PAKISTAN
PERMANENT MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS
8 EAST65thSTREET- NEW YORK. Ny 10021 (2r2)879-8600

Messagefrom H.E. Mr. Inam-ul-Haque, Foreign Minister of Pakistan in his capacity as Chairman of 34'hIslamic Conferenceof Foreign Ministers on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People- 29 November 2007 joins the internationalcommunity in rel. The Organizationof Islamic Conference affirming its strong supportand solidaritywith the Palestinian peoplefor the realization of ther inalienable rights, including their legitimate right to self-determination and freedomfrom foreignoccupation. 2. The General Assembly has repeatedly affirmed that the realization of the inalienablerights of the Palestinian people is indispensable the solution of the for questionof Palestine.The United Nations has a permanentresponsibilitytowards the questionof Palestineuntil it is resolvedin all its aspects a satisfactorymanner in in accordance with international legitimacy. 3. The root causeof the Arab-Israeliconflict is the Israeli occupationof the Arab territories. The Palestinian question is the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The Organtzatronof the Islamic Conferencehas a natural and strong attachmentto the issue of Palestine and is deeplycommittedto its just and peacefulsettlement. The causeof A1Al-Sharif is cenffal to the entke Islamic Ummah. The position of the OIC on the Quds Arab-Israeliconflict, including the core issueof Palestine, the basisand principles and for resolving these conflicts, are clearly spelt out in its declarations,communiqu6sand resolutionsadoptedat the Summit and Ministerial level. In brief, the OIC calls for the achievement a just, comprehensive of and lasting peacebasedon intemationallaw and relevantIIN resolutions,including SecurityCouncil resolutions 242 (1967),338 (1973), principleswhich call for Israel'scomplete 1397(2002)and 1515(2003)as well as agreed withdrawal from the occupied Palestrnianterritory, including East Jerusalem,and all other occupied Arab territories, the achievementof the inalienable rights of the peopleto exercise Palestinian self-determination sovereignty their independent and in and viable Stateof Palestine, the basisof the pre-1967 on borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, and ajust resolutionto the plight of the Palestine refugees accordance in with Assembly resolution General 194(III) of 11December 1948. The observance the InternationalDay of solidaritywith the Palestinian 4. of people this year coincides with the 40th anniversaryof the adoption of Security Council resolution242 (1967)which had setout the principlesfor a just and lasting settlement i.e. inadmissibilityof the acquisitionof territory by war, withdrawal of Israeli armed forces

from the territories occupied in the 7967 conflict, and a just settlementof the refugee issue,among others.That resolutionremainsunimplemented this day, like numerous till otherresolutions the SecurityCouncil and the GeneralAssembly. yearshavelapsed of 60 sincethe Palestinian Nakba and the adoptionof resolution181(II) of 29 November1947. 5. As a result,lastingpeaceand stabilityin the Middle Eastremainselusive.Over the decades, this cauldron of conflictsin the Middle East has resultedin untold suffering, death and destnrction,causedmisery, angerand frustration,raised emotionsand bred misffust, antagonism and violence. There is growing realization nonethelessthat the world can no longer afford to let theseconflictsfester.The occupationmust be brought to an end. There is a unanimous call for achievingcomprehensive and lasting peacein the Middle East, for which a just and final settlement of the core issue of Palestine is imperative.There is also broad consensus recognitionthat lasting peaceand stability and can only be achievedthrough pacific settlement,and not by unilateral actions and use of force. 6. In this context, it is encouraging that our expression of solidarity with the Palestinian People today comes in the wake of extensive regional and international engagement resolvethe long standingPalestinianissue.This includesthe revival of the to Arab PeaceInitiative and the just concludedpeaceconference Annapolis. There is a in broad willingnessto move the peaceprocess forward. We hope the Annapolis meeting will be the beginning of the end of the tragedy of Palestineand will usher in an era of peacein the Holy land. The Islamic countriesparticipatedin the Annapolis conference in response the invitation from the United Statesto signal their commitment to just, to comprehensive lastingpeace and between Israeland Palestine in the Middle East. and 7. We welcome the commitment to the establishment the PalestinianState,and the of agreement start final statusnegotiationsto resolveall core issues to including the borders, refugees, settlements Jerusalem. be fair, thesemust be resolved the basisof the and To on previous agreements, relevant IIN and SecurityCouncil resolutions,the principle of the land for peace,the Madrid PeaceConferencetefins of reference, road map, and the the Arab Peace Initiative. This will entail Israeli withdrawal from occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. We hope the PeaceTreaty will be fnalizedbefore the end of 2008 and then be implemented earnestly. Delays and obstructionscould exacerbate ratherthan enhance prospects peace. the for 8. In the meanwhile,it is important to build an environmentof ffust and confidence to supportthe peaceprocess. We remain deeplyconcerned over the continuingplight of the Palestinian people, their humiliation and collective punishment under Israeli occupation. Violence and military aggression, graye breachesof intemational law including humanitarian and human rights law, and socio-economicdeprivation and strangulation are affecting all aspectsof the lives of the Palestinian people. The dire situation in the occupiedterritories is depictedin detail in various IIN and other reports. The international community must ensure full compliance by Israel of its obligations under the 4th Geneva Convention applicableto all the occupied territories. Israel must also end policies and actions that seek to changethe realities on ground that could

prejudice final settlement,including the integrity and viability of the future Palestinian state. 9. Thereare someimmediaterequirements create conditionsfor success: to the

One Bringing about a rapid and tangible improvementof the situation on ground in the occupiedterritories; ending the oppressionand suffering of the Palestinianpeople, ceasingof military campaignsby Israel, releasingof prisoners,halting the construction of the illegal separation wall, freezing settlementactivities, dismantling unauthorized settlerouq)osts,removing all kinds of blockades and restrictions,ending the siegeof Gazaand its illegaldeclaration Israelasan "enemyentity", and endingof violence; by Two Providing enhanced humanitarian, economic and social support by the international community to the Palestinians; including immediate restoration and unimpededprovision of all essential goodsand services the Palestinian peoplein all to the occupiedterritories. ThreeProviding support to the Palestinian Authority for building state institutions including security apparatuses. We look forward to a successful donors conferencein Parisin this regard. 10. Obviously, together with the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations,efforts must continue to revivePalestinian unity. Durablepeace impossible is with a dividedpeople. 11. At this crucial juncture in the searchof lasting peace in the Middle East, the Organrzation of Islamic Conference re-affirms its steadfastsupport to the Palestinian people in their rightful quest for self-determination and the establishment a sovereign, of viable and independent Palestinian statebasedon the pre-1967 borderswith Al-QudsAlSharifas its capital.We call on all partiesto remainfully committedto the peace process and to address all outstanding issues through dialogue. An early comprehensive settlement the Arab-Israeliconflict, including the core issueof Palestine of must be our collective strategic objective. The international community must pledge its complete commitment to this objectiveand throw its fuIl moral, diplomatic, political and economic support for its early realization. The Organization of the Islamic Conference shall continue to play its rightful role in this collectiveendeavour.