Assembly calls for Mideast peace conference, endorses aim of independent Palestininan state.

• Position: United Nations General Assembly

The call for a peace conference-- with the participation of all parties to the Arab-Israeli conflict, including the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), as well as the United States, the Soviet Union and other States concerned--had been originally made by the International Conference on the Question of Palestine held from 29 August through 7 Septermber 1983 in Geneva.

It was recommended that the conference be convened on the basis of the six guidelines put forward by the International Conference for efforts to resolve the question of Palestine (see Background). The International Conference considered it essential that the proposed peace conference have the aim of achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting solution, an essential element of which would be the creation of an "independent Palestinian State in Palestine". These recommendations were endorsed by the General Assembly.

The Assembly adopted a total of 10 resolutions under the two items on Palestine and the Middle East. Resolutions 38/58 A-E, on the question of Palestine, were approved on 13 December; resolutions 38/180 A-E, on the situation in the Middle East, were put to a vote on 19 December.

The Assembly's endorsement of the peace conference came in resolution 38/58 C, adopted by a vote of 124 in favour, to 4 against (Australia, Canada, Israel, United States), with 15 abstentions, asked the Secretary-general, in consultation with the Security Council, urgently to undertake preparatory measures to convene the peace conference and invited the Council to facilitate the organization of that meeting. Mr. Perez de Cuellar was to report on his efforts no later than 15 March 1984.

In response to the request for preparations for a peace conference, the Secretary-General initiated the process of consultation with the Security Council, asking the Council President to ascertain the views of Council members on the proposal.

In another resolution, 38/180 D, adopted by 101 votes in favour, to 18 against, with 20 abstentions, the Assembly also reaffirmed the call for the convening of the conference.

In the same text, it reaffirmed its convition that the question of Palestine was the core of the conflict in the Middle East; that a just and comprehensive settlement could not be achieved without the participation on an equal footing of the PLO; and that peace in the Middle East was indivisible and must be based on a comprehensive and lasting solution.

Israel's continued occupation of Palestinian and other Arab territories, including Jerusalem, was condemned all agreements and arrangements which violated the recognized rights of the Palestinian people were rejected.

The Assembly also condemned Israel's aggression, policies and practices against the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly Palestinians in Lebanon, and the imposition by Israel of its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

Agreements on strategic cooperation between the United States and Israel that would encourage Israel in its "aggressive and expansionist policies" would have adverse effects on efforts towards a lasting peace, the Assembly stated. It called for an end to military, economic and financial aid to Israel. The continuing and increasing collaboration between Israel and South Africa was also strongly condemned.

By a third resolution, 38/180 A, adopted by a vote of 84 in favour to 24 against, with 31 abstentions, the Assembly determined once more that Israel's record, policies and actions confirmed that it was not a peace-loving Member State. Other Mamber States were called on to refrain from supplying to or acquiring from Israel weapons or military equipment, to suspend economic, financial and technological assistance to and co-operation with Israel, and to sever diplomatic trade and cultural relations with Israel.

The Assembly also reiterated its call to all Member States to cease forthwith, individually and collectively, "all dealings with Israel in order to totally isolate it in all fields".

By a fourth resolution, 38/180 E, adopted by 81 votes in favour, to 27 against, with 29 abstentions, the Assembly demanded that all States, particularly the United States, in the light of its agreements with Israel, refrain from taking any step that would support Israel's war capabilities and consequently its aggressive acts, whether in the Palestinian or Arab territories or against countries in the region.

In a fifth text, on Jerusalem-- adopted by 137 in favour to 1 against (Israel), with 3 abstentions (Domincan Republic, Guatemala, United States)--the Assembly declared once more that Israel's decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on that Holy City was "illegal and therefore null and void and has no validity whatsoever". Resolution 38/180 C also deplored the transfer by some States of their diplomatic missions to Jerusalem.

The Assembly also condemned, by resolution 38/180 B, acts committed by the Israeli army, during its occupation of Beirut, which constituted "plundering the Palestinian cultural heritage". They included taking away archives and documents concerning Palestinian history and culture, including cultural articles from Palestinian institutions such as the Palestine Research Centre, manuscripts, film documents, literary works, paintings and objects d'art, research works and other articles.

The Government of Israel was called on to make full restitution of such property through the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Secretary-General was asked to report on the matter to the 1984 Assembly. The text was approved by a vote of 121 in favour to 1 against (Israel), with 20 abstentions.

In a seventh text, resolution 38/58 A, adopted by 126 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 19 abstentions, the Assembly endorsed the 1976 recommendations of the Palestinian Rights Committee (see Background). It drew the attention of the Security Council to the fact that action on those recommendations, as repeatedly endorsed by the Assembly, was long overdue. The Committee was alos authorized to continue to exert all efforts to promote the implementation of those recommendations.

In another resolution, 38/58 D, adopted by 144 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), the Assembly urged that specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, at a meeting to be convened in 1984 by the Secretary-general to co-ordinate a programme of assistance to the Palestinian people, should take into account recommendations of five regional preparatory meetings for the International Conference on Palestine concerning economic and social assistance.

Two other resolutions called for continued action by the United Nations Secretariat with regard to public awareness of the plight of the Palestinian people.

Resolution 38/58 B, adopted by 127 in favour to 3 against (Canada, Israel, United States), with 17 abstentions, had the Assembly request that the Division for Palestinian Rights be provided with the necessary resources to accomplish its tasks and to expand its work programme.

In resolution 38/58 E, adopted by 125 in favour to 3 against (Canada, Israel, United States), with 15 abstentions, the Assembly asked the Department of Public Information to disseminate all information on the activities of the United Nations system relating to Palestine and expand its activities in that area.

An eleventh text, put forward by Iran (document A/38/L.49), would have had the Assembly condemn the "recent United States-Israeli co-ordinated aggression in the region" and consider their "strategic alliance" as a factor of escalation of tension and aggravation of the situation. It was not pressed to the vote.

(Also see Resolution Round-up, beginning on page 18, for summaries of resolutions concerning the report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Population of the Occupied Territories; the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA); Israel's decision to build a canal linking the Mediterranean Sea to the Dead Sea; assistance to the Palestinian people; permanent sovereignty over national resources in the occupied territories; living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories; and other decisions.)

The Assembly reviewed the closely-related items on Palestine and the Middle East in debates held consecutively over a 16-day period in November and December. Fifty-six speakers participated in the debate on Palestine, during five plenary meetings held between 28 November and 5 December. Another 56 spoke during the debate on the Middle East, which spanned eight meetings held between 7 and 13 December.

In launching the debate on the question of Palestine, Massamba Sarre (Senegal), Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and drawn the world's attention to the situation of that people.

The International Conference on the Question of Palestine had provided the broadest forum so far for consideration of the Palestinian problem, with participation by 137 States, some 100 non-governmental organizations, and several eminent personalities, including some from Israel.

Victor Gauce (Malta), Committee Rapporteur, said 1983 had seen a surge of support for the Committee's 1976 recommendations, which remained fair, legally founded and a practical basis for giving satisfaction to the Palestinian people in its quest for independent statehood within a wider, peaceful settlement of the Arab-Esreli conflict. Throughout the continents, he said, there was a deep awareness of...