Cablegate: Unga Second Committee Adopts Palestinian Resources

VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #1108 3301151
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251151Z NOV 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5424

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001108

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON KPAL UNGA IS
SUBJECT: UNGA SECOND COMMITTEE ADOPTS PALESTINIAN RESOURCES
AND THREE OTHER RESOLUTIONS

REF: STATE 121442

1. SUMMARY: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Second
Committee (Economic and Financial) adopted four resolutions
on November 20. Per reftel instructions, the United States
called for a vote and voted against the resolution entitled,
"Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the
Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and
of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over
their natural resources," which was adopted by a vote count
of 139-6(U.S.)-4. The United States joined consensus on
three other resolutions. END SUMMARY.

PALESTINIAN RESOURCES
---------------------

2. The UNGA Second Committee met November 20 to take action
on four resolutions, including resolution A/C.2/63/L.5,
entitled "Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in
the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem,
and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over
their natural resources," submitted under Agenda item 38. In
accordance with reftel, the United States called for a vote
and voted against the resolution, which was adopted
139-6(U.S.)-4. Following the vote, 10 countries (Senegal,
Zambia, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Guinea, Brazil, Saudi
Arabia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Peru and Finland) explained
that they missed the vote, but asked that the record show
they would have voted in favor of the resolution.

3. Israel took the floor to note its disappointment over the
result, stressing that resource issues should be handled
through bilateral negotiations. Israel went on to regret
that the resolution did not reflect any of the progress made
since last year, and that it once again failed to mention
attacks by Hamas on the Israeli people. The Palestinian
delegate countered that Israel has "run out of excuses" for
its occupation, and that it should not expect credit "merely"
for fulfilling its obligations to ensure the well-being of
Palestinians. On the issue of Hamas attacks, the Palestinian
delegate accused Israel of committing its own "crushing acts
of terrorism" against Palestinians. France, on behalf of the
EU, noted that it supported the resolution but nevertheless
believes that the issues can best be addressed through
bilateral negotiations and stressed that this resolution
should not prejudge the outcome of those talks.

THREE OTHER RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY CONSENSUS
--------------------------------------------

4. The Second Committee also adopted by consensus the
following three resolutions, which the Chair explained have
no Program Budget Implications (PBIs):

--A/C.2/63/L.41 entitled, "International financial system and
development," submitted under Agenda item 47(b).
--A/C.2/63/L.38 entitled, "External debt and development:
towards a durable solution to the debt problems of developing
countries," submitted under Agenda item 47(c).
--A/C.2/63/L.2/Rev.1/Add.1 entitled, "International Year of
Chemistry," submitted under Agenda item 49.

Wolff

© Scoop Media