GA/SHC/3311

HOPE EXPRESSED THAT PALESTINIANS MAY SOON EXERCISE SELF-DETERMINATION, IN DRAFT RESOLUTION APPROVED BY THIRD COMMITTEE

2 November 1995


Press Release
GA/SHC/3311


HOPE EXPRESSED THAT PALESTINIANS MAY SOON EXERCISE SELF-DETERMINATION, IN DRAFT RESOLUTION APPROVED BY THIRD COMMITTEE

19951102 Israel Says Text Contradicts Principle of Negotiation Without Preconditions; Other Drafts Approved on Mercenaries, Racism, Right to Self-Determination

The General Assembly would express the hope that the Palestinian people may soon be exercising their right to self-determination in the current peace process, under the terms of one of six draft resolutions approved this afternoon in the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural), two of them by recorded vote.

The draft, approved by a recorded vote of 134 in favour to 2 against (United States, Israel), with 14 abstentions, would also have the Assembly urge all States, specialized agencies and organizations of the United Nations system to continue to support the Palestinian people in their quest for self- determination. (For details see Annex II.)

The observer of Palestine told the Committee the approval of the resolution reflected the importance of the role of the United Nations in support of the struggle of the Palestinian people to recover their inalienable right. However, the representative of Israel, speaking in explanation of vote, said he had voted against the draft because it was intended to predetermine the outcome of the permanent status talks. Thus, it contradicted the obligations undertaken by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in the Declaration of Principles signed by Israel and the PLO and the principle of direct negotiations without preconditions.

In explaining his vote, the representative of the United States said permanent status issues should be covered at a later stage of the political process. The parties themselves had agreed to that, so the United Nations should not take a position on an issue supported by one party, but opposed by the other.

Other statements on that text were made by Norway, Russian Federation, Turkey, Iran, Argentina, Japan and Libya.

Under the terms of another orally revised draft approved by a recorded vote, the Assembly would urge all States to exercise the utmost vigilance against the menace posed by the activities of mercenaries and to take

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legislative measures against those activities. The text was approved by a vote of 98 in favour to 18 against, with 32 abstentions (Annex I).

Statements on the draft were made by the representatives of Spain, South Africa, Moldova, France, United States, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Nigeria and Japan.

Acting without a vote, the Committee approved a text by which the Assembly would express its deep concern at and condemnation of manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance against migrant workers and members of their families, and other vulnerable groups in many societies. By a related orally revised text, also approved without a vote, the Assembly would decide that the international community in general and the United Nations, in particular, should give the highest priority to programmes for combating racism and racial discrimination and should intensify their efforts during the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, which began in 1993, to provide assistance and relief to the victims of racism and all forms of racial discrimination.

By another orally revised text approved without a vote, the Assembly would encourage the Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination to contribute fully to the implementation of the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination and its revised Programme of Action.

Under the terms of another text approved without a vote, the Assembly would declare its firm opposition to acts of foreign military intervention, aggression and occupation, since those had resulted in the suppression of the right of peoples to self-determination and other human rights in certain parts of the world. It would call upon the States responsible to cease immediately their military intervention in and occupation of foreign countries and their territories and all acts of exploitation and maltreatment.

Also, this afternoon, three draft resolutions on social development questions were introduced concerning the follow-up to the International Year of the Family, a mid-decade review against illiteracy, and opportunities for persons with disabilities.

The Chairman of the Committee, Ugyen Tshering (Bhutan), announced this afternoon that the Committee recommended that the General Assembly take note of the Secretary-General's report on the Status of the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid, the Secretary-General's report on the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, and the note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. Monday, 6 November, to begin its consideration of refugees and related issues. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is expected to speak before the Committee on 20 November.

Committee Work Programme

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this afternoon to take action on drafts concerning the elimination of racism and racial discrimination and the right of peoples to self-determination. In addition, the Committee will hear the introduction of three draft resolutions on social development questions.

Draft Resolutions

A draft resolution on measures to combat contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance (document A/C.3/50/L.5/Rev.1) would have the General Assembly express its profound concern at and unequivocal condemnation of all forms of racism and all racist violence, including related acts of random and indiscriminate violence.

It would also express its deep concern at and condemnation of manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance against migrant workers and members of their families, and other vulnerable groups in many societies. It would call upon all States to include in their educational curricula and social programmes, at all levels, knowledge, tolerance and respect for foreign cultures, peoples and countries.

The text would also have the Assembly call upon governments and intergovernmental organizations, with the assistance of non-governmental organizations, to continue to cooperate with and to supply relevant information to the Special Rapporteur. It would urge all governments to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights to enable him to fulfil his mandate, and to consider his recommendations positively.

In addition, the draft resolution would have the Assembly request the Secretary-General to promptly provide the Special Rapporteur with all the necessary human and financial assistance to carry out his mandate and enable him to submit, in a timely manner, a preliminary report to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session.

That text is sponsored by Mexico, Philippines on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, and Turkey.

Another draft resolution, sponsored by the Philippines on behalf of the Group of 77 on the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (document A/C.3/50/L.6), would have the Assembly decide that the international community in general and the United Nations, in particular, should give the highest priority to programmes for combating racism and racial discrimination and should intensify their efforts, during the Third Decade, which began in

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1993, to provide assistance and relief to the victims of racism and all forms of racial discrimination.

It would further call upon all Member States to consider signing and ratifying or acceding to the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families as a matter of priority.

Also by the text, the Assembly would renew its invitation to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to expedite the preparation of teaching materials and teaching aids to promote teaching, training and educational activities on human rights and against racism and racial discrimination, with particular emphasis on activities at the primary and secondary levels of education.

The Assembly would consider that all the parts of the Programme of Action for the Third Decade should be given equal attention in order to attain the objectives of the decade. It would further regret that some of the activities scheduled for the Second Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination had not been implemented for lack of adequate resources and consider that voluntary contributions to the Trust Fund for the Programme for the Decade of Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination were indispensable for the implementation of the programme.

The Assembly would further request the Secretary-General to ensure that the necessary financial resources were provided for the implementation of the activities of the Third Decade during the biennium 1996-1997 and that the highest priority was accorded the activities of the Programme of Action for the Third Decade. It would also strongly appeal to all governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and individuals in a position to do so to contribute generously to the Trust Fund for the Programme for the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination.

By a 32-Power draft resolution on the report of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (document A/C.3/50/L.9) the Assembly would encourage that Committee to contribute fully to the implementation of the Third Decade and its revised Programme of Action, including by the continued collaboration and flow of information between the Committee and the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

Also by that text, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to ensure adequate financial arrangements and appropriate means to enable the functioning of the Committee and would further call on States to submit in due time their periodic reports on measures taken to implement the Convention on

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the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and to pay outstanding contributions. Also, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to invite States that were in arrears to pay the amounts in arrears and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session.

The draft is sponsored by Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

By the text of a draft resolution on the use of mercenaries (document A/C.3/50/L.4/Rev.1), the General Assembly would urge all States to exercise the utmost vigilance against the menace posed by the activities of mercenaries and to take legislative measures against those activities. In that way States will ensure that their territories and other territories under their control, as well as their nationals, are not used for the recruitment, assembly, financing, training of and transit for mercenaries for the planning of activities designed to destabilize or overthrow the government of any State or threaten the territorial integrity and political unity of sovereign States, or to promote secession or fight the national liberation movements struggling against colonial domination.

The text would also urge all States to cooperate in the fulfilment of his mandate with the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on mercenary activity. The Assembly would also call upon all States that have not yet done so to consider taking early action to sign or to ratify the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries. It would request the Centre for Human Rights to publicize, as a matter of priority, the adverse effects of mercenary activities on the rights to self-determination to render advisory services to States that are affected by the activities of mercenaries.

That text is sponsored by Algeria, Bangladesh, Cuba, Egypt, Guinea, India, Kenya, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Uganda.

By a draft resolution on the universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination (document A/C.3/50/L.7), the General Assembly would declare its firm opposition to acts of foreign military intervention, aggression and occupation, since those had resulted in the suppression of the right of peoples to self-determination and other human rights in certain parts of the world.

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Also by that text, the Assembly would call upon the States responsible to cease immediately their military intervention in and occupation of foreign countries and their territories and all acts of exploitation and maltreatment, particularly the brutal and inhuman methods reportedly employed for the execution of those acts against the peoples concerned. It would further deplore the plight of the millions of refugees and displaced persons who have been uprooted as a result of such acts, and reaffirm their right to return to their homes voluntarily in safety and honour.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Egypt, Honduras, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.

By a 34-Power draft resolution on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination (document A/C.3/50/L.8), the General Assembly would reaffirm the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and express the hope that they would soon be exercising that right in the current peace process. It would also urge the international community to continue to support the Palestinian people in their quest for self-determination.

The draft is sponsored by Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Gambia, Guinea, Indonesia, Jordan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Quatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Also, the following previously circulated draft resolutions on social development questions will be introduced in the Committee: the text on the follow-up to the International Year of the Family (document A/C.3/50/L.10); the draft resolution, on a mid-decade review against illiteracy (document A/C.3/50/L.11); and the draft on opportunities for persons with disabilities (document A/C.3/50/L.12). (For background on those resolutions, see Press Release GA/SHC/3310, issued 30 October.)

Introduction of Draft Resolutions

ALOISIA WOERGETTER (Austria), introduced, as orally revised, the draft resolution entitled Follow up to the International Year of the Family. She said that Antigua and Barbuda, Belgium, Poland, Nigeria, Cameroon, Panama, Romania and Azerbaijan had joined in sponsoring the text, and the Dominican Republic was not a co-sponsor.

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OCHIR ENKHTSETSEG (Mongolia) introduced, as orally revised, the draft resolution on the mid-decade review on the struggle against illiteracy. Australia, Belgium, China, Denmark, Germany, Guinea, Madagascar, Mozambique, Turkey, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Spain, Sudan, Monaco, Cameroon, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands and Mauritania joined in sponsoring the text.

RUTH S. LIMJUCO (Philippines) introduced the draft resolution on Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. Denmark, Morocco, Zaire, Guinea, Armenia, Panama, Cameroon, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Turkey and Monaco joined as co-sponsors.

Action on Draft Resolutions

The Committee took up the draft on the measures to combat contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

Acting without a vote, the Committee approved the orally revised draft on measures to combat contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

Speaking in explanation after action on the text, the representative of the United States said she welcomed the efforts of the Special Rapporteur. However, she did not support his conclusions. Her country did not support censorship of the media, since such censorship could polarize society. His support of monitoring the media could not be supported by her Government.

Next, the Committee took up the draft on the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination.

The representative of Algeria read an oral amendment to the text which would add the following as operative paragraph 10(b): "Requests States to consider the relevant decisions of the Economic and Social Council on the integrated follow-up to previous world conferences and the need to make optimum use of all available mechanisms in the struggle against racism". China joined in that draft's sponsorship.

The Committee then approved without a vote the draft on the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination.

Speaking following action on the text, the representative of the United States said that rather than discussing a conference on racism and racial discrimination, the United Nations should make use of the existing mechanisms in the efforts to combat racism and racial discrimination. The United States did not support plans for such a conference.

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The representative of Turkey welcomed the attention drawn to contemporary forms of racism. He believed that an international conference would be an important contribution towards the elimination of all forms of racism and racial discrimination.

The Committee then took up the draft resolution on the report of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Croatia, Egypt, Côte d'Ivoire, Macedonia, Georgia, Panama, Turkey, Niger, Papua New Guinea joined in sponsoring the draft.

The Committee then approved, without a vote, the orally revised draft resolution on the report of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

The Committee then took up the draft resolution on the use of mercenaries.

The Secretary of the Committee made oral revisions to the draft text. Ghana, Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia and Rwanda joined as sponsors.

Committee Chairman UGYEN TSHERING (Butan) said that the United Kingdom had requested that the draft resolution be put to a vote.

The orally revised draft resolution on the use of mercenaries was approved by a vote of 98 in favour to 18 against, with 32 abstentions. (For details see Annex I.)

Speaking in explanation of vote, the representative of Spain, on behalf of the European Union, said that the Union condemned unequivocally the recruitment, use or financing of mercenaries and understood the concerns, in particular of African countries, which had led the presentation of the proposal. However, the report of the Special Rapporteur contained several considerations that were extraneous to his mandate. Mercenary activities could best be dealt with as a criminal problem. The request that the Centre for Human Rights address those activities did not appear justified, in view of the paucity of resources available for other pressing human rights activities. Thus, the European Union could not support the draft resolution.

The representative of South Africa said that his country was opposed to its citizens being involved in internal conflicts outside their country. The Government was also strongly opposed to the use of mercenaries anywhere, especially on the African continent. South Africa had legislation that forbade any mercenary activities and provided for substantial fines and imprisonment. Any South African citizens found to be in conflict with that

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legislation would be pursued by the authorities and would feel the full weight of the law.

The representative of Moldova said he had voted in favour of that text. Mercenaries had acted against his country since 1992. Although he had some reservations in regards to the draft, he voted in favour because of its main intention.

The representative of France said that the major improvements made in the text had addressed his previous reservations. The situation in the Comoros had been regretful, and he was pleased with the arrest of the mercenaries who had acted against that country. For those reasons, his country had not opposed, but abstained on the text.

The representative of the United States said she had opposed the text because she believed an already existing ad hoc Committee had widely dealt with such issues. The problem of mercenaries was not as problematic as other current human rights problems.

The representative of the United Kingdom said the draft just approved would not do much in regard to the problem of mercenaries. Furthermore, she had some problems with the wording used in the text.

The representative of the Ukraine said that her country condemned the recruitment and financing or use of mercenaries. However, the wording of the present draft resolution made the application more regional than global. Therefore, Ukraine had abstained.

The representative of Nigeria said that human rights could not be enjoyed when mercenaries controlled the machinery of governments.

The representative of Japan said that her country voted against the draft resolution. Japan did not support the use of mercenaries and did not send mercenaries to other countries. It regretted the fact that that problem still existed. However, he had reservations in taking up the issue in the context of self-determination.

The Committee then approved without a vote the draft resolution on the universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination.

Speaking after action on the draft text, the representative of India said that text could only be applied to peoples under colonial rule, not to those under other types of occupation.

Next, the Committee took up the draft resolution on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.

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The Secretary of the Committee made oral amendments to the text. Kuwait, Guinea Bissau, Lesotho, Mozambique and Bahrain joined in sponsoring the text.

Speaking before the vote, the representative of Israel said that his country had long advocated the principle of direct negotiations with no preconditions as the only framework to advance peace in the Middle East. Again and again, that principle had been vindicated by every achievement in the efforts to bring peace to the region since the signing of the Camp David Accords and the treaty of peace between Israel and Egypt more than 15 years ago. That principle had formed the basis of the peace process that began in Madrid.

He said that in the Declaration of Principles signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), both parties agreed that issues relating to permanent status would be negotiated by the parties themselves at a later stage. In a letter to the Israeli Prime Minister on 9 September 1993, PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat said that the PLO committed itself to the Middle East peace process and to a peaceful resolution of the conflict between the two sides, and declared that all outstanding issues relating to permanent status would be resolved through negotiations.

The draft resolution, prepared by the PLO, was intended to predetermine the outcome of the permanent status talks, and thus stood in contradiction to the obligations undertaken by the PLO in the Declaration of Principles, he continued. It also contradicted the principle of direct negotiations without preconditions, which formed part of the agreed basis of the ongoing peace process. Because the draft resolution called into question the inviolability of the peace process and the agreements it had produced, Israel would vote against it.

The representative of Norway said that his country supported the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. The final status of the Palestinian territories was a subject for negotiations between the PLO and Israel according to the Declaration of Principles of 13 September 1993. The Israeli-Palestinian Agreement on the Declaration of Principles was based on mutual recognition and cooperation between the two parties. The Assembly should be careful neither to add nor detract from what only the parties themselves could decide. Norway would, therefore, abstain in the voting on the resolution.

The Committee then approved the draft resolution on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination by a vote of 134 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 14 abstentions (see Annex II).

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Speaking after the vote, the representative of the Russian Federation said his country supported the Palestinians' right to self-determination based on the ongoing negotiations. However, because his country considered the process a complicated one, he had abstained on the draft resolution.

The representative of Turkey said his country had voted in favour of the text. He supported the right of all States to live in peace and in conformity with one another. He wished for an uninterrupted peace process in the region.

The representative of Iran said he voted in favour of the text. However, he wanted to register reservations regarding the last preambular paragraph, concerning recognized borders, and the second operative paragraph, which deals with the exercise of self-determination. He did not believe that recent agreements would lead to the full restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. For that reason, and in line with the position of his Government on the issue, he wished to be dissociated from those paragraphs.

The representative of Argentina said he had abstained because he did not want to prejudge or alter, in any way, any part of the peace process.

The representative of the United States said that the signing of the interim agreement and its implementation made it clear that the process which Israel and the Palestinians had embarked on was creating a new relationship between the two. The international community should do all in its power to support that process, including support for the Palestinians as they built new institutions and sought to build a better life.

The parties to those negotiations had agreed in their Declaration of Principles signed on 1 September 1993 in Washington D.C. that permanent status issues should be covered at a later stage of the political process on which they had embarked, he continued. The parties recognized that some issues were so complex and sensitive that they must only be dealt with after an interim period. If the parties themselves agreed to that, the United Nations should not take a position on an issue supported by one party, but opposed by the other. The United Nations was not the forum to debate permanent status issues, which were for the parties to discuss and resolve.

The representative of Japan said that adopting the resolution, which called on the international community to support one party and not the other, was not a useful contribution to the peace process. Japan supported the position that the matter should be handled by means of negotiations.

The representative of Libya said that his country voted in favour of the draft resolution based on its long-standing support for the Palestinian people and support for their self-determination. That vote in no way meant recognition of the State of Israel by Libya. The realization of just and

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lasting peace could not take place unless all Palestinians returned to their territory.

The observer of Palestine said that adoption of the resolution, with so many countries voting in favour, reflected the importance of the role of the United Nations in support of the struggle of the Palestinian people to recover their inalienable rights. She expressed appreciation to Egypt and other delegations that voted in favour of the draft and appealed for the understanding of those that had abstained. She hoped that they would reconsider their positions when the draft resolution came up in the General Assembly. Palestinians had suffered for too long and should be able to enjoy their inalienable rights just like other people.

(annexes follow)

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Third Committee Press Release GA/SHC/3311 18th Meeting (PM) 2 November 1995

ANNEX I

Vote on the Use of Mercenaries

The draft resolution on the use of mercenaries as a means to violate human rights and to impede the exercise of the right of peoples to self- determination (document A/C.3/50/L.4) was approved by a recorded vote of 98 in favour to 18 against, with 32 abstentions, as follows:

In favour: Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Republic of Moldova, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States.

Abstaining: Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Georgia, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Kazakstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Marshall Islands, Monaco, New Zealand, Poland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine.

Absent: Afghanistan, Albania, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comorros, Congo, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Grenada, Guatemala, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Yugoslavia, Zaire.

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(END OF ANNEX I) Third Committee Press Release GA/SHC/3311 18th Meeting (PM) 2 November 1995

ANNEX II

Vote on Palestinian Self-Determination

The draft resolution on the right of the Palestinian people to self- determination (document A/C.3/50/L.8) was approved by a recorded vote of 134 in favour to 2 against, with 14 abstentions, as follows:

In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: Israel, United States

Abstaining: Argentina, Cameroon, Fiji, Gabon, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Marshall Islands, Norway, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, Rwanda, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Uruguay.

Absent: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Grenada, Guatemala, Iraq, Kyrgyztan, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome Principe, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Yugoslavia, Zaire.

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For information media. Not an official record.