13 June 2016 Statement

Permanent Mission of the State of Kuwait to the United Nations

وفد دولة الكويت الدائم لدى اﻷمم المتحدة

Mr. President,

I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Mr. President,

The OIC Group views the selection of Israel as Candidate for the post of Chair of the Sixth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly for the 71st session by the Western European and Other Group (WEOG) as unacceptable and rejects this candidature as a matter of both principle and protocol.

Israel, an occupying Power that is in grave breach of international law, including humanitarian and human rights law, and innumerable UN resolutions, is unqualified and inappropriate to chair the Sixth Committee. Leadership of this Committee, which deals with legal issues, including the rule of law at the national and international levels; measures to eliminate international terrorism; the status of the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions relating to the protection of victims of armed conflicts, among others important issues, requires a candidate that is compliant with, and not in flagrant contempt of, international law and that supports the effective functioning of the UN.

Mr. President,

Candidates that undermine the UN’s credibility and deliberately obstruct implementation of its resolutions should be considered invalid by the General Assembly. Moreover, the decision to put forth such a candidate, which not only egregiously violates the fundamental rules and norms of international law and the UN resolutions that are aimed at their respect, but has also continually degraded the UN, is viewed as provocative and offensive. Israel, the occupying Power, has repeatedly committed such transgressions, both in the context of its denial of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and its systematic and gross violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in its blatant intransigence and rejection of the relevant UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions.

Mr. President,

While General Assembly decision 68/505 has outlined the rotation of the Bureaus of the Main Committees to the regional groups, it must be clarified that such allotments to the regional groups come with a responsibility to ensure that qualified candidates are presented for the privilege of holding such important posts. The OIC Group views the selection of Israel as candidate for Chair of the Sixth Committee as contrary to these requirements and to the spirit and good faith required for the proper functioning of such a Committee.

Thus, the OIC Group takes this opportunity to once again reaffirm its rejection of the candidature of Israel for the post of Chair of the Sixth Committee.

Thank you.

Kuwait’s explanation of vote before the vote – by H.E. Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi, the Permanent Representative of the State of Kuwait to the United Nations, in the State of Kuwait’s capacity as Chair of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Group, with regards to the selection of Israel as a Candidate for the Post of Chair of the Sixth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly - 13 June 2016