Situation in the Middle East
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly debate on 30 September 1983 (16th and 17th Sittings) (see Doc. 5130,Doc. 5130, report of the Political Affairs Committee). Text adopted by the Assembly on 30 September 1983 (17th Sitting).
- Thesaurus
The Assembly,
1. Recalling its
Resolution 728 (1980), on the situation in the Middle East, and its Resolutions 776 (1982) and 783 (1982), on the Lebanese crisis ;
2. Considering the conclusions of the Assembly's fact-finding mission to Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Israel ;
3. Having taken note of the Final Declaration on the International Conference on Palestine held in Geneva from 29 August to 7 September on the initiative of the General Assembly of the United Nations ;
4. Expressing its keen emotion at the tragedy which the Lebanese people is suffering and its profound indignation at the events which have made thousands of victims among the population ;
5. Recalling its attachment to the unity, integrity and sovereignty of an independent, multiconfessional and democratic Lebanon ;
6. Believing that there is the most pressing need for a return of peace in Lebanon, in order to prevent the loss of thousands of human lives and the spread of intercommunity conflict and to end a confrontation which threatens peace in the world ;
7. Convinced that the solution of the Lebanese problem necessitates a double approach, on the one hand, to put an end to external intervention, while promoting an immediate return to peace, national reconciliation and the respect of human rights for all and, on the other, the preparation of free elections based on institutional reforms guaranteeing the rights of each community and the democratic, representative functioning of the state, all this to take place under United Nations supervision ;
8. Considering that, both at home and abroad, the Lebanese state needs immediate political and material aid ;
9. Considering absolutely necessary the departure of all foreign forces from Lebanon- and first of all Syrian and Israeli forces- and avoiding that the Lebanese crisis should increasingly become a focal point in the confrontation between the two superpowers ;
10. Noting that, although some progress towards a return to normal in Lebanon is conceivable independently of an overall solution to the Middle East conflict, the final consolidation of peace in the region will depend on the just solution of the problem of the Palestinian people living in the territories occupied by Israel since 1967 or elsewhere in the world ;
11. Referring to the principal conclusions of its
Resolution 728 (1980), namely :
11.1 the affirmation of the right of the state of Israel and its neighbours to existence, security and independence ;
11.2 the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territories by force, and the recognition of the right of self-determination of the Palestinian people, two fundamental elements in the political settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict ;
11.3 the condemnation of Israel's settlement policy in the occupied territories, which compromises the chances of achieving a just and lasting peace ;
11.4 the need for the religious dimension as well as political factors to be taken into account in defining the future status of Jerusalem ;
12. Reiterating its numerous anxious appeals for greater contributions to international humanitarian bodies such as UNWRA, UNHCR, WHO and ICRC, which deal with the problems facing both refugees and local inhabitants in the region ;
13. Noting that the PLO appeared to the members of the Assembly's fact-finding mission to be the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and that this makes all the more regrettable external pressures to bring the PLO under the control of Syria or others, to the detriment of the organisation's unity, its very identity, its prestige and efficacity,
14. Welcomes the cease-fire of 26 September, which it hopes will not be put in question, and appeals to the governments and national parliaments of member states to instigate European initiatives to foster peace, national reconciliation and the reconstruction of Lebanon, and facilitate a fair and lasting peace in the Middle East within the framework of the United Nations resolutions and with guarantees for the security of all the peoples and states of the region, within secure and internationally recognised boundaries including the state of Israel and a possible future independent Palestinian state ;
15. Considers that the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe should undertake concerted steps to mediate with a view to putting an end permanently to the conflict in Lebanon and contributing to the country's political, institutional and material reconstruction, and to encourage the opening of balanced negotiations in the Middle East ;
16. Invites all its members to foster public awareness in the member states both of the sufferings of the Lebanese communities and the Palestinian people, and of the prerequisites for establishing a just and lasting peace in the Middle East ;
17. Urges the relevant member states not to contemplate any withdrawal from the Lebanon of any elements of the Multinational Force until reliable measures have been taken to ensure the physical protection of Palestinian and other refugees remaining in that country.
