UN General Assembly
1982

Our voice has joined those of other nations clamouring for an effective guarantee of the integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon, an unfortunate country with which we have very cordial relations. We are aware that the problems in that area of conflict have demonstrated that the Palestinian question is one of the decisive factors in the crisis. We believe that no permanent, serious solution can be reached if we do not provide a mechanism that assures the Palestinian people the exercise of its inalienable right to self- determination, which has been recognized by the United Nations. Similarly, we reiterate our policy that any serious attempt to achieve peace and coexistence in that tormented region must take into account Security Council resolution 242 (1967), which, among other things, affirms the State of Israel's right to exist. We regard as timely and essential to the peace effort the proposal made by the Secretary-General to convert the Security Council into a world forum where "all the parties concerned" in the problem of the Middle East may sit at the same negotiating table.