71st Plenary Meeting of General Assembly: 51st Session - Part 1

Parties to Middle East peace process urged to set aside short-term interests, for greater goal of common prosperity at 71st plenary meeting of the 51st session.

• Categories: Meetings & Events / General Assembly
• Video Length: 01:34:55
• Production Date: 3 December 1996
• Asset Language: Original; English; French; Spanish
• Personal Subject: HASAN ABU-NIMAH; HISASHI OWADA; JOSE FERNANDEZ ESTIGARRIBIA; MIKHAIL WEHBE; SAMIR MOUBARAK; SOO GIL PARK
• Subject Topical: PALESTINIAN PEOPLE; PEACE AGREEMENTS; PEACE PROCESS
• Geographic Subject: ISRAEL; MIDDLE EAST; PALESTINE
• MAMS Id: 2416848
• Parent Id: 845637

Description

Syria Tells General Assembly All in Region Will Benefit From Settlement; Critics Say Israel Has Not Fully Honoured Commitments.

Several countries this afternoon called for cooperation from parties concerned to put the Middle East peace process back on track, and the policies of the new Israeli Government came into focus as the Assembly continued its consideration of the situation in the Middle East.

The representative of the Republic of Korea said it was imperative for all to transcend their short-term, myopic interests, extinguish their distrust and look towards the even greater and nobler goals of reconciliation and common prosperity.

Peace, said the representative of Syria, was an equation; it required balance between all the parties. His country believed that the peace process must succeed because there was a benefit for everyone in the region when peace was achieved. He called on the international community to influence Israel effectively to do what was right, since the peace process would provide for peace, security, development and progress.

Malaysia was "dismayed and seriously concerned", its representative said, that the policies of the new Israeli Government and its intransigent attitude were jeopardizing the peace process. If the present Israeli Government desired permanent peace, it must scrupulously honour the agreements reached by it and the Palestinians.

The representative of Australia urged the parties to make efforts to move the Middle East peace process forward; and to honour the obligations and commitments they had made, including redeployment of Israeli troops from Hebron and the commencement of substantive talks on the final status. He said that direct dialogue between the parties must resume, and Israel, Syria and Lebanon must redouble their efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement based on the implementation of Security Council resolutions.

Statements were also heard from the representatives of Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Japan, Cuba, Czech Republic, Senegal and Argentina.

Speaking in exercise of the right of reply, the Permanent Observer for Palestine said that the movement towards peace had turned to confrontation and conflict recently, as a result of the policies of the government of Mr. Netanyahu, notably its refusal of the principle of land for peace, and its attempt to circumvent the agreements already made. He warned that if those "reckless policies" continued, it would be impossible to achieve peace.

Also speaking in right of reply, the representative of Syria said people described by Israel as "terrorists" were "freedom fighters resisting the occupation of their lands".

Also speaking in right of reply were the representatives of Iran and Lebanon.

For further details please see official record:
A/51/PV.71

For further details please see source:
MEETINGS COVERAGE