VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #1108 3301151
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251151Z NOV 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5424

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001108 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON KPAL UNGA IS
SUBJECT: UNGA SECOND COMMITTEE ADOPTS PALESTINIAN RESOURCES 
AND THREE OTHER RESOLUTIONS 
 
REF: STATE 121442 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Second 
Committee (Economic and Financial) adopted four resolutions 
on November 20.  Per reftel instructions, the United States 
called for a vote and voted against the resolution entitled, 
"Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the 
Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and 
of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over 
their natural resources,"  which was adopted by a vote count 
of 139-6(U.S.)-4.  The United States joined consensus on 
three other resolutions.  END SUMMARY. 
 
PALESTINIAN RESOURCES 
--------------------- 
 
¶2. The UNGA Second Committee met November 20 to take action 
on four resolutions, including resolution A/C.2/63/L.5, 
entitled "Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in 
the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, 
and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over 
their natural resources," submitted under Agenda item 38.  In 
accordance with reftel, the United States called for a vote 
and voted against the resolution, which was adopted 
139-6(U.S.)-4.  Following the vote, 10 countries (Senegal, 
Zambia, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Guinea, Brazil, Saudi 
Arabia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Peru and Finland) explained 
that they missed the vote, but asked that the record show 
they would have voted in favor of the resolution. 
 
¶3. Israel took the floor to note its disappointment over the 
result, stressing that resource issues should be handled 
through bilateral negotiations.  Israel went on to regret 
that the resolution did not reflect any of the progress made 
since last year, and that it once again failed to mention 
attacks by Hamas on the Israeli people.  The Palestinian 
delegate countered that Israel has "run out of excuses" for 
its occupation, and that it should not expect credit "merely" 
for  fulfilling its obligations to ensure the well-being of 
Palestinians.  On the issue of Hamas attacks, the Palestinian 
delegate accused Israel of committing its own "crushing acts 
of terrorism" against Palestinians.  France, on behalf of the 
EU, noted that it supported the resolution but nevertheless 
believes that the issues can best be addressed through 
bilateral negotiations and stressed that this resolution 
should not prejudge the outcome of those talks. 
 
THREE OTHER RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY CONSENSUS 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. The Second Committee also adopted by consensus the 
following three resolutions, which the Chair explained have 
no Program Budget Implications (PBIs): 
 
--A/C.2/63/L.41 entitled, "International financial system and 
development," submitted under Agenda item 47(b). 
--A/C.2/63/L.38 entitled, "External debt and development: 
towards a durable solution to the debt problems of developing 
countries," submitted under Agenda item 47(c). 
--A/C.2/63/L.2/Rev.1/Add.1 entitled, "International Year of 
Chemistry," submitted under Agenda item 49. 
 
Wolff