Resolution 58/94
(December 17, 2003)
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
submitted in pursuance of its resolution 57/122 of 11 December 2002,1/
Taking note also of the report of the United
Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine for the period from 1
September 2002 to 31 August 2003, 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
refugees,
Noting 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 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,
Expressing its appreciation for the work done
to preserve and modernize the existing records, including the land records,
of the Conciliation Commission and the importance of such records for
a just resolution of the plight of the Palestine refugees in conformity
with General Assembly resolution 194 (III),
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, 5Resolution 217 A (III)./
to commence negotiations on permanent status issues, including the important
issue of the refugees,
1. Reaffirms that the Palestine refugees are
entitled to their property and to the income derived therefrom, in conformity
with the principles of equity and justice;
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;
3. Calls once again 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-ninth session on the implementation
of the present resolution.
72nd plenary meeting
9 December 2003
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1/ A/58/206.
2/ A/58/256, 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.
Sources: The United Nations |