19 April 2002

Helping Jenin Camp Should be U.N. Priority, U.S. Says

Alleviating the situation in the Jenin refugee camp should be the U.N. Security Council's priority humanitarian objective at this time, said U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Negroponte April 19.

Speaking April 19 during a Security Council debate on the Middle East, Negroponte outlined the progress U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell made during his ten-day trip to the region and urged council members not to press for any new resolutions that could complicate future negotiations.

Powell found broad support for a comprehensive strategy that comprises security and freedom from terror, serious and accelerated negotiations, and economic and humanitarian assistance for the Palestinians, he said.

"My country firmly believes that the Security Council is most effective and its resolutions most meaningful when its actions are focused on areas of convergence and agreement," the ambassador said. "When we speak with one voice and demonstrate cohesion, our words have real strength. Witness, for example, resolutions 1397, 1402 and 1403."

The three resolutions passed during March and April set out a vision of two states, Israel and Palestine, and call for an end to the violence and acts of terror and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Palestinians towns. Council members have been discussing a resolution that would call for an investigation of the Israeli occupation of Jenin and a multinational peacekeeping force.

"Our goal remains the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1402 and a just and lasting solution based on U.N. Security Council resolutions 242, 338, and 1397 ... Given the complexity of the tasks ahead, we must remain focused on the region," said Negroponte.

Following is the text of the ambassador's remarks:

The United States is fully committed to peace in the Middle East and we are working with all the countries that have a stake in this conflict. Secretary Powell returned from the Middle East early Thursday morning after 10 days in the region. While there, he met with the leaders of Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Syria and Lebanon, some of them on more than one occasion. Yesterday, he met with President Bush to report on the progress achieved and on the difficult situation on the ground.

Secretary Powell made progress during his mission, and I would like to take this opportunity to share some of his findings. First, Secretary Powell obtained an Israeli commitment to wind down its military operations. The Israeli Defense Forces have withdrawn from Jenin and will be pulling out of Nablus soon. President Bush publicly affirmed that the Israelis "must continue their withdrawals."

Second, Secretary Powell obtained a clear statement from the Palestinian leadership condemning recent terrorist attacks, notably the horrific suicide bombings in Netanya and Jerusalem. And again, President Bush called on the Palestinian Authority to "act on its condemnation of terror."

As he said yesterday, Secretary Powell found broad support among Israelis and Palestinians, Arab states, and members of the Quartet for a comprehensive strategy as a way forward that comprises three key elements: 1) Security and freedom from terror and violence for both Israelis and Palestinians; 2) Serious and accelerated negotiations to revive hope and lead to a political settlement; 3) Economic and humanitarian assistance to address the increasingly desperate conditions faced by the Palestinian people.

I must emphasize that the progress achieved should be measured against our commitment to sustained engagement with the parties and our determination to make significant progress towards peace. Our goal remains the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1402, and a just and lasting solution based on UN Security Council resolutions 242, 338 and 1397.

United States Assistant Secretary of State Burns remains in the region. The Secretary of State has stated his intention to return to the region to continue his diplomatic efforts. And Foreign Minister Shimon Peres is arriving in Washington as we speak.

Mr. President, Given the complexity of the tasks ahead, we must remain focused on the region. As the Secretary-General said to the Security Council yesterday, "Through three recent resolutions, 1397, 1402, 1403 and the Presidential Statement of April 10, you have clearly outlined a vision of a final settlement and the steps that should be taken to enable political negotiations to resume." These resolutions demand an immediate cessation of all acts of violence, terror, provocation, incitement and destruction. They also contain comprehensive calls to action on the political, humanitarian and military aspects of the current crisis and provide a practical roadmap forward.

The Quartet, supported by this Council, called for immediate Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian cities and addressed the need to halt terror and violence, the growing risk to regional security, and the urgent need for economic and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people. They will meet again soon to discuss next steps.

The United States has pressed Israel to allow full and unimpeded access to the Jenin Camp for humanitarian organizations and services. American diplomats have been working with relief organizations on the ground and access has been improved. The Israelis should allow immediate, unrestricted access of international humanitarian and aid workers, as well as search and rescue teams. We are encouraged by the arrival of Swiss and Norwegian search and rescue teams into the Camp today.

Alleviating the situation in Jenin should be our priority humanitarian objective at this time. Further Security Council action is not the best way to meet this objective. Rather, we can make more of an impact by working directly with the parties both on the ground.

We have also taken several concrete steps to address the humanitarian situation facing the Palestinian people. Last Friday, President Bush authorized an additional $30 million in support of UNRWA's emergency programs in the West Bank and Gaza. Moreover, our aid organization has pledged $62 million in accelerated assistance for health care, water system repairs and emergency food aid. The United States welcomes the invitation of Norway to convene a meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee next Wednesday to consider both urgent and longer-term assistance, development and reconstruction needs of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people.

Mr. President, My country firmly believes that the Security Council is most effective and its resolutions most meaningful when its actions are focused on areas of convergence and agreement. When we speak with one voice and demonstrate cohesion, our words have real strength. Witness, for example, Resolutions 1397, 1402 and 1403. When, instead, we are focused too narrowly on areas of difference and the condemnation of one side or another, we risk producing words that can only serve to inflame the conflict at hand. Accentuating our differences can only be counter-productive to our common purpose of bringing lasting peace to this beleaguered part of the world. Thank you very much, Mr. President.