UNITED NATIONS

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Economie and Social
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^'"t'^GENERAL E/CN.4/1992/SR. 23 March 1992 ENGLISH Original:

Council

FRENCH

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Forty-eighth session

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE 6TH MEETING Held a t the P a l a i s des N a t i o n s , Geneva, on Thursday, 30 January 1992, a t 3 p.m.

Chairman;

Mr. SOLT

(Hungary)

CONTENTS Q u e s t i o n o f the v i o l a t i o n o f human r i g h t s i n the o c c u p i e d i n c l u d i n g P a l e s t i n e (continued) Arab territories,

The r i g h t o f peoples t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and i t s a p p l i c a t i o n t o p e o p l e s under c o l o n i a l o r a l i e n domination or f o r e i g n o c c u p a t i o n (continued)

This record i s subject to c o r r e c t i o n . C o r r e c t i o n s should be siabmitted i n one o f the working languages. They s h o u l d be s e t f o r t h i n a memorandum and a l s o i n c o r p o r a t e d i n a copy o f the record. They should be sent w i t h i n one week o f the date o f t h i s dociiment t o the O f f i c i a l Records E d i t i n g S e c t i o n , room E.4108, P a l a i s des N a t i o n s , Geneva. Any c o r r e c t i o n s t o the records o f the p u b l i c meetings o f t h e Commission a t t h i s s e s s i o n w i l l be c o n s o l i d a t e d i n a s i n g l e corrigendum, t o be i s s u e d s h o r t l y a f t e r the end o f the s e s s i o n .

GE.92-10297/4335B

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The meeting was

c a l l e d to o r d e r a t 3.05

p.m.

QUESTION OF THE VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES, INCLUDING PALESTINE (agenda item 4) (continued) (E/CN.4/1992/6 and 7) THE RIGHT OF PEOPLES TO SELF-DETERMINATION AND ITS APPLICATION TO PEOPLES UNDER COLONIAL OR ALIEN DOMINATION OR FOREIGN OCCUPATION (agenda item 9) ( c o n t i n u e d ) (E/CN.4/1992/11 and 12; E/CN.4/1991/14; A/46/65, 286 and 522) 1. Ms. CALANDRA ( I n t e r n a t i o n a l F e d e r a t i o n of Human R i g h t s and France-Libertés, F o n d a t i o n D a n i e l l e M i t t e r r a n d ) s a i d i t was a p p r o p r i a t e t h a t , as d e c i d e d a t i t s p r e v i o u s s e s s i o n , the Commission on Human R i g h t s s h o u l d a t i t s f o r t y - e i g h t h s e s s i o n a c c o r d h i g h p r i o r i t y to the q u e s t i o n of Western Sahara s i n c e c a r e f u l examination of the s i t u a t i o n r e v e a l e d o b s t a c l e s i n the p a t h of the p a i n s t a k i n g e f f o r t s made by the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community to end a c o n f l i c t which had l a s t e d 16 y e a r s . She r e c a l l e d t h a t , a t i t s f o r t y - s e v e n t h s e s s i o n , the Commission had r e a f f i r m e d the i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t of the people o f Western Sahara to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and independence, a r i g h t which, i f i t was to be e x e r c i s e d l e g i t i m a t e l y , s h o u l d be enjoyed i n c o n d i t i o n s of i r r e p r o a c h a b l e l e g a l i t y and freedom. A c c o r d i n g to S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n 690 (1991) the two p a r t i e s to the c o n f l i c t , the Kingdom of Morocco and the F r e n t e Popular p a r a l a Liberación de Saguía el-Hamra y de Río de Oro ( P o l i s a r i o F r o n t ) , had r e c o g n i z e d t h a t the o r g a n i z a t i o n and s u p e r v i s i o n of the referendum was the e n t i r e and e x c l u s i v e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s , through the S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l ' s S p e c i a l R e p r e s e n t a t i v e w i t h the support of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s M i s s i o n f o r the Referendum i n Western Sahara (MINURSO). One of the key a s p e c t s of the agreement between the U n i t e d Nations S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l and the two p a r t i e s concerned the 1974 S p a n i s h census, which they had b o t h a c c e p t e d as the o n l y b a s i s f o r c o m p i l i n g the e l e c t o r a l r e g i s t e r s . U n f o r t u n a t e l y , f i v e months a f t e r the c e a s e - f i r e marking the b e g i n n i n g of the t r a n s i t i o n a l p e r i o d had come i n t o f o r c e , implementation of the U n i t e d Nations peace p l a n had been h e l d up by a c o n s i d e r a b l e number of d i f f i c u l t i e s . The c e a s e - f i r e had been v i o l a t e d on s e v e r a l o c c a s i o n s , the MINURSO s t a f f were not y e t a t f u l l s t r e n g t h and i t had not been p o s s i b l e to d e p l o y them a t the r a t e e n v i s a g e d , the S p e c i a l R e p r e s e n t a t i v e of the S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l had been unable to i n s t a l l h i m s e l f on the spot and had f i n a l l y r e s i g n e d . U n i t e d Nations equipment was s t i l l b e i n g h e l d up a t Moroccan p o r t s and a i r p o r t s , 40,000 people had been moved from Morocco to Western Sahara i n o r d e r to i n f l a t e the e l e c t o r a l r e g i s t e r s and the v o t i n g i t s e l f had been d e f e r r e d to an as y e t u n s p e c i f i e d date. 2. The I n t e r n a t i o n a l F e d e r a t i o n of Hiunan R i g h t s and France-Libertés c a l l e d on the Commission on Human R i g h t s a t i t s f o r t y - e i g h t h s e s s i o n to r e a f f i r m i t s support f o r the peace p l a n adopted by the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l i n o r d e r to ensure t h a t i t would be r i g o r o u s l y and f u l l y implemented, to appeal once more to the Kingdom o f Morocco and the P o l i s a r i o F r o n t to show the c o o p e r a t i o n and good w i l l on which the peace p r o c e s s depended w i t h a view to the e a r l y s o l u t i o n of the q u e s t i o n of Western Sahara, to express i t s concern about any m o d i f i c a t i o n of those elements of the peace p l a n accepted by b o t h p a r t i e s to the c o n f l i c t which might impede the o r g a n i z a t i o n of a f a i r and e q u i t a b l e referendum on s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , to i n s i s t t h a t MINURSO s h o u l d be p r o v i d e d w i t h the

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r e s o u r c e s n e c e s s a r y to f u l f i l i t s m i s s i o n , to d e c i d e to monitor developments i n Western Sahara and to a c c o r d h i g h p r i o r i t y to c o n s i d e r a t i o n of t h a t question at i t s f o r t y - n i n t h session. The a t t e n t i o n of the Commission was a l s o drawn to the f a c t t h a t , i n one of i t s most r e c e n t r e s o l u t i o n s , the European P a r l i a m e n t had e x p r e s s e d the hope t h a t members of p a r l i a m e n t s and non-governmental o r g a n i z a t i o n s would be a b l e , as i n t e r n a t i o n a l o b s e r v e r s , to monitor the e l e c t i o n p r o c e s s i n Western Sahara on the s p o t . 3. Ms. PARK (Canada) s a i d she was g r a t i f i e d by developments i n the M i d d l e E a s t s i n c e the f o r t y - s e v e n t h s e s s i o n of the Commission and the w i l l i n g n e s s shown by the two p a r t i e s to the c o n f l i c t to b r i n g i t to an end by e n t e r i n g i n t o n e g o t i a t i o n s to e s t a b l i s h peace i n the r e g i o n and form r e l a t i o n s h i p s based on the r e c o g n i t i o n of mutual i n t e r e s t s and l e g i t i m a t e rights. P a r t i c u l a r l y welcome was the d e c i s i o n taken a t the Moscow m u l t i l a t e r a l t a l k s to c r e a t e working groups to c o n s i d e r p r a c t i c a l ways of improving the l i v e s of people i n the r e g i o n i n c l u d i n g a refugee working group i n which Canada would p l a y a l e a d i n g r o l e , a c t i n g as h o s t to the f i r s t meeting. I t was to be hoped t h a t the Commission's d e l i b e r a t i o n s d u r i n g i t s f o r t y - e i g h t h s e s s i o n would s t r e n g t h e n the hand of a l l those who f a v o u r e d n e g o t i a t i o n s and were working f o r the success of the peace p r o c e s s . 4. I t was now up to the peoples of the M i d d l e E a s t , I s r a e l i s and P a l e s t i n i a n s i n p a r t i c u l a r , t o e s t a b l i s h a new r e g i o n a l o r d e r . Such an order was i n e x t r i c a b l y l i n k e d to r e s p e c t f o r the i n d i v i d u a l and c o l l e c t i v e r i g h t s of the two communities as f o r m u l a t e d by i n t e r n a t i o n a l h u m a n i t a r i a n law and the d e c i s i o n s o f the c o l l e c t i v e b o d i e s . As the Prime M i n i s t e r of Canada, Mr. B r i a n Mulroney, had c l e a r l y expressed at r e c e n t meetings o f the heads of S t a t e and Government of the Commonwealth and the F r e n c h - s p e a k i n g c o u n t r i e s , human r i g h t s and the promotion of democratic v a l u e s s h o u l d h e n c e f o r t h occupy a c e n t r a l p l a c e i n i n t e r n a t i o n a l r e l a t i o n s , w i t h o u t any e x c e p t i o n . I t was beyond q u e s t i o n t h a t the r e s o l u t i o n of the A r a b - I s r a e l i c o n f l i c t and the I s r a e l i - P a l e s t i n i a n c o n f l i c t c o u l d be a c h i e v e d o n l y through the implementation of S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n 242 (1967) and t h a t i n the meantime the p r o v i s i o n s o f the F o u r t h Geneva Convention s h o u l d be a p p l i e d i n the o c c u p i e d territories. Respect f o r those p r o v i s i o n s was an e s s e n t i a l c o n d i t i o n f o r p r o g r e s s i n r e s o l v i n g the problem. However, d e s p i t e e f f o r t s made by both s i d e s to c o r r e c t the most inhuman of the c o n d i t i o n s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , the s i t u a t i o n i n the West Bank and Gaza S t r i p remained g r e a t l y disturbing. The p o l i c y of d e p o r t i n g P a l e s t i n i a n s and e s t a b l i s h i n g s e t t l e m e n t s c o n t i n u e d , i n c a r c e r a t i o n s c o n t r a r y to the r u l e of law s t i l l took p l a c e and w h i l e most o f the u n i v e r s i t i e s had been reopened (an i n d i c a t i o n of a w i l l i n g n e s s t o reduce c o l l e c t i v e punishment) r e c e n t curfews i n c e r t a i n r e g i o n s appeared out of p r o p o r t i o n to the v i o l e n t a t t a c k s on s e t t l e r s . 5. Canada would c o n t i n u e to support a l l those on both s i d e s who were s t r i v i n g t o promote the r u l e of law. I t was encouraged by the considerable c o o p e r a t i o n between P a l e s t i n i a n and I s r a e l i hviman r i g h t s o r g a n i z a t i o n s and commended t h e i r e f f o r t s , which were an i n d i c a t i o n of the q u a l i t y of i n t e r a c t i o n p o s s i b l e between those communities. I t a l s o p a i d t r i b u t e to the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Committee o f the Red Cross and the U n i t e d N a t i o n s R e l i e f and Works Agency f o r P a l e s t i n e Refugees i n the Near E a s t (UNRWA) f o r t h e i r

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generous s u p p o r t . The I s r a e l i s and the P a l e s t i n i a n s s h o u l d make an a d d i t i o n a l e f f o r t t o r e c o g n i z e the r i g h t s and the d i g n i t y o f t h e i r neighbours and thus f u r t h e r t h e i r own cause. Canada, f o r i t s p a r t , would spare no e f f o r t t o a s s i s t them i n t h e i r s e a r c h f o r peace and d i g n i t y , s i n c e t h a t was an e s s e n t i a l c o n d i t i o n f o r a secure f u t u r e f o r a l l those i n v o l v e d . Her d e l e g a t i o n , which had r e g r e t t e d t h e l a c k o f consensus on the d r a f t r e s o l u t i o n s on t h e Q u e s t i o n o f P a l e s t i n e submitted a t the f o r t y - s e v e n t h s e s s i o n o f the Commission, hoped t h a t the d e c i s i o n s t h a t would be taken i n 1992 would r e f l e c t the new s p i r i t o f r e a l i s m and compromise t h a t p r e v a i l e d a t the i n t e r n a t i o n a l l e v e l and was l o o k i n g forward t o working w i t h other d e l e g a t i o n s t o t h a t end. 6. Mr. KOVALIOV ( R u s s i a n F e d e r a t i o n ) s a i d t h a t the i n c r e a s i n g number o f c o u n t r i e s a c c e d i n g t o i n t e r n a t i o n a l human r i g h t s i n s t r u m e n t s proved t h a t most S t a t e s i n t h e w o r l d were aware o f the u n i v e r s a l v a l u e o f human r i g h t s . However, t h e a d o p t i o n o f l e g a l norms was n o t enough; they had t o be implemented, and t h a t s h o u l d be the o b j e c t i v e o f the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community. 7. The r i g h t o f peoples t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was the most important o f a l l the r i g h t s e n s h r i n e d i n i n t e r n a t i o n a l law and i t s r e a l i z a t i o n was o f t e n c o n s i d e r e d t o be an i n d i s p e n s a b l e c o n d i t i o n f o r and the guarantee o f the enjoyment o f i n d i v i d u a l r i g h t s and l i b e r t i e s , b u t the converse was a l s o t r u e . The c r e a t i o n o f an independent S t a t e and the e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f d e m o c r a t i c p r i n c i p l e s which took i n t o account the l e g i t i m a t e r i g h t s and i n t e r e s t s o f i n d i v i d u a l s was a complex and long-term t a s k and c o n s t i t u t e d the most c o n c r e t e form t h a t the r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n c o u l d t a k e . That was the d i f f i c u l t p a t h which the p e o p l e s o f R u s s i a had chosen, b e l i e v i n g t h a t the implementation of t h a t r i g h t would a f f i r m the importance o f the i n d i v i d u a l and h i s r i g h t s and d i g n i t y i n a l l walks o f l i f e . That was because over many decades t h e i n t e r e s t s o f the i n d i v i d u a l i n the s o c i e t y o f t h e former S o v i e t Union had been s u b j e c t e d t o those o f the S t a t e and the concept o f human r i g h t s had always been r e j e c t e d , t o the e x t e n t t h a t p o s s e s s i o n o f the t e x t o f t h e U n i v e r s a l D e c l a r a t i o n o f Human R i g h t s had, 10 y e a r s p r e v i o u s l y , been c o n s i d e r e d a crime p u n i s h a b l e by a p r i s o n sentence. The stands taken by the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community had undoubtedly done much t o promote the p r o c e s s o f reform i n R u s s i a , which was d u l y g r a t e f u l . D e s p i t e the numerous s o c i a l and economic problems f a c e d by the c o u n t r y , the R u s s i a n P a r l i a m e n t had a l r e a d y adopted a nximber o f human r i g h t s laws and i n p a r t i c u l a r a d e c l a r a t i o n o f the r i g h t s and freedoms o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l and c i t i z e n , and had e s t a b l i s h e d p a r l i a m e n t a r y c o n t r o l over r e s p e c t f o r hiunan r i g h t s through a s p e c i a l l y - a p p o i n t e d ombudsman. The r e c e n t l y c r e a t e d c o n s t i t u t i o n a l c o u r t had been e n t r u s t e d w i t h e x t e n s i v e powers, i n c l u d i n g t h a t o f v e r i f y i n g the c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y o f laws t h a t had been passed and m o n i t o r i n g the a p p l i c a t i o n o f human r i g h t s legislation. I t s f i r s t d e c i s i o n had been t o c a n c e l a p r e s i d e n t i a l decree merging the M i n i s t r y o f the I n t e r i o r and the s e c u r i t y s e r v i c e s , which had been considered unconstitutional. Furthermore, the l e g a l system was b e i n g reformed and the C o n s t i t u t i o n had been m o d i f i e d , but c l e a r l y a g r e a t d e a l remained t o be done b e f o r e n a t i o n a l l e g i s l a t i o n would be i n c o n f o r m i t y w i t h the norms o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l law. 8. A t t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l l e v e l , R u s s i a a l s o had t o adapt i t s f o r e i g n p o l i c y and, i n p a r t i c u l a r , a c c o r d p r i o r i t y t o democratic v a l u e s and r e s p e c t f o r human r i g h t s , which was a f a c t o r i n i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o o p e r a t i o n and a u n i v e r s a l

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p r i n c i p l e , independent o f any i d e o l o g y . Double standards s h o u l d never be a p p l i e d , even though i t was n e c e s s a r y , when a s s e s s i n g the human r i g h t s s i t u a t i o n i n a c o u n t r y , t o take i n t o account i t s h i s t o r i c a l , n a t i o n a l , g e o g r a p h i c a l and c u l t u r a l p a r t i c u l a r i t i e s and i t s a c t u a l economic and s o c i a l situation. There was no such t h i n g as a p e r f e c t S t a t e and i n d i v i d u a l s s h o u l d be p r o t e c t e d throughout the w o r l d . For i t s p a r t , R u s s i a was c o n v i n c e d o f the c o r r e c t n e s s o f such an approach and was r e c e p t i v e t o o b j e c t i v e c r i t i c i s m . I t would a p p l y t h a t c r i t e r i o n t o o t h e r S t a t e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n i t s b i l a t e r a l r e l a t i o n s w i t h R e p u b l i c s o f the former S o v i e t Union, and i n e x p l a i n i n g i t s p o s i t i o n i n various i n t e r n a t i o n a l bodies. 9. I n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h agenda item 4, h i s d e l e g a t i o n welcomed t h e f a c t t h a t the p o s i t i v e changes which had taken p l a c e i n the w o r l d d u r i n g t h e p a s t few y e a r s and the g r e a t e r i n t e r n a t i o n a l e f f o r t s b e i n g made t o r e s o l v e c e r t a i n r e g i o n a l problems had f a c i l i t a t e d the s e a r c h f o r a p o l i t i c a l s o l u t i o n t o the M i d d l e E a s t problem. I t was t o be hoped t h a t the two p a r t i e s t o t h e c o n f l i c t would show reason, moderation and a s p i r i t o f compromise and t h a t f u r t h e r p r o g r e s s would be made d u r i n g t h e m u l t i l a t e r a l t a l k s i n Moscow. The Commission s h o u l d a l s o c o n t r i b u t e t o those c o n s t r u c t i v e e f f o r t s ; i n so d o i n g i t c o u l d count on the support o f h i s d e l e g a t i o n . 10. Mr. AMORIM ( B r a z i l ) observed t h a t i n t e r n a t i o n a l events over the p r e v i o u s two y e a r s had once a g a i n brought the q u e s t i o n o f s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o the centre of world p o l i t i c s . The U n i t e d Nations had a l r e a d y welcomed as new members a mmber o f newly-independent S t a t e s . That meant t h a t the u n i v e r s a l c h a r a c t e r o f t h e U n i t e d Nations was b e i n g enhanced by the a d d i t i o n o f peoples who had p r e v i o u s l y been p r e v e n t e d from speaking w i t h t h e i r own v o i c e . 11. One o f the main f e a t u r e s o f the concept o f s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was t h a t i t was i n e x t r i c a b l y l i n k e d w i t h human r i g h t s . That was because the f u l l e x e r c i s e of s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n depended on the r e a l i z a t i o n o f o t h e r human r i g h t s . In t h a t c o n n e c t i o n , the same importance s h o u l d be accorded t o t h e p r i n c i p l e o f s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n as t o the p r o t e c t i o n o f the fundamental r i g h t s o f minorities. Enjoyment o f the r i g h t o f s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n c o u l d n o t be guaranteed s i m p l y by l a y i n g the f o u n d a t i o n s o f p o l i t i c a l independence. S e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was a permanent r i g h t o f peoples and s h o u l d be e x e r c i s e d on a permanent b a s i s . In o r d e r f o r t h a t p r i n c i p l e t o be a p p l i e d a t the n a t i o n a l l e v e l , t h e n e c e s s a r y c o n d i t i o n s should be c r e a t e d f o r the w i l l o f the people to be heard and r e s p e c t e d i n f r e e e l e c t i o n s . On the other hand, i f a people was t o a c h i e v e s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n i t s h o u l d be a b l e t o conduct i t s a f f a i r s f r e e from o u t s i d e i n t e r f e r e n c e . The r e s t o r a t i o n o f the s o v e r e i g n t y o f Kuwait was a remarkable example o f the importance o f U n i t e d Nations i n i t i a t i v e s i n that regard. 12. As f o r the q u e s t i o n o f the v i o l a t i o n o f human r i g h t s i n the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , i n c l u d i n g P a l e s t i n e , the documents b e f o r e the Commission c l e a r l y showed t h a t the human r i g h t s s i t u a t i o n i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s c o n t i n u e d to r e q u i r e t h e a t t e n t i o n o f the Commission. H i s Government, which had f o l l o w e d w i t h keen i n t e r e s t e f f o r t s t o a c h i e v e a n e g o t i a t e d s o l u t i o n t o the A r a b - I s r a e l i problem and hoped t h a t the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community would spare no e f f o r t i n t r y i n g t o reach a j u s t and l a s t i n g s o l u t i o n t o the q u e s t i o n o f

/.4/1992/SR. page 6

P a l e s t i n e , d e p l o r e d human r i g h t s abuses i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s and the d e p o r t a t i o n of P a l e s t i n i a n s . I t was t o be d e e p l y r e g r e t t e d t h a t the F o u r t h Geneva Convention, which c o n s t i t u t e d the l e g a l framework a p p l i c a b l e de i u r e i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , was not r e s p e c t e d . The Commission, which had a l r e a d y condemned the i n s t a l l a t i o n of I s r a e l i s e t t l e r s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , s h o u l d renew i t s demands on I s r a e l i n o r d e r t o promote a d e f i n i t i v e and s a t i s f a c t o r y s o l u t i o n t o the q u e s t i o n of P a l e s t i n e . 13. Mr. CALITIS (Observer f o r L a t v i a ) r e c a l l e d t h a t , L a t v i a , which had been condemned by the two i n t e r n a t i o n a l c r i m i n a l s H i t l e r and S t a l i n , had l o s t i t s independence f o r over 50 y e a r s and thus i t s p l a c e i n the U n i t e d ations. F o r t u n a t e l y , j u s t i c e had f i n a l l y triumphed and the S t a t e of L a t v i a was a t p r e s e n t r e p r e s e n t e d i n the Commission. The L a t v i a n people had s u f f e r e d heavy l o s s e s , i n i t i a l l y d u r i n g the Second World War and then owing t o the o c c u p a t i o n of i t s t e r r i t o r y by the S o v i e t army. Throughout a l l those y e a r s i t had been d e n i e d the e x e r c i s e of i t s r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . The P a r l i a m e n t o f L a t v i a had r e c e n t l y r a t i f i e d a l l i n t e r n a t i o n a l l e g a l instruments c o n c e r n i n g the r i g h t o f peoples t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and L a t v i a condemned human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s wherever they o c c u r r e d . L a t v i a n s were the o n l y people i n Europe who had been unable t o r e t u r n t o t h e i r pre-war demographic l e v e l and accounted f o r o n l y 51 per cent of the p o p u l a t i o n on L a t v i a n t e r r i t o r y . The Government of L a t v i a w h o l e h e a r t e d l y supported the demands of oppressed p e o p l e s and i n t e n d e d t o r e c o g n i z e the r i g h t s of a l l the e t h n i c groups l i v i n g i n L a t v i a . However, r e s p e c t f o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l p r i n c i p l e s on L a t v i a n t e r r i t o r y was hampered by one o b s t a c l e , namely, the s t a t i o n i n g t h e r e of armies of the former S o v i e t Union, which were a d e s t a b i l i z i n g f a c t o r i n the B a l t i c r e g i o n and indeed orthern and E a s t e r n Europe as a whole. For t h a t reason, h i s Government c a l l e d on the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community t o make every e f f o r t t o r e q u i r e the withdrawal of those t r o o p s . 14. Mr. KHAN ( P a k i s t a n ) , r e f e r r i n g to the s i t u a t i o n i n A f g h a n i s t a n , s a i d t h a t a l t h o u g h i t s people had succeeded, a f t e r an h e r o i c s t r u g g l e , i n f r e e i n g t h e i r homeland from f o r e i g n o c c u p a t i o n , Afghan t e r r i t o r y was s t i l l b e i n g l a i d waste by c o n t i n u e d armed c o n f l i c t . I t was incumbent upon the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community t o make every p o s s i b l e e f f o r t t o a c h i e v e peace i n A f g h a n i s t a n and to enable the m i l l i o n s of Afghan refugees t o r e t u r n t o t h e i r homes. In t h a t c o n n e c t i o n , P a k i s t a n supported the U n i t e d N a t i o n s S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l ' s p r o p o s a l , as w e l l as the peace e f f o r t s embarked upon by a l l the p a r t i e s concerned. The c o n f l i c t i n A f g h a n i s t a n c o n t i n u e d t o impose an enormous s o c i a l and economic burden on P a k i s t a n i n the form of the presence o f more than 3 m i l l i o n Afghan refugees on i t s t e r r i t o r y . The Government of P a k i s t a n , which was d e e p l y concerned by the sharp d e c l i n e i n i n t e r n a t i o n a l h u m a n i t a r i a n a s s i s t a n c e f o r those r e f u g e e s , c o n s i d e r e d t h a t i t was the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community t o extend a s s i s t a n c e to them as l o n g as they remained on P a k i s t a n i t e r r i t o r y and a d u r a b l e p o l i t i c a l s o l u t i o n had not been worked out. 15. P a k i s t a n a l s o r e g r e t t e d the f a c t t h a t the r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n of the P a l e s t i n i a n people c o n t i n u e d t o be d e n i e d and condemned the a t r o c i t i e s p e r p e t r a t e d by the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s a g a i n s t i n n o c e n t P a l e s t i n i a n s . I t also condemned the I s r a e l i p o l i c y of e s t a b l i s h i n g s e t t l e m e n t s and of e x p r o p r i a t i o n i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s and demanded the d i s m a n t l i n g of the I s r a e l i

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s e t t l e m e n t s i n those t e r r i t o r i e s . P a k i s t a n had always supported the s t r u g g l e of the P a l e s t i n i a n people and was c o n v i n c e d t h a t a l a s t i n g s o l u t i o n t o the problem o f the M i d d l e E a s t would be e l u s i v e w i t h o u t t o t a l I s r a e l i withdrawal from a l l o c c u p i e d P a l e s t i n i a n and Arab t e r r i t o r i e s and the r e s t o r a t i o n of the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e ' s r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . I t welcomed the peace p r o c e s s under way i n the M i d d l e E a s t and s i n c e r e l y hoped t h a t i t would l e a d t o a s a t i s f a c t o r y s o l u t i o n of the problems i n the r e g i o n . 16. With r e g a r d t o the a p a r t h e i d regime, i t was i n c o m p a t i b l e w i t h the p r i n c i p l e s of the C h a r t e r of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s and the U n i v e r s a l D e c l a r a t i o n of Human R i g h t s , s i n c e i t p e r m i t t e d d i s c r i m i n a t i o n a g a i n s t the m a j o r i t y of the population. The Government of P a k i s t a n was heartened t o note the p o s i t i v e changes t h a t had taken p l a c e i n South A f r i c a . Hundreds of p o l i t i c a l p r i s o n e r s had been r e l e a s e d , the ban on p o l i t i c a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s had been l i f t e d and P r e s i d e n t De K l e r k had endorsed the concept of a m u l t i - p a r t y c o n f e r e n c e to promote c o n s t i t u t i o n a l reforms. N e v e r t h e l e s s , b l a c k s i n South A f r i c a were s t i l l d e n i e d t h e i r fundamental r i g h t s to e q u a l i t y and s e l f - r u l e . For t h a t reason i t was important t o m a i n t a i n i n t e r n a t i o n a l p r e s s u r e on the Government of South A f r i c a u n t i l the a p a r t h e i d regime had been c o m p l e t e l y d i s m a n t l e d . 17. The Government of P a k i s t a n had f o l l o w e d the i n i t i a t i v e of the f i v e permanent members of the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l on Cambodia and was c o n f i d e n t t h a t t h e i r e f f o r t s , w i t h those of the ASEAN c o u n t r i e s , would l e a d to a s a t i s f a c t o r y s o l u t i o n o f the q u e s t i o n . 18. P a k i s t a n was f u l l y c o g n i z a n t of i t s r o l e as a member of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s and of i t s o b l i g a t i o n s to the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community. I t was d e e p l y committed t o the p r o c e s s of n e g o t i a t i o n , c o n s u l t a t i o n and d i a l o g u e which s h o u l d enable the w o r l d e v e n t u a l l y to f i n d peace and p r o s p e r i t y . 19. Mr. OSMANY (Bangladesh) d e p l o r e d the f a c t t h a t v i o l a t i o n s of the fundamental r i g h t s o f the P a l e s t i n i a n people and o t h e r Arabs i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s c o n t i n u e d w i t h impunity. In h i s l e t t e r accompanying the r e p o r t of the S p e c i a l Committee to I n v e s t i g a t e I s r a e l i P r a c t i c e s a f f e c t i n g the Human R i g h t s of the P o p u l a t i o n of the Occupied T e r r i t o r i e s , the U n i t e d N a t i o n s S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l had observed t h a t the Government of I s r a e l c o n t i n u e d to i g n o r e r e q u e s t s f o r c o o p e r a t i o n addressed t o i t . The r e p o r t c o n f i r m e d once a g a i n g r o s s v i o l a t i o n s of hiiman r i g h t s by the I s r a e l i s i n those t e r r i t o r i e s where p o l i t i c a l r i g h t s , the r i g h t to f r e e movement, to e d u c a t i o n and t o freedom o f e x p r e s s i o n c o n t i n u e d to be d e n i e d by the o c c u p a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s . 20. The growing r o l e of the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l i n d e f e n d i n g and p r o t e c t i n g human r i g h t s was commendable. The Government of I s r a e l , a s i g n a t o r y t o the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Covenant on C i v i l and P o l i t i c a l R i g h t s , c o u l d not i g n o r e i t s l e g a l o b l i g a t i o n s under t h a t and other human r i g h t s instrvunents. In f l o u t i n g i t s o b l i g a t i o n s , I s r a e l was i n danger of l o s i n g a l l c r e d i b i l i t y i n international affairs. The peace p r o c e s s s t a r t e d i n Madrid the p r e v i o u s year under the a u s p i c e s o f the U n i t e d S t a t e s and the former S o v i e t Union deserved to be supported. In t h a t c o n n e c t i o n , the Commission had t o be w a t c h f u l and make sure t h a t the n e g o t i a t i o n s were not a l l o w e d to cover up human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s by I s r a e l i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s . Nor s h o u l d the M i d d l e E a s t peace p r o c e s s be a l l o w e d to d i v e r t the Commission's a t t e n t i o n from the s e r i o u s

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d e t e r i o r a t i o n o f the human r i g h t s s i t u a t i o n i n the t e r r i t o r i e s . For t h a t reason, u n t i l I s r a e l f u l l y r e s p e c t e d the fundamental human r i g h t s of a l l P a l e s t i n i a n s and o t h e r Arab i n h a b i t a n t s of the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , moral, e t h i c a l and l e g a l p r e s s u r e s needed to be maintained, and the q u e s t i o n s h o u l d c o n t i n u e to be g i v e n the h i g h e s t p r i o r i t y . 21. Mr. ROA KOURI (Cuba) s a i d i t was u n f o r t u n a t e t h a t the r a d i c a l changes which had taken p l a c e i n the system of i n t e r n a t i o n a l r e l a t i o n s d u r i n g the p a s t few y e a r s had l e d to the m i l i t a r y and p o l i t i c a l predominance of a s i n g l e super-Power. T h a t s i t u a t i o n d i d not auger w e l l f o r the f u t u r e o f poor countries. H i s Government a l s o d e p l o r e d the f a c t t h a t , d u r i n g the G u l f c o n f l i c t , the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l had imposed d e c i s i o n s a l i e n to the s p i r i t of the C h a r t e r o f the U n i t e d N a t i o n s , thus s e t t i n g s e r i o u s p r e c e d e n t s f o r the s e c u r i t y , s o v e r e i g n t y and independence of p e o p l e s . 22. He r e c a l l e d t h a t r e s p e c t f o r the r i g h t of peoples t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n had always been a fundamental U n i t e d Nations p r i n c i p l e , and i n t h a t c o n t e x t the I960 D e c l a r a t i o n on the G r a n t i n g of Independence to C o l o n i a l C o u n t r i e s and Peoples had marked a s i g n i f i c a n t s t e p forward. The r i g h t of a l l S t a t e s to the f u l l e x e r c i s e of t h e i r s o v e r e i g n t y and the r i g h t of a l l peoples f r e e l y to choose t h e i r p o l i t i c a l , economic and s o c i a l regime without o u t s i d e i n t e r f e r e n c e had c o n s t i t u t e d the f o u n d a t i o n s of the i n t e r n a t i o n a l l e g a l order s i n c e the end of the Second World War. The p r e s e n t s i t u a t i o n r e q u i r e d , more than ever b e f o r e , r e s p e c t f o r those p r i n c i p l e s i n o r d e r to s a f e g u a r d i n t e r n a t i o n a l peace and s e c u r i t y . 23. The advent of a u n i p o l a r p o l i t i c a l and m i l i t a r y w o r l d was f r a u g h t w i t h the danger t h a t a s i n g l e p o l i t i c a l and s o c i a l model would be imposed throughout the world. A l l the i n i t i a t i v e s taken by the N o r t h had the e f f e c t of c o n s o l i d a t i n g the new w o r l d o r d e r t h a t was emerging. Some c o u n t r i e s were t r y i n g to impose on o t h e r s the d o c t r i n e of l i m i t e d s o v e r e i g n t y and to i n t e r f e r e i n t h e i r i n t e r n a l a f f a i r s on the p r e t e x t of emergency h u m a n i t a r i a n a i d o r a s s i s t a n c e i n the e l e c t o r a l p r o c e s s . Attempts were b e i n g made to e s t a b l i s h a m u l t i - p a r t y p o l i t i c a l model w i t h i n a n e o - l i b e r a l market economy c o n t e x t and to impose a new k i n d of i n t e r - c o u n t r y r e l a t i o n s h i p t h a t v i o l a t e d the p r i n c i p l e s of n a t i o n a l s o v e r e i g n t y and independence. The Cuban people had b u i l t up a s o c i a l i s t democracy based on the p a r t i c i p a t i o n of a l l c i t i z e n s and i n t e n d e d to defend i t r e s o l u t e l y a g a i n s t any attempt a t d e s t a b i l i z a t i o n . 24. A l t h o u g h c o l o n i a l i s m had c o l l a p s e d and a g r e a t number of c o u n t r i e s had a c h i e v e d independence, c e r t a i n peoples and t e r r i t o r i e s were s t i l l under a l i e n d o m i n a t i o n which s h o u l d be ended by the end of the c e n t u r y . Such was the case of Puerto R i c o , s t i l l d e p r i v e d of i t s r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and independence. The Government of Cuba urged t h a t i t s h o u l d accede to the status of a f r e e country. The U n i t e d S t a t e s s t i l l o c c u p i e d p a r t of Cuban t e r r i t o r y - a g a i n s t the w i l l of the people - where i t had s e t up the n a v a l base of Guantánamo. For more than 40 y e a r s the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n had been d e n i e d the P a l e s t i n i a n people, who had e x p e r i e n c e d the p o l i c y of r e p r e s s i o n and c o l o n i z a t i o n of the I s r a e l i o c c u p a t i o n f o r c e s . There would be no l a s t i n g peace i n the Middle E a s t u n t i l I s r a e l withdrew from the Occupied Arab T e r r i t o r i e s and the P a l e s t i n i a n people had t h e i r b a s i c r i g h t s r e s t o r e d . I t was to be hoped t h a t the peace n e g o t i a t i o n s t a k i n g p l a c e would a t l a s t l e a d

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to a s e t t l e m e n t of the A r a b - I s r a e l i c o n f l i c t . As f o r the q u e s t i o n of Western Sahara, h i s d e l e g a t i o n w h o l e h e a r t e d l y supported the e f f o r t s of the S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l and the work of MINURSO, e s t a b l i s h e d pursuant t o S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n 690 (1991). I t welcomed the p o l i t i c a l agreements reached i n A f g h a n i s t a n and the n e g o t i a t i o n s t o r e s o l v e the s i t u a t i o n i n Cambodia. L a s t l y , w i t h r e l a t i o n to southern A f r i c a , i t c o n s i d e r e d t h a t the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community should make g r e a t e r e f f o r t s t o e l i m i n a t e a p a r t h e i d once and f o r a l l . 25. R e f e r r i n g to the q u e s t i o n of mercenary a c t i v i t i e s , h i s d e l e g a t i o n c o n g r a t u l a t e d the S p e c i a l Rapporteur a p p o i n t e d by the Commission, Mr. B e r n a l e s B a l l e s t e r o s , f o r h i s r e p o r t on the q u e s t i o n of the use of m e r c e n a r i e s as a means of v i o l a t i n g human r i g h t s and impeding the e x e r c i s e of the r i g h t o f p e o p l e s to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n (E/CN.4/1992/12). The r e p o r t i n d i c a t e d t h a t the a c t i v i t i e s of mercenaries c o n t i n u e d to t h r e a t e n the s o v e r e i g n t y of d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r i e s . The Cuban a u t h o r i t i e s agreed w i t h the S p e c i a l Rapporteur t h a t the concept of mercenary a c t i v i t i e s s h o u l d be d e f i n e d and updated so as to i n c l u d e not o n l y those who engaged d i r e c t l y i n such a c t i v i t y but a l s o those who sponsored i t through the r e c r u i t m e n t , f i n a n c i n g , t r a i n i n g or use of m e r c e n a r i e s . In t h a t c o n n e c t i o n , the S p e c i a l Rapporteur had recommended t h a t i t s h o u l d apply to anyone, whether an i n d i v i d u a l or a body c o r p o r a t e , and t h a t i n d i r e c t i n t e r v e n t i o n , c o v e r t o p e r a t i o n s and a s s i s t a n c e t o a p a r t y i n c o n f l i c t a g a i n s t the a u t h o r i t y of the l e g i t i m a t e and c o n s t i t u t i o n a l Government s h o u l d be condemned. S i n c e i t had i t s e l f been the v i c t i m o f mercenary a t t a c k s c a r r i e d out under the a u s p i c e s of the U n i t e d S t a t e s of America, Cuba supported the recommendations of the S p e c i a l Rapporteur, f o r i t was aware of the c l o s e l i n k s between the a c t i v i t i e s of m e r c e n a r i e s and t e r r o r i s t a c t i o n designed t o d i s r u p t the l i f e of c i t i z e n s and overthrow l e g i t i m a t e a u t h o r i t i e s , as i l l u s t r a t e d by the " d i r t y " wars waged i n N i c a r a g u a a g a i n s t the S a n d i n i s t a s and a g a i n s t the c o n s t i t u t i o n a l Govermnent of Angola, b o t h of them o r g a n i z e d and f i n a n c e d by the U n i t e d S t a t e s , as w e l l as t h a t waged by the r a c i s t regime i n P r e t o r i a a g a i n s t Mozambique. 26. Mr. HAFIANA ( L i b y a n Arab J a m a h i r i y a ) noted t h a t the q u e s t i o n of the v i o l a t i o n of human r i g h t s i n the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , i n c l u d i n g P a l e s t i n e , had two main a s p e c t s . On the one hand, t h e r e were the numerous r e s o l u t i o n s adopted by the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l s i n c e 1967, and p a r t i c u l a r l y r e s o l u t i o n s 252 (1968), 276 (1969), 298 (1971), 446 (1979), 465, 471, 476 and 478 (1980), 605 (1987), 607 and 608 (1988), 694 (1991) and 726 (1992), as w e l l as I s r a e l ' s r e j e c t i o n of the l e g i t i m a t e demands o f the P a l e s t i n i a n people. On the o t h e r , t h e r e were the p o l i c i e s of the I s r a e l i o c c u p a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s i n the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s and P a l e s t i n e which c o n s i s t e d of murdering o l d men, women and c h i l d r e n , blowing up houses, c o n f i s c a t i n g l a n d , d e p r i v i n g the i n h a b i t a n t s of P a l e s t i n i a n v i l l a g e s of water, p l u n d e r i n g the p r o p e r t y and c u l t u r a l h e r i t a g e of the P a l e s t i n i a n s i n o r d e r to o b l i t e r a t e t h e i r i d e n t i t y , a r r e s t i n g and t o r t u r i n g thousands of P a l e s t i n i a n s and d e p o r t i n g i n d i v i d u a l s and groups. Those p r a c t i c e s , which resembled those of the N a z i s , had been confirmed by the r e p o r t s of Amnesty I n t e r n a t i o n a l and other humanitarian o r g a n i z a t i o n s . 27. The nxunerous r e s o l u t i o n s adopted by the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l and the U n i t e d N a t i o n s General Assembly were provoked i n some cases by I s r a e l ' s annexation p o l i c i e s and the v i o l a t i o n s p e r p e t r a t e d i n the o c c u p i e d Arab

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t e r r i t o r i e s and P a l e s t i n e , and i n o t h e r s by I s r a e l ' s o b s t i n a t e r e f u s a l to implement them. I f those r e s o l u t i o n s remained a dead l e t t e r i t was a l s o the f a u l t of those who used t h e i r r i g h t of v e t o to p r o t e c t I s r a e l and support i t s policies. T h e i r a t t i t u d e p r e v e n t e d the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e from e x e r c i s i n g t h e i r l e g i t i m a t e r i g h t s and encouraged I s r a e l to pursue i t s p o l i c i e s of expansion and r e p r e s s i o n and t o v i o l a t e the b a s i c human r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n s and other Arabs l i v i n g i n the t e r r i t o r i e s i t o c c u p i e d . The p o l i c i e s o f the o c c u p a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s i n the r e g i o n t h r e a t e n e d i n t e r n a t i o n a l peace and s e c u r i t y and doomed to f a i l u r e e f f o r t s made to r e s t o r e peace, which s h o u l d be based on j u s t i c e . 28. In view of the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l and G e n e r a l Assembly r e s o l u t i o n s t h a t had been adopted, I s r e a e l c o u l d do one of two t h i n g s ; e i t h e r i t complied w i t h the r e s o l u t i o n s and ended hviman r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s i n the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s and P a l e s t i n e by withdrawing from those r e g i o n s , or i t c o u l d r e f u s e to comply w i t h them, i n which case and i n accordance w i t h the p r o v i s i o n s o f the C h a r t e r of the U n i t e d ations, the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l s h o u l d r e q u i r e compliance by a d o p t i n g s p e c i f i c measures and a p p l y i n g s a n c t i o n s a g a i n s t I s r a e l . 29. The p o i n t a t i s s u e was whether the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l was a body which a c t e d i n accordance w i t h the p r i n c i p l e of j u s t i c e and e q u a l i t y f o r a l l , or one t h a t had double s t a n d a r d s , b e i n g severe towards the Arabs and t o l e r a n t to the Israelis. I f t h a t was the case, the s i t u a t i o n would be e x t r e m e l y d i s t u r b i n g s i n c e i t would imply t h a t the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l c o u l d adopt and implement r e s o l u t i o n s t h a t were u n f a i r and c o n t r a r y to the i n t e r e s t s of p e o p l e s . 30. He noted t h a t the Arabs who were t a k i n g p a r t i n the peace n e g o t i a t i o n s were v i c t i m s . They were l i v i n g as r e f u g e e s i n t e r r i t o r y o c c u p i e d by I s r a e l i f o r c e s s i n c e 1967, s u f f e r i n g from hunger and d i s e a s e , and handicapped by p o v e r t y and i l l i t e r a c y . They c o u l d not n e g o t i a t e on an equal f o o t i n g w i t h the I s r a e l i s , and would be o b l i g e d to agree to f u r t h e r c o n c e s s i o n s , which was impossible. The Arabs t a k i n g p a r t i n the n e g o t i a t i o n s had n e v e r t h e l e s s shown good f a i t h i n the hope t h a t I s r a e l would agree to withdraw from the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , r e c o g n i z e the r i g h t of the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and end the c r e a t i o n of s e t t l e m e n t s i n the r e g i o n . From s t a r t to f i n i s h they had encountered c a t e g o r i c a l r e f u s a l s by the I s r a e l i s . 31. The q u e s t i o n was not one of engaging i n a f u t i l e argument or r e f u s i n g peace based on j u s t i c e , but r a t h e r the implementation by I s r a e l of S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l and General Assembly r e s o l u t i o n s and a commitment by the U n i t e d ations to d e a l w i t h a l l s i t u a t i o n s t h a t t h r e a t e n e d i n t e r n a t i o n a l peace, s e c u r i t y and s t a b i l i t y on the b a s i s of r e s p e c t f o r j u s t i c e and e q u a l i t y between p e o p l e s and n a t i o n s . 32. Mr. LOHTAI (Hungary) s a i d t h a t the q u e s t i o n of human r i g h t s was a p r i o r i t y i s s u e f o r h i s Government which d i d not regard i t as a domestic matter. S i n c e i t was w i l l i n g to a l l o w the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community to assess the human r i g h t s s i t u a t i o n i n Hungary, i t c o u l d not remain s i l e n t when those r i g h t s were v i o l a t e d elsewhere by another S t a t e . H i s d e l e g a t i o n noted w i t h r e g r e t t h a t the s i t u a t i o n i n the Arab t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d by I s r a e l had s c a r c e l y changed s i n c e the p r e v i o u s s e s s i o n of the Commission on Human Rights. The o c c u p a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s b l a t a n t l y v i o l a t e d t h e i r o b l i g a t i o n s under

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i n t e r n a t i o n a l i n s t r u m e n t s , i n p a r t i c u l a r the F o u r t h Geneva C o n v e n t i o n . The Hungarian Government t h e r e f o r e urged the Government o f I s r a e l t o r e s p e c t the o b l i g a t i o n s i t had assumed on r a t i f y i n g v a r i o u s i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o n v e n t i o n s . 33. H i s d e l e g a t i o n endorsed the assessment o f the s i t u a t i o n and t h e p r o p o s a l s made by Mr. de S a n t a - C l a r a Gomes on b e h a l f o f the European Community. V i o l e n c e provoked v i o l e n c e and should be condemned wherever i t o c c u r r e d i n the w o r l d . While c o n s i d e r i n g the s e t t l e m e n t o f the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s t o be i l l e g a l , t h e Hungarian Government r e c o g n i z e d the r i g h t t o emigrate and, where n e c e s s a r y , f a c i l i t a t e d i t s enjoyment and condemned t e r r o r i s t a c t s opposed t o i t . Hungary had l e a r n t i n t h e course o f i t s h i s t o r y how easy i t was a r t i f i c i a l l y t o h e i g h t e n c e r t a i n " n a t u r a l " t e n s i o n s between n e i g h b o u r i n g p e o p l e s and how d i f f i c u l t i t was and how l o n g i t took t o reduce them. The Government o f Hungary was f o l l o w i n g w i t h g r e a t hopes the peace n e g o t i a t i o n s t h a t had begun i n Madrid. T h e i r success c a l l e d f o r a g r e a t d e a l o f mutual t o l e r a n c e and s p i r i t o f compromise, and c o u l d be f a c i l i t a t e d by p r e s s u r e on the p a r t o f t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l community. For i t s p a r t , i t would spare no e f f o r t t h a t c o u l d c o n t r i b u t e t o the r e s t o r a t i o n o f peace i n t h a t r e g i o n o f the world. 34. Mr. ERMACORA ( A u s t r i a ) observed t h a t t h a t v a r i o u s o p i n i o n s had been e x p r e s s e d on the s u b j e c t o f s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and c o n s i d e r e d t h a t i t was up to t h e Commission on Human R i g h t s and the Centre f o r Htiman R i g h t s t o take note o f them and i d e n t i f y t h e i r common denominator. S e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was one o f the l e g a l p r i n c i p l e s t h a t had e v o l v e d the most d u r i n g the c e n t u r y . With the e r a d i c a t i o n o f c o l o n i a l i s m , more than 100 S t a t e s had emerged and m a i n t a i n e d r e l a t i o n s w i t h one another on the b a s i s o f the p r i n c i p l e o f e q u a l i t y . I n r e c e n t times, fundamental changes had swept through C e n t r a l and E a s t e r n Europe, and o u t s i d e Europe other c o u n t r i e s had c l a i m e d t h e r i g h t t o self-determination. 35. S e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was the r i g h t o f a l l p e o p l e s . A p e o p l e c o u l d be d e f i n e d as a s o c i a l e n t i t y p o s s e s s i n g a c l e a r i d e n t i t y and i t s own c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s and h a v i n g a r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h a t e r r i t o r y . A distinction between p e o p l e s and e t h n i c , r e l i g i o u s or l i n g u i s t i c m i n o r i t i e s s h o u l d be made on a case-by-case b a s i s i n the absence o f any g e n e r a l l y r e c o g n i z e d d e f i n i t i o n s of those c o n c e p t s . The D e c l a r a t i o n on P r i n c i p l e s o f I n t e r n a t i o n a l Law c o n c e r n i n g F r i e n d l y R e l a t i o n s and C o o p e r a t i o n among S t a t e s i n accordance w i t h the C h a r t e r o f the U n i t e d N a t i o n s o f f e r e d s e v e r a l ways o f implementing the r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , i n c l u d i n g the e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a s o v e r e i g n and independent S t a t e , f r e e a s s o c i a t i o n , i n t e g r a t i o n w i t h an independent S t a t e o r the e l a b o r a t i o n o f some o t h e r p o l i t i c a l s t a t u s f r e e l y determined by the people. R e u n i f i c a t i o n , as i n the case o f Germany, was another way o f implementing t h a t r i g h t . The complexity o f the r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was c l e a r i n the cases o f the former USSR and Y u g o s l a v i a . Nevertheless, A u s t r i a had supported the c l a i m s o f the Slovene and Croat peoples t o t h e r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n which had been c l e a r l y e x p r e s s e d i n n a t i o n a l p l e b i s c i t e s i n accordance w i t h t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n o f Y u g o s l a v i a . A u s t r i a , together with many o t h e r c o u n t r i e s , had t h e r e f o r e r e c o g n i z e d the new S t a t e s o f S l o v e n i a and C r o a t i a s i n c e they f u l f i l l e d the r e l e v a n t c r i t e r i a f o r statehood.

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36. The c l a i m o f a people t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was e s s e n t i a l l y a reguest addressed t o t h e S t a t e and t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l community t o n e g o t i a t e a common p o l i t i c a l future. I t was up t o t h e p e o p l e t o d e c i d e how t h a t r i g h t was t o be implemented. The l e g i t i m a c y o f t h e c l a i m would be t e s t e d a t t h e n a t i o n a l and i n t e r n a t i o n a l l e v e l , however. For t h a t reason t h e r e was a need f o r new p r o c e d u r e s t o d e a l p r o p e r l y w i t h such c l a i m s , which would guarantee t h e p a r t i c i p a t i o n o f a l l i n accordance w i t h t h e p r i n c i p l e s o f democracy, p o l i t i c a l freedom and freedom o f c h o i c e through f r e e e l e c t i o n s whose outcome would be f u l l y respected. A c r u c i a l a s p e c t o f t h e r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was t o determine t h e p r e c i s e w i l l o f t h e p e o p l e concerned; one way was t o h o l d p l e b i s c i t e s o r g e n e r a l e l e c t i o n s . The U n i t e d N a t i o n s had j u s t launched an e x t e n s i v e o p e r a t i o n t o a l l o w t h e Cambodian people t o express t h e i r p o l i t i c a l w i l l i n i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y - s u p e r v i s e d e l e c t i o n s . S i m i l a r l y , i n Western Sahara, MINURSO was p r e p a r i n g a referendum on t h e f u t u r e s t a t u s o f t h e t e r r i t o r y . A u s t r i a was c o n t r i b u t i n g t o both o p e r a t i o n s n o t o n l y f i n a n c i a l l y b u t a l s o by providing personnel. P l e b i s c i t e s t o determine t h e f u t u r e s t a t u s o f t e r r i t o r i e s had been implemented or announced elsewhere - one example b e i n g the referendum on t h e q u e s t i o n o f n a t i o n a l independence t o be h e l d i n B o s n i a - H e r z e g o v i n a towards t h e end o f February 1992. A u s t r i a b e l i e v e d t h a t the U n i t e d N a t i o n s and other i n t e r n a t i o n a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s should p l a y an important r o l e i n o r g a n i z i n g f r e e and f a i r e l e c t i o n s or p l e b i s c i t e s . I t t h e r e f o r e welcomed the i n c r e a s i n g preparedness o f t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s system, i n c l u d i n g t h e Centre f o r Human R i g h t s , t o r e a c t p o s i t i v e l y t o requests by S t a t e s f o r such a s s i s t a n c e , as i n t h e case o f E r i t r e a where a referendum on the f u t u r e s t a t u s o f t h e t e r r i t o r y was t o be h e l d a t an e a r l y d a t e . 37. The t a s k o f t h e Commission was t o f o l l o w the development o f t h e fundamental concept of s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and t o draw r e a l i s t i c c o n c l u s i o n s t h a t might a l s o be c o n s i d e r e d by other U n i t e d N a t i o n s b o d i e s d e a l i n g w i t h human r i g h t s . I n t h a t regard, i t was worth r e c a l l i n g t h e G e n e r a l Comments on A r t i c l e 1 o f t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Covenant on C i v i l and P o l i t i c a l R i g h t s t h a t had been e l a b o r a t e d by t h e Human R i g h t s Committee. I n c o n c l u s i o n , he s a i d i t seemed t h a t r e s p e c t f o r human r i g h t s and fundamental freedoms l a y a t t h e v e r y core o f t h e p r i n c i p l e o f s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , which i n t u r n c o n t r i b u t e d t o the f u l l observance o f those r i g h t s . 38. Mr. ITO (Japan) s a i d t h a t t h e Commission's d i s c u s s i o n s on t h e q u e s t i o n o f the v i o l a t i o n o f human r i g h t s i n the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s were o f c r u c i a l importance, s i n c e a f t e r a p e r i o d which had seen e n c o u r a g i n g s i g n s and d i s a p p o i n t m e n t s a h i s t o r i c a l t u r n i n g - p o i n t had been reached i n t h e s e a r c h f o r peace i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t . I n t h a t complex s i t u a t i o n , h i s d e l e g a t i o n expressed i t s a p p r e c i a t i o n o f t h e i n i t i a t i v e and continuous e f f o r t s o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s Government. I t r e i t e r a t e d i t s p o s i t i o n t h a t , i n order t o a c h i e v e a j u s t , l a s t i n g and comprehensive peace i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t , S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s 242 and 338 should be r e s p e c t e d , and t h a t t h e p e a c e f u l s o l u t i o n o f the q u e s t i o n o f P a l e s t i n e should be based on t h r e e b a s i c p r i n c i p l e s , namely, I s r a e l ' s withdrawal o f i t s armed f o r c e s from a l l t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d s i n c e 1967, r e c o g n i t i o n o f t h e P a l e s t i n i a n people's r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and r e c o g n i t i o n o f I s r a e l ' s r i g h t t o e x i s t . Japan b e l i e v e d t h a t I s r a e l , as t h e o c c u p y i n g Power, should bear r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r p r o t e c t i n g t h e c i v i l i a n p o p u l a t i o n i n t h e o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s and was o b l i g e d t o comply w i t h t h e F o u r t h Geneva Convention r e l a t i v e t o t h e P r o t e c t i o n o f C i v i l i a n Persons i n Time o f War.

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39. In t h a t c o n n e c t i o n , h i s d e l e g a t i o n c o n s i d e r e d t h a t the d e c i s i o n taken on 2 January 1992 by the Govermnent of I s r a e l to d e p o r t 12 P a l e s t i n i a n s from the West Bank and the Gaza S t r i p ran counter to the e f f o r t s made to promote the peace p r o c e s s . Furthermore, t h a t measure i n f r i n g e d i n t e r n a t i o n a l law on the treatment o f r e s i d e n t s i n o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s and was c o n t r a r y to h u m a n i t a r i a n p r i n c i p l e s . Japan a l s o urged I s r a e l to put an end t o i t s i l l e g a l s e t t l e m e n t p r a c t i c e s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s which posed a t h r e a t t o the peace p r o c e s s . I t a l s o c o n s i d e r e d t h a t the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community s h o u l d i n c r e a s e a s s i s t a n c e to P a l e s t i n i a n refugees and P a l e s t i n i a n r e s i d e n t s i n the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s . I t had t h e r e f o r e c o n t r i b u t e d US$ 10 m i l l i o n i n cash to UNRWA f o r the y e a r 1991 as w e l l as food a i d e q u i v a l e n t to 1 b i l l i o n yen. Japan expected the Working Group d e a l i n g w i t h refugee m a t t e r s which had been e s t a b l i s h e d a t the Moscow meeting to c o n t r i b u t e t o a s o l u t i o n o f the problem of P a l e s t i n i a n refugees and hoped t h a t , throughout the peace p r o c e s s which had begun i n Madrid, r e s p e c t f o r human r i g h t s i n the M i d d l e E a s t would be a matter of p r i o r i t y . 40. Mr. WIRAJUPA ( I n d o n e s i a ) noted t h a t r e c e n t changes i n the former E a s t e r n B l o c had renewed i n t e r e s t i n the i s s u e of s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . In terms of the d e c o l o n i z a t i o n of n o n - s e l f - g o v e r n i n g t e r r i t o r i e s , the p r o c e s s of s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n had been q u i t e s u c c e s s f u l , w i t h a few e x c e p t i o n s . In t h a t c o n n e c t i o n , he emphasized t h a t a c t i o n to a b o l i s h c o l o n i a l i s m c o n s t i t u t e d one of the fundamental p r i n c i p l e s s e t out i n the preamble to the I n d o n e s i a n Constitution. 41. The q u e s t i o n of s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n c o u l d be understood more e a s i l y i f i t s t r u e n a t u r e was a n a l y s e d i n a h i s t o r i c a l c o n t e x t . I t was worth rememberinq t h a t 1992 marked the f i v e - h u n d r e d t h a n n i v e r s a r y of the b e g i n n i n g s of the modern h i s t o r y of c o l o n i z a t i o n and the s u b j u g a t i o n of p e o p l e s i n the name of law and m o r a l i t y . By t r a c i n g the h i s t o r y of c o l o n i a l i s m , i t was p o s s i b l e to see how c l o s e were the l i n k s between the q u e s t i o n of s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and r a c i s m and s l a v e r y . That was, moreover, the approach adopted by the human r i g h t s e x p e r t Mr. A s b j o r n E i d e who, i n a r e c e n t study on r a c i s m (E/CN.4/Sub.2/1989/8 and A d d . l ) , had p o i n t e d out t h a t i n Europe r e l i g i o u s dogmas had preceded r a c i s t t h e o r i e s which had i n t u r n l e g i t i m i z e d c o l o n i a l i z a t i o n through what were c a l l e d l e g a l p r i n c i p l e s of d i s c o v e r y . The new w o r l d order c r e a t e d a f t e r the Second World War aroused g r e a t e x p e c t a t i o n s among p e o p l e s under f o r e i g n domination t h a t they would be f r e e d from u n j u s t i f i e d s u b j u g a t i o n s i n c e the p r i n c i p l e of s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n had o f t e n been e x p r e s s e d d u r i n g the War. However, what was supposed to be t h e i r i n h e r e n t r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n had not been a p r i o r i t y when the C h a r t e r of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s was drawn up. The p r e p a r a t o r y work f o r the 1945 San F r a n c i s c o Conference r e v e a l e d t h a t , w i t h r e f e r e n c e to a r t i c l e 73, s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n i n the sense of the r i g h t o f p e o p l e s under f o r e i g n domination to independence was a c o n t r o v e r s i a l i s s u e and t h a t i n p o i n t of f a c t the t e x t of a r t i c l e 73 of the C h a r t e r f e l l s h o r t of t h a t p r i n c i p l e . 42. There was a tendency, i n the debate on s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , to confuse the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n w i t h the e x e r c i s e of s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . A c c o r d i n g to the D e c l a r a t i o n on the G r a n t i n g of Independence to C o l o n i a l C o u n t r i e s and Peoples ( U n i t e d N a t i o n s G e n e r a l Assembly r e s o l u t i o n 1514 (XV) of 15 December I960), a l l peoples had the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , which meant t h a t c o l o n i a l c o u n t r i e s and peoples c o u l d , i n e x e r c i s i n g t h a t r i g h t .

E/CN.4/1992/SR. page 14

choose independence, i n t e g r a t i o n o r a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h another S t a t e . By v i r t u e of t h e r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n they had t h e r i g h t t o choose t h e i r own government and pursue t h e i r economic, s o c i a l and c u l t u r a l development as they saw f i t . That was comparable t o what was o f t e n c a l l e d i n t e r n a l self-determination. In t h e p r o g r e s s i v e development o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l law, the r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was c o n s i d e r e d a p a r t o f peremptory norms ( i u s cogens) under which t r e a t y agreements between S t a t e s and d e c i s i o n s o f any i n s t i t u t i o n f o r t h e purpose o f m a i n t a i n i n g t h e s t a t u s quo o f c o l o n i a l i s m were n u l l and v o i d . I t was as such t h a t I n d o n e s i a regarded t h e c l a i m s o f a former c o l o n i a l Power t o be the " a d m i n i s t e r i n g Power" o f i t s former c o l o n y . 43. The I960 D e c l a r a t i o n on the G r a n t i n g o f Independence t o C o l o n i a l C o u n t r i e s and Peoples made i t c l e a r t h a t t h e r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was g r a n t e d t o peoples and n o t t o a s e c t i o n o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n . I t was c e r t a i n l y not meant t o be g r a n t e d t o a h a n d f u l o f persons who had taken r e f u g e i n a Western c o u n t r y and s e t up what they would c a l l a l i b e r a t i o n movement, and c l a i m e d t h e r i g h t t o independence f o r a p o r t i o n o f a S t a t e which had d e c o l o n i z e d i t s e l f w i t h i n t h e meaning o f t h e r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n under the I960 D e c l a r a t i o n . F i n a l l y , i t should n o t be f o r g o t t e n t h a t , a c c o r d i n g t o a r t i c l e 29, paragraph 3, o f t h e U n i v e r s a l D e c l a r a t i o n o f Human R i g h t s , t h e r i g h t s and l i b e r t i e s ( c o n t a i n e d i n t h e D e c l a r a t i o n ) might i n no case be e x e r c i s e d c o n t r a r y t o the purposes and p r i n c i p l e s o f t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s , important elements o f which were t h e maintenance o f t h e t e r r i t o r i a l i n t e g r i t y and p o l i t i c a l independence o f S t a t e s . 44. Mr. SEMICHI ( A l g e r i a ) s a i d t h a t t h e p r o c e s s o f t h e e m a n c i p a t i o n o f p e o p l e s under General Assembly r e s o l u t i o n 1514 (XV), which c o n t a i n e d the D e c l a r a t i o n on t h e G r a n t i n g o f Independence t o C o l o n i a l C o u n t r i e s and Peoples, had n o t y e t ended s i n c e s i t u a t i o n s p e r s i s t e d i n which p e o p l e s under f o r e i g n domination were d e n i e d the e x e r c i s e o f t h e i r n a t i o n a l s o v e r e i g n t y . Such was t h e case o f t h e P a l e s t i n i a n people whose n a t i o n a l r i g h t s were s t i l l d e n i e d on t h e i r own t e r r i t o r y , o c c u p i e d by I s r a e l which r e f u s e d t o meet i t s o b l i g a t i o n s under t h e C h a r t e r of t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s . At i t s f o r t y - s e v e n t h s e s s i o n , t h e Commission on Human R i g h t s had, i n r e s o l u t i o n 1991/6, r e q u e s t e d the S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l t o p r o v i d e i t w i t h a l l i n f o r m a t i o n p e r t a i n i n g t o measures t h a t I s r a e l i n t e n d e d t o take i n compliance w i t h i t s o b l i g a t i o n s and U n i t e d N a t i o n s r e s o l u t i o n s . That request had f a i l e d t o e l i c i t any response from I s r a e l , which had thereby demonstrated once a g a i n i t s d e f i a n t a t t i t u d e to t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s . 45. I n South A f r i c a , there were no grounds f o r a s s e r t i n g t h a t t h e emancipation of t h e b l a c k m a j o r i t y o f the c o u n t r y was imminent i n t h e view o f t h e slow pace a t which a p a r t h e i d as a system o f r a c i a l e x c l u s i o n was b e i n g d i s m a n t l e d . However, t h e commitment and d e t e r m i n a t i o n r e c e n t l y shown by t h e Government o f t h a t c o u n t r y had aroused hopes t h a t a democratic s o l u t i o n would be found and would e f f e c t i v e l y a b o l i s h t h e a n a c h r o n i s t i c i n s t i t u t i o n o f a p a r t h e i d . The U n i t e d N a t i o n s should t h e r e f o r e c o n t i n u e t o encourage the d i a l o g u e w i t h l e a d e r s i n P r e t o r i a and the l e g i t i m a t e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f t h e courageous South A f r i c a n p e o p l e . I n t h a t regard, h i s d e l e g a t i o n c o n g r a t u l a t e d Mr. B e r n a l e s B a l l e s t e r o s , S p e c i a l Rapporteur on mercenary a c t i v i t i e s , f o r h i s r e p o r t (E/CN.4/1992/12). Those c r i m i n a l a c t i v i t i e s had been condemned by Governments and non-governmental o r g a n i z a t i o n s , s i n c e they were p a r t o f the

E/CN.4/1992/SR.6 page 15

s u b v e r s i v e a c t i v i t i e s c a r r i e d out i n southern A f r i c a and elsewhere a g a i n s t independent S t a t e s and n a t i o n a l l i b e r a t i o n movements i n o r d e r t o impede the p r o c e s s o f the l i b e r a t i o n o f p e o p l e s . The S p e c i a l Rapporteur had noted the c l o s e r e l a t i o n s h i p t h a t e x i s t e d between a p a r t h e i d and the presence i n A f r i c a of m e r c e n a r i e s who c o n t r i b u t e d to the implementation o f t h a t d e s p i c a b l e policy. 46. The s i t u a t i o n o f the people o f Western Sahara had been c o n s i d e r e d r e g u l a r l y by the U n i t e d N a t i o n s b o d i e s over many y e a r s i n an attempt to f i n d a permanent, j u s t and l a s t i n g s o l u t i o n . The p l a n drawn up by the U n i t e d Nations to r e s o l v e t h a t q u e s t i o n had been approved by both the G e n e r a l Assembly and the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l , and i t s implementation had been e n t r u s t e d t o the Secretary-General. H i s d e l e g a t i o n supported t h a t p l a n which p r o v i d e d f o r the o r g a n i z a t i o n o f a referendum on s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n t h a t would a l l o w the people of Western Sahara t o express t h e i r wishes i n complete freedom and thus a r r i v e at a d e f i n i t i v e s o l u t i o n o f the problem. 47. Mr. RASAPUTRAM ( S r i Lanka) noted t h a t , d e s p i t e some measure o f optimism over the commencement o f the Madrid p r o c e s s w i t h the c o n f e r e n c e on peace i n the M i d d l e E a s t , the s i t u a t i o n i n t h a t r e g i o n and the q u e s t i o n o f P a l e s t i n e i n p a r t i c u l a r r e g r e t t a b l y remained unchanged d e s p i t e the y e a r n i n g o f the P a l e s t i n i a n people t o e x e r c i s e t h e i r i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t s , i n c l u d i n g the r i g h t to an independent homeland. Those r i g h t s c o n t i n u e d t o be d e n i e d them and, as e v i d e n c e d by documents b e f o r e the Commission, p a r t i c u l a r l y c o n c e r n i n g the t o l l o f those k i l l e d and wounded, i n c l u d i n g c h i l d r e n , and the v i o l e n c e , harassment and o t h e r i n f r i n g e m e n t s o f fundamental r i g h t s h i g h l i g h t e d i n document A/42/522, P a l e s t i n i a n and o t h e r Arab c i v i l i a n s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s were b e i n g t r e a t e d i n an u n a c c e p t a b l e way. S i n c e the i n t i f a d a , i t had become obvious t h a t P a l e s t i n i a n s r e j e c t e d the I s r a e l i o c c u p a t i o n and t h a t the s i t u a t i o n r e s u l t i n g from the o c c u p a t i o n would not be r e s o l v e d w i t h time. I s r a e l had f u r t h e r e d i t s o c c u p a t i o n p o l i c i e s by e s t a b l i s h i n g new s e t t l e m e n t s and expanding those a l r e a d y i n e x i s t e n c e and had e x a c e r b a t e d the s i t u a t i o n even more by s e t t l i n g thousands o f immigrants i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s . 48. H i s d e l e g a t i o n , t o g e t h e r w i t h the w o r l d community, urged the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s t o abide by the F o u r t h Geneva Convention, e s p e c i a l l y a r t i c l e 49, paragraph 6, and r e a f f i r m e d the importance of S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) as a b a s i s f o r a p e a c e f u l s e t t l e m e n t . I t welcomed the f i r s t moves towards a comprehensive s o l u t i o n o f the M i d d l e E a s t problem as r e f l e c t e d i n the Madrid peace c o n f e r e n c e , a p r o c e s s which was c o n t i n u i n g i n Moscow. However, the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community s h o u l d not d i v e r t i t s a t t e n t i o n from the u n s a t i s f a c t o r y s i t u a t i o n i n the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s . As the former U n i t e d N a t i o n s S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l , Mr. J a v i e r Pérez de Cuéllar had s a i d , a s e t t l e m e n t i n the M i d d l e E a s t depended on s e v e r a l key c o n s i d e r a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g the s a t i s f a c t o r y s o l u t i o n o f the P a l e s t i n i a n problem based on the r e c o g n i t i o n o f the l e g i t i m a t e p o l i t i c a l r i g h t s o f the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e , i n c l u d i n g s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . 49. Mr. LANUS ( A r g e n t i n a ) r e c a l l e d t h a t b e i n g a member o f the Commission imposed an o f t e n u n p l e a s a n t duty on S t a t e s , s i n c e they were sometimes o b l i g e d to choose between two i m p e r a t i v e s which c o n s t i t u t e d the v e r y b a s i s o f r e l a t i o n s between s o v e r e i g n S t a t e s . On the one hand, they had to f i n d a way

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of i n t e r p r e t i n g the i n c r e a s i n g l y v o c a l wishes o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l p u b l i c o p i n i o n to have S t a t e s t h a t f l a g r a n t l y v i o l a t e d human r i g h t s p u b l i c l y condemned and, on the o t h e r hand, o f r e s p e c t i n g the u n d e n i a b l e r i g h t o f every S t a t e t o non-interference i n i t s internal a f f a i r s . Those i n e s c a p a b l e a l t e r n a t i v e s r e f l e c t e d t h e e v o l u t i o n o f i d e a s and p o l i t i c a l r e a l i t i e s i n a w o r l d t h a t was b e g i n n i n g t o accept what had p r e v i o u s l y been u n t h i n k a b l e . I t was i n t h a t c o n t e x t t h a t A r g e n t i n a had a c t i v e l y j o i n e d i n t h e s t r u g g l e t o defend human r i g h t s as an i n d i v i s i b l e whole, which i m p l i e d e n s u r i n g complete r e s p e c t f o r c i v i l , p o l i t i c a l , s o c i a l , c u l t u r a l and economic r i g h t s as t h e o n l y way o f e n a b l i n g i n d i v i d u a l s t o develop i n a c l i m a t e o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o o p e r a t i o n and harmony. 50. For A r g e n t i n a , the q u e s t i o n o f the v i o l a t i o n o f human r i g h t s i n o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , i n c l u d i n g P a l e s t i n e , had taken on new importance because, f o r the f i r s t time s i n c e the b e g i n n i n g o f the c o n f l i c t between Arabs and I s r a e l i s , a d i r e c t d i a l o g u e had been e s t a b l i s h e d w i t h a l a r g e number o f the l e a d e r s o f Arab S t a t e s . That d i d not, o f c o u r s e , imply t h a t the human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s s t i l l b e i n g committed i n a l l the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s , any more than t h e f a i l u r e o f the a u t h o r i t i e s o f the Hebrew S t a t e t o r e s p e c t the 1949 Geneva Conventions, s h o u l d be o v e r l o o k e d . However, the t a l k s under way s h o u l d prove t h a t peace was p o s s i b l e i n t h a t r e g i o n o f the w o r l d and t h a t the peoples whose r o o t s t h e r e were so a n c i e n t c o u l d once a g a i n l i v e t o g e t h e r i n peace. 51. A r g e n t i n a r e a f f i r m e d t h a t the e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f new s e t t l e m e n t s s h o u l d be h a l t e d because, c o n s i s t i n g o f immigrants from o t h e r r e g i o n s w i t h d i f f e r e n t customs, they were the source o f new t e n s i o n s which f u r t h e r compromised the l i k e l i h o o d o f peace i n the f u t u r e . As f o r t h e d e p o r t a t i o n o f P a l e s t i n i a n c i v i l i a n s , i t was c o n t r a r y t o a l l the standards t h a t s h o u l d be r e s p e c t e d by S t a t e s and o n l y i n c r e a s e d h o s t i l i t y . The s o l u t i o n t o the c o n f l i c t s h o u l d be based on S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) s i n c e t h e r e would be no peace i n the r e g i o n u n t i l the i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t s o f the P a l e s t i n i a n people were r e c o g n i z e d and the s o v e r e i g n t y o f the S t a t e o f I s r a e l guaranteed w i t h i n secure borders r e c o g n i z e d by n e i g h b o u r i n g c o u n t r i e s . A h i s t o r i c t h r e s h o l d had been c r o s s e d i n t h a t r e s p e c t w i t h the c o n f e r e n c e t h a t had taken p l a c e i n Madrid i n 1991. To conclude t h a t agenda item, h i s d e l e g a t i o n observed t h a t , s i n c e t h e i r a r r i v a l i n A r g e n t i n a a t the end o f the n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y , Arab and Jewish communities had c o e x i s t e d i n harmony and w i t h o u t any d i s p l a y o f b i t t e r n e s s or enmity, and t h a t even d u r i n g the u n f o r t u n a t e events o f 1967 and 1973 t h e r e had been no c o n f r o n t a t i o n between them. A r g e n t i n a s i n c e r e l y hoped t h a t a s i m i l a r s i t u a t i o n would be brought about i n t h e t e r r i t o r i e s which were a t p r e s e n t the t h e a t r e o f the A r a b - I s r a e l i c o n f l i c t , and was c o n v i n c e d t h a t peace was p o s s i b l e t h e r e . 52. I n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h agenda item 9, the r i g h t o f peoples t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and i t s a p p l i c a t i o n t o peoples under c o l o n i a l o r a l i e n domination o r f o r e i g n o c c u p a t i o n , h i s d e l e g a t i o n b e l i e v e d t h a t the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community s h o u l d support the opening-up p r o c e s s which had begun i n South A f r i c a w i t h a view t o a b o l i s h i n g a p a r t h e i d once and f o r a l l . I t also welcomed the peace e f f o r t s b e i n g made through the U n i t e d N a t i o n s i n Cambodia, and expressed the hope t h a t the p r o c e s s o f d e c o l o n i z a t i o n which had begun i n Western Sahara would be s u c c e s s f u l and t h a t t h e referendiam would take p l a c e as

E/CN.4/1992/SR. page 17

planned under the a u s p i c e s o f the U n i t e d N a t i o n s . In c o n c l u s i o n , i t conunended the r e p o r t on the q u e s t i o n o f the use o f mercenaries as a means o f v i o l a t i n g human r i g h t s and impeding the e x e r c i s e o f the r i g h t o f peoples t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n (E/CN.4/1992/12), submitted by Mr. B e r n a l e s B a l l e s t e r o s , and s u p p o r t e d the e x t e n s i o n o f h i s mandate. 53. The CHAIRMAN gave the f l o o r t o those d e l e g a t i o n s which had asked t o speak i n e x e r c i s e o f the r i g h t o f r e p l y , or the e q u i v a l e n t o f the r i g h t o f r e p l y . 54. Mr. RAVEN ( U n i t e d Kingdom o f Great B r i t a i n and N o r t h e r n I r e l a n d ) s a i d t h a t a t the p r e v i o u s meeting the r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f I r a q had r e a c t e d t o the statement made by the P a r l i a m e n t a r y U n d e r - S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e f o r F o r e i g n and Commonwealth A f f a i r s o f the U n i t e d Kingdom by r e s o r t i n g t o the u s u a l method employed by those who had no argument t o counter c r i t i c i s m l e v e l l e d a t them, namely, by a t t a c k i n g t h e author and r e f r a i n i n g from d e a l i n g w i t h the substance. The r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f I r a q had n o t r e p l i e d t o any o f the p o i n t s r a i s e d by t h e B r i t i s h U n d e r - S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e . I n any case, the human r i g h t s s i t u a t i o n i n I r a q would be c o n s i d e r e d by the Commission s u b s e q u e n t l y , b u t i t was c l e a r t h a t t o s h i f t r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r the a p p a l l i n q human r i g h t s s i t u a t i o n i n t h a t c o u n t r y onto someone e l s e was simply a c l a s s i c d i v e r s i o n a r y t a c t i c which would n o t d e c e i v e the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community. 55. Ms. RADIC ( Y u g o s l a v i a ) , r e p l y i n g t o the statement made a t the p r e s e n t meeting by the r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f A u s t r i a , who had s a i d t h a t the C r o a t s and Slovenes had seceded i n accordance w i t h the r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n r e c o g n i z e d by the Yugoslav F e d e r a l C o n s t i t u t i o n , s a i d i t was t r u e t h a t Y u g o s l a v i a , l i k e the former S o v i e t Union, was one o f the few c o u n t r i e s t o recognize that r i g h t i n i t s C o n s t i t u t i o n . However from the s t a n d p o i n t o f the Yugoslav C o n s t i t u t i o n , t h a t r i g h t was c o n s i d e r e d t o have a l r e a d y been e x e r c i s e d i n the p a s t . The s e c e s s i o n o f the C r o a t s and Slovenes was t h e r e f o r e a u n i l a t e r a l a c t by those R e p u b l i c s . I n f a c t the f e d e r a l law o f Y u g o s l a v i a d i d n o t r e c o g n i z e a c t s which changed the b o a r d e r s o f the c o u n t r y u n l e s s they had been reached as a r e s u l t o f n e g o t i a t i o n s and agreements reached among a l l the Y u g o s l a v p e o p l e s concerned. That p r i n c i p l e had o b v i o u s l y been f l o u t e d i n both the cases o f s e c e s s i o n i n q u e s t i o n . 56. The r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f A u s t r i a had a l s o s a i d t h a t a p l e b i s c i t e was t o be o r g a n i z e d i n B o s n i a - H e r z e g o v i n a on the q u e s t i o n o f the s o v e r e i g n t y o f t h a t territory. L i k e the e x e r c i s e o f the r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , p l e b i s c i t e s were n o t the p r i v i l e g e o f r e p u b l i c s or t h e i r governments b u t t h a t o f the p e o p l e s who l i v e d i n the R e p u b l i c s . I t was the Government o f B o z n i a - H e r z e g o v i n a which had proposed o r g a n i z i n g a p l e b i s c i t e on the independence o f a R e p u b l i c t h a t was i n h a b i t e d i n a p p r o x i m a t e l y e q u a l p r o p o r t i o n s by Muslims, C r o a t s and Serbs. The Serbs o f B o s n i a - H e r z e g o v i n a would n o t agree t o l i v e i n a s o v e r e i g n B o s n i a - H e r z e g o v i n a imposed upon them an o p i n i o n they had a l r e a d y expressed f r e e l y i n an e a r l i e r referendum - but wished t o remain i n Y u g o s l a v i a . They had t h e r e f o r e r e f u s e d t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n the f o r t h c o m i n g p l e b i s c i t e , p r e f e r r i n g t o c o n t i n u e t o l i v e i n the Yugoslav S t a t e and d i d n o t r e c o g n i z e any u n i l a t e r a l a c t which might be imposed on Y u g o s l a v i a o r any o f i t s peoples o u t s i d e o f a n e g o t i a t e d , p e a c e f u l and comprehensive s o l u t i o n t o the c u r r e n t Yugoslav problem.

E/CN.4/1992/SR.6 page 18

57. Mr. KIM Choi Su (Observer f o r the Democratic People's R e p u b l i c o f Korea), r e p l y i n g t o t h e a c c u s a t i o n s d i r e c t e d a g a i n s t h i s c o u n t r y by t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e a t the p r e v i o u s meeting, s a i d t h a t t h e most wanton v i o l a t i o n o f the r i g h t t o n a t i o n a l s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was f o r e i g n i n t e r f e r e n c e , e s p e c i a l l y m i l i t a r y a g g r e s s i o n and o c c u p a t i o n . I t was common knowledge t h a t , as a r e s u l t of the o c c u p a t i o n o f t h e southern p a r t o f the Korean p e n i n s u l a by the U n i t e d S t a t e s f o r n e a r l y h a l f a c e n t u r y , t h e Korean people had been unable t o e x e r c i s e i t s r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and s o v e r e i g n t y on a nationwide s c a l e , and t h a t 10 m i l l i o n f a m i l i e s had been t o r n a p a r t w i t h o u t knowing whether t h e i r r e l a t i v e s were a l i v e o r dead. The Democratic People's R e p u b l i c of Korea wished t o r e c a l l i n t h a t r e g a r d the h i s t o r i c a l f a c t s , which were t h a t the U n i t e d S t a t e s t h a t pretended t o be the defender o f the r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and human r i g h t s had massacred hundreds o f thousands o f Koreans who had d e c i d e d t o e s t a b l i s h t h e i r own government immediately a f t e r the U n i t e d S t a t e s ' o c c u p a t i o n o f South Korea and had d i v i d e d t h e Korean nation, causing untold s u f f e r i n g . 58. A m e r i c a n - s t y l e democracy and freedom as c h a r a c t e r i z e d by b r u t a l d i s c r i m i n a t i o n a g a i n s t i t s indigenous and b l a c k p o p u l a t i o n , murder, drug abuse, crime, unemployment and h o l l o w r i g h t s were u n a c c e p t a b l e . The e l e c t o r a l system i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s excluded m i l l i o n s o f c i t i z e n s through p r e c o n d i t i o n s such as p e r s o n a l wealth, permanent r e s i d e n c e , age and so on. In s p i t e o f t h a t t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s t r i e d t o a c t as a human r i g h t s judge i n the Commission, which s h o u l d no l o n g e r be allowed. 59. The N o r t h Korean people had from the o u t s e t chosen t h e i r s o c i a l and p o l i t i c a l system and were proud o f i t and o f t h e i r democracy. I f the U n i t e d S t a t e s i n t e n d e d , under a human r i g h t s banner, t o undermine t h e system t h a t t h e people l o v e d they were d e l u d i n g themselves. By u s i n g human r i g h t s as a p r e t e x t f o r i t s base p o l i t i c a l purposes i n the v e r y forum where t h e b e s t way of d e f e n d i n g those r i g h t s was b e i n g d i s c u s s e d , the U n i t e d S t a t e s showed how much i t was accustomed t o f l o u t the r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n o f o t h e r nations.

The meeting rose a t 5.55 p.m