UNGA SECOND COMMITTEE ADOPTS PALESTINIAN RESOURCES

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