Resolution 54/74
(December 6, 1999)
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, 1/
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, 2/
Recalling that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 3/
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, 4/
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, 5/ 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;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General
Assembly at its fifty-fifth session on the implementation of the
present resolution.
71st plenary meeting
6 December 1999
1/ A/54/345.
2/ A/54/338, annex.
3/ Resolution 217 A (III).
4/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Nineteenth
Session, Annexes, Annex No. 11, document A/5700.
5/ A/48/486-S/26560, annex; see Official Records of the
Security Council, Forty-eighth Year, Supplement for October, November
and December 1993, document S/26560.
Sources: The United Nations |