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UN General Assembly Resolutions: Resolution 46/75

(December 11, 1991)

The General Assembly,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 8 November 1991,1/

Having heard the statement made on 21 November 1991 by the chairman of the observer delegation of Palestine,2/

Stressing that achieving a comprehensive settlement of the Middle East conflict, the core of which is the question of Palestine, will constitute a significant contribution to international peace and security,

Aware of the overwhelming support for the convening of an International Peace Conference on the Middle East and noting the endeavours of the Secretary-General in this regard,

Noting the convening at Madrid, on 30 October 1991, of the Peace Conference on the Middle East,

Preoccupied by the increasingly serious situation in the occupied Palestinian territory as a result of persistent policies and practices of Israel, the occupying Power,

Aware of the ongoing uprising (intifadah) of the Palestinian people since 9 December 1987, aimed at ending Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory occupied since 1967,

1. Reaffirms the urgent need to achieve a just and comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the core of which is the question of Palestine;

2. Considers that the convening of an International Peace Conference on the Middle East, under the auspices of the United Nations, with the participation of all parties to the conflict, including the Palestine Liberation Organization, on an equal footing, and the five permanent members of the Security Council, based on Council resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967 and 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973 and the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, primarily the right to self-determination, would contribute to the promotion of peace in the region;

3. Reaffirms the following principles for the achievement of comprehensive peace:

(a) The withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, and from the other occupied Arab territories;

(b) Guaranteeing arrangements for security of all States in the region, including those named in resolution 181 (II) of 29 November 1947, within secure and internationally recognized boundaries;

(c) Resolving the problem of the Palestine refugees in conformity with General Assembly resolution 194 (III) of 11 December 1948, and subsequent relevant resolutions;

(d) Dismantling the Israeli settlements in the territories occupied since 1967;

(e) Guaranteeing freedom of access to Holy Places, religious buildings and sites;

4. Welcomes the convening at Madrid, on 30 October 1991, of the Peace Conference on the Middle East, which constitutes a significant step towards the establishment of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the region;

5. Notes the expressed desire and endeavours to place the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, under the supervision of the United Nations for a transitional period, as part of the peace process;

6. Requests the Secretary-General to continue his efforts with the parties concerned, and in consultation with the Security Council, for the promotion of peace in the region, and to submit progress reports on developments in this matter.

* * *


1/ A/46/623-S-23204 and Corr.1; see Official Records of the Security Council, Forty-sixth Year, Supplement for October, November and December 1991, document S/23204.

2/ See Official Records of the General Assembly, Forty-sixth Session, Plenary Meeting, 51st meeting (A/46/PV.51).

RECORDED VOTE ON RESOLUTION 46/75: 104-2-43

In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland*, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Against: Israel, United States.

Abstaining: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominica, Federated States of Micronesia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Portugal, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Spain, Sweden, USSR, United Kingdom, Uruguay.

Absent: Antigua and Barbuda, Belarus, Cambodia, Congo, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Latvia, Mali, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Zaire.

*Later advised the Secretariat that it had intended to abstain.


Sources: The United Nations