FERMAhTE}{TMISSIOIJ OF FJIGERIATC Ti-{ELrtdiTED}'J;LT{OI{S
AVENUE o NEW YORK, N.Y. 10017e TEL. (212) 953-9130o Fl,X (212) 697-W7A 828 SECOF.ID

MESSAGE, FROM HIS EXCELLEI{CY CHIEF OLUSEGT]I{OBASANJO PRESIDEI{T OF THE FEDERAL REPTJBLICOF NIGERIA ON THE OCCASION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE PALESTII{IAI\ PEOPLE

NEW YORK,29NOVtrMBER 2OO5

Mr. Chairman' Day of of the rnternational occasionof the commemoration on the people, I have the hono*r to convey the the palestinian soridarity with olusegun obasanjo of by His ExcellencyPresident following message Nigeria,andcrHrentChairmanoftheAfricanUnion.

QUOTE As we observe,today, the InternationalDay of Solidarity with the Palestinian People,I express, behalfof the African Union, our warmest on greetingsto His Excelletrcy,Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the and LiberationOrganisation President ExecutiveCommitteeof the Palestine of the PalestinianNational Authority as well as our solidarity with the occasion, we that People. It is equallyfitting, on this auspicious Palestinian recall the first anniversaryof the demise of the Great Leader of the People,late ChairmanYasserArafat, who devotedhis entirelife Palestinian people,a goal which to the pursuitof freedomand diprty for the Palestinian on the hasremained focusof the effortsof the Committee the Exerciseof the under People,since its establishment InalienableRights of the Palestinian 3376(1975). Resolution Assembly General

People Day of Solidaritywith the Palestinian Sincethe International was institgted,in 1977,Africa has joined other sectionsof International People Commurity, to reaffirm, yaffi after yaffi, the right of the Palestinian in to dignry and respect,&s enshrined the Chaner of the United Nations. Africa has exhibited an unwavering support for the Palestinian cause People becauseof our conviction that, like all peoples,the Palestinian

deserve to be accorded internationally recognizedright to freedom in digtlty.

in Afi"ica has, therefore,followed, with keen interest,developments plight of the Palestinian the the Middle East process. We consider present to but peoplenot only as a reminderof failed opportunities, also a challenge to memberstatesof this organisation translatethat vision into reality. The years, sigrrificantmilestonethat we have attained,otr this matter, over the whilst a cause for satisfaction,should not make us complacent. The to internationalcommunityshould not let slip the propitious opportunity which and the advance causeof peace,development, securityin the region, East now presentsitself. The fact is that the situation in the Middle continuesto merit the best of the concertedefforts of the international only be community,and particularlythe countriesin the region. Peacecan and throughaccommodation, mutualrecognition. we all have the achieved the parties to the conflicts to cultivate good responsibilityto encourage of interests so neighbourliness that througha spirit of give andtake, the best of thepeoples theregioncanbe served'

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Africa reiteratesits long-held conviction that the Palestinianissue cannotbe resolvedby any military or violent means. Violence begets sorrow and bitterness, violence,leaving in its trail, death and destruction, recriminationand vengeance.The result, as has beentoo painfully evident, is an environment that is furtherremovedfrom peace.

The African Union, therefore,welcomesthe recent efforts to broker peace and agreement between Israel and Palestinian Authority and cofirmends the restoration of tnrst and confidence between the two elaboratedin the leaderships. Indeed,Africa considersthe understanding, Sham al-Sheik document,which, inter alia, calls for the cessation of the plight of the violence as a major milestonein the efforts to address of People,as well as the faithful implementation the Road Map. Palestinian the In the samevein, African considers recentremovalof Israel settlements from the Gaza Strip and parts of the northernWest Bank, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Sffip, and the opening of the Authority as helpful Rafah border crossingby Presidentof the Palestinian actionof the signsfor peace. Thesespecificstepsshouldserveto galvafftze parties in particular and the internationalcommunityin generaltowards a to thatwill bringpeace theregionasa whole. definitivesolution

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Aware of the primary responsibilify for the maintenance of internationalpeace and security conferredon the Secwity Council by the its Charterof the United Nations, the African Union reiterates supportfor and the Quartet's of the implementation the Council's extant resolutions, for Road Map. Africa equally reaffirms its supportfor self-determination of and People. The acceptance actualisation the principle of the palestinian two states,living side by side, within secureand definedborders, should strengthenpeace and security in the region, and permit the Palestinian peopleto finally enjoy thoserights which manyof us takenfor granted. Our Day of Solidaritywith the Palestinian of conrmemoration the krternational people next year should be the celebrationof the achievementof the nationhood. Palestinian

TTNQUOTE

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