S/PV.2932 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from bc - representatives of Irag and Kuwait in which they request to be invited to pXt&ipate in the diecuesion of the item on the Council’s agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose , with the consent of the Council, to invite thaw representatives b3 mrticimte in the discussion without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 33 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it i5 so decided. At the invitation of the President, Mr. K&rat (Iraq) took a place at the Council table; Mr. Abulhasan (Kuwait) to& a place at the Ccuncil table. The PRESIU~T: The Security Council will nw begin its consideration of the itam on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting In response to the requests contained in letters dated 2 August 1990 from the Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/21423), and from the Permanent Representative of the United States of America addressed to the President of the Security Council (s/21424). Members of the COUncil have before them document S/21425, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by Canada, Colo&ia, C&e d*Ivoile, Ethiopia, Finland, FtMCe, Malaysia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and United States of America. The first speaker is the representative of Kuwait, wham I invite to make his statement. Mt. ABULBASAN (Kuwait) (interptetation from Arabic) : Even at this hour, which is not at all convenient, and even in the very dangerous cfrCUmz8tanCes in which the Council is now meting, I do not want to miss the opportunity to congratulate youI Sit, a~ you assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month. Despite your very short term of 0Lftce in this very important international body, we knaJ yorr ability and efficiency. I 8houl.d also like to express w thanks and a@p,teciktion to your predecessor, my frfena, Mr. Ismail Rasali, the Permanent ~presentative of Malaysia, who was the Council’s President last mcntb. we thank him for his fine performance and for his achievements last month. I wish also to express ny perscnal thanks and those of the Government of Kuwait to all the mmbere of ihe Council fa agreeing to hold this meeting so promptly. The Council’s quick response is in keeping with the ptinafples of (Mr. Abulhasan, Kuwait) justice and riqhteousness; the Council is respondinq to the provisions of the Charter, whme authors wanted it to prwids security not only to biq nations, but - primarily - to small nations. I feel unparalleled bitterness and embarrassment to be in the situation in which I find myself in the Council, dealing with a military invasion by a sisterly country with &ich w had previously always enjoyed close links; we have always been linked by OUT pure Arab blood, and we have always defended sacred riqhts and dedicated ourselves to them. The Council it3 meting to discuss an invasion of which members undoubtedly already knew the details from the flood of news from the ma= madia - radio and television. As I address the Council, the people of Kuwait of all ages, the old and the young, men, women and children, are all suffering. EverybocSy throughout the world knows hw nuch ue love peaceI that we are a peaceful people, that we are faithful to our ties with others and believe in honouring commitments and covenants. The people of Kuwait have Played a positive role throughout their existence; this poeitive contribution has distinguished Kuwait internationally at all levels. Out people and our sacred land have been subjected to attack in an armd military invasion by a sister country, Iraq. The whole world knows that Kuwait and its Government have played a positive role in solving regional problem, by peaceful means and through negotiation. Xnternational forums have praised it for that positive role. We always Co-Operate and we offer aid to all) we share our bread with all friendly countries that have accepted thfe constructive, civilised coexistance. Yet now we are exposed to milLtary invasion of the whole of our territory and to the overthrow of all our constitutional institutions. (Mr. Abulhasan, Kuwait) - In the early hours of 2 Auqust, Iraqi forces crossed Kuwait *s internaticmallv recoqnized boundaries, penetrated Kuwait’s territory and reached its populated area. The Kuuaiti Government issued a statement a few hours aqo. “Iraq occupied Kuwait at dawn today. The Iraqi foorces have penetrated and occupie 1 ministries, and the headquarters of the Gwernment has been shelled. Crossroads hav.? Seen occupied. A short time ago, Baghdad Radio announced that the aim of the invasion of Kuwait is to stage a coup d’etat to overthrw the r&qime and establish a new regime and a Government friendly to Iraqn. Tn that respect, I should like to assure the Council that Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Amk of Kuwait, Sheikh Sa’ad Al-Abdulla Al-Sabah, the Prime Yinister, and the Government of Kuwait remain in control in Kuwait and are defendinq the country %s security. Iraq’s pretext for invadinq an in&P?ndent , swerefqn State is false and unwarranted. This matter ie a caum for surprise in terms of international relations and particularly of relations between friendly, sisterly countries. If not deterred in a decisive manner by the Council , such action will threaten 311 international relations. No country will be safe after this, and the security, sovereignty and territorial inteqrity of every State wil.1 be jeopardised. It is in&ed alarming that the invasion should come from Iraq, an Arab country with which we share a number of ties rooted in history. It is wually appallinq that the invasion should come leas than one day after a rounrl of talks between OCIC two countries in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, at the very high political level of deputy leader of each country. In those talks, the Kuwaiti delegation was headed by Sheikh Sa’ad Al-Ab&(lla Al-Sabah, the Prime Minister, and the Iraqi deleqa:ion J’15 hmded hy Mr. Tzzat 41-Doury, the neplt-4 Chairman of the Yevolutionary Command C-JIJ~ :: i! . *vr. Rh~ll5w 13, Kuwait) He discussed all points of view and all disagreements between our two countries. Through its Crwn Prince and Prime Mini&ear, Kuwait has expressed its willinqnem to continue bilateral negotiations in Kuwait and Raqhdad in order to reach a just and honourable solution that would take into account the legitimate rights of both countries. The only way to deal with this natter , which has already been Qalt with through all international norms, instruments, and lalws - first and foremost the Charter of the United Nations - is to solve the problem by peaceful means and negotiations, and not throuqh the use of force. The solution can ba found in the Charters of the United Nations and the Arab League, and the principles of non-alignment and of Islam , righteousness and justice. In this matter, however, we are faced with the Iraqi invasion , cuhich represents a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations, particularly in paragraphs 3 and 4 of its Grticle 3. It iR now incumbent on the Council to shoulder all its responsibilities and to maintain international peace and security. The Council is responsible for the protection of Kuwait and its security, sovereignty , and territorial integrity, which have been violated. In order to shoulder all its responsibilities and to carry out its tasks, the Council is urgently requested to demand that Iraq withdraw immediately and unconditionally all its forces to the positions in which they were located on 1 August 1990. Kuwait, a small muntry, deaws its strength md support in international legitimacy, eepresented by the Security Council and its role in implementing the provisions of the Charter. This ie a test for and the responsibility of the Council vis-Avis peace and securitv in that vital area of the world and towards all small nations that are defenceless and helpless. (Mr. Akulhasan, Kuwait) Kuwait’s mquest if3 very simple and clear. We ask the Security Council to i?ut an immx3iate halt to this invasion and to exercise ite duty to eIIsure, by every means available, that Iraq withdraw immediately and unconditionally to the international boundaries that existed before the invasion. Kuwait awzalf? to and urges the Council in the name of justice and the sovereignty of the United Natims Charter to adopt a reaolution in conformity with the Charter ard with international laws and norms. The PRRS ICDWT: 1 thank the representative of Kuwait for his kind words addressed to me. T new call cn the next speaker, the representative of Iraq. Mr. KMnWT (Iraq) (interpretation from Arabic) : I should first like to congratulate you. Sir, cm you assumption oE the presidency of the Security CQUnCiL. I wish also to express our thanks and congratulations to the Permanent Representative of WLaysia , wha presided over the Council’s work last month. The position of my country’s Government with respect to the item before the Council is the following. First, the events taking place in Kuwait are internal matters which have no relation to Lraq. Secondly, the Free Prwisional Government of Kuwait requested my Government to assist it to establish security and order so that the Kuwaitis wouLd nQt have to suffer. My Government decided to prwide uuch assistance solely on that basis. Thirdly, the Iraqi Gwernment energetically states that Irq is pursuing no goal or obfective in Kuwait and desires cordial and good-neighbourly relations with Kuwait. Pourthly, it in the Yuwaitis the-elves who in the final analysis will determine their future. The Lraqf forces will withdraw as scan as order has beeq restored. This was the request made by the Free Provisional Government of Kuwait. We hope that it will take no more than a few days , cx at the most a few weeks. Fifthly, there are reports that the previous Kuwaiti Government \as been werthcowa and that there is noJ a new Gwernment. Hence, the person in the Seat A@ w*r*a’L b^-- e----:-L’^ 00 fifi& an; hia statement lacks cfej+ance. -*. ‘.e”.d.L L1T;I.C .cyrcor,l,wx (Mr. Kadrat, Iraq) Sixthly, my GOvemment rejecb the flagrant intervention by the United States of America in these events. This intervention is further evidence of the co-ordination and coLluston between the United States Government and the previotls Government o E Kuwait. mr country’s Goveenmnt hopes that order wiLL be swiftly restored in Kuwait and that the Kuuaitis themselves will decide upa~ their future, frez from any Outside intervention. Mr. PICKERING (United States of America) t I want first, Sir, to take this opportunity to express my thanks to Ambassador l’sms il Razalf of Malaysia, your predecessor a for the splendid work he did in Lading the Security Council last month, and to extend to ycu our congratulations and good wishes on your assumption of the presidency of the Council. At about 6.30 p.m. yestirdny Eastern Daylight Saving tint?, or shortly after midnight today in Kuwait and in Iraq, Iraqi forces moved into Kuwai ti territory, according to reports received from the United States Embassy in Kuwait. These miLitary forces crossed #er into Kuwaiti territory all along ttb!? frontier, according to these reports. They rapidly proceeded to Kuwait City and they are currently present in that city. There was omosition to the mQvem3nt of these military forces, firing and cc&at. We are not aware yet of th e extent of casualties, but we are infosrrcd that Ruwaitf forces are resisting the advance of the Iraqis. Clile the Iraqi invasion wB carefully planned and ptofessionally executed, the Iraqis at one salient point made a serious mistake. fnetead of staging their COUP d*&at and installing this so-called free provisional gevemment before t%e (Mr. Pickering, United States) inva8LBlfon. they got it the wrong way arouudt they invaded Kuwait and then ntaged the Coup d ‘&at in a blatant ar.d &ceitEul effort to justify their action - like the effort they have just made here. It War3 vith gre;rt happineee #at I learn&l in recent hours of reports that the Emir, the Crown Prince and the Foreign Minister of Kuwait are 5afe and are continuing to direct the Government of Kuwait despite the efforts from Baghdad to install it5 own rciqime in that country. Within the last few hours the White House has issued the tillwing atatemnt: *The United States strongly con&mrrs the Iraqi military invasion of Ruvait and calls for the immediate unconditional withdrawal of all Iraqi forces. We have conveyed this message to the Iraqi Atiassador in Washington and to the Iraqi Uovernmnt through our Embassy in Baghdad. We &plore this blatant ~LBB of military aggression and violation of the United Nations Charter. Together with Kuwait, we are calling for au emergency rJession of the United Nations Security Council.” The United States has nrarda it clear that it will stand shoulder to shoulder with Kuvait in this time OP crisis. It i0 Our uudorstauding that the present aggression was completely unprovoked. United States policy hao been to support every diplomatic effort to resolve the present crieis. Thus we did not arrive lightly at our poSitiOn of cslling Pa a Security Council meeting Q: seeking m immeaiate resolution which wOuia con&am the Iraqi invasion , call for the inmediate uncmditional withdrawal of Iraqi traops, and support a process of negotiated solution to the differences between Ltq fid Kuwait, am! particularly the efeOrts being undertaken by the Arab League in this regard. (Mr - Picker ing , United States) We have been in touch with many States in the region in M effort to seek their additional suwrt for the action of the international cumsunity to bring about ar end to this heinous act of the use of military force, contrary to the Charter, international law , and all the fully accepted norms oE international behaviour. The Security Council haa seldom E&cad a more blatant use of force. The Council should act immediately in dealing with this problem. The United States is pltised to be joining with eight other members of t.re Council in proposing the text of a draft resolution for immediate adoption tonight by the Council. The Council can certainly a0 no less in this time of present crisis than to deal effectively and rapidly with this transcendental problem of the aggressive use of force. We ask the Council to accept its full responsibilities and to sumrt Kuwait in its hour of need. It is the time for peace and diplomacy, not the tiue fa war and aggression. The world is nw watching what WQ do here and will not be satisfied with vaccilaticn or procrastination. In this time of most serious crisie, I ask all the members of the Security Council carefully to contemplate the serious issuea before us and to act in the way in which they a8 Members of the Organisation and aa States committed to act under the Charter should act. The PHlSIDENTr I thank the representative of the United States for the kind words he addresEed to me. Mr. PMAMSA (Colombia) (interpretation from Spanish): On behalf of my delegation, I should like to congratulate you, Sir, MI your assumption Of thhe PKeSidenCY of the Security CcKlncil Eooc the month of August. I alzo express our thanks to Ambassador Razall for the outstanding job he did aa President of the Security Ccuncil last month. The position taken by the Coloskkn Governiaent over more than a century in support of the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other States is well kmn. Whatever the circumstances, we have always omsed the use oE force and, indeed, the very threat of use of force, regardless of excuses or arguments employed to justify the use of force. We are convinced that, particularly tr the near future, the sovereignty ad self-determination of small States, which make up the majority of Metiers of the United Nations, will be jeopardized if in ow fashion a another we were to condone the use of force to intervene in the internal aftairs of other States. That is why, for the 88me reasons we condemned the invasion of Panama in December , we are now go-sponsoring the draft resolution before the Council, a tzxt which condemm the intervention in Kuwait. The PRESIDINJT: I thank the representative of Colotiia for the k ind words he addressed to me. Mr. PORTTIER (Canada) f May I bwbn by congratulating you, Sir, on your aasumption ot tikz presidency and wishing you weU during the monkh Of hqust. i should also like to thank arr colleague , the Amljassador of Malayeia, for his stellar performance during the month of July. Our presence here this mxning at this early hour is evidence of the deep conc@rn of the members off thin Council and the internationaL community about the (Hr. Fcr tier, Canada) danqetous situatiorl in Kuwait, which has been caused by the naked Iraqi invasion of its tecr itory. There can be no question #at the brutal Iraqi aggression against Kuwait is totally unncmptahLe and represents a flaqtant violation of the Charter of the United Nations as well as international law. The international response to this aqqression must be clear and unatiiguous- The Secretary of State for Extr?tnal Affairs of Canada, the Right Honourable Joe Clark, earlier this morninq strongly condemned the Irwi military action against Kuwa!,t, whieh he called “a totally unacceptable agqression”. Mr. Clark called for the immediate cessation of hostiilities and the complete and immediate withdrawal of Iragi forces from Kuwaiti territory. The draft resolution now before us is in complete accordance wtth the position already adopted by the Wvecnmsnt of Canada. For this reason, Canada has agreed to co-sponsor this draft resolution, and we hope that it will enjoy the fuLL suPp3rt of all smsber s of the Council.

1c thank the representative of Canada for the kind words he addressed to me. Mr. RLRNC (France) (interpretation from Prench)t Pirst of all, I should like to congratulate you, Sir, 0n your 00mtry *S accessian to the presidency, and I should Like to take this oppor tunfty to thank our colleague, His Excellency Ambassador HazaLi, who quided oux work durinq the month Of July. The Governmt!nt of France ban during the past few days been EoLLwlng r,ith the keenest of concern the rising tension resulting from the threata made by Iraq aga ins t Kuwa it . We had welcomed the efforts at Arab mediation and the holdinq of a first-round meetinq at Jiddah between the two parties. In fact, we believe that dialogue is the only Possible mean5 for resolving the disfxlte between Iraq md Kuwait. (Mr. Blanc, France) ws mmt firmly &pJ.ore the fact that Iraq hag chosen to use force, aLL the more so oince we are dealinq with a region that has just emerged Erom a par titularly lengthy and bloody cone1 ict . That is uhy we fully apprwe of the emerqency meeting of our Council. We unreservedly co~demr the invasion of Kuuait by Xraq and we demand the immzdinte withdrawal from the territory of Kuwait by Iraqi forces. For those reasons, we have decided to co-sponsor the draft resolution submitted to us. The PRRSIDEWT: I thank the representative of France Car the kind words he addressed to me. Mr. IEDZUAN (Malaysia) t On behalf of my deleqation, I should li!ce to congratulate you, Sir, and express auf best wishes on your assumption of the presidency of the Council Eor this mnth. I wish also to take thio opportunity to thank you and others for the kind words expressed to Ambassador RazaLi. Malaysia oJnsider8 the principles embodied in the Charter of the United Nations as sacrosanct in the conduct of relations between sovereign State& We are against acts of external interference, aggression and the use of force and the threat of force in inter-State relation5 without exception. This is particularly 1mgXXtmt to poteect the sovereignty of small States. Malaysia deeply reqrets that this aituation has taken place, involving two rWrber6 Of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Non-Aligned Mwement with uhi& we have good relations. This is particularly aad when this event is taking place during the annual Poreiqn Ministers’ meeting of the OIC in Ca fro. We are saddened at the loss of lives and the destruction brought about bY th is invasion. (Mr. Redznan, Malaysia) We had hen following with qreat interest the negotiations held earlier between Kuwait and Iraq md we had hoped that any differences would have been settled through peaceful brotherly negotiations. This is indeed a very grave situation , and urgent and forthright a&ion by the Security Council is required. We should like to call upon Iraq to withdraw its forces immediately and unconditionally frorP Kuwaiti territory and respect the savereiqnty, independence and territorial integrity of Kuwait. We appeal to both sides to begin immediately intensive negotiations to resolve their differences, and we should like to support the efforts of all concerned, especially those Of the Arab Leaguer in bringing about a peaceful settlement between the two countries. Under the circumstances, Malaysia has agreed to co-sponsor the draft resolution befor@ the Council. The PRESIDR3Ts I thank the r+presentatTve of Malaysia for the kind words he addressed to me. Sir Crispin TICKELL (United Kingdom) : Mr. President, our best wishes to you and ou warmest thanks to your predecessor in of ftce. This is an ugly sKIIPant in world affairs. We strongly condemn a clear breach of the Charter of the United Nations, as indeed of the Charter of the Arab League. The Security Council mret today take its responsibilities. In the last few hours the Iraqi Government has launched a full-scale invasion of the territory of its small and vulnerable neighbour. I should add that this is not the first time that Iraq has invaded the terti tory of a neighbour, We have so far seen formulas which recall in dit%naying fashion the kind of totalitarian remark8 made in history a~ many occasions. Thus we have em invasion from outsides we have a phoney coup d *&at fi t within; and we have the purported estabishmnt of a pIpp3t government. Like my United States colleague, I have noted that the plot was botched because the timing was back to frcmt. (SLf Crkspin Tlckell., Un 1 ted K 4 nqdam) -- Now we seen the already precarious stability of the reqLon bled bv a lonq and painful war dwqerously upset. We have Seen &struction of pl'o~rt-{ and, more important, we have seen dangerous destruction of human life among our friends, the Kuwaitis. (Sic Crispin TickelL, Dni ted Kinqdom) There have been differences between Iraq and Kuwait for a long time. Why a violent crisis new? Negotia t ion0 were in train. we grttitly welcome the efforts of President Mubarak and other Arab leaders in that respect. The negotiations have not broken dmn: they should have been resumed. Instead, we have seen that while the neWtiati0n.S were taking place men were beinq mobilizod and arrangement2 made to launch the invasion we are discussing today. We have co-sponsored a stronq draft resolution to condemn an unquestionable act of aqqression. We W@~COJW the invocation of articles 39 and 40. Iraqi forces must now withdraw unconditionally to where th?y were only yesterday. I particularly pick alt the points made by our colle.ague from Cololrbia when he said that the Security Council must protect, as one of its primary duties, t%e small, the vulnerable and the defenceless. The Security Council represent!3 a focus of world opinion. It is the way in which the international community can mobilize itself to maintain the purposes and ideals Of the Charter and ensure that acts of this kind do 110 t succeed. In conclusion, I want to express not just a sefue oE dismay but also a sense of disgust that this kind of thing can still hapwn in 1990 in the world community in which w all live and breathe.

I thank the representative of the United Kingdom for his kind words addressed to me. WLI. R&ST (Finland) : Mr. President, allow me first to thank Ambassador Razali of Yalaysia for the excellent way tie quided our work throuqhout the mnth of July. It iS indeed a plesure, Sir, for me to extend my warxest conqratolations and best wishto you on your assumption of th presidency of the Cou%iL. (Ms. Rasf, Finland) it this early-morning hour, I do not intend to take mu& of the Council’s the: The dangerous situation betueen Iraq md Kwait does not require lengthy stataments. We learned with shock md dimnay about the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. This act of aggressim is a gross violation of the United Nations Charter. Finland has always condemned the use of force or the threat of its use in relations between States and we continue to do so. In conformity vith this policy, Finland has agreed to wsponsor the draft resolution before the Security Council. we urge Iraq to withdraw its forces fra the territory it has occupied. We urge the parties to settle their dispute in a peaceful -net, The .PRESIDENTr I thank the representative of Finland for her kind words addressed to me. Mr. EOZINSRY (Union of &viet Socialist Republics) (interpretation from Russian) t Mr. President, allow me first of all t43 congratulate you upon your E M.dering the responsibilities of Presi&ent of the Security Council at this difficult hour and to wish you tmccess in your responsible work. The Soviet delegation would aleo like to express its gratitude to the Permanent Representative of Malaysia far having successfully discharqed the duties of President of the Security Comcll last month. The Soviet delegatim expresses ita profound concern au8 alarm over the reports of the invasion by Iraqi amad forces into Kuwait. On several occasions recently the soviet Union has spoken out in favour of a peaceful solution of all of the problems that have arisen between those two states. We 1-k forward to positive results from the negotiationa and msdiatim efforts undertaken by the Arab States of the region. We are even mre mncerned by reports to the effect that battles are still raging in Kuwait and that blood is being shed. (Mr. Lozimky, rJ%R) The Soviet delegation believes that the Security Council must act immediately to eliminate this violation of international peace and security in a region where so many urgent conflicts still await solution. We suwort the draft resolution submitted for the Security Council’s consideration. we expect an immediate cessation of the armad invasion, the withdrawal of Iraqi troops and a renewal of negotiation5 between the countries, with the assistance of regional organizations= The PRE!SIDRNT: I thank the representative of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for the words he addressed to me. Mr. LI Daoyu (interpretation from Chinese) : First of all, Sit, allav ma to congratulate you upon your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month. We believe that under your talented guidance the Security Council will register new achievements. At the same time, I should like TV express our thanks to the Permanent Representative of &ialaysia foe his successful guidance of the Council’s work last amnth. China has consistently held that disputes between States should be settled Peacefully, not by force. my country enjoys friendly relation5 with both Iraq and Kuwait1 we hope that they will live together in peace. We regret the incident that t-k place in the early-morning hours of 2 August, when fraqi troops ctossea the border and attacked Kunait. Hostil itiee mtst cease immediately . Iraqi troops should be withdrawn to where they were before the event tOok place. We appeal to both countries to solve their differences peacefully8 through negotiation. China endorses the draft resolution before us.

I thank the representative of China for the kind words he addressed to me. I shall noV make a bta&Nent in mjr capacity as tt~ representative of Romania. 1 pledge ti full support of my country for the draft resolution before Us. Out position iS based on the firm belieE that neither the USC? nor the threat of force should be resorted to for the settlement of international disputes- ML disputes between States, irrespective of their nature, shou1.d be solved only by peaceful weans. We are confident that implementation of the draft resolution we are called upon TV adopt will restore peace in the region. we express the hope that the two States involved in the conflict will do thr,r utmost to respect in qmd faith the principles of the United Nations Charter. I now resum my functions as President of the Council. (Tha Presirknt) --- It ia my understandinq that the Council is ready to prcceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. If I hear TU objection, I shall take it ihat that is the case. There being no objection, it is so decided. Before puttlr:. %e draft resolution to the vote. I shall first Can M thae members of the Cam,., ::.: whiwish +T i.ag~ statements before the voting. Mr. AL-A!WLrrt (Trr.. a: (interpretation ?rom Arabic) : At the Outset, Sir, allcw PB to congratulate you an your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month, which seems to be a very difficult time. e wish also to thank Mr. Razali, the reprcls ntative of Malaysia, whc conducted the Council's affairs in m exemplary manner last month. The delegation of Yemen will not participate in the voting on the draft resolution, because we have not received instructions from Sana, the capital. Hwaver, I should like to make the folLw lng points. First, the delegation of the Remblic of Yemen, w hfch has always tried to exprese the Arab position and to defend Arab interedta in the Security council, feels Borrw and emberr.assment cwer the subject of the discussion here, especially since the problem relates to two Arab countries nembers of the League of Arab States, the Orgmization of the Islamic Conference and the Non-Aligned Movement, XTaq and Kuwait, with tiich we have very brotherly ties. Secondly, the Republic of Yer-en emphasizes it6 respect fOK the United Nation3 Charter and its principles and the L iqht of all States, without exception, to enjoy their sovereiqnty atla their territorial integrity and indewndence. Thai. Wiilie~ to Ruwait just as it applies to any other country. (Mr. Al-Ashtat, Yemen\ Thirdly, the &public of Yemen as a matter oQ principle emphasizes its condermation and denunciation of all forms of interEerence in the internal affairs of other countries, and strongly opposes the use of force and calls for the peaceful settlement of disputes. Fourthly, on that basis, we call on Iraq end Kuwait to begin immediately negotiations with a view to solving their pl-oblems , and we support all efforts by Arab coun tr ies e individually and collectively, to contain the crisis. Those efforts are going on nou in Cairo , where the Foreign Ministers of the Arab countries are meeting to deal with the matter. The PKESIDENTr I thank the representative of Yemen for his kind words addressed to me. ! shall now pit to the vote the draft resolution contained in cbcument S/21425. A vote ~213 taken by shou of hands. In favour: Canada, China, Colombia, CBte d’Svoite, Cuba, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Malaysia, Romania, Union of Soviet Socialist F&publics, United Kinqdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Zaire Yemen did not participate in the voting. The PPESIDWNT: The result of the voting is as follws: 14 in fsvoue, none against end no abaten tians. One member did not participate in the voting. The draft resolution hae been adopted as resolution 660 (1990). There are no further smakers co my list. The Security Council ha thus concluded the present atage of its consideration of the item on ite agenda. The Security Council will remin seized of the matter- The meeting rcse at 6.05 a.m.