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Monday, July 22, 1996
Your Majesties, Excellencies and Royal Highnesses, In reviewing the present regional situation, we are first encountered by the dire need of advancing a just and comprehensive peace process, and the commitment of the concerned parties to the basics of peace laid down by the international community over the years, according to principles agreed upon by the parties themselves. It is needless to stress that peace to the Arab nation in an inalienable strategic goal. We are not warmongers and we reject violence. According to all heavenly religions peace is a course that is to be adopted. It is a precondition to realize the various people's aspirations for development, construction and progress. hence, our peace option is that of one who is capable and confident, and not an option of the oppressed who has no other alternative. Therefore, we insist on pursuing the road to peace and struggle until it is complete and fructified. None of us wishes to return to war and destruction, nor seek to revert to the state of no-war, no-peace. We are sincerely determined to struggle for peace until the end. We are prepared to face its challenges and aftermath as long as the other party agrees on this course, and accepts to endure the peace commitments and its consequences. Naturally, peace is a legal and factual state that can only be achieved by the will of both parties, mutual wish and equal endeavor. Perhaps it is convenient here to add several points which I believe are essential and important to clarify the true envisagement of peace not only from the Arab viewpoint but also from that of the international community of which we are an integral part and cannot be isolated from its values and principles. First: We seek to realize a comprehensive and just peace which will continue until the goal agreed upon by the parties is attained and wins widescale international blessings following the signing of final accords with all neighboring parties which have not yet reached peace agreements with Israel, namely Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority. Second: The negotiations which we all seek to resume and continue in order to reach comprehensive peace cannot be carried out in a vacuum, but rather are governed by the Madrid framework, namely the commitment to Security Council resolutions number 242,338 and 425 as well as the principle of land for peace which will be realized by a total withdrawal from the Golan Heights and Lebanon, and recognizing the Palestinian people's legitimate political rights, which can only be achieved by practising their right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state. Third: It is unacceptable to any party to seek, by words or deeds, to destroy this legal fact, for it constitutes the basics on which the bilateral and multilateral negotiations have been carried out since the Madrid conference was held late in October 1991. It is a framework within which all parties are committed to work. Fourth: No party has the right to rule or avoid tackling any point in the negotiations because all parties are committed to deal with issues tabled on the agenda according to the Madrid formula, foremost among which are issues related to the final status of the West Bank including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. It any party allows itself to choose what to negotiate and what not, then this means that the other parties have the same right, which thus reverts the peace process to the zero point or rather totally destroys it. Fifth: Goodwill in negotiations requires from all parties to commit themselves to the honest and accurate implementation of any agreements reached. Without this, no peace drives could be possible resumed or completed and all past agreements would be gone with the wind, and people's confidence in peace and their belief in coexistence would be dispersed. Sixth: As we have always avoided the resort to threats and imposing a fait accompli on the other party in negotiations, namely, Israel, and as we have always adhered to our commitments, therefore, we ask Israel, from the same standpoint, to strictly fulfill its pledges and commitments within the context of the peace process, away from any threats or attempts to impose a status quo, or adopting extremist stances that do not abide by concluded agreements. Seventh: We have and still believe that realizing an equitable and comprehensive peace is the sole means to achieve security and stability for all parties. Security cannot be realized by the occupation of land and ignoring others' rights, not by adopting the concept of regional expansions and superiority, not by the stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction, or the resort to oppression and violence. Such practices undermine peace and security, jeopardize stability and development, and dash hopes in a better future. Against this background of concepts and principles, we call upon the new Israeli government to cooperate with us so as to complete the peace process without slackness or hesitation. We call upon the Israeli government to prove its commitment to real peace known to the international community, not more and not less. We do not base our policies on previous rulings. We are only concerned with what is actually down to earth. We make our decisions according to firm objective facts. We do not resort to putting obstacles on the path of sublime aims in which we believe and to which we are devoted. |
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