1.
GV INTERIOR Security Council/SV new Secretary General of United Nations (2 shots)
0.12

2.
CU Abdalla Saleh Ashtal, Democratic Yemen representative, speaking
1.51

3.
TV Security Council
1.58

4.
CU Clovis Maksoud, representative of League of Arab States, speaking
2.50


TRANSCRIPT: SEQ. 2: ABDALLA SALEH ASHTAL: "It is interesting to note the correlation between the sharp increase in the Israeli acts of terrorism and aggression last year and the build-up of American Naval power in the Arabian Gulf. The brutal Israeli raid on Beirut and the bombardment of the Iraqi nuclear installation, were immediately followed by American military manoeuvres and war games in the Middle East. The Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights might be a harbinger for more American military involvement in our region. So, President, should we then expect the United States to vote for a resolution that would impose sanctions on Israel, within the (indistinct) of Article 41 of the Charter? The answer is obvious. No such resolution will pass and Israel will not rescind its decision on the Golan Heights unless it is forced to do so. The Arab world, Mr. President, will once again have to face the Israeli challenge and America's Arab friends will have to reassess its relations with the United States. In my capacity of Chairman of the Arab group for this month, let me declare that all the Arab states without exception stand firmly in support of Syria as well as its demands that the Security Council apply sanctions to Israel in order to force it to rescind its decision to annex the Golan Heights. I thank you."



SEQ. 4: CLOVIS MAKSOUD: "There is no way of avoiding a determination that Israel's non-compliance is lawless and reckless and that the administration of Israel is impulsive in the Golan Heights is a direct challenge to the Geneva Convention ('as heard') a violation of international law, a defiance of the United Nations resolution, a threat to peace and a clear act of aggression. In other words, the act of legislative piracy which the so-called Golan Heights law constitutes, is a further attempt on the part of Israel to establish in the Syrian-Arab territory of the Golan Heights, counterfeit legalism to off-set and diffuse the thrust of international legitimacy and of the Security Council resolution.





Initials BB





Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The Security Council debate on the israeli annexation of the Golan Heights is expected to continue well into next week. Syria opened the debate on Tuesday (6 January) with a call for the severing of military, economic and diplomatic ties with Israel. The Syrian call for sanctions has been strongly supported by the League of Arab States. Their representative, Mr. Clovis Maksoud, criticised the United States for not coming out in favour of the sanction proposal. Ambassador Abdalla Saaleh Ashtal of South Yemen also expressed support for the introduction of sanctions.

Here is the transcript of Mr. Ashtal in shot 2 and Mr. Maksoud in shot 4: