pfk@cs.uiuc.edu (pfk) (12/19/90)
In order to unite all our efforts, "Palestinians for a Free Kuwait" decided to join its larger sister "Palestinian-Kuwaiti Solidarity Committee". This email account (pfk@cs.uiuc.edu) will still be active if you have any questions concerning the solidarity committee. The following text is a statement of the Palestinian-Kuwaiti Solidarity. For a latex version of this statement, send a note to pfk@cs.uiuc.edu. The address for the committee is: Palestinian-Kuwaiti Solidarity Committee P.O.Box 3202 Urbana, IL 61801-3202 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Palestinian-Kuwaiti Solidarity Committee The current crisis in the Gulf, precipitated by the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on August 2 , 1990, has polarized Arab opinion and created considerable confusion over the positions of various parties. This confusion is particularly apparent with regard to the ``Palestinian position''. As signatories to this statement, we would like to alleviate some of the misunderstandings surrounding what has emerged as the Palestinian position vis-a-vis the Gulf crisis. The Palestinian-Kuwaiti Solidarity Committee is composed of Palestinians of all walks of life who share a common concern regarding the current crisis in the Gulf and its impact on the Palestinian cause. The following principles and views, shared by many Palestinians, represent our position on the crisis: 1. We unequivocally condemn the Iraqi invasion of Kuwaiti carried out on August 2 , 1990. We consider Iraq's subsequent unilateral annexation of Kuwait to be null and void. 2. We fully uphold the principle of the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force. It is our judgment that this principle must be applied consistently and not on a selective basis. 3. We are totally committed against all forms of military occupation, regardless of the identity of the occupied or the occupier. We therefore call upon the government of Iraq to withdraw all its troops from Kuwait immediately and unconditionally. 4. Having been deprived of the right to national self-determination, we cannot, as Palestinians, condone any attempt to deprive others of their basic civil, human, and political rights. 5. We are strong supporters of Arab unity. This worthy objective, however, cannot be imposed by force. 6. Kuwait as with all other nations is not perfect, we would like nonetheless to recognize that Kuwait has been an open and tolerant society which has taken significant strides on the road towards democracy and political reform. The Palestinian community in Kuwait has been historically a dynamic and thriving community which has played a key role in nation-building in Kuwait. 7. The Palestine question is the most important national issue in Arab politics. It should not be jeopardized by allowing it to become a peripheral issue in inter-Arab disputes. In the same respect, the Palestine question should not be used to detract from the need for a total Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait and putting an end to the attempted dismantlement of Kuwaiti society. 8. Since World War II, the nation-state system has become a basic fact of Arab politics. This fact cannot be challenged or changed except through the consent of the parties concerned as in the case of the recent unification of Yemen. 9. We are supportive of international legitimacy. We therefore, approve of all United Nations resolutions adopted since August 2 , 1990, that seek to end the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait. It is our sincere hope that these resolutions will serve as precedents to end other forms of occupation in the region, particularly in Palestine, Lebanon and Syria. 10. Once Iraqi troops are withdrawn from Kuwait, we support the restoration to power of the legitimate government of Kuwait so that the governments of Iraq and Kuwait can embark on political negotiations aimed at finding a peaceful resolution to all outstanding differences that separate them. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%