Equipo Nizkor - Resolutions adopted by the Council of the League of Arab States during its Cairo meeting.

United Nations
Security Council

S/2015/721

Distr.: General
25 September 2015
Original: English

Note verbale dated 15 September 2015 from the Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

The office of the Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States to the United Nations presents its compliments to the President of the Security Council and, pursuant to Article 54 of the Charter of the United Nations, has the honour to attach herewith the following resolutions adopted by the 144th Ministerial Meeting of the Council of the League of Arab States, held in Cairo on 13 and 14 September 2015:

Solidarity with and support for Lebanon (resolution No. 7929)
Developments in the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic, Yemen and Libya (resolutions Nos. 7936, 7937 and 7938)
The occupation by Iran of the three Arab islands in the Arabian Gulf belonging to the United Arab Emirates: the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa (resolution No. 7939) (see annex)

The office of the Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States to the United Nations would be grateful if the present letter and its annex could be circulated as a document of the Security Council.

Annex to the note verbale dated 15 September 2015 from the Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

[Original: Arabic]

Question of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict

Solidarity with and support for Lebanon

The Council of the League at the ministerial level,

Having considered:

The note of the Secretariat,

The report on the Secretary-General on the intersessional activities of the Secretariat,

Resolution 7738 (141st ordinary session) dated 9 March 2014 on the negative and dangerous repercussions of the Syrian displaced person crisis on Lebanon,

The Council's resolutions at the ministerial level, the most recent of which was resolution 7863 (143rd ordinary session) dated 7 March 2015,

The recommendation made by the group charged with following up on the implementation of decisions and commitments at the ministerial level at its meeting on 13 September 2014,

Reaffirming the resolutions of the Arab summit conferences, the most recent of which was the Sharm el-Sheikh summit (2015), particularly resolution 599 (25th ordinary session) dated 26 March 2014, concerning support for the Lebanese Army,

Noting the latest domestic, regional and international developments involving Lebanon,

Recalling the relevant international resolutions, to which the Lebanese Government remains committed, particularly the entirety of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006), which is based on Security Council resolutions 425 (1978) and 426 (1978),

Decides

1. To reaffirm full Arab solidarity with Lebanon; to provide political and economic support to Lebanon and its Government in order to safeguard Lebanese national unity and Lebanon's security, stability and sovereignty over its entire territory; to emphasize the right of the Lebanese people to liberate or recover the Lebanese Shab'a Farms, the hills of Kafr Shuba and the Lebanese portion of the town of Ghajar; to uphold their right to use all available legitimate means to resist any aggression; and to emphasize the need to distinguish between terrorism and legitimate resistance against Israeli occupation. The latter is a right enshrined in international instruments and the principles of international law. Acts of resistance therefore cannot be considered acts of terrorism.

2. To support Lebanon's call on the international community to implement Security Council resolution 1701 (2006), which is based on resolutions 425 (1978) and 426 (1978), by putting a definitive end to Israel's violations and constant threats against Lebanon and its civilian facilities and infrastructure.

3. To welcome and endorse the conclusions adopted by the successive meetings of the International Support Group for Lebanon, the most recent of which was held in Berlin on 28 October 2014.

4. To commend the national role of the Lebanese Army and security forces in maintaining domestic stability and peace and supporting efforts to extend the Lebanese Government's sovereignty as far as its internationally recognized borders; to commend the sacrifices made by the Lebanese Army in its fight against terrorism and terrorist and takfirist organizations, including the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Nusrah Front; to condemn the reprehensible attacks against several areas of Lebanon; to welcome the assistance provided to Lebanon by friendly countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, which has donated $4 billion; to urge all States to emulate that initiative in order to strengthen the Lebanese Army's capacity and enable it to act as the cornerstone of security, stability and civil peace in Lebanon; and to condemn the abduction of Lebanese soldiers by ISIL and the Nusrah Front in August 2014 and demand their release in order to thwart the schemes of those wishing to ignite domestic and regional strife.

5. To condemn all of the criminal acts, armed action and terrorist bombings that have targeted several areas of Lebanon, killing many innocent civilians; to reject all attempts to sow discord, undermine the foundations of coexistence, civil peace and national unity and disrupt security and stability; to emphasize the need to combat extremism, fanaticism and takfirism; to cooperate and coordinate fully in order to fight and eradicate terrorism; to eliminate the sources of terrorist financing; to cooperate by sharing information and expertise, building capacity, and holding accountable the perpetrators of terrorist acts and crimes against humanity and those who incite violent and destructive acts that endanger peace and security; and to tighten sanctions against them and take preventive measures in that regard.

6. To commend Lebanon's steadfast resistance to the ongoing Israeli aggression, particularly the July 2006 aggression; to pray for God's mercy on the souls of the Lebanese victims; to stress that the Lebanese people's cohesion and unity in confronting and resisting the Israeli aggression are a guarantee of the country's future, security and stability; to characterize Israeli crimes as war crimes whose perpetrators must be prosecuted; to hold Israel fully responsible for its aggressions and compel it to compensate the Republic of Lebanon and its citizens; to welcome General Assembly resolution 69/212 of December 2014 regarding the oil slick on Lebanese shores, which requires Israel to provide financial compensation for the damage inflicted on Lebanon when Israel bombed the Jiyeh electric power plant during the July 2006 war.

7. To condemn Israeli land, sea and air violations of Lebanese sovereignty, including:

The Israeli penetration of Lebanese society through the planting of agents and propagation of espionage networks;
Israeli violations of Lebanon's sovereign and economic rights in its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone, and its oil and gas resources located in its maritime areas;
The all-out electronic warfare which Israel is waging against the Republic of Lebanon, as reflected in the growing number of towers, antennas and observation, spying and surveillance devices, all of which are intended for piracy and espionage against all Lebanese communication and data networks;
Israel's refusal to hand over complete, accurate information and maps pertaining to the locations of all unexploded ordnance, including the number and the types of cluster bombs that it dropped indiscriminately on populated civilian areas during its attack on Lebanon in the summer of 2006.

8. To underscore the following points:

That there is a need to safeguard Lebanon's unique pluralistic formula, which is based on equality between Muslims and Christians, religious coexistence, dialogue, tolerance and mutual acceptance; to condemn its diametric antithesis, namely such nihilist terrorist organizations as ISIL and the Nusrah Front, whose crimes against humanity mimic Israel's exclusivist policies, which are based on the Jewish character of the State, and its acts of hostility against Arab Muslims and Christians.
That the Lebanese Government must be supported in its policy of promoting Lebanon's Arab and international presence and spreading its message of cultural diversity, particularly in confronting Israel; that minorities must be protected as original, fundamental components of the social fabric of the States in the region; that minority rights must be safeguarded and attacks against them by terrorist groups prevented; and that such crimes must be characterized as crimes against humanity.
That the Lebanese Government must be supported in complying with its constitutional obligation to reject resettlement and uphold the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes; and that the Palestinian people and leadership deserve credit for their unequivocal and consistent rejection of the resettlement of Palestinian refugees in host countries, particularly in Lebanon.
That the Lebanese Government must be supported in its efforts to follow up on the disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr and his two associates, Sheikh Muhammad Ya'qub and the journalist Abbas Badruldin, in order to free them, hold accountable officials of the former Libyan regime, and close the case.

9. To welcome the following:

The commitment of the Lebanese Government to comply with the authoritative international resolutions and to bring to light the truth with regard to the assassination of the late Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and members of his entourage, and to do so without politicization or reprisal, or adversely affecting Lebanon's stability, unity and civil peace.
The efforts of the Lebanese Government and people, despite the country's limited resources, to host Syrians and Palestinian refugees displaced from Syria; to emphasize the need to assist Lebanon in that regard, to share the burden, including the numbers of refugees involved, and to stem the growth of the problem; to emphasize that the presence of those displaced persons in Lebanon is temporary, in the light of the existential threat that it poses to the country; to make every effort to ensure they return to their homes as soon as possible; to commend the Lebanese Government's intensive attempts to reduce the number of displaced Syrians in Lebanon and to guarantee the security of both Lebanese and Syrians; and to reduce the burden borne by the country and its economy, as Lebanon finds itself on the brink of a social, economic and security cataclysm that endangers its very existence.
The initiative taken by Lebanon to appeal to the International Criminal Court prosecutor to bring charges in respect of Israel's war crimes in Gaza and the ongoing crimes against humanity committed by terrorists in Iraq.
The Lebanese Government's efforts to develop and implement its economic reform policy and foster sustainable economic growth in order to modernize the national economic structure, preserve its stability and enhance opportunities for growth.
The ongoing dialogue among Lebanese political stakeholders, a dialogue aimed at resolving their differences, easing political tension, promoting national reconciliation and coexistence and advancing the work of Government and national institutions in order to preserve Lebanon's unity, security and stability.
The efforts of the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States in support of the Lebanese Republic.

(Resolution 7929 — 144th ordinary session — 2nd meeting — 13 September 2015)

Developments in the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic

The Council of the League at the ministerial level,

Having considered:

The note of the Secretariat,

The report on the Secretary-General on the intersessional activities of the Secretariat,

The recommendation made by the group charged with following up on the implementation of decisions and commitments at the ministerial level at its meeting on 13 September 2014;

The recommendation of the Political Affairs Committee;

Recalling previous summit resolutions, including resolution 554 of the Baghdad summit (23rd ordinary session) dated 29 March 2012, resolution 580 of the Doha summit (24th ordinary session) dated 26 March 2013, resolution 600 of the Kuwait summit (25th ordinary session) dated 26 March 2014 and resolution 623 of the Sharm el-Sheikh summit (26th ordinary session) dated 29 March 2015; all resolutions on the same matter adopted by the Council at the ministerial level, the most recent of which was resolution 7872 dated 9 March 2015; and the communiques issued by the ministerial committee on the situation in Syria,

Reaffirming its unwavering position in support of the unity, stability and territorial integrity of Syria,

Having heard the statement delivered by Mr. Staffan de Mistura, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations,

Taking into account the statements made by the heads of delegations and the Secretary-General of the League,

Decides

1. To express its profound concern at the worsening of the Syrian crisis and the grave repercussions thereof for the future of Syria and its security, stability, national unity and territorial integrity, and at the severe human suffering endured by the Syrian people because of the intensification of the destruction, violence, killing and the horrific crimes committed by the Syrian regime against civilians, in flagrant violation of human rights principles and international humanitarian law, and the sustained increase to which that intensification has led in the number of those who have been displaced or made refugees, both in Syria and neighbouring Arab countries;

2. To reaffirm once again that the Security Council should bear fully its responsibility to respond to all developments in the Syrian crisis; to request the Secretary-General of the League to continue consultations and remain in contact with the Secretary-General of the United Nations and his Special Envoy for Syria, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, as well as all the relevant parties, with a view to making progress towards the adoption of a joint action plan that will ensure the resolution of the Syrian crisis by political means, in accordance with the communique of the first Geneva conference issued on 30 June 2012 and so as to fulfil the aspirations of the Syrian people, in all its components. In that connection, the Council of the League expresses its support for the statement issued by the President of the Security Council on 17 August 2015;

3. To welcome the efforts and initiatives aimed at unifying the viewpoints of the Syrian opposition with regard to a political solution that is to be achieved through a Syrian-led political process and the implementation of the communique of the first Geneva conference issued on 30 June 2012, and to draw attention, in that connection, to the outcomes of the conference of the Syrian opposition, which was held in Cairo, Egypt, on 8 and 9 September 2015, and the dialogues and conferences that were held in Moscow, Brussels and Paris aimed at making progress towards a political solution, while stressing the importance of coordinating the various efforts being made at the Arab and international levels to achieve that goal;

4. To condemn strongly the bombardment by the forces of the Syrian regime of areas inhabited by innocent civilians with rockets, heavy weapons and barrel bombs;

5. To condemn strongly the terrorist crimes committed by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and other terrorist groups against Syrian civilians, and the deliberate destruction by those groups of archaeological and historical sites in Syria. Such sites belong to all of humanity and any violation thereof is a war crime and an enormous loss of human cultural heritage, which must be protected and preserved in time of war pursuant to international instruments and law;

6. To reaffirm the substance of various Security Council resolutions, the most recent of which is resolution 2235 (2015), that condemn the use of chemical weapons in Syria, reiterate that no party to the conflict should use, develop, produce, stockpile, retain or transfer chemical weapons, and call for the establishment of a joint investigative mechanism to identity those individuals responsible for the use of such weapons;

7. To reaffirm the necessity of complying with Security Council resolutions 2139 (2014), 2165 (2014) and 2191 (2014) on the deteriorating situation of human rights in Syria, and to call on the Security Council to shoulder its responsibility to implement those resolutions and take the measures required to impose an immediate ceasefire and a halt to all violence and the indiscriminate use of heavy weapons, including rockets and barrel bombs, in areas inhabited by civilians, while stressing the need to facilitate relief operations and enable convoys carrying humanitarian assistance to reach all besieged and affected areas of Syria;

8. To commend the decision of Kuwait to host the third International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria on 31 March 2015; call on donor States to fulfil quickly the pledges they made at the second International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria, which was held on 14 January 2014 with the support of the Amir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, particularly the pledges made to provide the necessary assistance to the countries neighbouring Syria and other Arab States that are hosting Syrian refugees and displaced persons, in order to help them bear the burden of providing those persons with urgent relief and humanitarian assistance; and request the Secretariat to continue working with those States that are hosting Syrian refugees and displaced persons, particularly the neighbouring States of Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq, in order to provide them with the support they need;

9. To welcome the steps that a number of European Union States have recently taken to host Syrian refugees after the Syrian crisis became the greatest and most urgent humanitarian crisis in the world;

10. To request the ministerial committee on Syria and the Secretary-General to continue to work and consult with the relevant regional and international parties concerning developments in the situation in Syria, and to make recommendations on future Arab action in that regard to the Council of the League at the ministerial level.

(Resolution 7936 — 144th ordinary session — 4th meeting — 13 September 2015)*

* Lebanon reaffirms its position of keeping its distance from the Syrian crisis and that it hopes for Syrian reconciliation and encourages a political solution in Syria.

Developments in the situation in Yemen

The Council of the League at the ministerial level,

Having considered:

The report on the Secretary-General on the intersessional activities of the Secretariat,

The recommendation made by the group charged with following up on the implementation of decisions and commitments at the ministerial level at its meeting on 13 September 2014;

The recommendation of the Political Affairs Committee;

Decides

1. To reiterate its full support for the legitimate, constitutional authorities, represented by His Excellency President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi Mansour;

2. To support fully the urgent military action being taken by Arab Coalition forces, starting with the courageous decision to launch Operation Decisive Force, which was followed by Operation Restoring Hope and Operation Golden Arrow;

3. To express its hope for the resumption of dialogue and the political process, in accordance with the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative and its implementing mechanism, the outcomes of the All-Inclusive National Dialogue Conference, the relevant Security Council resolutions, the most significant of which is resolution 2216 (2015), as well as its hope that security and stability will be re-established throughout Yemen and that any threats to Arab national security and the security of the States of the region will be confronted;

4. To condemn strongly the treacherous attack committed by Houthi militias against an Arab Coalition camp in Yemen that resulted in the death and injury of many Coalition forces, and to stress that this treacherous attack will not deter Coalition forces from supporting the Yemeni people and its legitimate constitutional authorities, laying the foundations of security and stability, redoubling relief and humanitarian assistance efforts and supporting the Yemeni Government in rebuilding legitimate State institutions;

5. To express its sincere condolences to the leadership of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirate and Bahrain, and to the families of those Coalition forces who died while performing their Arab and national duties alongside their Yemeni brothers, in order to bring about security and stability in Yemen and defend Arab national security against foreign alliances;

6. To demand that the Houthis and their militias and the forces of Ali Abdullah Salih withdraw immediately from all cities, regions and Government institutions of which they have taken control and return all heavy and medium weapons to the legitimate constitutional authorities. The Council also condemns the armed operations that the above-mentioned have carried out against the Yemeni people, operations that have resulted in massive human and material losses for which they are legally and morally liable;

7. To reiterate the importance and the necessity of bearing in mind the parameters of the Yemeni question, which are to preserve the unity of Yemen and respect its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity; reject any intervention in its internal affairs or any attempt to impose a fait accompli by force of arms; stand with the Yemeni people and its aspirations for freedom, democracy, social justice and the establishment of an agreed upon political system; and enable and help the Yemeni people to achieve the comprehensive development for which it strives;

8. To reiterate the all of the States members of the League of Arab States stand beside the people and leadership of Yemen in their ongoing and all-out war against terrorism, violence and piracy;

9. To reiterate the importance of quickly taking urgent measures to address the difficult and grave humanitarian situation and Yemen, the severity of which has increased because of the obstacles that the Houthi militias and their supporters have placed in the way of regional and international aid agencies. The proportion of persons who are in vital need of the most basic forms of assistance, particularly food and medical care, has now risen to more than 80 per cent. It is therefore imperative to take quickly the measures required to open safe humanitarian corridors, in order to deliver humanitarian assistance to those who need it, and to demand that Houthi militias withdraw from the Port of Hudaydah;

10. To commend the role of Coalition States and member States in supporting and helping the legitimate constitutional authorities of Yemen, represented by His Excellency President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi Mansour; express thanks for the generous humanitarian assistance that those States, particularly Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the Sudan and Djibouti, have given; and call on all Arab and non-Arab States to provide further support for humanitarian efforts;

11. To approve the addition of a standing agenda item entitled "The situation in Yemen" to the agenda of the Council of the League of Arab States at the ministerial level.

(Resolution 7938 — 144th ordinary session — 2nd meeting — 13 September 2015)

Developments in the situation in Libya

The Council of the League at the ministerial level,

Having considered:

The note of the Secretariat,

The report on the Secretary-General on the intersessional activities of the Secretariat,

The recommendation made by the group charged with following up on the implementation of decisions and commitments at the ministerial level at its meeting on 13 September 2014,

The recommendation of the Political Affairs Committee,

Decides

1. To welcome the dialogue and the latest developments, as well as the announcement by Special Representative Bernardino Leon that he was striving to have an agreement signed on 20 September 2015, while remaining committed to respecting the unity and sovereignty of Libya and its territorial integrity and political independence; to remain committed to the Libyan political dialogue; to reject violence; to support the political process taking place in Skhirat under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations; to hail the victories achieved as a result of the uprisings of Darnah and Benghazi and those cities' revolutionaries, with the support of the Libyan Air Force, against the terrorist organization Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL);

2. To condemn strongly the heinous crimes committed by the terrorist organization ISIL in Sirte and other Libyan cities, including the killing and burning of peaceful civilians; to reiterate the substance of all the communiques issued and the resolutions adopted by the Council of the League of Arab States at all levels; to stand firmly by the Libyan people; to provide all support to the legitimate, constitutionally established institutions of the Libyan State, the most significant of which are the House of Representatives and the Government established by that body, in their efforts to counter terrorism; to reiterate its support for the efforts of the Transitional Libyan Government to secure and control the borders with neighbouring countries and to suppress the movement of terrorist organizations, the smuggling of weapons and illegal migration;

3. To give effect to paragraph seven of resolution 7852 adopted by the Council of the League of Arab States at the ministerial level at its extraordinary session of 15 January 2015 calling on Arab States to support the legitimate institutions of the State and rebuild urgently the security and military institutions, in order to confront the ISIL terrorist organization in Sirte, Darnah, Benghazi and other Libyan cities;

4. To urge the Security Council to give effect to its resolution 2214 (2015), which calls on the United Nations committee responsible for monitoring the arms embargo to consider expeditiously requests for arms submitted by the Transitional Libyan Government, so as to enable it to counter terrorism in accordance with the resolution adopted at the 26th Arab summit, which was held in Sharm el-Sheikh;

5. To urge the Security Council to rescind immediately the prohibition on supplying weapons to the Libyan Army, which is the legitimate institution that is combatting terrorism, and to call on the international community to shoulder its responsibility to stop the flow by sea and air of arms and materiel to terrorist organizations and groups that continue to take lives and wreak havoc with the capacities of the Libyan people;

6. That the States members of the League of Arab States shall continue to support legitimate State institutions in Libya, namely, the elected House of Representatives and the Government established by that body, until such time as an agreement is reached by the Libyan actors participating in the dialogue sponsored by the United Nations;

7. To approve the addition of a standing agenda item entitled "The situation in Libya" to the agenda of the Council of the League of Arab States at the ministerial level;

8. To request the Secretary-General to follow up developments in this matter and hold the consultations needed to convene as soon as possible a meeting of the Council of the League of Arab States at the ministerial level, in order to take appropriate action in respect of any developments.

(Resolution 7937 — 144th ordinary session — 4th meeting — 13 September 2015)

The occupation by Iran of the three Arab islands in the Arabian Gulf belonging to the United Arab Emirates: the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa

The Council of the League at the ministerial level,

Having considered:

The note of the Secretariat,

The report on the Secretary-General on the intersessional activities of the Secretariat,

The recommendation made by the group charged with following up on the implementation of decisions and commitments at the ministerial level at its meeting on 13 September 2014;

The recommendation of the Political Affairs Committee;

Guided by previous summit resolutions, the most recent of which was resolution 627 of the Sharm el-Sheikh summit (26th ordinary session), dated 29 March 2015, regarding the occupation by Iran of the three Arab islands in the Arabian Gulf belonging to the United Arab Emirates: the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa;

Reaffirming the resolutions adopted and the communiques issued on the same matter by the Council, the most recent of which was resolution 7875 (143rd ordinary session) of 9 March 2015;

Decides

1. To reaffirm without qualification the absolute sovereignty of the United Arab Emirates over its three islands of the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa, and to support all peaceful measures and means adopted by the United Arab Emirates to regain its sovereignty over the occupied islands;

2. To denounce the continued consolidation by the Iranian Government of its occupation of the three islands and its violation of the sovereignty of the United Arab Emirates, which can only undermine security and stability in the region and pose a threat to international peace and security;

3. To condemn the building by the Iranian Government of housing facilities to settle Iranians on the three occupied islands of the United Arab Emirates;

4. To condemn the Iranian military manoeuvres being conducted also on the three occupied islands of the United Arab Emirates, namely, the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa, and in those islands' territorial waters, airspace, continental shelf and exclusive economic zone, which constitute an inseparable part of the United Arab Emirates; and to request that Iran desist from such violations and acts of provocation, which constitute interference in the internal affairs of an independent, sovereign State, do not promote confidence -building, threaten security and stability in the region, and endanger the security and safety of regional and international navigation in the Arabian Gulf;

5. To condemn the opening by Iran of two offices on the island of Abu Musa, which belongs to the United Arab Emirates, and to call upon Iran to close down those illegitimate facilities and respect the sovereignty of the United Arab Emirates over its territory;

6. To denounce and condemn the planned fact-finding visit of the members of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian Consultative Assembly to the occupied islands belonging to the United Arab Emirates, namely, the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa, an act that would violate the sovereignty of the United Arab Emirates over its territory and would be inconsistent with attempts to find a peaceful settlement; and to call upon Iran to desist from taking such provocative steps;

7. To commend the United Arab Emirates on its initiative to find a peaceful and just settlement to the question of the three occupied islands (the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa) with the Islamic Republic of Iran;

8. To appeal once again to the Iranian Government to end its occupation of the three islands of the United Arab Emirates, refrain from trying to impose a fait accompli by force, desist from establishing any installations there for the purpose of modifying the islands' demographic structure, revoke all measures unilaterally taken and remove all installations built by Iran on the three Arab islands, inasmuch as such measures and claims are null and void, lack any legal effect, do not detract from the established right of the United Arab Emirates over its three islands and are acts that run counter to the provisions of international law and the Geneva Conventions of 1949; and to call upon the Iranian Government to adopt peaceful means for resolving the existing dispute over them in accordance with the principles and norms of international law, including agreement to refer the matter to the International Court of Justice;

9. To express the hope that the Islamic Republic of Iran will reconsider its position of rejecting the effort to find a peaceful solution to the question of the three occupied islands of the United Arab Emirates either through direct, earnest negotiations or through recourse to the International Court of Justice;

10. To call upon Iran to translate its stated desire for improved relations with the Arab countries and for dialogue and detente into practical measures, both in word and in deed, in the form of a genuine response to the earnest appeals launched by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, and by the States members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab States, international groups, friendly nations and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, calling for a solution to the dispute over the three occupied islands by peaceful means in accordance with customary practice and the covenants and rules of international law, either through direct, earnest negotiations or through recourse to the International Court of Justice, with a view to building trust and enhancing security and stability in the Arabian Gulf region;

11. To have all Arab States undertake, in their contacts with Iran, to raise the issue of that country's occupation of the three islands in order to stress the need to end it, based on the fact that the three islands are occupied Arab territory;

12. To inform the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the President of the Security Council of the importance of maintaining the issue on the list of matters of which the Security Council is seized until Iran ends its occupation of the three Arab islands and the United Arab Emirates regains its full sovereignty over them;

13. To approve the addition of a standing agenda item entitled "The occupation by Iran of the three Arab islands in the Arabian Gulf belonging to the United Arab Emirates: the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa" to the agenda of the Council of the League of Arab States at the ministerial level;

14. To request the Secretary-General of the League to follow up this matter and report to the Council of the League at its next session.

(Resolution 7939 — 144th ordinary session — 2nd meeting — 13 September 2015)

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25Sep15

Resolutions adopted by the Council of the League of Arab States during its Cairo meeting

Note verbale dated 15 September 2015 from the Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council