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UNITED NATIONS THIRTY-SEVENTH YEAR MEETING: 23 FEBRUARY 1982 CONTENTS Provisional agenda (S/Agenda/233 1) . , , . , . , . , , , , . , . , . Expression of thanks to the outgoing President , . , . , , . , . , . , . Adoption of the agenda , , , . , . , , , , . , . , . , , , . , . The situation in the Middle East: (n) Resolution 498 (1981); (b) Special report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (S/14869); (c) Letter dated 16 February 1982 from the Permanent Representative of Leb- anon to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/14875). , , . , , , , . , , , , #.. , . , . , , . , . + . SiPV.233 1 NOTE Symbols of United Nations documents are composed of capital letters com- bined with figures. Mention of such a symbol indicates a reference to a United Nations document. Documents of the Security Council (symbol S/ . .) are normally published in quarterly Suppleuwnts of the @ffkk~l Records of tkc Seccrrity Council. The date of the document indicates the supplement in which it appears or in which infor- mation about it is given. bl. The resolutions of the Security Council, numbered in accordance with a system adopted in 1964, are published in yearly volumes of Rcsolrrtiorzs trrd Decisions of the Security Council. The new system, which has been applied retroactively to resolutions adopted before 1 January 1965, became fully operative on that date. 2331st MEETING Held in New York on Tuesday, 23 February 1982, at 3.30 p.m. President : Sir Anthony PARSONS (United Kingdom the representative of Lebanon in which he requests of Great Britain and Northern Ireland). to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council’s agenda. In accordance with P,?r.ssrzt: The representatives of the following States: the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the China, France, Guyana, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Council, to invite him to participate in the discussion, Panama, Poland, Spain, Togo, Uganda, Union of without the right to vote, in conformity with the rele- Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom of Great vant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the pro- Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of Amer- visional rules of procedure. ica %Zaire. At the invitbtion of the President, Mr. Tm’ni (Leb- Provisional agenda (S/Agenda/2331) anon) took n place at the Council table. 1. Adoption of the agenda 3. The PRESIDENT: I should also like to inform the Council that I have received a letter dated 23 Feb- 2. The situation in the Middle East: ruary 1982 from the representative of Jordan [S/14878] Resolution 498 (198 1); which reads as follows: Special report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon “I have the honour to request the Security Coun- (S/ 14869); cil to extend an invitation to the representative of Letter dated 16 February 1982 from the Per- the Palestine Liberation Organization to participate manent Representative of Lebanon to the in the Council’s consideration of the item ‘The situa- United Nations addressed to the President of tion in the Middle East’, in accordance with the the Security Council (S/14875) Council’s usual practice.” The meeting nm called to order- at 4 pm. 4. The proposal by the representative of Jordan is not made pursuant to rule 37 or rule 39 of the provi- Expression of thanks to the outgoing President sional rules of procedure but, if approved by the Council, the invitation to participate in the discussion I. The PRESIDENT: As this is the first formal would confer on the Palestine Liberation Organiza- meeting of the Security Council for the month of tion (PLO) the same rights of participation as those February, I should like, on behalf of the Council, to conferred on a Member State pursuant to rule 37. express our thanks to the President for the month of January, Mr. Oleg Troyanovsky, the Permanent 5. Does any member of the Council wish to speak Representative of the Union of Soviet Socialist Repub- on this proposal? lics to the .United Nations, for the great skill, wisdom and courtesy with which he conducted our affairs 6. Mrs. KIRKPATRICK (United States of Amer- last month. ica): First, I should like to take this opportunity to congratulate you, Sir, on your accession to the office Adoption of the agenda of President of the Council and to thank the repre- sentative of the Soviet Union for his service during the past month. The situation in the Middle East: (a) Resolution 498 (1981); 7. The United States delegation has on many occa- -(b) Special report of the Secretary-General on the sions explained the reasons why we oppose the special United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (S/14869); procedure that appears to give the PLO the same (c) Letter dated 16 February 1982 from the Perma- rights of participation in the proceedings of the Coun- nent Representative of Lebanon to the United cil as if it represented a State. The PLO is not a Nations addressed to the President of the Security State; it is a political movement which presents its Council (S/14875) claims in the name of a collectivity whose members live under various political jurisdictions. No formula 2. The PRESIDENT: I should like to inform mem- justifies this departure from the rules of procedure bers of the Council that I have received a letter from of the Council. The formula proposed seems to us to ‘P seek without basis to enhance the prestige, and indeed cia] report of the Secretary-Gened Cln Ihe Unifd to falsify the status, of those to whom it is directed. Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (LJNIFILl, ~HMI document S/14875, which contains the text Of a lettel 8. We have always stressed that we have no objec- dated 16 February from the repl-e%XltZltiVe Of Let,- tion to the Council’s hearing the PLO representatives; anon to the President of the Council. indeed, we have no objection to the Council’s hearing the representatives of any political group with a stake 14. The first speaker is the repl‘CSeIlkltiVe of IXll- in questions discussed here. But we consider that this anon, on whom I now call. can be accomplished legally only on the traditional basis of rule 39, which empowers the Council to grant 15. Mr. TUBNI (Lebanon): Of the now innurner:~hlc hearings to persons speaking on behalf of non-govern- debates held by the Council on South Lebanon in the mental entities. past few years, none resembles the present one: it is unique in that there is no mandate of UNIFIL to 9. Accordingly, we ask, Mr. President, that you renew, no breach of a cease-fire, no attacks on Beirut. put to the vote the terms of this proposed invitation. or even on the “area of operations”, no sudden fitire- The United States will vote no. up of violence. And yet the stage is set, aS if WC Wel‘L: nearing a major showdown. IO. The PRESIDENT: If no other member of the Council wishes to speak at this stage, I shall take it 16. The Council, when it met on 18 December- 11)8I that the Council is ready to vote on the proposal by [232&h meeting], ruled in its resolution 498 (198 1) thltt Jordan. it would A Ivtc II’~.S taken by show of hands. ‘&review, within two months, the situation :IS iI whole in the light of the letter of the Permanent I/l.fil~*orlr: China, Guyana, Ireland, Jordan, Panama, Representative of Lebanon to the Secretary-C&n- Poland, Spain, Togo, Uganda, Union of Soviet Socia- eral, dated 14 December 1981” [S/147021. list Republics, Zaire 17. Hence, our debate today should take place in the d,qairzst: United States of America atmosphere of intellectual serenity and politieul wisdom which we were denied in the past. Ahstaining: France, Japan, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 18. This, Mr. President, is, we believe, whirt prompted you to give us all, since you started your consultations on 16 February, time to reflect und exchange views on the best possible course to follow if we are to avoid another crisis and enable UNIFII. At the in\Vitrrtiorl of the President, Mr. Terzi (Pales- to perform the peace-keeping mission entrusted to it ti,ic Libcrotion Organizntion) took a place at the side by the Council nearly four years ago Irrsolrrtio~r ~2.5 qf thr Corrmil chmher. (1978)]; 11. The PRESIDENT: I should like to inform the 19. We have indeed been reassured not only by the Council that I have received a letter dated 23 February style and perceptive spirit with which you conducted 1982 from the representative of Jordan [S/14883], which those consultations, but, more generally, by your reads as follows: presence in the Chair this month. While congratulatiJlg You, therefore, as is the custom, on the assumption of “I have the honour to request the Security Coun- Your responsibilities, I would add that your intimate cil to invite Mr. Clovis Maksoud, Permanent Ob- and profound knowledge of Middle Eastern ques- server of the League of Arab States, to participate tions, not to mention Your long record of objectivity in the consideration by the Council of the question and wisdom in the Council, is a guarantee-if any entitled ‘The situation in the Middle East’, in accord- were needed-of enlightened leadership and, WC ance with rule 39 of the provisional rules of pro-’ dare hope, a successful conclusion as well. cedure.” 20. May 1 also say, since it is now publicly known 12. If I hear no objection I shall take it that the Coun- that Your are about to retire from the United Nations cil agrees to accede to this request.