ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL DISCUSSES ISR"LI SETTLEMENT ACTIVITY IN OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES
Press Release
ECOSOC/5738
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL DISCUSSES ISRAELI SETTLEMENT ACTIVITY IN OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES
19970724 Adopts Resolutions on Operational Activities for International Development Cooperation and Provisional Calendar of Conferences for 1998-1999(Reissued as received.)
GENEVA, 24 July (UN Information Service) -- The Economic and Social Council this morning reviewed a United Nations report that describes intensified settlement activity in occupied Palestinian and Syrian territories as an attempt by Israel to alter the demographic and geographical features of the area.
Commenting on the report, a representative of Palestine called on the Council to act in the face of "inhumane and unjustifiable" Israeli actions. A representative of Syria warned, meanwhile, that the decision taken by the Knesset yesterday to ban an Israeli withdrawal from the Syrian Golan Heights could mean risks and dangers of unknown outcomes for the region.
The report indicates that there has been an increase in unemployment and a significant decrease of income among the Palestinians in the occupied territories, along with intensified settlement activities in the Syrian Golan Heights. Introducing the document, the head of the New York office of the regional economic commissions of the United Nations said Israeli settlement activities carried out during 1996 would create new geographical and demographic realities before the start of the final stage of peace negotiations.
But according to the representative of Israel, the debate was part of a unique agenda item that singled out Palestinians "as if there was only one group in the whole world who had serious problems and needed special attention". The discussion also ran counter to efforts to streamline and "rationalize" the Economic and Social Council agenda, and was part of an effort to bypass direct negotiations, he said.
A draft resolution that would have the Council, among other things, demand that the Israeli occupation force cease its measures of collective punishment against the Palestinian people was introduced this morning and is expected to be acted on tomorrow.
Also this morning the Council adopted a resolution on "operational activities of the United Nations for international development cooperation", which urges developed countries to increase substantially their official assistance for development. This followed a discussion on a report by the Secretary-General on new and innovative ideas for generating funds to finance development. A number of countries said new sources of funding should not be a substitute for official development assistance (ODA) or bilateral and multilateral aid, which was decreasing. The Council also adopted the draft provisional calendar of conferences and meetings for 1998 and 1999 in the economic, social and related fields.
The Council also heard addresses from South Africa, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Palestine, Jordan, Tunisia and the non-governmental organization (NGO) International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations. In addition, the United States tabled a draft resolution aimed at establishing NGO participation in the work of the General Assembly.
The Council resumes its meeting Friday morning at 10 a.m. to take action on all pending proposals.
Action on Resolutions and Decisions: Development and Cooperation
In a resolution on operational activities of the United Nations for international development cooperation: follow-up to policy recommendations of the General Assembly (document E/1997/L.53), the Council, among other things, urged the developed countries, in particular those whose overall performance was not commensurate with their capacity, taking into account established official development assistance targets and their current levels of contribution, to increase substantially their official development assistance, including contributions to the operational activities of the United Nations system and for the effective implementation of the outcomes of the major United Nations international conferences; recommended that the Executive Boards of the United Nations funds and programmes review and monitor their funding arrangements with a view to making funding more secure and predictable with respect to core resources; requested the Secretary-General to update proposals for funding modalities within the context of the efforts to provide United Nations operational activities with resources, in particular core resources, on a predictable, continuous, and assured basis, taking into account that voluntary contributions from official sources should remain the main source for funding those activities; reaffirmed that the objective of capacity-building and its stainability should continue to be an essential part of operational activities; and emphasized that capacity-building should aim at
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strengthening national execution, particularly in institutional and human resource development of all relevant participants in the development process.
LAURIE SHESTACK (United States) said that with respect to operative paragraphs 4 and 6 of resolution L.27, the United States was not one of the countries that had affirmed, or reaffirmed, a commitment to the United Nations 0.7 per cent target for official development assistance. The United States believed that national Governments, not international donors, had primary responsibility for their countries' development. Targets detracted from the more important issues of the effectiveness and quality of aid and the policies of the recipient country.
Programme Issues
The Council adopted a provisional calendar of conferences and meetings for 1998 and 1999 in the economic, social, and related fields (document E/1997/L.18. Add.1).
WILLIAM BUNCH, Chief, Programme and Documentation and Planning Section, said some delegations had been concerned about an overlap between the meetings of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and another committee. The dates for the Commission had been changed to 11 to 20 March. That meeting would also serve as a preparatory session for the special session of the General Assembly on drugs in 1998. Documents E/1997/L. 18 and Add. 1 contained the entire provisional calendar.
V.A. NEBENZIA (Russian Federation) said the timetable proposed for meetings of subsidiary bodies of the Council should be balanced; in February of this year, for example, there had been a heavy agenda that had caused problems, while March had been a very quiet month. There was a draft resolution on establishment of an international forum on forests; and it was likely that the date for that meeting would conflict with another biennial gathering.
Permanent Sovereignty over Resources in Occupied Arab Territories
SULAFA AL-BASSAM, Chief, United Nations Regional Commissions New York Office, introduced the report of the Secretary-General on the economic and social repercussions of the Israeli settlements on the Palestinian people in the Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, occupied since 1967, and on the Arab population of the occupied Syrian Arab Golan (document E/1997/71). He said the report reviewed the establishment of the Israeli settlements, focusing on activities during the past year.
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The report indicates that during 1996, a number of settlement activities were carried out. It also notes that there has been an increase in unemployment and a significant decrease of income among the Palestinians in the occupied territories; and intensified settlement activities in the Golan Heights.
Mr. AL-BASSAM said Israeli settlement activities carried out during 1996 would create new geographical and demographic realities before the start of the final stage of peace negotiations.
Statements
MARWAN JILANI (Palestine) said the delegation felt disappointment about delay on the issuance of the report on Palestine; this practice had become frequent and had hampered debate. The Council must continue to deliberate on matters of social and economic development of the occupied Palestine and other Arab territory. The economic situation and living conditions had deteriorated over the past year, and ironically were worse now that at the signing of the peace process agreements in 1993. Israel continued to build a new settlement, confiscate land, expand existing settlements, build bypass roads, and take other measures. Israel continued to restrict the movement of people and goods in the occupied Palestinian territories, causing great economic damage. Efforts to improve conditions there had been offset by Israeli policies and measures which had practically strangled any economic improvement or growth. Closures had also meant a dramatic decline in the number of Palestinians working in Israel. These acts were inhumane and unjustifiable under any security pretext, and the Council must do something.
TAHER AL-HUSSAMI (Syria) said that while the report of the Secretary-General noted increased Israeli settlement activity in the Golan Heights, it used statistics from 1994: the number of Israeli settlements was now more than 40, not 33. And just yesterday, the Israeli Knesset had decided to ban an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights. This was against all United Nations resolutions and the Charter, and could take the region to risks and dangers of unknown outcomes. The Council was urged to reaffirm its rejection of continued Israeli looting of Palestinian and Arab natural resources. Israeli occupation forces were confiscating the natural resources of the Golan Heights and giving them to Jewish settlers. Syria condemned those measures, which the international community also rejected as being against international law and human rights. The Israeli occupation, however long it went on, would end and the Golan would return to Syria.
ZVI COHEN (Israel) said that the debate was out of place. On the whole Economic and Social Council agenda there was only one item that singled out one group of people as if there was only one group in the whole world who had serious problems and needed special attention. Here, as in other United Nations fora, there was a classic example of the selfish and unashamed setting
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of Palestinian problems ahead of those of everyone else; there also, once again, was the singling out of Israel for unfair criticism. Some other disadvantaged people might indicate at some point that things had got out of proportion. The discussion also ran counter to efforts to streamline and "rationalize" the Economic and Social Council agenda. In substance, the issue was also out of place; all involved in the subject were engaged in an ongoing peace process based on a commitment to resolve all outstanding issues, including settlements, through those negotiations. This item, this debate, and the one-sided report of the United Nations on this topic, were part of an effort to bypass the direct negotiations. The draft resolution tabled under this item was especially out of place at the very time national leaders at the highest level were meeting for hopefully useful dialogue; every time a resolution of this kind was adopted, Economic and Social Council reduced its credibility in Israeli eyes and in the eyes of other well-motivated countries.
JAFAR HASSAN (Jordan) said a just and durable peace between Israeli, Palestinian and Arab citizens could not be complete or sustainable with limited political rights and imposition of constraints. A durable peace was based on respect for each other, not robbing a people of their identity. The policies adopted by the Israeli Government represented hurdles which stopped Palestinians from enjoying their rights and improving their livelihoods; the closure of the occupied territories had extremely serious repercussions on the economic and social lives of Palestinians. Israel was adamant in its policies of continually confiscating Arab lands. It was strange that Israel continued to settle extremists in the middle of Arab suburbs and lands, thus creating a tense atmosphere which led to violence and unrest. Jordan had sought to make its peace treaty with Israel and example for regional cooperation. A comprehensive and durable solution, which would be a bases for stability and development and security in the region, necessitated all efforts to end Israeli settlement policies in occupied Arab territories, including East Jerusalem.
HABIB KAABACHI (Tunisia) said the delegation deplored the very belated appearance of the report on Palestinian living conditions; this practice should not be repeated in future -- it made careful debate of the issue impossible. Continued building of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories was not conducive to creation of climate leading to a comprehensive peace in the region. As for the statement of Israel, he wished to say that foreign occupation was the worst of the problems a people could experience. As for Israel's request that the item be removed from the Economic and Social Council agenda, that wish would be satisfied the day Israel withdrew from the occupied territories.
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New and Innovative Ideas for Generating Funds for Development
The Council continued to examine a report from the Secretary-General on new and innovative ideas for generating funds for development (document A/52/203-E/1997/85). The report stresses that the funds generated by new and innovative ideas should neither be viewed as a substitute for official development assistance nor as a source for financing of the regular and peacekeeping budgets of the United Nations.6 In addition, the present report does not address the financing of operational activities of the United Nations development system.
Among the options envisaged to generate funds, the Secretary-General lists collateralized bond obligations, tradeable emission permits and debt for nature swaps.
Statements
SYED RAFIQUL ALOM (Bangladesh) said the Secretary General's report on innovative ideas for generating funds was in itself innovative; the potential of those new ideas had to be systematically addressed because of their importance. However, those ideas must not be a substitute for official development assistance or bilateral and multilateral aid. Bangladesh accepted that parts of funding had to come from sources other than governments. Other possible new ideas for raising revenue were using funds raised by the United Nations post office, establishment of a United Nations lottery and a United Nations credit card.
H.O. VAN DER WESTHUIZEN (South Africa) said it was not only new and innovative ideas for financing of development that required exploration but existing mechanisms as well; time was needed to study all these in detail and choose the most valuable ideas. South Africa wished to point out, however, that the proposed option of using profits from IMF gold sales for development assistance must be considered in such a way that it was without prejudice to gold-producing developing countries and that there would also have to be an undertaking to provide support for those developing countries which might experience balance-of-payment problems as a result of such sales. The delegation stressed that there needed to be an understanding of the problems that could be caused by this option.
BAI YONGJIE (China) said it was important that adequate financial resources were raised to increase international cooperation and implement the goals of global conferences. The new financing mechanisms should tap new funding resources in addition to traditional official development assistance; the reduction of such assistance ran counter to the commitments undertaken at global conferences. It was very important that the private sector was brought into the new financing mechanism. What was of concern was how much of that private revenue could be channelled to international development cooperation.
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NORIKO SUZUKI (Japan) said enhancement of national capacities for development should be the basis of any strategy for improving financing of development, and it was important to underline the continued importance of official development assistance in the field. There were several interesting ideas and recommendations in the relevant report, but it was necessary to examine the various political and legal frameworks involved more thoroughly before taking any action. Global development priorities should be dealt with as priority issues within the mandates of funds and programmes, and further efforts should be made to increase financing through greater efficiency and coordination.
LIBRAN N. CABACTULAN (Philippines) said the Council had asked Secretary-General for a report on new and innovative ideas to generate funds and to study their feasibility and cost. That was a tall order, and the Secretary-General's report was short and concise. Philippines agreed with the principal thrust of most of the ideas in the report, even the trade permits suggested. It was important for development to have required resources; the international community should continue to look for new ideas to generate funds, which should not be an excuse for countries not to provide official development assistance.
DEWI SAVITRI WAHAB (Indonesia) said the possible options for new and innovative funds for financing development were interesting; it was a matter of great concern, after all, that there had been an alarming decrease in official development assistance, which was at its lowest point in 20 years, with bleak prospects for the future. Something had to be done to help developing countries meet the goals of recent world conferences. Extensive discussion of these and other matters, including innovative ideas, was needed within the United Nations system. It also should be emphasized that any new sources could not substitute for ODA. Perhaps a pilot project should be carried out on some of the funding ideas.
SHUKRI IBRAHIM (Malaysia) said the delegation took note of the new and innovative ideas suggested by the Secretary-General to carry out globally agreed commitments and priorities. Although private capital sought money-making projects and low risks, it could still play a role in development; it was up to national governments to encourage it. In Malaysia, the private sector was the engine of growth; the country believed the private sector had to be brought to the mainstream of all national development. However, any new ideas in this area should not result in additional financial burdens for developing countries. New sources of funding should not be a replacement for official development assistance.
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HAZEL TAMANO (International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations), speaking on behalf of several other non-governmental organizations (NGOs), said that innovative finance must not be an excuse for States to further reduce their contributions to the operating funds of the United Nations system, or not to meet the 0.7 per cent target for official development assistance. More, not less, of such funding was needed. The group also was dismayed that the relevant report on new and innovative funding ideas flatly stated that "ideas or schemes for charges of taxes on international transaction do not appear viable". That seemed a regrettable act of self-censorship when several of the most prominent studies and commissions on the future of the United Nations had given serious attention to those ideas. Due in large measure to threats from one important Member State and to the poison emanating from its legislators, the international community had shied away from the subject. It should not allow itself to be paralysed on this important matter while the world's people were paying an enormous price in terms of a deteriorating global environment and regression in development.
Non-Governmental Organizations
This morning the United States introduced a draft resolution on NGO participation in the General Assembly (document E/1997/L.51).
ALI S. MCHUMO (United Republic of Tanzania), on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said the issue of NGO participation in all areas of the work of the United Nations had been the subject of intergovernmental consideration in New York, where consultations had failed to reach a consensus. The Group of 77 and China felt very strongly that it would be procedurally incorrect for the Council to take a decision on that issue, which would preempt and subvert a decision of the superior body, namely the General Assembly.
NAFISAH MOHAMAD (Malaysia) said the delegation supported the stated response of the Group of 77 and China on the draft resolution on NGO participation in the General Assembly. There were elements in the draft which needed further consideration and discussion. Time was lacking, and Malaysia proposed that the matter be deferred to the resumed session of the Council in September.
SETH WINNICK (United States) said Malaysia's proposal was fully acceptable.
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