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GV United Nations Security Council.
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SV Syrian delegate speaking in English as delegates listen. (3 SHOTS)
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SV Israeli delegate speaking in English.
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SV Egyptian delegate speaking in English.
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SV United Kingdom delegate speaking.
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SPEECH (TRANSCRIPT)



EL-FATTAL: "By changing the status of the Golan Heights from that of occupied territories to that of annexed territories is not only a flagrent violation of international law, but it has also defying the international system which came about as a result of a general realisation that every state and people must be protected against the onslaught of lawlessness that prevailed during the inter-war period. Israel must retract its responsibility for the decision without delay. The small village colonies and withdraw from our occupied territories. We are confident that in case of Israeli failure to heed your decisions the Council will resort to the application of the pertinent measures under chapter seven of the charter, particularly the imposition of mandatory sanctions."



BLUM: "All daily life in the Golan Heights, both of the Israeli and the Druze inhabitants, is with Israel. We are on the Golan Heights, both civilian and military, and are Israeli. I certainly cannot wait one hundred years and more, as the Syrian Foreign Minister would wish in order to register births, marriages and deaths. When, for example, matters of law, both civil and criminal, were brought before the courts it became progressively more incongruous to apply civilian law. The police, to whom the local residents turn, the lawyers who represented them and the judges who sat in the courts were all Israelis. For all these reasons, Mr. President, the government of Israel,and the Knesset, decided last Monday (14 December) to regularise the situation on the Golan Heights by applying Israeli law, jurisdiction and administration to the Golan Heights."



MAKSOUD: "It is the view of the government of the Republic of Egypt that this decision by Israel constitutes, and I quote from the statement of the official spokesman of the Egyptian Presidency on the 15th of December. I quote 'a direct contradiction with the framework of peace in the Middle East signed on September 17th, 1978 and Security Council resolution upon which the Camp David accords have been based and primarily resolution 242."



PARSONS: "We cannot, therefore, accept any unilateral initiative by Israel to change the status of the Golan Heights from occupied territory into an area subject to Israel law, jurisdiction and administration. We regard such an initiative as contrary to international law and as tantamount to annexation."





Initials JS





Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: INTRODUCTION: Syria has brought the question of the Israel annexation of the occupied Golan Heights to the United Nations Security Council which debated the issue on Wednesday (16 December). Delegate after delegate condemned the Israeli move, which followed the Knesset vote on Monday (14 December), while the Israeli representative, Mr. Yehuda Blum attempted to justify his government's decision. The diplomatic attack on Israel was led by Syrian delegate Mr. Allah El-Fattal. Egypt has been acutely embarrassed by the annexation which was deplored by their representative, Mr. Maksoud. The European view was summarised by Sir Anthony Parsons the United Kingdom's permanent member on the Council.

SYNOPSIS: First to speak at the Security Council was Mr. El-Fattal of Syria.