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Statement on Minister Dlamini Zuma's
Meeting with President Arafat, Ramallah, 2 June 2002
1. President Yasser Arafat today, Sunday 2 June 2002,
warmly received a delegation of the Non Aligned Movement
Ministers led by its chairperson South Africa's Foreign
Minister N Dlamini Zuma in Ramallah.
2. This visit is sequel to a decision of the NAM Ministerial
Meeting Committee on Palestine held in Durban, South
Africa on 27 April 2002, which adopted a declaration
to send a delegation to Palestine to meet with President
Arafat, in an expression of solidarity with the President
and the people of Palestine.
3. The NAM delegation included the incoming NAM chair,
Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Mauritius and Zimbabwe.
4. President Arafat briefed the NAM ministers on the
latest developments, including the implementation of
new restrictive measures against the Palestinian people,
which effectively resulted in the balkanisation of the
occupied territory.
5. The NAM delegation reiterated the movement's outrage
at the intensification of the illegal Israeli occupation,
the killing, vast destruction, the economic strangulation
and other atrocities committed against Palestine and
its people; including the continuation of settlement
activities especially in and around East Jerusalem.
6. The NAM delegation reiterated the movement's support
for the principle of the right of the Palestinian people
to self determination and the establishment of their
independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
They reaffirmed the need for Israel to withdraw to the
1967 borders.
7. The delegation congratulated President Arafat on
the signing of the "Basis Law" of Palestine;
which is an important step towards the establishment
of a constitutional law of Palestine.
8. The NAM delegation also expressed its support for
all-international efforts aimed at achieving a just,
comprehensive and lasting solution. In this context,
the movement unequivocally affirmed its support for
the Arab peace initiative and the effort of the Quartet.
9. The NAM delegation noted that these efforts by the
international community should form the basis of an
international conference aimed at the establishment
of a road map for the attainment of a lasting peace,
and on the basis of the Security Council resolutions
242, 338 and 425 and the Madrid Conference terms of
reverence on land for peace principals.
10. The NAM delegation wished President Arafat and people
of Palestine success in their endeavors to find peace
to this long-standing conflict.
For further information contact Mr Ronnie Mamoepa at
082 990 4853.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
PRETORIA
2 JUNE 2002
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