CO.
MIDDLE EAST
(See also paragraphs on Israel and Egypt in section
on Calls for the expulsion of Members of the UN
and the Specialised Agencies, Page 28 and section on National Liberation Movements, Page 70.)
1. HMG remain committed to a comprehensive peace settlement based on Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 (the former of which sets out the two principles of Israeli withdrawal and Arab acceptance of Israel within secure and recognised boundaries) and taking account of the legitimate rights of the Palestinians including their right to a land of their own and to self- determination in the context of a negotiated settlement. We support all negotiations aimed at making progress towards such a settlement. Our detailed views on the form a settlement should take were set out in the European Council Declaration of 13 June 1980 (Annex A). We regard the Israeli policy of establishing settlements in the occupied territories as illegal (because contrary to the Fourth Geneva Convention) and an obstacle to
peace.
2.
―
-
Should the Arab/Israel dispute threaten to become a live issue at the meeting, the delegation should take the line that it would not help the meeting to make progress on the substantive questions before it if it became involved in and divided by political discussion of this kind. If the delegation consider that comment is unavoidable, they should say that in Her Majesty's Government's view, a basic need for all countries of the Middle East (and a prerequisite for the solution of the economic and social problems of the area) is a negotiated political settlement of the Arab/Israel dispute.
3. The delegation should at all times observe a strict impartial- ity in their dealings with the delegations from Israel and from the Arab states and should report immediately any news of contentious draft resolutions, particularly those calling for sanctions or other meausres against Israel and including those referring to Israeli 'aggression' or 'inhuman practices' in the occupied territories.
Any text dealing with aspects of the general situation in the Middle East, including the effects of the Egypt-Israel treaty,
(63)
/should
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.