Israel-PLO agreement called 'historic achievement.' (includes assessment of United Nations role)

The historic self-government agreement between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) for the Gaza Strip and the West Bank town of Jericho will serve as a model to the international community on the peaceful settlement of conflict and disputes, according to Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali. He made the statement a day after the pact was signed on 13 September in Washington, D.C., United States, by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat.

The 17-article "Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements" states that the two parties agree that "it is time to put an end to decades of confrontation and conflict, recognize their mutual legitimate and political right, and strive to live in peaceful coexistence and mutual dignity and security and achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace settlement and historic reconciliation through the agreed political process".

The agreement states that the aim of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations within the current Middle East peace process was, among other things, to establish a Palestinian Interim Self-Government Authority, the elected Council for the Palestinian people in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, for a transitional period not exceeding five years, leading to a permanent peace settlement based on Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). The interim arrangements were an integral part of the whole peace process and the negotiations on the permanent status would lead to the implementation of resolutions 242 and 338, it was stated.

The agreement calls for: elections for the Council; permanent status negotiations covering issues on "Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, security arrangements, borders, relations and cooperation with other neighbours, and other issues of common interest"; negotiations on an interim agreement; and establishment of a Palestinian police force and an Israeli-Palestinian Economic Cooperation Committee.

The Secretary-General, who attended the signing ceremony, met with the PLO Chairman at UN Headquarters on 14 September and conveyed his congratulations on the historic agreement. He made the following statement.

"This is an historic achievement which deserves the wholehearted support of the entire world community", he declared. "The conflict, which for decades preceded this breakthrough, was a cause for the most serious concern with regard to the maintenance of international peace and security."

The Secretary-General confirmed to Mr. Arafat that the UN system was ready to assist in the implementation of the agreement, which referred to an international presence. The UN, he said, would be prepared to provide electoral assistance if needed, and would coordinate work with organizations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund and the donor community through a special coordinator.

On 8 September, a high-level task force was established on development assistance to the Gaza Strip and Jericho. It would help establish an integrated UN approach towards development in those areas and identify essential projects to ensure continuation of services in the area. The task force reported in mid-September on projects by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and UN Development Programme (UNDP) in the occupied territories in the amount of nearly $250 million and proposed essential projects in the amount of $138 million, to support the transition period. The World Bank had proposed a $5.5-billion development plan over a decade.

On 13 September, the UNRWA Commissioner, General Ilter Turkmen, characterized the signing of the agreement as a "momentous turning point". He hoped that the Washington ceremony would mark the beginning of the restoration of Palestinian rights, the resolution of the problem of Palestine, and the establishment of a lasting peace.

Permanent Observer of Palestine Nasser Al-Kidwa told the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People on 16 September that the PLO was ready to end the state of antagonism with Israel by considering a departure from the usual UN resolutions during the forty-eighth General Assembly. It was a balanced PLO stance that took into account positive development,, while upholding basic principles. He stressed that the Israel-PLO agreement would have a broader reach than the Gaza Strip and Jericho.

At a meeting in New York on 20 September, the Secretary-General and United States Secretary of State Warren Christopher reviewed the economic and social development situation in Gaza and the West Bank. They also discussed the coordinator that the Secretary-General intended to appoint for UN assistance to Palestinians, who would initially focus on coordinating the work of UN bodies and agencies currently operating in the area - UNRWA, UNDP and UNICEF.

The Executive Board of the International Fund for Agricultural Development on 21 September endorsed a proposal to extend development aid to poor and disadvantaged farmers in the occupied territories, particularly in Gaza and Jericho.

Concern over violence

The Secretary-General on 26 July said he was alarmed and deeply concerned at the escalation of violence between Israel and Lebanon and urged "maximum restraint". Also on 26 July, the International Committee of the Red Cross appealed to all parties involved in military operations in Lebanon and Israel to respect international humanitarian law and, in particular, to spare the civilian population and property.

On 4 August, the World Food Programme said it would provide emergency food assistance to 100,000 people in southern Lebanon, who had been displaced by recent hostilities.

In response to Lebanon's request, a mission representing UN specialized agencies responsible for providing assistance and addressing humanitarian needs visited Lebanon from 8 to 13 August. On 20 August, the Secretary-General launched an appeal for emergency humanitarian assistance to people affected by the recent Israeli military attacks on southern Lebanon. The appeal presented projects totalling nearly $29 million.

The UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs said on 6 August that as a result of the attacks on southern Lebanon, which erupted on 25 July and killed 132 people and injured 500 more, some 350,000 people were forced to flee their homes, many of which were destroyed or severely damaged.

On 28 July, the Security Council extended the mandate of the UN interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for another six-month period, until 31 January 1994.

In unanimously adopting resolution 852 (1993), the Council reiterated its strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Lebanon, and called Upon all parties concerned to "cooperate fuly with the Force in the full implementation of its mandate".

Council President Sir David Hannay of the United Kingdom stated (S/26183) that the Council wis concerned over the continuing violence in southern Lebanon, regretted the loss of civilian life and urged all parties to exercise restraint.

Conference on Jerusalem

Three symposia and an international meeting on Palestine involving non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were held between 30 June and 3 September.

The gatherings were: the tenth UN North American NGO symposium (30 June-2 July, New York); the seventh UN European NGO symposium (23-24 August, Vienna); the tenth UN international NGO meeting (25-27 August, Vienna); and the African seminar and NGO symposium (30 August-3 September, Dakar, Senegal).

The North American symposium recommended that the UN cosponsor a conference on Jerusalem as part of the international search for peace and justice in Palestine, while the European symposium called on European Governments to take, action to ensure Israel's immediate and unconditional withdrawal from Lebanon, the Golan Heights and the occupied Palestinian territories.

The UN international meeting initiated a worldwide campaign aimed at securing Israel's acceptance, of the applicability in the occupied territories of the 1949 Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, while the African seminar reaffirmed that peace should be pursued through the realization of the right to self-determination of Palestinians.