Bahrain, 1982

): I take pleasure in congratulating you, Sir, on your election as

President of the thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly. Your

effective contribution to the work of the United Nations and your

long service to your country, the Hungarian People's Republic, have

won you the confidence of the delegations participating in this

session. We hope that your work will be crowned with the success to

which we all look forward, so that the resolutions of this session

may reflect the aspirations of the inter-national community and deal

with the most important questions and issues on the international

scene. I am pleased also to pay a tribute to your predeces-80r, Mr.

Kittani, for the constructive efforts he made and the ability and

great skill with which he led the work of the last session and the

special sessions of the General Assembly this year.

72. I take pleasure also, on behalf of the State of Bahrain,

in congratulating Mr. Perez de Cuellar on his election as

Secretary-General. His election to this high international position

is a recognition of his outstanding skill and experience in the work

of the United Nations. I should like here also to commend him on the

valuable report he submitted to the General Assembly at this session.

It contains a useful analysis of current international relations and

the challenges confronting the Organization, and it will assist us in

dealing with the questions and issues on the agenda.

73. Since the last session the world has witnessed exceedingly

dangerous developments in international relations, where methods of

conflicts and confrontation have pre-empted those dialogue and

negotiation. Rivalry between the combatant groups has intensified,

increasing the number of wars and disputes and undermining

international peace and security, as has happened in Asia, Africa,

Latin America and the Middle East. Israel invaded Lebanon and

destroyed Beirut, the way in the Falkland Islands broke out, the

Irano-Iraqi war continues and Afghanistan is still suffering from

foreign military intervention. The situation in Kampuchea is still

serious and no settlement of the question of Cyprus has been reached.

We live today in a world dominated by selfishness and force, the

imposition of the will of the victor on the vanquished and the

reaping by the aggressor of the fruits of his aggression. This

situation constitutes a serious change in international relations,

which further intensifies disputes and regional and inter-national

crises.

74. In our review at the twenty-sixth session of international

events, we referred to the establishment of the Gulf Co-operation

Council as a viable and constructive institution for collective

regional co-operation to meet the aspirations and ambitions of the

people of the region. The six member States have agreed in the

Charter of the Council to abide by their obligations under the

Charter of the United Nations, to act together to preserve peace,

security and stability in the region without foreign intervention,

and to develop political, economic, cultural and social relations

among themselves and with other States in the world for their benefit

and that of the world as a whole. As a result of the continuous

efforts and work of the leaders of the Gulf Arab States, the Council

has been able, within the short period that has elapsed since its

establishment in May 1981, to co-ordinate the efforts and policies of

the States of the region in regard to international issues. The

unified economic agreement which was concluded in November last year

laid down sound bases for economic self-sufficiency among these

States and for the co-ordination of their commercial and economic

policies with those of other States and other regional economic

groups. The establishment of the Council is a living example of

constructive regional co-operation and co-ordination based on the

common interests of the people of the region, to provide them with

security, stability and prosperity.

75. The Middle East region witnessed this 'year the recurrence of

serious events which threaten to undermine world peace, as a result

of the criminal Israeli invasion of Lebanon, which constitutes a

dangerous precedent in international relations and takes humanity

back to the law of the jungle. Lebanon is exposed now to the ugliest

forms of aggression, occupation and destruction. The Palestinian

people face- the danger of physical liquidation and mass

extermination by unprecedented means.

76. Israel, which claims to be a small State surrounded by other

States which surpass ~t in number and resources claims that it wants

peace with its neighbours. At the same time, it occupies Arab

territories one after the other, expelling and killing the legitimate

inhabitants in order to annex such territories to its racist

settlements. It subjects the rest of the inhabitants of those

territories to the worst forms suppression, injustice and torture in

an attempt to drive them out and replace them by Zionist settlers

coming from the four corners of the world. it builds settlements on

the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights, in addition to

annexing Arab Jerusalem and declaring it its permanent capital,

annexing the Golan Heights and attacking the Iraqi nuclear reactor

designed for peaceful purposes an attack contrary to the Charter of

the United Nations and many resolutions in this respect We ask the

Assembly whether such a policy, based on aggression and expansion,

implies in fact a desire for peace?

77. The tragedy of the Middle East arises from the denial of the

legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The Palestinian question

is the core of the Arab-Israeli dispute. A just and comprehensive

peace in the Middle East region can be attained only by the

withdrawal of Israel from all occupied Arab territories and the

recognition of the legitimate and inalienable rights of the

Palestinian people, particularly their right to establish their

independent State on their national soil.

78. The question of Palestine which has existed since the

establishment of the United Nations is no longer unknown to anybody

in its dimensions and the tragedy of its people. It is the question

of a people expelled from its home and land, and denied for more than

34- years the exercise of its inalienable rights. That people, more

than any other people in history, is still suffering from

homelessnes3, deprivation and mass extermination at the hands of

world Zionism. In spite of the recognition by the United Nations of

the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to

their homeland, Israel denies them these rights and ignores all the

United Nations resolutions which acknowledge even part of the

inalienable and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

79. The Israeli invasion of Lebanon aimed at the complete subjugation

of that peaceful country and the destruction of its independence and

sovereignty and the integrity of its territory. We warned from the

start of the consequences that such aggression could have on Lebanon

and the repercussions it would have on the situation in the Middle

East in general, and the Palestinian question in particular. To

inform the world public of the dangers of such aggression, the Arab

States have contacted all States permanent members' of the Security

Council urging them to contain this serious situation, put an end to

it and expose its dangers and repercussions. They have asked them to

shoulder their responsibilities under the provisions of the Charter

for the maintenance of peace and security, and to stop the massacre

and acts of genocide perpetrated by the Israeli forces against the

Palestinian and Lebanese people. They Have also asked for an

international move to' put an end to such unprovoked aggression save

the independence of Lebanon and the integrity of its territory.

implement Security Council resolutions 508 (1982) and 509 ,1982,

which call for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the

invading Israeli forces from all Lebanese territories, and support

the efforts of the Lebanese Government to exercise its legitimate

authority and complete sovereignty within the internationally recognized

borders of Lebanon.

80. Terrorism has become the overt policy of Israel. as confirmed by

the tragic events which have taken place recently in Lebanon. The

world public has expressed its deep anger and disgust at the

appalling slaughter engaged in by Israel and its followers against

the unarmed civilians of west Beirut and the ugly massacres

perpetrated against the inhabitants of the Shatila and Sabra camps,

causing the death of hundreds of Palestinian families, mostly

children, old people and women. This brings back to our mind the

massacre carried out at Deir Yassin in Palestine in 1948 by the

terrorist Irgun Gang. led by the present Prime Minister of Israel.

81. Israel, acting its violation of the agreement made with the

Lebanese government and the three States participating in the

multinational peace force in Lebanon, carried out these ugly

massacres after the departure of the Palestinian fighters from west

Beirut.

82. At this crucial time, we appeal to the conscience of

the world, which is represented by the members here, to see to it

that the Organization moves from the stage of adopting resolutions of

condemnation to that of implementing those resolutions. We consider

that it is the duty of the General Assembly to request the Security

Council to reconsider the relations of the United Nations with

Israel, which is not a peace-loving Member and is bent on aggression

and expansionism, are shown by violations of international agreements

and persistent breaches of the Charter and resolutions of the United

Nations.

83. Israel claims that peace and security are the reason for its

motivation of Lebanon, its annexation of the Golan Heights and its

inhuman practices against the inhabitants of the occupied Arab

territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, but it is in fact

bent on more expansion, aggression and domination. No Member of the

United Nations may invade and occupy the territory of another Member

on the pretext of strengthening and defending its borders, Israel has

made s security the excuse for perpetuating its expansionist policy

in Arab territories.

84. Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights, in spite of Security

Council resolution 497 (1981), means that it has no intention of

withdrawing from the Arab territories occupied since 1967 but is

aiming at the Judaization of those territories to serve the ambitions

and interests of zionism in the region.

85. Israel's occupation of Arab territories does not confer on Israel

any sovereignty over those territories however long that occupation

may last. Its attempt to legitimize its occupa6:m of those

territories i~ in clear breach of the principles of international

law, particularly the Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilian

Persons in Time of. War; of 12 August 1949.

86. It is indeed regrettable that the world has witnessed the

aggressive and criminal practices of Israel in Lebanon, the West Bank

and the Golan Heights without the Security Council having been able

to carry out its responsibilities and deter Israel from pursuing its

aggression. because of the use of the veto by the United States of

America time and time again to prevent the Security Council from

adopting deterrent measures under Articles 41 and 42 of the Charter.

87. We believe that it is necessary to impose sanctions on

Israel, to compel it to respond to the will of the international

community. We ardently hope that the General Assembly will urge the

Security Council to carry out its duty of maintaining peace and

security in the Middle East by adopting the necessary measures under

Chapter VII of the Charter in order to compel Israel to stop its

aggression and end its occupation of Lebanon and other Arab

territories and its annexation of the Syrian Golan Heights. We al50

hope that the United States of America will take a stand in keeping

with its great responsibilities as a permanent member of the Security

Counsil.

88. We support the international call for an investigation of the

atrocious crimes committed by Israel against the Lebanese and

Palestinian peoples and callfor an international trial of Israel for

the mass killings and criminal acts it perpetrated by using

internationally banned shells and weapons and destroying buildings

over the heads of their occupation in one of the harshest and ugliest

acts of genocide, which .vas witnessed daily by the whole world

through the mass media.

89. The Palestinian people have proved their fighting ability by

their heroic stand against the Israeli invasion. They have prove to

the world that they are not merely a tiny group of terrorists, as

Israel claims but people struggling to retain their legitimate

rights. The Palestinian people s heroic struggle, under the

leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization has enhanced the

prestige of that organization as the sole and legitimate

representative of the Palestinian people and strengthened the loyalty

of the Palestinian people to the PLO.

90. Early last month, the leaders of the Arab States held the Twelfth

Arab Summit Conference at Fez. My country was one of those Arab

States that participated in the Conference. The Conference issued a

unified Arab plan for the solution of the Palestinian question. This

plan represents a genuine desire to find a durable solution of the

'Palestinian question and the problem of the Middle East. It consists

of eight points, which, in our view, are a good basis for the

solution of the problems relating to the situation in Palestine and

the Middle East. It is based on international legality as represented

by the principles and relevant resolutions of the United Nations,

starting with General Assembly resolution 181 (11) on the partition

of Palestine.

91. The plan ensures respect for international resolutions and

guarantees the Palestinian people the minimum of their rights as

prescribed in United Nations resolutions, including their right to

sovereignty, self-determination and the exercise of their inalienable

national rights on their national soil. It guarantees freedom of

worship to all religions in the Holy Places.

92. The plan consists of the following eight points. First, the

withdrawal of Israel from all Arab territories occupied in 1967,

including Arab Al Quds; secondly, the dismantling of settlements

established by Israel on Arab territories after 1967; thirdly, the

guarantee of freedom of worship and practice of religious rites for

all religions in the holy shrines; fourthly, the reaffirmation of the

Palestinian people's right to self- determination and the exercise of

its imprescriptible and inalienable national rights, under the

leadership of the PLO, its sole and legitimate representative, and

the identification of all those who do not desire to return; fifthly,

the placing of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under the control of

the United Nations for a transitory period not exceeding a few

months; sixthly, the establishment of an independent Palestinian

State with Al Quds as its capital; seventhly, the guaranteeing by the

Security Council of peace among all States of the region, including

the independent Palestinian State; and eighthly, the guaranteeing by

the Security Council of respect for these principles.

93. This plan is in keeping with United Nations resolutions on the

question of Palestine and the situation in the Middle East. It

strengthens the role of the United Nations in establishing durable

peace in the region. It is in line with the? call of the Secretary-

General in his report of the work of the Organization to establish a

more stable system in the world based on international collective

security and to encourage the use of the machinery of the Charter for

this purpose. We believe that-his plan provides a good opportunity

for "the solution of a question which has proved difficult to solve

during the past three decades-a question which, if it remains

unsolved, will threaten the whole world with grave dangers.

Therefore, we appeal to all States to support this plan and work

towards its implementation, in order to maintain peace and security

in that sensitive part 'of the world.

95. The Iraqi-Iranian war has now entered its third year, since it

broke out in September 1:•80. This war has begun to take on new and

more dangerous dimensions threatening to create• an explosive

situation in the whole region. There is no doubt that if this war

continues, it will spread and drive the whole region into the turmoil

of an international conflict.

96. We have on more than one occasion expressed great concern and

deep sorrow at the continuation of the dispute between Iraq and Iran

and called for a stop to this long and bloody conflict in order to

avert more bloodshed and rescue both countries from the ravages and

destruction of war.

97. We earnestly hope that these two neighbour States will be

able to negotiate a just and durable solution to their dispute,

particularly after the withdrawal by Iraq of its forces from the

international border and its declaration that it is ready to

negotiate with Iran and solve the differences existing between them

by peaceful means. We also hope 'ha' the good offices of the

Organization of the Islamic Conference, the non-aligned countries and

the United Nations will succeed in securing a cease-fire between the

two countries and finding a solution to their differences by peaceful

means. We continue to welcome, as we did before, the response of the

sister country of Iraq to the mediation efforts of the Good Offices

Committee, particularly its readiness to observe a cease- fire and

withdraw its forces to the international border. We hope that the

Islamic Republic of Iran will also respond to the mediation efforts

of that Committee in the same manner as Iraq has already done.

98. The situation in the Horn of Africa is still a source of concern

and instability. We hope that disputes and differences in that region

will be solved by peaceful means within the framework of the OAU so

that a peaceful settlement that will be just for all parties may be

reached so that the people and States in that region of the world may

be enabled to Jive together in peace, security and amity.

99. As regards Western Sahara, we regret the failure of the

efforts of the OAU to settle that question peacefully, and we hope

that collective efforts will be made to find a just solution to this

dispute so that peace and stability may prevail in the region.

lOO. We welcome the efforts for the independence of Namibia made by

some Western States in the contact group. We welcome the positive

steps taken to implement the United Nations plan for the

independence of that country pursuant to Security Council resolution

435 (1978), which is the proper legal frame-work for the peaceful

settlement of the Namibian question. We should like to reaffirm

Bahrain's support for and solidarity with the just struggle of the

people of Namibia under the leadership of SWAPO. We appeal to all

States Members of the United Nations to put pressure on the

Government of Pretoria and to impose sanctions against it under

Chapter VII of the Charter in order to compel it to abandon the

detested policy of apartheid it practises against the black majority

of the people of South Africa and to support the struggle of that

majority to regain its legitimate rights to freedom, equality and

human dignity.

101. Faithful to the principle of non-intervention in the domestic

affairs of States, the State of Bahrain has called for an end to the

Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. We have made clear before the

Assembly our stand with regard to the settlement of the Afghan

question. We are still convinced that there should be a political

solution to this question in accordance with the United Nations

resolutions that ca)) for the withdrawal of foreign forces from

Afghanistan, for respect for Its sovereignty, independence and

non-aligned status and for respect for the right of the people of

Afghanistan freely to choose their political, economic and social

system free from any foreign intervention in their domestic affairs.

102. With regard to the Korean question, the State of Bahrain,

respecting the will of the Korean people, welcomes the efforts made

to settle peacefully the dispute between North and South. We hope

these will lead to the establishment of peace and security under a

unified State free from any foreign intervention.

103. The world economic situation is no better this year than it

was last year. The world economy still suffers from recession and

inflation. The gross national product of some developing countries

has diminished because of the scarcity of national resources and the

decrease of financial aid and loans from developed to developing

countries, particularly to those of low income. The global

negotiations for the establishment of a new international economic

order still face difficulties that are caused by the policies and

positions of the developed countries. The hopes that were pinned on

the International Meeting on Economic Co-operation and Development,

which was held at Cancun in 1981, to establish a just and fair new

international economic order have been dashed. No tangible Progress

has been made in the global negotiations between the developed and

the developing countries in narrowing the gap between their policies,

although both are equally convinced of the fact of the

inter-dependence of interests in world economic relations. We cannot

conceive of a just and fair international economic order that would

solve the problems and meet the needs of the world without changing

current international economic relations to remove the

injustice and. inequality that exist in the present international

economic order.

104.. It is indeed regrettable that the second special session on

disarmament, held last June, ended without any appreciable results in

the efforts of the United Nation to adopt a comprehensive programme

of disarmament valid to the end of this century. The failure to adopt

effective measures at that session is the result, in our view, of the

deterioration of the international situation, regional conflicts and

the policy of confrontation in the relations between the great

Powers, shrouded as they are in suspicion as well as rivalry, the

arms race and non adherence to the concept of collective security

prescribed in the Charter.

105. In this context, we applaud the report of the Independent

Commission on Disarmament and Security Issues prepared under the

chairmanship of Olof Palme and entitled "Common Security-a program

for disarmament. That report stresses the Importance of survival,

rather than the annihilation that threatens humanity, in objective,

impartial and independent way and points out the fatal dangers in the

manufacture and trade in arms. It emphasizes the need for confidence

among States before an attempt is made to achieve international

disarmament.

106. We hope that the General Assembly will consider the report with

the attention it deserves so that the huge amounts of money spent on

armaments may be rechanneled to projects for economic and social

development, for the maintenance of security and for affording

prosperity to mankind.

107. After nine sessions of negotiations and exhaustive discussions,

the Third United Nations Conference of the Law of the Sea was able to

adopt a comprehensive convention which IS regarded as a great

achievement by the United Nations in the field of the regulation and

codification of the rules of the law of the sea and the exploitation

of the resources of the seas and oceans, which are the common

heritage of mankind. We hope that all States participating in the

Conference will accept the Convention4 after it is signed at the

final session of the Conference.

108. In spite of the failure of the United Nations to accomplish many

of the purposes and principles for which It was established,

particularly those having to do with international disputes and

crises, it has been able to do great and positive things in many

fields--economic, cultural, humanitarian and others. This emphasizes

the importance of its existence and the need to support its

principles and activities and to act for the implementation of its

resolutions so as to strengthen its role in international life.

109. My country's delegation hopes that at this session the General

Assembly will adopt appropriate resolutions to strengthen confidence

among Member States and to meet the aspirations of the people of the

world. I have the honour to state from this rostrum, on behalf of the

Government and people of Bahrain, our complete readiness to act in

this direction, with the other peoples and States represented in this

international forum, for the achievement of peace, justice and

prosperity. Bahrain will continue to abide by its obligations to the

United Nations and to be faithful to the Charter, for the

accomplishment of the goals for which the Organization was

established in 1945.