← Votes

A/RES/69/320 GA

Raising the flags of non-member observer States at the United Nations

69
Session
119
Yes
8
No
45
Abstentions
Draft symbol A/69/L.87/Rev.1
Adopted symbol A/RES/69/320
Category ORGANIZATIONAL QUESTIONS
P5 Positions
Russia ✓ United States ✗ United Kingdom ~ China ✓ France ✓
UN Document A/RES/69/320 ↗

Vote Recorded Vote — A/69/PV.102 Sept. 10, 2015

— Abstain (44)
✗ No (8)
Absent (22)
✓ Yes (119)
Speeches following this vote (20) may include explanations of vote
The Acting President
Before giving the floor to speakers in explanation of vote, may I remind delegations that explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.
Mr. Prosor (Israel)
Once again, the Assembly has convened to debate a crucially important matter. Member States will be asked to make a decision that will reflect on how this institution will be perceived. No, I am not referring to the Palestinian flag. The lives of Israelis and Palestinians will remain the same whether or not a Palestinian flag flies in New York. I am speaking of a much more important decision. The…
Mr. Radomski (Poland)
Poland takes the floor to explain its decision to support the draft resolution on raising the flags of non-member observer States, the Holy See and Palestine, at the United Nations. We would like to emphasize that we treat resolution 69/320 as a technical matter, without any consequences for the position of Poland on the issue of the Middle East peace process. A flag is a symbol. People fight and…
Mr. Delattre (France)
France voted in favour of the draft resolution submitted today that authorizes non-member observer States to raise their flags at the United Nations following those of Member States. This vote is first of all a vote in favour of the two-State solution, which must remain our common goal; it is more than ever that of France. France has also made the choice of consistency. As early as 1982, before …
Mr. Díaz de la Guardia Beuno (Spain)
I wish to raise two brief points with respect to resolution 69/320, on raising the flags of non-member observer States at the United Nations. First, Spain’s vote in favour of the resolution was consistent with its support for resolution 67/19. Secondly, Spain’s vote in favour should not be interpreted as recognizing Palestine as a State, which can occur only in the framework of a final and compr…
Mr. Carrera Castro (Guatemala)
Guatemala thanks the State of Palestine for its initiative concerning resolution 69/320. The Government of Guatemala recognizes and supports Palestine as a free, independent and sovereign State. We considered this initiative carefully. We believe that the resolution focuses on one of the exclusive rights of a full Member of the Organization, as distinct from an observer State. In that regard, we…
Mr. Skoog (Sweden)
Sweden decided to vote in favour of resolution 69/320. That is a natural step following Palestinian State-building efforts, recognized by the General Assembly on 29 November 2012 in resolution 67/19, in which Palestine was accorded status as a non-member observer State at the United Nations. It is also a logical consequence of the Swedish recognition of the State of Palestine on 30 October 2014. …
Mr. Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
Azerbaijan voted in favour of resolution 69/320. We consider this initiative to be a reflection of the legitimate will and aspiration of the State of Palestine to become a full-fledged Member of the United Nations. We reiterate our support for Palestine’s application for admission to membership of the United Nations and look forward to a solution to that issue based on international law. Azerbaij…
Mr. Sauer (Finland)
Let me start by reiterating Finland’s steadfast support for the non-member observer status of Palestine at the United Nations, in line with resolution 67/19, which Finland voted in favour of in 2012, as well as our support for the similar status enjoyed by the Holy See. However, we have considered resolution 69/320, before us today, on its own merits and without direct reference to the situation…
Mr. Menkveld (Netherlands)
The General Assembly has decided today to change the protocol to include henceforth the flags of non-member observer States at the United Nations. The Kingdom of the Netherlands chose to abstain in the voting on resolution 69/320 for procedural reasons. The Kingdom of the Netherlands is not convinced that compelling reasons exist for changing the established practices concerning the flag protocol…
Mr. Menelaou (Cyprus)
Cyprus abstained in the voting on resolution 69/320, on raising the flags of non-member observer States at the United Nations. Cyprus’s abstention should be viewed in the light of the challenges and issues that have arisen from the situation in Cyprus since 1974, which compel us to adhere to the principle that only full Members of the United Nations should be entitled to all the privileges enjoye…
Mr. Ellinger (Czechia)
The Czech Republic has considered resolution 69/320 based on its substance and in an objective manner, unrelated to consideration of any individual observer State that the resolution may concern now or in the future. The Czech Republic fully aligns itself with the principle that raising a flag at the headquarters of any international organization is a right reserved exclusively to the members of…
Mr. Hannigan (Iceland)
In December 2011, Iceland recognized Palestine as an independent and sovereign State. In November 2012, Iceland voted in favour of granting the State of Palestine observer status at the United Nations. Iceland would like to see Palestine become a State Member of the United Nations as soon as possible. Flying a flag is not a substitute for membership, but it will underline the presence and partici…
Mr. Meek (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
The Government of the United Kingdom decides its voting position based on the text of each draft resolution presented. It has traditionally been the case that only flags of States Members of the United Nations are flown at its Headquarters. Despite our long-held support for the creation of a Palestinian State, we have not been provided with any compelling reason to justify changing that long-stan…
Mr. Zaayman (South Africa)
South Africa wishes to be among the first to endorse and congratulate this non-member observer State of the United Nations. Our long and principled support of the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination is informed by our own history and struggle for freedom, justice and a high regard for human rights. The struggle of the people of Palestine has been long and full of upheaval…
Ms. Stener (Norway)
Resolution 69/320 deals with the question of raising flags, which is traditionally associated with membership in all international organizations. In our view, the resolution constitutes a precedent that contributes to erasing the difference between member States and observers in international organizations. That is why Norway abstained in the voting on the resolution. That should in no way be int…
The Acting President
We have heard the last speaker in explanation of vote for this meeting. We will now hear statements after the adoption of resolution 69/320.
Ms. Rodríguez Gómez (Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela)
Today we have seen an afternoon of justice in the General Assembly through our adoption of resolution 69/319, by which we deprived vulture capital funds of their power, and resolution 69/320, by which we approved the raising of the Palestinian flag. We have listened carefully to every speaker, because there has unquestionably been a great deal of food for thought. If we really believe in this — …
Mr. Timerman (Argentina)
The Argentine Republic and its people are the children of a struggle for liberation. The Argentine Republic recognizes the right to self-determination of peoples and the territorial integrity of States. The Argentine Republic believes that the only entity with the right to decide on the existence of a Palestinian State is the Palestinian people itself, which must not be pressured or to decide its…
Mr. Alhakim (Iraq)
On behalf of the Group of Arab States, I take the floor again to express sincere thanks and appreciation to all for their efforts and to all those who voted in favour of resolution 69/320, which reminds us that the whole world stands by people languishing under colonization. I congratulate the Government and the people of Palestine on the adoption of this resolution, which is symbolic. Within a l…
Full text of resolution OCR extract — may contain errors
United Nations A/RES/69/320 General Assembly Distr.: General 15 September 2015 Sixty-ninth session Agenda item 120 15-15474 (E) *1515474* Please recycle Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 10 September 2015 [without reference to a Main Committee (A/69/L.87/Rev.1 and Add.1)] 69/320. Raising the flags of non-member observer States at the United Nations The General Assembly, Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, Bearing in mind the Preamble to the Charter and the reaffirmation of faith in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, Noting the participation of non-member observer States that maintain permanent observer missions at Headquarters in the sessions and work of the General Assembly, Recalling that the State of Palestine became a non-member observer State at the United Nations on 29 November 2012, and recalling also in this regard its resolution 67/19 of 29 November 2012 and previous relevant resolutions, 1. Decides that the flags of non-member observer States at the United Nations maintaining permanent observer missions at Headquarters shall be raised at Headquarters and United Nations offices following the flags of the States Members of the United Nations; 2. Requests the Secretary-General to take the measures necessary for the implementation of this decision during the seventieth session of the General Assembly and within 20 days of the adoption of the present resolution. 102nd plenary meeting 10 September 2015
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