Statement by New York, 25 March 2008
Mr. President, I would like to begin by thanking the Secretary-General for his statement, and Mr. B. Lynn Pascoe, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, for his briefing on the current situation in the Middle East. This debate is pertinent as a forum where delegations, particularly of concerned countries from the region and relevant organizations, could reflect on ways to respond to the challenges of bringing peace to the Middle East region collectively. Mr. President, For sixty years, the Middle East conflict has ensued, and hope and despair have featured in every effort to end the conflict. The Annapolis conference is the most recent initiative that punctuated a vacuum in peace negotiations. It has injected a new vigour and has given new hope to the peace effort. Yet, there is a risk of a disconnect between such hope and the situation on the ground. The cycle of violence has continued unabated. It has eroded confidence on both sides. Now, there is an urgent need for rebuilding confidence. This will certainly require a complete end to violence. It will require immediate termination by Israel of all illegal activities, including the construction of settlements. Compliance with international law by all parties must be promoted and utmost restraint must be exercised. Indonesia also shares the Secretary-General’s view, expressed during the Council’s emergency meeting on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip on 1 March 2008, that incidents in which civilians have been killed or injured must be investigated and accountability must be ensured. Indonesia believes that achieving the Annapolis goals will pave the way for a more comprehensive settlement of the Middle East conflict. We, therefore, welcome the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks on 17 March 2008, especially after a break of several weeks. Indonesia also welcomes the forthcoming Middle East conference to be hosted by the Government of the Russian Federation. My delegation believes that the conference will provide a forum for strengthening the Annapolis process to achieve comprehensive peace in the region, including the Israeli-Lebanon as well as Israeli-Syrian tracks.
Continued political and de facto divisions among Palestinians pose a particular constraint to unified efforts for a sovereign and independent Palestinian state. We, therefore, continue to believe that an inter-Palestinian dialogue remains crucial. The role of neighbouring countries in promoting inter-Palestinian reconciliation also remains important. A series of recent talks on inter-Palestinian dialogue within the framework of the Arab League or the initiative of individual neighbouring states are commendable. In this regard, my delegation is encouraged by the recent initiative by the Government of Yemen to promote inter-Palestinian dialogue. The formation of a viable Palestinian economy is also key to the creation of durable peace in the region. We must, therefore, find ways to rebuild the devastated economy in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. In this regard, we underline the importance of continued support and assistance of the international community, including the realization of pledges made during the Paris Donors Conference. Indonesia, together with South Africa, will convene later this year the Afro-Asian Conference for Capacity Building of the Palestinian people to be held in Jakarta.
Peace is of little value to someone who is dying of sickness or hunger. In the same vein, peace talks will mean nothing to a large part of Palestinians who continue to live in harsh conditions. With nearly 85% of Gaza population relying on food assistance from the UN and other humanitarian agencies, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains an issue of concern. Freedom of Palestinians in Gaza from wants and destitution must be immediately ensured. Thus, my delegation fully supports the work of the many UN agencies and other humanitarian partners on the ground. We also join the Secretary-General’s call on the international community to heed the Consolidated Appeal for Palestine launched in February 2008. Humanitarian relief itself cannot address the suffering in Gaza so long as the Gaza crossings remain closed. My delegation, therefore, continues to underline the importance of the opening of the border crossings into Gaza permanently and without delay to facilitate the passage of imports and exports and the access of humanitarian workers to the area. Full implementation of the Agreement on Movement and Access is critical, particularly in view of the impact of crossings on the Palestinian economy and daily life. We also welcome the proposal made by the Palestinian Authority to assume responsibility for the Palestinian side of the Gaza Strip’s border crossings, and encourage contacts between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to act on this proposal.
With regard to the situation in Lebanon, peace and stability in the country is essential not only for the Lebanese themselves, but also for all peoples in the region. Thus, continued political impasse and repeated postponements of the presidential election remain an issue of concern to my delegation. Prolonging the constitutional void will harmfully affect not only the internal stability but also the democratic process in the country. It must, therefore, be avoided. While efforts exerted by the international community as well as regional states are of paramount importance, the final resolution of the internal conflict will be at the hands of the Lebanese people. We, therefore, stress the urgency of making concerted efforts by all parties concerned in the country to end the political deadlock and build a consensus that leads to the election of a President.
The Middle East conflict has been for far too long tarnishing what our time could offer in creating a peaceful and livable region. It has for far too long been wearing on the parties of the region. Finding a peaceful, just, lasting, and comprehensive settlement to the conflict will thus be absolutely critical. Indonesia is committed to such an endeavour, based on relevant resolutions of the Council, including resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), and 1515 (2003), the Madrid terms of reference and the principle of land for peace, and the Arab Peace Initiative.
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