Agenda
Item 88 United Nations Relief and Works
Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA): Resolution
54/69 (Adopted on
6 December 1999/Vote: 155-1-2)
Assistance
to Palestine refugees The General
Assembly, Recalling its
resolution 53/46 of 3 December 1998 and all its previous resolutions on the question,
including resolution 194 (III) of 11 December 1948, Taking note of the
report of the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East for the period from 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999, Welcoming the
signature in Washington, D.C., on 13 September 1993, by the Government of the State of
Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, the representative of the people of
Palestine, of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements and
the subsequent implementation agreements, and also the signature of the
Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in Washington,
D.C. on 28 September 1995,
Welcoming also the signing of the Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum on 4 September
1999, Encouraging the
Multilateral Working Group on Refugees of the Middle East peace process to continue its
important work, Also
welcoming the
completion of the transfer of the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works
Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East to Gaza, to its area of operations, 1. Notes with regret that repatriation or
compensation of the refugees, as provided for in paragraph 11 of its resolution 194 (III),
has not yet been effected and that, therefore, the situation of the refugees continues to
be a matter of concern; 2.
Notes with
regret that the
United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine has been unable to find a means of
achieving progress in the implementation of paragraph 11 of General Assembly resolution
194 (III), and requests the Commission to exert continued efforts towards the
implementation of that paragraph and to report to the Assembly as appropriate, but no
later than 1 September 2000; 3.
Expresses its
thanks to the
Commissioner-General and to all the staff of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency
for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, recognizing that the Agency is doing all it can
within the limits of available resources, and also expresses its thanks to the specialized
agencies and to private organizations for their valuable work in assisting refugees; 4.
Notes
the significant success of the Peace Implementation Programme of the Agency since the
signing of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, and
stresses the importance that contributions to this Programme are not at the expense of the
General Fund; 5.
Welcomes
the increased cooperation between the Agency and international and regional organizations,
States and relevant agencies and non-governmental organizations, which is essential to
enhancing the contributions of the Agency towards improved conditions for the refugees and
thereby the social stability of the occupied territory; 6.
Urges
all Member States to extend and expedite aid and assistance with a view to the economic
and social development of the Palestinian people and the occupied territory; 7.
Reiterates
its deep concern regarding the persisting critical financial situation of the Agency,
as outlined in the report of the Commissioner-General; 8.
Commends
the efforts of the Commissioner-General to move towards budgetary transparency and
internal efficiency, and welcomes in this respect the new, unified budget structure for
the biennium 2000-2001, which can contribute significantly towards improved budgetary
transparency of the Agency; 9.
Welcomes
the consultative process between the Agency, Host Governments, the Palestinian Authority,
and donors on management reforms; 10.
Notes with profound concern that the continued shortfall in the
finances of the Agency has a significant influence on the living conditions of the
Palestine refugees most in need and that it therefore has possible consequences for
the peace process; 11.
Calls upon all donors, as a matter of urgency, to
make the most generous efforts possible to meet the anticipated needs of the Agency,
including the remaining costs of moving the headquarters to Gaza, and encourages
contributing Governments to contribute regularly and to consider increasing their regular
contribution, and urges non-contributing Governments to contribute. Agenda
Item 88 Resolution
54/70 (Adopted on
6 December 1999/Consensus)
Working
Group on the Financing of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in the Near East The General
Assembly, Recalling its
resolutions 2656 (XXV) of 7 December 1970, 2728 (XXV) of 15 December 1970, 2791 (XXVI) of
6 December 1971, 53/47 of 3 December 1998 and the previous resolutions on this question, Recalling
also its decision
36/462 of 16 March 1982, by which it took note of the special report of the Working Group
on the Financing of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in
the Near East, Having
considered the report
of the Working Group,
Taking into
account the report
of the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in the Near East covering the period from 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999, Deeply
concerned about the
continuing critical financial situation of the Agency, which has affected and affects the
continuation of the provision of the necessary Agency services to Palestine refugees,
including the emergency-related programmes, Emphasizing the
continuing need for extraordinary efforts in order to maintain, at least at the current
minimum level, the activities of the Agency, as well as to enable the Agency to carry out
essential construction, 1.
Commends the Working Group on the Financing of the United Nations Relief and
Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East for its efforts to assist in ensuring
the financial security of the Agency; 2.
Takes note with approval of the report of the Working Group; 3.
Requests the Working Group to continue its efforts, in cooperation with the
Secretary-General and the Commissioner-General, to find a solution to the financial
situation of the Agency; 4.
Welcomes the new, unified budget structure for the biennium 2000-2001, which
can contribute significantly to improved budgetary transparency of the Agency; 5.
Requests the Secretary-General to provide the necessary services and
assistance to the Working Group for the conduct of its work. Agenda
Item 88 Resolution
54/71 (Adopted on
6 December 1999/Vote: 154-2-2) Persons
displaced as a result of the June 1967 and subsequent hostilities The General
Assembly, Recalling its
resolutions 2252 (ES-V) of 4 July 1967, 2341 B (XXII) of 19 December 1967 and all
subsequent related resolutions, Recalling
also Security
Council resolutions 237 (1967) of 14 June 1967 and 259 (1968) of 27 September 1968, Taking note of the
report of the Secretary-General submitted in pursuance of its resolution 53/48 of 3
December 1998, Taking note
also of the
report of the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East covering the period from 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999, Concerned about the
continuing human suffering resulting from the June 1967 and subsequent hostilities, Taking note of the
relevant provisions of the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government
Arrangements, signed in Washington, D.C., on 13 September 1993 by the Government
of the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, with regard to the
modalities for the admission of persons displaced in 1967, and concerned that the
process agreed upon has not yet been effected, 1.
Reaffirms the right of all persons displaced as a result of the
June 1967 and subsequent hostilities to return to their homes or former places of
residence in the territories occupied by Israel since 1967; 2.
Expresses the hope for an accelerated return of displaced persons through
the mechanism agreed upon by the parties in article XII of the Declaration of Principles
on Interim Self-Government Arrangements; 3.
Endorses, in the meanwhile, the efforts of the Commissioner-General of the
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East to continue
to provide humanitarian assistance, as far as practicable, on an emergency basis, and as a
temporary measure, to persons in the area who are currently displaced and in serious need
of continued assistance as a result of the June 1967 and subsequent hostilities; 4.
Strongly appeals to all Governments and to organizations and individuals to
contribute generously to the Agency and to the other intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations concerned for the above purposes; 5.
Requests the Secretary-General, after consulting with the
Commissioner-General, to report to the General Assembly before its fifty-fifth session on
the progress made with regard to the implementation of the present resolution. Agenda
Item 88 Resolution
54/72 (Adopted on 6
December 1999/Vote: 158-0-1)
Offers by
Member States of grants and scholarships for higher education, The General
Assembly, Recalling its
resolution 212 (III) of 19 November 1948 on assistance to Palestine refugees, Recalling
also its
resolutions 35/13 B of 3 November 1980, 36/146 H of 16 December 1981, 37/120 D of 16
December 1982, 38/83 D of 15 December 1983, 39/99 D of 14 December 1984, 40/165 D of 16
December 1985, 41/69 D of 3 December 1986, 42/69 D of 2 December 1987, 43/57 D of 6
December 1988, 44/47 D of 8 December 1989, 45/73 D of 11 December 1990, 46/46 D of 9
December 1991, 47/69 D of 14 December 1992, 48/40 D of 10 December 1993, 49/35 D of 9
December 1994, 50/28 D of 6 December 1995, 51/127 of 13 December 1996, 52/60 of 10
December 1997 and 53/49 of 3 December 1998, Cognizant of the fact
that the Palestine refugees have, for the last five decades, lost their homes, lands and
means of livelihood, Having
considered the report
of the Secretary-General, Having also
considered the report
of the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in the Near East covering the period from 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999, 1.
Urges all States to respond to the appeal in its resolution 32/90 F of 13
December 1977 and reiterated in subsequent relevant resolutions in a manner commensurate
with the needs of Palestine refugees for higher education, including vocational
training; 2.
Strongly appeals to all States, specialized agencies and non-governmental
organizations to augment the special allocations for grants and scholarships to Palestine
refugees, in addition to their contributions to the regular budget of the United Nations
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East; 3.
Expresses its appreciation to all Governments, specialized agencies and
non-governmental organizations that responded favorably to its resolutions on this
question; 4.
Invites the relevant specialized agencies and other organizations of the
United Nations system to continue, within their respective spheres of competence, to
extend assistance for higher education to Palestine refugee students; 5.
Appeals to all States, specialized agencies and the United Nations
University to contribute generously to the Palestinian universities in the Palestinian
territory occupied by Israel since 1967, including, in due course, the proposed University
of Jerusalem “Al-Quds” for Palestine refugees; 6.
Appeals to all States, specialized agencies and other international bodies
to contribute towards the establishment of vocational training centers for Palestine
refugees; 7.
Requests the Agency to act as the recipient and trustee for the special
allocations for grants and scholarships and to award them to qualified Palestine refugee
candidates; 8.
Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its
fifty-fifth session on the implementation of the present resolution. Agenda Item 88
Resolution
54/73 (Adopted on
6 December 1999/Vote: 154-2-1)
Operations
of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East The General
Assembly, Recalling its
resolutions 194 (III) of 11 December 1948, 212 (III) of 19 November 1948, 302 (IV) of 8
December 1949 and all subsequent related resolutions, Recalling
also the relevant
Security Council resolutions, Having
considered the report
of the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in the Near East covering the period from 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999, Taking note of the
letter dated 30 September 1999 from the Chairperson of the Advisory Commission of the
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East addressed
to the Commissioner-General, contained in the report of the Commissioner-General, Having
considered the reports
of the Secretary-General submitted in pursuance of its resolutions 48/40 E, 48/40 H and 48/40 J of 10 December 1993
and 49/35 C of 9 December 1994, Recalling Articles
100, 104 and 105 of the Charter of the United Nations and the Convention on the Privileges
and Immunities of the United Nations, Affirming
the applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons
in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including
Jerusalem, Aware of the fact
that Palestine refugees have, for over five decades, lost their homes, lands and means of
livelihood, Also aware of the
continuing needs of Palestine refugees throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory and
in the other fields of operation, namely, in Lebanon, Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic, Further aware of the
valuable work done by the refugee affairs officers of the Agency in providing protection
to the Palestinian people, in particular Palestine refugees, Deeply
concerned about the
continuing critical financial situation of the Agency and its effect on the continuity of
provision of necessary Agency services to the Palestine refugees, including the
emergency-related programmes, Aware of the work
of the new Peace Implementation Programme of the Agency, Recalling the signing
in Washington, D.C. on 13 September 1993 of the Declaration of Principles on Interim
Self-Government Arrangements by the Government of the State of Israel and the Palestine
Liberation Organization, and the subsequent implementation agreements, including the Israeli-Palestinian
Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip signed in Washington, D.C., on 28
September 1995, as well as the signing of the Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum on 4
September 1999, Taking note of the
agreement reached on 24 June 1994, embodied in an exchange of letters between the Agency
and the Palestine Liberation Organization, Aware of the
establishment of a working relationship between the Advisory Commission of the Agency and
the Palestine Liberation Organization in accordance with General Assembly decision 48/417
of 10 December 1993, 1.
Expresses its appreciation to the Commissioner-General of the United Nations
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, as well as to all the
staff of the Agency, for their tireless efforts and valuable work;
3.
Welcomes the completion of the transfer of the headquarters of the Agency to
Gaza and the signing of the Headquarters Agreement between the Agency and the Palestinian
Authority; 4.
Acknowledges the support of the host Governments and the Palestine
Liberation Organization for the Agency in the discharge of its duties; 5.
Calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to accept the de jure
applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in
Time of War, of 12 August 1949, and to abide scrupulously by its provisions; 6.
Also calls upon Israel to abide by Articles 100, 104 and 105 of the Charter
of the United Nations and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United
Nations with regard to the safety of the personnel of the Agency and the protection of its
institutions and the safeguarding of the security of the facilities of the Agency in the
Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem; 7.
Calls once again upon the Government of Israel to compensate the Agency for
damages to its property and facilities resulting from actions by the Israeli side; 8.
Requests the Commissioner-General to proceed with the issuance of
identification cards for Palestine refugees and their descendants in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory; 9.
Notes that the new context created by the signing of the Declaration of
Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements by the Government of the State of
Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization and subsequent implementation agreements
has had major consequences for the activities of the Agency, which is henceforth called
upon, in close cooperation with the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East
Peace Process and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General to the Palestine
Liberation Organization
and the Palestinian
Authority, the specialized agencies and the World Bank, to continue to contribute towards
the development of economic and social stability in the occupied territory; 10.
Notes also that the functioning of the Agency remains essential in all
fields of operation;
11. Notes further the significant success of the Peace Implementation
Programme of the Agency;
12. Expresses concern over
those remaining austerity measures due to the financial crisis, which have affected the
quality and level of some of the services of the Agency;
13. Reiterates its
request to the Commissioner-General to consider the possibility of modernizing the
archives of the Agency; 14.
Urges all States, specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations to
continue and to increase their contributions to the Agency so as to ease current financial
constraints and to support the Agency in maintaining the provision of the most basic and
effective assistance to the Palestine refugees. Agenda
Item 88 Resolution
54/74 (Adopted on
6 December 1999/Vote: 154-2-2)
Palestine
refugees’ properties and their revenues The General
Assembly, Recalling its
resolutions 194 (III) of 11 December 1948, 36/146 C of 16 December 1981 and all its
subsequent resolutions on the question, Taking note of the
report of the Secretary-General in pursuance of resolution 53/51 of 3 December 1998, Taking note
also of the
report of the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine for the period from 1
September 1998 to 31 August 1999, Recalling that the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the principles of international law uphold the
principle that no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his or her property, Recalling in
particular its
resolution 394 (V) of 14 December 1950, in which it directed the Conciliation Commission,
in consultation with the parties concerned, to prescribe measures for the protection of
the rights, property and interests of the Palestine Arab refugees, Taking note of the
completion of the programme of identification and evaluation of Arab property, as
announced by the Conciliation Commission in its twenty-second progress report, and of the fact that
the Land Office had a schedule of Arab owners and file of documents defining the location,
area and other particulars of Arab property, Recalling that in the
framework of the Middle East peace process the Palestine Liberation Organization and the
Government of Israel agreed, in the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government
Arrangements of 13 September 1993, to commence negotiations on permanent status issues, including the
important issue of the refugees, 1.
Reaffirms that the Palestine Arab refugees are entitled to their property
and to the income derived therefrom, in conformity with the principles of justice and
equity; 2.
Requests the Secretary-General to take all appropriate steps, in
consultation with the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine, for the
protection of Arab property, assets and property rights in Israel, expresses its
appreciation for the work done to preserve and modernize the existing records of the
Commission, and requests the Secretary-General to complete this task; 3.
Calls once more upon Israel to render all facilities and assistance to the
Secretary-General in the implementation of the present resolution; 4.
Calls upon all the parties concerned to provide the Secretary-General with
any pertinent information in their possession concerning Arab property, assets and
property rights in Israel that would assist him in the implementation of the present
resolution; 5.
Urges the Palestinian and Israeli sides, as agreed between them, to deal
with the important issue of Palestine refugees' properties and their revenues in the
framework of the final status negotiations of the Middle East peace process; Agenda
Item 88 Resolution
54/75 (Adopted on
6 December 1999/Vote: 155-2-1) The General
Assembly, Recalling its
resolutions 36/146 G of 16 December 1981, 37/120 C of 16 December 1982, 38/83 K of 15
December 1983, 39/99 K of 14 December 1984, 40/165 D and K of 16 December 1985, 41/69 K of
3 December 1986, 42/69 K of 2 December 1987, 43/57 J of 6 December 1988, 44/47 J of 8
December 1989, 45/73 J of 11 December 1990, 46/46 J of 9 December 1991, 47/69 J of 14
December 1992, 48/40 I of 10 December 1993, 49/35 G of 9 December 1994, 50/28 G of 6
December 1995 and 51/130, 13 December 1996, 52/63 of 10 December 1997 and 53/52 of 3
December 1998, 1.
Emphasizes
the need for strengthening the educational system in the Palestinian territory occupied by
Israel since 5 June 1967, including Jerusalem, and specifically the need for the
establishment of the proposed university; 2.
Requests
the Secretary-General to continue to take all necessary measures for establishing the
University of Jerusalem “Al-Quds”, in accordance with General Assembly
resolution 35/13 B of 3 November 1980, giving due consideration to the recommendations
consistent with the provisions of that resolution; 3.
Calls
once more upon Israel, the occupying Power, to cooperate in the implementation of the
present resolution and to remove the hindrances that it has put in the way of establishing
the University of Jerusalem “Al-Quds”; |