli occuoation. That suooort is well knoun to our f r iende in the Arab world ana has never been mnf ined OnlV to worde. (Mr. Belanoqov, USSR) That io the overall ccu%text of the rituatian in the MidAla East, one of the asuect6 of which ir the question of I#rael*a unlawtul actions in settlinu the occupies terri torim. In bri#wim this matter to the Secucitv Councfl, we truetr in the liaht of the uositlons of meabare, that the Council will aciree on and a&r& a decioion on th6 serious situation cawed by Tel Aviv*8 actions, and that this PPoetitu4 will serve as d eerious wrninq to Israel and will l couraae it to review tts obntruotiari6t Position. (Ht. Belonaqov, USSR) The PRE!JIDENT (intetpretttion from Arabic) t I thank the representative of the Union of Soviet Socialist Pepublics for his kind words addressed to me- The next fmeaker is the cepre8entative of Palestine, uPOn uholn I nau call. Mr. QAoDOWI (Palestine) (interpretation from Arabic) z I take pleasure in thankinq you, Mr. President, and the other members of the Security Council for invitins Palestine to participate in this debate. I should also like to thank YOU per-ally for your constant efforts in behalf of the came of peace. We are pleased that the President of the Council for thie month is a brother Arab vith whom we have close fraternal tiea. We commend Your wisrkm and lonq emerience, which will, we are confident, have a positive effect on the Council’s deliberations. I should aleo like to take thte onoortunitv to exoress thanks and cU!atitude to our friends the Minister for Foreiqn Affairs of Malaysia, His Excellency Haji Abu Haesan Bin Haji Omar, sna the Minister for External Relations of Cuba, xiis Excellency Ieiaoro Nalmierca Peoli. for haviw journeved to New York to participate in the Security Council’s r&bate. Yesterdav I arrived in New York Citv from Tunisia. where the I)tate of ~slestlne mesi&d over meetinqe of the Counctl of the Ussue oP Arab States. In tboae amtins the Arab Boreiqn Ministers discussed the situation createa bv the tmmiqration of Soviet J-8 to OCOUDiBa Palestine. I came to Rew York te Partiubate in the Beourity Council*8 debate and to convey to it an aacutate oiorure of the true aeoiretione and eentiments of the Arab nation, in the hooe that the Counail would fulfil ice responsibilities and establish oeace on the land of oeaae - Psleetine. The Seauritv Council ie maetinq in extremlv comlex international uirautsitanc86, at a tiaxt uhen the world ie experienoins eiqnificant chmoee in international relations. Most of the vo~ld’a leadare are movinq, in aoad faith, tGlards reconciliation, diabue and the settlement of r-ions1 orebleats thrauqh peaceful means. We, the more than 5 million Palestinian oeoole, welcome the newI constructive orientation in tnterndtionsl relations. Unfortunatelv, hwever, we note that a very few leaders are not movinu with the mainstream of peace but are trvins t0 seize opportunities to rebuild their military machines in preparation for war, expansion and aosression. The immictration of Sovie t Jews and their settlement in the occupied Palestinian territories is an act of aqqresskm aqabst national Palestinian riohts and a usurpation of our Palestinian Land in preparation for expellinq our veoolc, as happened in 1948. fn 1948 approximately 1 million Palestinians were expelled from their homeland in the wake of Bassacres carried out bv Israel aqainst the Palestinians similar to Nazi deeds in Europe. Out of 595 Palestinian villaqes, 478 were de8trOVed. HorrendoUS massacres took olsce at Deir Yassin, Kfar Kassem, Rebbia and Nakhalin. Next oatma the ominous June 1967 war ( which resulted in the di8plaCefWnt of Sm 450,000 Palestfnians in the West Rank and th& Gsza Strip. Since then, PaleStinians have been subjected to exmleion from their homeland thcoush unabated terrorism and violence. SettleUMnt and land e%propf iatiun rembin the bases of the dominant policy of Ieraolbf3 ruhre. Since the June 1967 war Israel has built more than 200 aettleumnts tn the Wetat Bank and the Gaza Strip. We are thus wttnessins the perpetuation of a aontempotarv trims that aoneiste f iret in terrorkim and eViatiIU.l Paiestfniane and then 10 settltns Jews from all parts of the world to take the place of Palestinians in their own homeland. The -rtd has tn fact condemned that awteesive and ermansloniet polkcv. The a&rmra.u c*f*:l *-- -.,-me-v. ..-- ;ewtaG s oerise or’ retwiuiions, in partiauiar resolution 465 (19801, which determined that Xsrael’s occuoatun of the Palestinian territories was illeoal and called for the diswantlinq of those settlements. Notwithetandinq that resolution, however , the settlements remain. Resolution 465 (1980) also reaffirmed the illeualitv of the annexation of Jerusalem and determined that it - and the annexation of the Golan Heiahto - had no lwal validitv. It alsO determined that all these feraeli measures were a eetioue obotruction to aahievina mace in the Middle East. Yet, in mite of all those resolutions, the racist Israeli r&ime has continued to consolidate its ocauwtion of Palestinian and other Arab territories. (Mr. Qaddoumi , Palestine) In 1982 Israel invaded Lebanon, an act that was blefmed bv Alexander Uafq and President Peasan. Israel perpetrated the massacres at the Sabra and Shatila refuqee camps, which were under the protection oE the Dritish and French multinational forces at the time, follaJinq a cease-fire arranqement worked out between Lebanon and the United States, fnvolvinq the departure of the Palestinian forces from Beirut. That is hw Xsrael continues its crimes in buildinq settlements in defiance of resolutions of the United Nations, includinq the Securitv Council, the will of the international community and international agreemants. What is really stranqe is that Israel finds support from those who qive it qenerous financial aid and enable it to continue its expansiaiist and aqqressive 001 i&es. Everv human beinq has the riqht to emlorate from his own countrv for one reason or another and to return to hie homeland whenever he chooses. That is an indisputable universal human riqht. Ay the fame token, no human beins has the riqht to act against the riqhte of others or to exproortate and eKDlOit the PrOPertv of others or to Live in the homelands of other6 after exoellinq them, which ie exactly what is hapoeninq threuqh the massive Jeuish imiaration orqunized by world 2ioniem and Israel. Everythino that I have desoribed ie detrimental to the riahte of the Paleetinian People, for the name ‘Paleetine” is aeeaciated with that people. what an injustice it is that millions of our Palestinian people have remained homelees for dozens of vears, ltvinq outside their homeland, experiencing the trasedv Of diesPore as refuses8 at a time tien there is an influx or waves of Jswiah itiqrants of various nationalities from all over the world, ocau~vina our homes (Ye. Qaddoumi, Palestine) and farmland and Qniovinq the resources Of Our Countrv, Palestine: That is happeninq rhile the Palesttniane are eucvivina on aid qiven by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refuqees in Near East (UNRWAI and sister countries which host the Palestinian refuqees. Is not that DreDosterous, the heioht of human trasedv , at a time when we hear that the princioles of freedom are beina oromoted, that democracy is ewpandina and that DQam and equality will Prevail, and when the United Nations has made successful efforts to brins c~lonielkn to an end and we BeQ racism and racial dLscrimlnatton declinino, thanks ta the struaqle of the DeoDles. History has tauqht us that societies built on oDDres8bn, aqqressbn and racial discrimination cannot be euetained in the lonq term, as has been Droved bv the events that we continue to witness, includina the collaose of similar r6oimes and systems in Anqola, Mozambique , ZLmbabwe and Namibia, which stands on the threshold of its glorious independence , which we are abaur to celebrate. Soon the raciet Pretoria r&qiate, tot), will cellapa~, and the Deoole of south Africa will take its natural place amona all the independent oeo~les of the world. Since the turn of the century, when the Zionist invasion of Palestine beqan, our Palestinian paople has stood heroically aoainet the ti& of settlement, because thr alest~nlans recoqnized from the very becrinnino the Dutweee of thin colonialist settlement onslauqht, aimed at Wrootinq the Palestinian peoDle, destroyins Palestinian society an8 erasinu the name “Palestine” from the maD of the war ld. All that was done in order U, CrQste the State of Israel, at the expense of national Palestinian riohte. The massive orqanized Jewlah emioratlon from the - ..-L,-- Therefore. it ts anlv natural that our Palestinian people and our Arab nation will continue to opxose the invasion in defence of the h-land and its existence and in Order to eafesuard our national riohts. Despite all the untold suffertoo of the Palestinian seo~le eince the traoedv of 1948, the Palestinian oeople has offered, and CoMinues to offer, humanitarian solutions and cOnstrUCtiVe initiatives on the basis of international ~FM. Our aim ia Peaceful coexistence. Alas, Israel’s resvonse has been an escalation of violence, terrorism, killins and evictions, a sttenqthenins of the occupation and persistence In the practice of evictins the Palestinians from their houaland. The Palestine National Council has adovted the peace initiative nut forward bv Peeeident Yamer Arafat in his address in Geneva to the General Assemblv at its tortv-third see&on. The Arab Summit Conference held at Casablanca endorsed the Palestinian inittative, which also oained world-wide suwott. But Israel has rejected that initiative. Indeed, Israel has intensified Its oppressive and terrorist DCaCtiCeS aoainst the Palestinian people. Tens of thousands have been oaoled; hundreds of children, women and the elderly were killed; dozens of homes have been demol.ishedi schools, universities and institutions have been closed; towns, villaqes and refuqees camps vete encircled bv Israeli forces. Israel has also plundeted the personal properties of Palestinians, as happened in the valiant city of Beit Sahur. Crime after crime was committed In Gaza, Nablus, Al-Rhalll - Xebton - and many other towns and villaqes , and hundreds of Palestinian citizens mete enoelled from their homeland. AI1 those ctlmes have been committed in broad dayliqht, despite the relevant reaoluticM adovted by thie Council me after the other and despite the international community’s condemnation of these oractices, The uorieino and revolution of our people acainst the Israeli occuDation is an act of self-defence ~JM a manifestation of the determination of the Palestinian oeoole to live free in dianity in its homeland in order to emercise its savereiantv in its independent Stats on the land of Palestine. There has been a aialoaue between the United States of America and the Palestine Liberation Orqanitetim which started in the wake of the Paleetinian oeace initiative. Tbmuch this dialocue with the united States, we for cur Dart have been amious to reach a common unaerstanains far a oolltical settlement. We hoPed that we could aqrse on a declaration of principles vith reaarfl to euch a settlement, a13 was the caee in iiamibie. ---- ------A-.- unrorw.wmkaA~, tk= -..- --- -4,-a nut** ahLea away frm discuseino the eubstance and mntent of any just solution and has eupported the Shamir plan for nominal election6 in the O&XSDied Palestin tan territories. (Mr. QaeMoumi, Palestine) Nevertheless we informed the United States of America that our people demanded the holdiuq of free doxooratic elections without interference by the occupation forces and under international supervision. This should be considered as a prelude to an even-handed coxmrehensive -ace. Later, sister Eqvpt moved on its own initiative to revive the peace process and submitted 10 questions to which Ierael refused to respond. The United States Secretary of State Mr. Jams Baker then put forward his well-known five Points dealinq with procedures onlv, aimed at holdina a dialoque between the Palestinian and the Israeli deleaatione. The Israeli Government procrastinated - indeed rejected - that proposal, and Hoehe Arms submitted his well-k-n letter to the United Nations rejeotina evervthinq. Thie intransigent Ieraeli position is definitive oroof that Israel doee not want mace and that it ineiste on expansion. Shamir expressed in no uncertain terme this expaneioniet aqqreeeive policy when he reaffirmed the elan for the establiehment of Greater Israel bv aieana of eettlinq hundreds of thousands of soviet Jerx in the occuDied Palestinian tertitOrieS. In his report to the Seourity Council at the end of last vear the seoretarv-General indicated that he shared the Council@8 concern that the loominq opportuniee for peace miqht indeed be lost. He orsea mambere of the Council to xaite qmd use of these opportrtnitiee to seek peace and achieve a just solution. We for our part have emphmiaed that we eeek a duet and Oermanent mace in our reo ian. euch a peace cannot be established unless the Palestinian rmople is allowed to exeroiee it6 riqht to eelf-determination axd to the eetabliohment of its independent Palestinian &ate on its national 8Oil. ‘F !L!$?i?& %t?OC” %SCGL ~SC&iV endorsed tie mnveninq of the International Peace Coneerence m the niaale East, with the oarticilration of the five permanent membero of the Secur itv Council and the Partlee to the conflict, tnoludlnq the Palestine Liberation Orclanieation, the sole, 144ftimde representative of the Palestinian people. Thie mnference vould be conveneb on the basis of the 8scuritv CouncU*e relevant raeolutlone an8 the ti4ht of the Palestinian people to self-d4ternrination. Such an international oonference is the ~rocwt fraaevork for attaininq a ccnapreheneive settlement and teachina a lust mlution with ths taquited intesnationsl warantees. That is owcmd and rejensa bv Ist44L. (Mr. Qaildoumi, Palestine) The middle East remains a hotbed of tenSiOn and continues to drift tovards the brink of vet another war that would uose serious threats to fnternatlonal ueace and securitv - all because of Israeles intransioent stand and its aosreasive oolicies. lbreover the United States of America remains hesitant to aaree to the conveninc of an international ueace conference , which has won the sutonort of the international communitv. The United States does not want to see other Powers particfoatinu in the mskinu of peace within the peace vrocess. The United States insists on pureuina unilateral efforts. All evidence Proves that that unilateral approach is inadequate, indeed futile. The ace of colonialism, Zionism and racism has qone once and for all. The world has bequn to enter a new ace, the aqe of human bednqs, as I said earlier. Therefore it is unreasonable that hundreds of thousands of Soviet Jevs settle on Palestinian land, at a time when there is talk about human riahts. It ie a aseminalv felicitous t&net ueed to discu tee ma1 icious intentions. St i8 inadaquate for the Security Council to adoot a reeoluticm or to tissue a Btsteamnt. Concrete action-oriented meesuree are essential, lbeatmres similar to the aatfune taken aseinut the craiet Qretoria riobe. Equallv imwrtant, we exoeot a f!irta atand bv the Btatea immediatelv concerned - the United State& of Aaetica and ouz Qsiend the Soviet Union - against this orcanized maeeLve Lmsiaration. Thev are the two euWr-Pawere that have led the world into the era of international recronciltetiorr and haraumiaation. Uere I uould recall what wy brother Abu Amat Yaeeir Arafst eafd in hie address before the General Assembly back in 1974t *Do not let the qreen olive bra+! Pelt rrnr t!!e hscds =t z&F -SW:&- The PREBIOENT (interpretation from Arabic) 8 I thank the Foreiqn Minister of Paleetine for the kind worAs he addressed to ma. Yr. ABU liMBAt (Nalaysial : 1 should like to take this opportunitv to express our warmest conqratulations and felicitatione to vou, Sir, on vow aaauwtion of the hiqh office of the oresidencv of the Council for this month. We are assured that, given vour acknowledqed diplomatic skills and your vast *xWrisnce in multilateral Blolanacv, vou will be able to discharse vour stewardshiv of tbe Council in a most effective fashion. I should also like to commend His Excellencv Ambassador Alarcon de Quesada, t*ece Perwent Rsvresentative of Cuba, for his skilful manaqement of the Council’s work during the month of Februarv. NY Government continues to be eeriouslv concerned about the situation in the occupied territories of Palestine. It is concerned at the violenoe beinq perpetrated by the Xeraeli authoritiee on the people of Palestine, who are in the third year of their intifadah aqainst foreiqn occmation of their homeland. The revreeeive policies and practice8 of the Israeli Government have been unfversallv CO¶ldOPn6& They Should continue to be condemned in this Council and ebmhere~ It iS $canChknN3 that even as they are trvinq to out docon the intifadah the Israeli authorities are eabatkim on a massive exerciee of bcinqins thousancle of Soviet Jew into Israel. This ie M auttiaht tneult ana provocation to the Palestinian DsDole . It has a&A a new tlinwmsicm to their uvrisins, and it is likely to enaaarbata the eituation in the oucuoied territoriee. Uabysie take6 Btrarq ieeue with the am86 immiqratim of foreisn Jews into I orsel. UQ Dre6enCe here, as the Poreion Minister of mv country, in response to the fraternal request of the Peleetinian leiderehiv, ia teetimonv to the imuortance Malavsia attaches to this meetlnq of the Securftv Council. MY Government condeans xrarael’f3 policy of iwOrtinq larqe numbers of Jews fropp a foreiqn country to serve its sinister oolitical and etrateqtc obiactives. such a pal icv is not only imoral but one that is erauqht with qrave denser a to the paopce orocess as well 68 to international peace end security. In a world of nation States characterized bv the multi-ethnlcitv of their woulatione, such e wlicy would set a danqerous orecedent and inject a new and destabilizlnq element into international relations. As is wll knwn, some of those irnmiqrants are beinq resettled in the occupied territories of Palestine, with the Prosmct that more vi11 follow suit. That is a blatant breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Clvilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 Amust 1949. The provfefons of the Convention are very clear and ptecise, and beyond any other interpretation that could be riven bv Xsrael, It prohibits the occupvinq Power from deoortinq the inhabitant8 of the occupied territories or traleferrinq parts of its own civilian population into the territorv it occupies. In other words, it Drohibite the effeqtlno of BemoqraPhic chanqee to the occupied territories. Aa a Biqh Contraatinq Patty to the Geneva Convention, Ierael is dutv-bound ta fulfil it@ internationel oblkatione under the Convention MA to reemmt, as well d& to ensure respgat for, the Convention, 4x1 enioined bv article 1 of that Convention. Iocael, CJhich hm tteated the Convention*s provieiono in a aavaliec, even ~ntemg%uoue, fsahian, must therefore be pressured bv the colLemtive veisht of international OPiniOn, if not by uanctione, to respeut its international abliaetione under that Ceiirwition md the reievant reeoiucions of thte Council. The RI(LSO duration of foreion Jews to Israel Is a matter of the stavest concern to the people of Palestine. The Influx of Jewish Immisrante, who IIIW run Into hundreds of thou&ancSs, Into a small country of Israel06 size would Create enorwua and complex poLItIcal, 6wIal and economic oroblems. There would be a tremendous pressure for land and new settlements both In Israel and, eventuallv, In the occupied territories, not to mention the Increased demand on scarce and depletino zesouzces such as vater. Given the Israeli leadership’s well-known policv on the onenino-up of new settlement8 In the occuoied territories, this Influx would lead to the disoossession of the Palestinians of their landa. That woule3 be a aross industtce to the Palestinian neople, many of whom have been expelled from the territortes and many wre of whom suffer In the DIasDOra. Israel*8 aim of wpuletins the oocunied territories with Jews In outsuance of a Greater Israel Is transparent to all and cannot be denied. It ewists not juet In the mind of the Israeli Prime Minister , who has been particulerlv vocal about It, but also In the minds of most Israelis. Clearlv, the mass emiqration of Jews Ie no accident or coincidence. It Is a deliberate plan and a crucial factor In the realization of the zionlet ooal of a Greater Israel. In Its sinsle-minded pureuit of this Zionist dream the Israeli Government nays scant attention to the aepiratione and riohte of the Palestinians to a homeland of their Own* It Is deaf to the clamour for a Palestinian homeland and 16 ever re+t+av to condemn the Palestinians to a lice of nermanent Diaspora. The mws iemiaration of foreion Jews Into Israel, and ultimately the aocupietl territories, Is likelv IS lead to an exodus of Paleetiniane a:t of the territories, This woul8 precipitate another tcaoic Diamora for the Palestinians, In less than 50 veace, vith attendant political, social and economic ramiticatiane on the r-ion. Clearlv, therefore, Iereeli policv on the meas ImmIsratIan of Jews (or. Abu Hassan, Yalavsial has raplficatione that extend beyond the borders of Xorael. Such a policv CaMOt be justified either an political or on moral qrouuds such as human riahts. It is a distortion of the oriuoiole of human riahts and a clear avvlication of double standards to chauvion the rioht of Jews to emisrate to Israel at the expense of the riahts of the Palestinians to stay and to work in, or to return to, their ancestral homeland. Phdeed, the risht of emioration for foreiqn Jews cannot be equated with the riahte of stav and of return for the Palestinians. It would be a travestv of natural iustioe if thousands of foreian Jews wre allowed to settle in Israel, and eventuallv the occupied territories, cm the so-called DrinaiPle of rtcaht of return when Palestinians are beins keDt out - or driven out - of their ancestral lmd. Clearlv, the fsraeli ooliav of ehoouraaiuq maa8 Jewish imiqration and ite DOlicV of territorial occupation of Palestinian lands, leadinq to their eventual annexation, cannot be condomd and araht to be condemned bv the Security Council. The Council can best communicate its rejection of Israel’e elm to dlspoeseee and disenfranahiee the Palestinian people of their homeland and inalienable riahts throuqh the a@stion of a unanimaus resolution. At the sam time, Oovetnments lould retrain froos providbw financial assistance to Israel for the Puraose of develcminq oettlmants in the ocouuied territories. ho a coumlementarv measure, there should be a moratcrtium on the mass emisratian of foteisn Jews to Israel until an internstionalllv sumrvisetd wowsme of departwe is out in Dlaca that would eneure thet the new settler8 are not eent to the ooauvied territoriee. Further, Jews intendiha to immiarate ehould be oiven a ahoioe of eettlins in the COuntrv of their oretereme. At the same time, for those intendins to settle in Israel them shauld be an e%PreBeed and internationally ver tfiable undertaking by the Israeli Government thst they will not be rssettled in the oacu~ied territories and that thev will be haloed to return to their countrv aE origin should thev chaoose to do PO. Onlv in those eircuwtances would the iamiarstion of Jews to Israel in lame numbere be perceived bv the Palestinians and the international communitv es nor-1 immiaration rather than immiqration that is imuelle4 bv some qraul strateqic desiqn. Clearlv, there is a special responsibilitv ar the Dart of the sender countrv or countries to ensure that thev do not oven the fload-gates of Jewish emiqratia, to Israel, which would have farreachim iwplioations for the reqion. There is also the reswnsibilitv of the traditional recipient countries not to erect actifioial barriers aqainst those intendins to immiorate. My Govecnnent feels very strcmqlv that pendinq the settlerPent of the Peleatinien problem it ie imxmbent QI the international communitv. and the SeCuritv Council in varticular, to ensure the rxotection of the hapless inhabitants of the OCCUDied territories. In this reqard the vrooosals contained in the SecretarvGeneral*s rewrt of 21 Januarv 1988 (S/19443) provides a fair basis for intotnatlonal rxotection of theee unfortunate 0eoDle. We would urae the Council, ollce wmin, to reconsider this teuort and out into effect some of the prooosed fuedaufee outtinetl thareln. The Council cannot continua to take a callous attitude tWerds the pliaht of the Palestinians livinq under the voke of Israeli occupation. Rot too lam Ierael has been allowed to qet away with its intransiqence on account of the lnahilitv of the Counoil to pr~)ounce itself on the ioeue of Israeli paltoy and oraatices ln the occupied territories. This has emendered a feetim of f0Ceeli invinulbility, infellibility and unaccountebflity. The tiWe has come - in the intereat af pcarattm the oeam Droceas, if not of uoholUim the credibility Of the Counoil - to tell Israel that it is neither invincible nor infallible and that it siust, like all States in the international svstem, be accountable to the international oommunitv. (Mr. Abu Haeaan, Halavsfa) It is iwmrative that the Council uend a clear and unsquiwxsl aimsaae to ths Israeli Government that it &DloteS its ~01icie~1 and Dr&CtiCeS, inClur3iw the illeqal opening-un of ssttlemente in tha 0ccuOiea territarieo, and that Ierasl hsist Forthwith Pram these ~racticee, It ia equally imperative that the Council declare the illeaality of those settlements Ma reaffirm the inalienable rishts of the Paleetinian wovle to its land, incluaina the risht of rafurn. The Corurcil must ~ranounca itself mauibi~uowlv cm that issue. w0t t0 do 80 woutt3 wlv reeleat ito laok of unitv ana resolve on this issue and would mlv oncouraae Israel’s conrinusa intranoioenua. In the wake ot the oositive aevelopinents in the international mlitical climte and the breakinpout of ~01~74 in maw Darts of tha worl& the OmOrtWdtv should not be Iat to find a breakthrouoh to the staleemte In the MidClle East. Israel should be uroed to aive up its terri tot ial ambitions over the occU0~~~ tetritocles and the loai~ of ensurbaq its security thtouoh the rmmenent control oC the t4rtftorfes. It should ba encouraaed to ~utsue a wtwnant mace with the Palestinian osomle thtauqh nacrotiation b&w&d on the “land Cot plaw” Oorula. Wet beAieve that thle is the only viahk ttamuotk Lot a comcmhenAve, laetinq and just srttlrcrent ot the Paketinian problem baaed on the cull tealiaattan of Palestinian rtatehW& Iesael aennot be obliviouo to the ovetuhelmin9 international teooanttian oL the state oL Pale&ha md oe the Oaleetine Liberation Otqmiaation (PI01 m the rePa itory of D4lemtinbn aover4tsntv. It mwt, ia it6 oun self-intete6b realise the tollv ot olinqim to a ettateqia Baattine that at mat arlv Dtovides ehort-term, orewriow wc!uriW and &aee not auaracltee its lone-term eeauritv and etabili tv. Malaveia remains convinced of the special resuonsibilitv and role of the Security Council, particularly of its wrmanent members, in oroarotins the oeace urocess aud Pacflitatinq a political settlement of the Palestinian woblem. We believe a comorehensive settlement can onlv be attained throuah neootiation, and would urqe ouce aoain the convening of an international peace conference an the Middle East under the ausdces of the United Nations on the basis of Securitv Council resolutions 242 (1967) aund 338 (19731, with the oarticioation of all the oarties directlv concerned, includins the PLO. We be1 ieve that the time has come for the Security Coumil to plav a constructive role in the peace Drocess bv eetabliehina, aa soon as wssible, a oreoaratory comittee that will Lav the orouudwork for the international conference. The PiUBIBlWl’ (interpretation from Arabic) : I thank the Minister of FoteFon APSaire of Walaysie for his kind words addressed to me. Mr. MAWIERCA PEOLI (Cuba) (interpretation from Soanish): I ehould like at the outeet to oonsratulete vou, Mr. President, on your election to the preeidency of the Council for the month of Qarch. We are mare of vour divlomatic akills and of how muoh you have done through the vears in defense of the ncbte causes of oooressed oeoples, eeueciallv ln brombtino the raceonitbn of the inalienable riaht of the Palestinian oeoole to return to it8 native land and to establish ite indeuendent State. Onue aoain, the Becccritv Council meets tb aonsider the situation in the Palestinian territories occupied by lerael am9 the new daneera loomino over that lone-euf fer in9 oeeoole. Once aoain, we are mire, we will main hear conbeamatione of c+ne of the areatest injustiaes committed aoainst anv oeople in this centucv. In his opening address Co the International Conference on Palestine, in Geneva in 1983, the Secretarv-General of the United Nation8, Mr. Javier Pkez de Cuellar, said that, after 36 mars and sl% wars , we were in an extraordinarily danaeroue (Mr. Abu Iiasean, Malaysia) state of stacnatioh. %bday , we can 8av “after 43 veers and seven wars*, because the intifadah is a war that the Palestinian people has been waoins for more than two years for its independence and to brinq about the withdrawal of the OCCuPVinCI Israel is. Today, the situation is even more danoetou8, because the illesal settlement in the occupied territories in Palestine bv Jewish citizens resident in Israel or irmPicfants ftom the Soviet Union and elsewhere is evidence of the determination of the Zionist occuoiers to protract and oive a oermanent character to their OccWation of the Palestinian mnd Arab territories. In Seauritv Council resolution 446 f1979). adooted on 22 Match 1979 bv 12 votes in favor with three abstentions - amnclst which, naturally, was that of the United States - it was declared that: “The wlicv and ma&ices of Israel in establi8hins settlements in the Palestinian and other Arab territories OfZcUDied since 1967 have no lecal velidttv and constitute a serious obstruction to achievima a coanrehehsive, just and lasting oeace in the Hiddte East'. (resolution 446 (19791, Data. 1) It W48 requested that a cowissibn be established Qonsietinq of three members of the Security Counail, whose task would be to examine the situation rebtim to those settlements. At 4 later state, on 1 Hay 1960, through its resolution 465 (1980) - this time eBbpun unahimxmly - the Recuritv Count tl Deplored the refusal bv Israel to co-ODefate with the Comnieeion~ affirmed that the Geneva CaWention relottve to the Proteation of Civilien Persons in Tims of Oar, of 12 Ausuet 1949. was aoolicable to the Arab terrttories occupied by Israel efnae 1967, inaludinQ Jerusalect callea upon all St4t48 not to orovide Israel with anv assistance ta be used smicieicaliv in cmnexion with settlements in the occuoied territoriesl and requested the (Mr. Malmtercn Peoli, Cuba) Commi8sico to continue to examine the situstlon relatina to settlement8 in the Arab territories occuoied eince 1967, includtna Jerusalem. Thus, Secur$tv Council resolutions 446 (1979) and 46s (1980) remain fullv in force and must be fully and comoletelv implemented. In discuesinq the question of the illeaal settlement bv Jews in the occuoied terr$tor$es, vo cannot dioreaard the fact that bv that means Israel ia eeekina to alter the oresrent comrxxition of the ooRulat$on in those territories and attemvtina, ammo other obiectives, to check the mOmenturn of the revolt of the Palestinian 0eoDle - to uut down the intifadah - vhich it has not manaaed to do desoite fierce teoressbn that has alreadv taken hudredn of lives and thousand6 of vi~t$auL There is talk of the riaht of Jew to immiqrata to Ierael, but it oannot be foraotten that, of the 5.5 million Pslestiniane, more than 3 million are to%av outslide of their lands. In dlecues$nq a solution to the oroblem of the Middle East, we cannot fail, to reccqnise that our -in cbjective and clear cbliqaticn ie to resolve the aentral tame of rcraoonition of the leoitimate rights and future ot the Palestinian beovle. For that refwon# in ealltm for an end to the eetebliahmant of illegal eettlementrr by Jewish citirene in the occuoietl Palestinian an4 Arab territories, we mu2t ale0 imint out that these settlements oonstttute an obstacle tf. moorem War& aonvenlm the internationrl oeace aonference an the Middle East and sclvinq the aore question, of Palestine. (Mr. Malmierca Peoli, Cuba) -- I- Therefore, recent statements bv Prime Minister Shamir that Israel needs a laraer, atranqer country to accommodate enormous Jewish immiqration constitute a reiteration of Israel*6 expansionist ambitions and a direct neqation of what vould be the first step towards a solution of the Middle East problem: Israel’s vithdravel from the occupied territories. Thrquqh illeqal Jewish settlements in the occuvied territQriesr I&wad ie attemptinq also to stop the qrovth of the Palestinian wvUlationr permanently awroor iate the territories of Gaza and the West Bank, and lay the foundation for requesting additional credits from the United States. It is not for us to judqe the immiqsation policies of anv sovereian countrv, much less to dictate the rules that each country mav see fit to aDvlv in this area. But it is unquestionable that the provisions adopted bv the United states Mminietration to Wait the number of Jwfsh immicrtents Qro~ Eastern Eutovean countries entitled ta enter its territorv, toqether vith Israel’s vtactice of settlinq those citizens in the ocou~ieQ Arab territories, contribute to orolonsinq the sufferins of the Palestinian people and to makina a solution to the Middle East oontlict all the more cemte. Dozens of tesalutione have been adopted bv the OeneraL Assembly and the Secutitv Counoil unaabiauoualv statina Iotael’e quilt, oondemino Ierael and demandins that ft return the oocupiecl territorlee, and vraclaimtnq the rioht of the Palestinian oeoole to eetablieh an independent State of its own. We fnwt remind membere that the United States and Ierael voted aeainst those General Asmmblv reoolutions. The United States and Israel have ianored the vi11 cf the international aDsuaunitv as exvreesed in those resdLutfon6, vhiah have been releqated to the archives because of Israel’s obstinate refusal to caavlv with them, which is a mockerv of the ooinion of the vast majoritv of the international oommun i tv . (Hr. Yalmiercs Peoli, Cuba) How lonq will this state of affaira continue? Can the international commuuitv stand idlv bv and allow this crime to continue without takinq steps to stop it? It is clear to everyone that Israel is able to act with such impunitv because it is protected and encouraqed in its actions by the militarv, aolitical and economic auwort of the Government of the United States. Only that can explain such arrooance and such contempt for this institution. Onlv that can explain the obstinacy and impunity with which the zioniet r&aime acts. The principles on which a just lastinq peace in the Middle East must be based have been defined for Years. Such a peace can be reached onlv with the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all territories occupied since 1967, includCnq Jerusalem; with a ctuarantee of the security and leoitiante riohts of all parties3 and with the full exercise by the Palestinian people of its inalienable riqhts, includlnq the riqht to return to its land and establish a sovereiqn, independent State in its homsland. But the Government of Israel persists in its pal ioy, a polioy no lonqet merely of denyinq the most basic rishts of the Palestinian people, but even of tryinu to dictate who will speak on behalf of that people and choose ite representatives in a neqot la tinq process~ The Israeli occupier wants to epeak with those Of it8 chaosins about the iesues of it5 choosing. The tseue mutat be the withdraual of Israel from the occupied tetritorlesr and the interlooutors muzt be the representative of the Palestinian people, the Palestine tibsration Orsanization (pu)I . They must talk of withdrual, not of eleotion6 in the occupied territories. On 11 March 1990, 8 ministerial meetino of the COBliaittee of Hine on Palestine of the Movement of Non-Aligned Comtriee wae held at Tunis. In their communiqud the Ministers invited the Securitv Council to proceed , a9 a matter of utqencv, to preparations for convenina the International Peace Conference on the Middle East under the auspices of the United Nations , an the basis of Seeuritv Council resolutions 242 (19671 and 338 ( 1973) and the letaitimate national tiahts of the Palestinian people, ptimarilv the tiaht to self-determination, with the participation, on an equal footins , of all the parties directly concerned, including the PIAL The meetinc condemned the illenal Jewish settlements in Palestine, called upon the security Council to adopt measures for the protection of the Palestinian civilian population under Israeli occupation, and called won all States not to provide Israel with any assistance to be used specificallv in connection with settlements in the occupied territories. The Ministers of the member countries of the Coramittee aoreed to express that view in the Securitv Council and to endeavour to have it endorsed in the Counoil’s decisions. The United Nations has an obllqation and a debt to the Palestinian peoDle. go l&me as that people oannot exercise its le&timate tishte, that debt will be repaid mly with the conveniru, of the International Pease Conference ar the Diddle East a8 a fta~votk in which all the Parties, includins the Paleetine Liberation Organisation, OM participate on an equal fbotino, and vith the bsoi~inu of a true neaotiatine Prom&w leadino to a peaceful solution. Suah a eolution will be genuine end pettntanent arly if it Deans the withdrawal of Israel froxi all the ooouDied tetritoriee, tnaludinq Jerusalem, and the tecoonition of the rieht of the Palestinian people to return to its homeland, its native coil, and to establish an indewndent State. (Hr. Malmietca Peal i, Cuba) The PRESIDlWT (interpretation from Arabic) : I thank the Minister for Eatarnal. Relations of Cuba for the kind words he addressed to IW. In view of the lateness of the hour, I intend to adjourn the awetIns n<Y. The next meetfnq of the Security Council to continue consideratbn of the item on its wenda will take place at 3.30 p.m. to&y. The meetinq rage at 12.45 P.m.