Statement by Amb. J. Enkhsaikhan of Mongolia
in the Security Council on item:
“The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”

 New York 18  April, 2002

Mr. President,

          I would like to thank the Council for providing this delegation the opportunity to contribute to this open debate of the Council on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

            At the outset, I would like to express my delegation’s appreciation to you, Mr. President, for the very timely consideration of this truly pressing and burning issue with the widest participation of the membership of the United Nations.

            My delegation would also like to express its appreciation to the Secretary-General for briefing the Council on the situation in the Middle East, including on the grave humanitarian tragedy developing in the West Bank, especially at Jenin refugee camp and some other populated areas.

Mr. President,

            My delegation associates itself with the Statement made earlier by Amb. Kumalo, Chairman of the Coordinating Bureau on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. In addition, as a concerned member of the international community, my delegation would like to make the following brief comments.

            The longstanding Middle East crisis and especially the latest Israeli- Palestinian conflict constitute a serious threat not only to the regional peace and stability, but equally to the cause of global peace and justice. Today it is absolutely clear that continued use of military force is not only unhelpful, but, on the contrary, is further aggravating the situation and hurting the long-term solution of the Middle East problem.  Mongolia reiterates its deepest concern over the serious deterioration of the situation there and the continued failure to fully comply with Security Council resolutions that have been adopted.

Mr. President,

            Facing such an emergency situation, the international community has been seeking to find a productive and workable solution to ending the present conflict. In the past few weeks, the Council, within its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, had extensively debated this issue and adopted important resolutions, namely 1397, 1402 and 1403 (2002) as well as Presidential statement of 10 April, all of which Mongolia fully supports. In our view, implementation of the above resolutions would not only halt the escalation of violence. It could lead to creating conditions to resume negotiations that would ensure the vision of the two long-suffering peoples living peacefully one next to the other within safe and recognized borders. The new Saudi peace initiative would allow all the States of the region to normalize the Arab-Israeli relations, that is of primary importance for regional peace, security, stability, mutual understanding and regional development. Mongolia supports the joint Madrid statement of the Quartet made last week and appreciates Secretary of State Colin Powell’s mission to the region and his bilateral meetings with the parties concerned, that was to help stop the violence and resume negotiations.

Immediate, more forceful measures need to be taken to avoid the repeat of humanitarian tragedies, with which the international community is all too well familiar. Therefore, in the face of continued violence, my delegation welcomes the proposal of the Secretary-General made earlier this morning to the Council, i.e. to establish under Chapter VII of the Charter, an international presence on the ground by sending to the region a UN approved impartial multi-national force formed by a coalition of the willing. This would be a concrete constructive step that might help end the spiral of violence and destruction, monitor the situation on the ground, lead to gradual restoration of trust between the two side and create an environment for the parties concerned to resume peaceful search for durable peace and justice on the basis of the well-known plans and resolutions of this Council. It is to be hoped that members of the Council would be able to respond expeditiously to the Secretary-General’s proposal.

            In conclusion, allow me to reiterate once again my delegation’s hope that the Council’s debate would lead to realistic concrete measures to arrest the unfolding catastrophe in the Middle East and resume steps aimed at promoting long awaited just, lasting and comprehensive solution in the Middle East.

Thank you.