Lebanon, 1993

It gives me pleasure to start out by congratulating you on

your election as President of the General Assembly of the

United Nations at its forty-eighth session. I should also like

to pay tribute to your predecessor, His Excellency Mr.

Stoyan Ganev, for his able stewardship of the previous

session of the Assembly.

Also, I should like to set on record our appreciation for

the outstanding efforts of the Secretary-General, His

Excellency Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, to attain the goals of

the United Nations and to fulfil the growing responsibilities

entrusted to the world body in behalf of world peace. We

do note that the changes sweeping across the world today

impose upon the United Nations additional responsibilities

which the President, Government and people of Lebanon

view with hope and optimism. Therefore, we are all called

upon to provide the United Nations with the necessary

means for fulfilling its expanding mandates. By the same

token, the United Nations should for its part streamline its

operations in order to adapt to the demands of the future.

I take this opportunity to welcome the Member States

which have recently been admitted to the membership of the

United Nations. This is yet another indication of the

universality of this Organization and a confirmation of the

growing need for it.

As the current decade brings us closer to the end of

another century in the history of mankind, we now have a

clearer picture of the issues and concerns that dominate the

thinking of the peoples of the world. In dealing with the

spectrum of these questions, we need to rely first and

foremost on rational thinking. The wealth of experience

drawn from the lessons learned from the numerous conflicts

that have taken place throughout this century has taught us

that the path of peace is, in the final analysis, the optimal

course to follow, as all other avenues have proven futile.

The era of a divided world based on blocs and polarization,

which severely strained international relations and

precipitated crises for many decades, is now over.

Therefore, the world is now ready to develop a universal

vision of mankind based on a universal code of ethics and

set of human rights. The United Nations Organization,

which has long suffered from rivalries that paralysed it and

placed severe constraints on its potential, is increasingly

called upon, in an unprecedented fashion, to engage in

peace-keeping activities. Despite the fact that its current

operations are somewhat different from the conventional

functions originally envisioned for the Organization, its

operations demonstrate the growing need for this world body

to lend confidence and credibility to the multinational effort

in dealing with challenges and conflicts in a fair and sound

manner.

We believe that understanding between States and

peoples hinges upon the preservation of democracy and

human rights. Such understanding would in turn contribute

significantly to the elimination of regional and global

disputes, in keeping with a major principle set forth in the

Charter of the United Nations. Here, I would be remiss if

I did not recall Lebanon’s contribution to the drafting of the

Charter as well as of the Universal Declaration of Human

Rights, for Lebanon was a member of the Special

Committee entrusted with the drafting of both instruments.

Lebanon’s well-known tradition of firm commitment to

the principles of democracy, freedom and human rights, and

its success in upholding those principles despite the dangers

that threatened it for many years, remains faithful to the

basic pillars upon which our pluralistic, open and creative

society rests. Lebanon, which has withstood the trying years

of its plight, is now facing its critical challenges with the

vigour of renewed and consolidated national unity. It has

12 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session

incorporated those principles into the fabric of its identity.

Thus, the new constitution proclaims that Lebanon is

"Arab in identity and affiliation, a founder and active

member of the League of Arab States, fully committed

to its covenants; and a founding and active member of

the United Nations Organization, fully committed to its

Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human

Rights. The State is an embodiment of all these

principles, in all areas and spheres wherever they apply,

without exception."

In view of its singular experience, Lebanon deserves

your support and a pledge from the world community not

only to provide material assistance and help in the

reconstruction of what the civil war has destroyed, but to

bolster the Lebanese system. The need for the example set

by this system is all the more urgent in our world today,

given the many ethnic and religious conflicts currently

raging in various regions.

Lebanon, with its time-honoured tradition of

coexistence, moderation and tolerance emanating from these

lofty human values, can indeed be a living example to those

even in advanced societies who are searching for a

successful formula for social harmony. This is especially

true now that Lebanon has put its tragedy behind it and

embarked on a course of accord and concord.

The great majority of the Lebanese lived through the

years of war and bore the brunt of its devastation without

having any real belief in bellicosity or its causes.

Throughout the war, some one million students continued to

attend their schools and colleges as if to express, through

pursuit of education, their rejection of war. The same

majority continued to discharge its duties towards society

and the State in many parts of the country. Even ordinary

civilian crimes did not rise noticeably during the war.

All this confirms that the Lebanese, who settled this

problem a long time ago, not only in texts and precedents,

but also in their daily routines and life-styles, are proud to

be able to present to the world, after their long suffering, a

true example fashioned from first-hand experience of the

resilience of human nature with its wealth of intellect and

vivid diversity.

In our common interest we must all seek to safeguard

such a legacy and protect it from violence. This is

particularly true in the case of the Middle East region, which

has traditionally and historically suffered from the

interference of foreign powers and the struggles of interest

and conflict that transcended national frontiers, and even the

entire region, to pose a threat to world peace in its entirety.

Given the magnitude and intensity of the conflicts that

have ravaged Lebanon soil, the survival of our country

proves that the Lebanese nation is too strong to be

eliminated and that it has long-established traditions that will

stand the test of time. The people of Lebanon has

demonstrated great stamina and resilience in the face of

overwhelming odds.

Lebanon is committed to realizing its aspirations and

determined to achieve progress within the context of the

opportunities offered by the modern world. If the armed

conflicts and hostilities of recent decades have drained many

of our resources, our potential and our capabilities must

henceforth be channelled to face up to and overcome the

common challenges that confront mankind everywhere.

To this end, the Lebanese Government is striving to

restore Lebanon to its special position in the community of

civilized nations. The emphasis is on achievements that will

make the Lebanese individual capable of facing the future.

Lebanon considers that its major loss, perhaps, has been the

migration of many of its most talented and highly skilled

young people. One of our major concerns now is to create

favourable conditions that will attract them back. It is our

hope that our human resources will be highly instrumental

in expediting the reconstruction of the better society we all

aspire to see: a society that enjoys peace, democracy and

prosperity.

Lebanon, whose people suffered enormous hardship

during the dark years of war, fully recognizes and

appreciates the various tragedies and pains that afflict some

parts of the world today. As we reaffirm our permanent

commitment to peace and to the Charter of the United

Nations, and to the tenets that emanate from them, we stress

our adherence to and respect for an integrated system of

values which includes human rights, freedom and dignity.

Indeed, this should be the ultimate goal of every undertaking

and endeavour.

Early on, the United Nations took cognizance of the

situation in Lebanon, as attested to by the many resolutions

adopted by the Security Council on the Lebanese crisis.

Some people may not be aware that between 1968 and 1993

more than 80 United Nations resolutions and statements on

Lebanon were adopted. This is a large number of

resolutions in comparison with other crises. Lebanon has an

imposing file indeed with both the General Assembly and

the Security Council. If the sheer volume of United Nations

Forty-eighth session - 30 September l993 13

official records on Lebanon is compared with that of the

documents submitted to ordinary courts of law, it will

become clear instantly that, on the scales of international

justice, the weight of evidence tips the scales in favour of

Lebanon. Justice and law have been, and continue to be, on

the side of Lebanon. Notwithstanding, the Lebanese have

always been deeply disappointed by the fact that political

interests have continued to outweigh justice and the rule of

law, and led to the application of double standards regardless

of the scores of resolutions that have been adopted right here

in the United Nations in support of the legitimate demands

of Lebanon, a country that sought effective recourse from

the United Nations.

All those United Nations resolutions have called for

ending violence in Lebanon and for respecting its

sovereignty and territorial integrity, and thus have reaffirmed

the country’s political independence and national

sovereignty. Therefore, we must give credit to the

Organization for its initial favourable response in regard to

Lebanon, especially in terms of the need to implement

Security Council resolution 425 (1978) and the establishment

of the United Nations peace-keeping force in southern

Lebanon. I avail myself of this opportunity to recognize the

effective role played by the United Nations Interim Force in

Lebanon (UNIFIL). May I pay tribute to the many United

Nations personnel who have made sacrifices, including the

loss of life, in the line of duty in southern Lebanon. To

those contingents and to the friendly countries that have

contributed troops, we express our deep gratitude.

However, as we look forward to the future - having

taken firm and crucial steps towards restoring normalcy, with

the substantial and effective help of Syria in disarming the

militias, ending the internecine fighting and restoring the

authority of the State, we feel we have the right to call upon

the United Nations at a time when its role is being redefined

in consonance with current global changes, to act decisively

in Lebanon. More specifically, we expect the United

Nations to work forcefully for the implementation of

Security Council resolution 425 (1978), and to ensure

Israel’s total withdrawal to the internationally recognized

boundaries. It is not an overstatement to point out that

peace in Lebanon has been, and continues to be, the sine

qua non for stability in the Middle East and for the

establishment of a just and comprehensive peace in the

entire region. Any peace arrangements will remain fragile

and incomplete should the international community choose

to tolerate the continuation of a situation that threatens

Lebanon with potentially explosive disputes.

The Lebanese have agreed by consensus on a new

formula for national reconciliation, which was worked out in

1989 at Taif in Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

played the principal role in working out that formula, which

later became Lebanon’s constitution. Furthermore, Saudi

Arabia, in keeping with a long-standing tradition, together

with other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council

continues to donate substantial assistance towards the

reconstruction of Lebanon. With the same goal in mind, the

Lebanese Government undertook the implementation of a

rehabilitation programme in all spheres of life and in an

unmistakable atmosphere of international confidence.

Gradually, Lebanon began to restore its traditional, regional

and international role. This permitted Lebanese energies to

be unleashed, and gave rise to creative initiatives for

reconstructing and developing the country.

In all this, Lebanon has faced up to occupation and

violence, by adopting a stance anchored in the Charter of the

United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human

Rights. Our country, which draws its strength from the

steadfastness and resilience of its people, has reaffirmed time

and again its right to live in dignity and to ensure the

freedom of its territory. The Lebanese Government is

heavily engaged in the reconstruction effort and the

enhancement of civilian life in order to promote stability

throughout the region.

Israeli acts of aggression, which have clear objectives

and purposes, have been met by the Lebanese with a high

sense of responsibility, solidarity and internal unity. Our

unchanging, spontaneous response is insistence on peace and

on securing the security and progress of our country, which

has paid dearly for having been used as an arena to settle

accounts among conflicting parties.

An insistence on peace was the driving force that

prompted the Lebanese to return immediately to their

villages and farms following the most recent Israeli

aggression. They pitched tents in front of their demolished

homes, thus demonstrating their deep attachment to the land

and their loyalty to the territory and its bounties.

The true nature of the Al-Khiyam detention camp,

where Israeli military authorities hold more than 200

Lebanese citizens without any legal grounds, is well known

to United Nations officials and to Member States. Indeed,

the case of those detainees is common knowledge in the

international media. Moreover, 100 other Lebanese

prisoners are being held in various prisons inside Israel.

Despite the repeated appeals by the Commission on Human

Rights and Amnesty International and the demands made by

14 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session

the Lebanese Government and human-rights societies in

Lebanon and the rest of the Arab world, the Israeli

authorities refuse to release them. Furthermore, for more

than eight years, Israel has denied the International

Committee of the Red Cross as well as family members

access to visit those prisoners.

It is high time indeed for Israel to respond to the

appeals of international bodies by releasing those hostages

promptly, thus putting an end to their drawn out suffering

and the agony of their families. In fact, Israel is duty-bound

to do so in compliance with the relevant international treaties

and conventions.

The positive developments now taking place daily in

Lebanon are the most articulate expression of the Lebanese

refusal to permit their country once again to be a victim of

the Middle East conflict at a time when the winds of peace

are starting to blow towards the region. Lebanon yearns for

peace and has consistently opted for peace throughout its

history. In fact, Lebanon can thrive only in an atmosphere

of peace and stability. Indeed, its role in its own region and

in the world at large cannot be performed in the midst of

violence and war. Lebanon believes that the Middle East

region, if it enjoys a just and comprehensive peace, will be

in a position to contribute incalculable services to mankind.

All the peoples of the region, including the Lebanese, have

enormous potential, backed by a great cultural heritage and

diverse capabilities. Energies and resources that have long

been squandered on war could then be harnessed in the

service of social and economic development as we stand on

the threshold of the twenty-first century with all its promise

of achievements to come.

Against this backdrop, and in view of the regional and

international developments that have made it possible to

initiate negotiations with Israel, Lebanon participated in

those negotiations two years ago despite the fact that parts

of its territory have been under occupation as a result of an

act of aggression committed by Israel in 1978 - and not

because of a state of war with Israel. Lebanon’s just case

firmly rests on a series of United Nations resolutions

adopted over the past 15 years, all of which demand Israel’s

withdrawal and define the necessary means and modalities

required to achieve it.

If Israel uses the security of its northern border as a

pretext, we would argue that all the measures taken by

Israel, including the occupation of territory, have contributed

to the disruption of security. In fact, Lebanon and the

international community are more than ever convinced that

the only way to ensure regional security is to end the

occupation of Lebanese territory and desisting from

tampering with the security and safety of its population.

Forty-five years of unabated disputes, conflicts and

wars have created certain outlooks. Changing such outlooks

will require great political courage and deep understanding

on the part of those who are interested in peace. Large-scale

direct support will also be needed, along with innovative

thinking to shake ourselves loose from traditional frames of

mind.

More than ever before, the Middle East sorely needs

brave, innovative approaches if it is to attain a firm and

lasting peace. Lebanon, which is participating in the peace

talks in order to liberate its lands and lay the foundations of

a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, wishes

to point out the following:

First, Lebanon demands the total withdrawal of Israel

from all occupied Lebanese territories under Security

Council resolutions 425 (1978) and 426 (1978). The

Lebanese armed forces will assume full responsibility for

security in the southern and western regions should Israel

implement the provisions of those two resolutions.

Secondly, Lebanon, which believes in and seeks peace,

would be among the first beneficiaries of a just peace as it

expands to encompass the entire region. Along with its

Arab brethren, Lebanon will be an active participant in

making peace and in supporting its development and

advocating its consolidation as the underpinning of life in the

Middle East.

Thirdly, Lebanon which has had very painful

experiences as a result of the policy of the singling out of

certain countries and imposing partial solutions, believes that

peace is indivisible, especially in cases where issues are

closely interrelated, as is the case in the Middle East. We

also believe that unilateral and partial arrangements are

bound to give rise to nothing but new disputes and conflicts.

In this context, I should like to affirm, on the basis of

the object-lessons learnt from our common experience, that

there can be no firm and lasting peace in the Middle East

without Lebanon and Syria. The accord reached between

Israel and the Palestinians will remain a mere single step

unless it is quickly complemented by substantive solutions

on the other Arab tracks. Lebanon, which is extremely

limited in the size of its territory, has a delicate population

composition and scant economic resources, cannot provide

a solution for Palestinians who have been uprooted from

their land. The responsibility for returning the Palestinians

Forty-eighth session - 30 September l993 15

to their homeland and for finding a satisfactory solution to

their status remains within the competence of the

international community. If we really wish to put an end

once for all to the chapters of pain and anguish in the

Middle East, then the cause of the Palestinians should be

addressed in such a manner that may ensure for them a

decent life commensurate with their legitimate aspirations

and the aspirations of all our countries after human rights.

Fourthly, in order to achieve peace, Lebanon is willing

to cooperate fully with the two co-sponsors of the peace

conference, particularly the United States of America, to

reach a comprehensive and just solution that would

safeguard the right of all parties to permanent peace, and put

an end once and for all to conflicts in the region. Towards

that end, Lebanon stands ready to assume its due share of

the responsibility.