With
Saudi US
"Screenplay"
in GA, Iran
Says
Unsubstantiated,
Wouldn't Be
1st Time
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
November 16 --
The conspiracy
to assassinate
Saudi Arabia's
Ambassador to
the US Adel
al-Jubeir, the
subject of
meetings
around but not
in the
UN Security
Council, is
the subject of
a UN General
Assembly draft
resolution
which Iran has
condemned even
as it is
circulated.
A
letter from
Iran's
Permanent
Representative
to the UN
Mohammad
Khazaee tells
UN member
states to "be
cautious
about the
adverse
consequences
of such a
move, which is
in
contradiction
to the spirit
and letter of
the Charter of
the United
Nations."
While Khazaee
says
that the US is
the sponsor of
the draft
resolution in
the GA, it
was the Saudi
Mission to the
UN which
showed it to
the media on
November 15,
when a Western
Security
Council member
told Inner
City
Press "it is a
Saudi
initiative, in
the ambit of
the GA's Legal
Committee."
This
source
predicted a
vote in the
full GA "in
days," and
said
there is
support from
"a lot of Arab
countries to
condemn
Iran."
After
the US and
Saudi
Ambassadors
briefing
Security
Council
members one by
one, many
called it "a
screenplay."
Brazil's
Ambassador
Viotti told
Inner City
Press that
since the US
said it was
proceeding
in court, it
would be
better to see
what the
courts decide,
as a
matter of due
process.
Khazaee's
letter,
set forth in
full below,
says that "by
submitting
this
draft the
sponsor is
inviting the
General
Assembly to
consider an
unsubstantiated
allegation,
and as such it
would amount
to an
unprecedented,
thus
unacceptable
move."
It
wouldn't be
the first
time in the UN
and its
General
Assembly.
(c) UN Photo
Ban Ki-moon
and Adel
al-Jubeir,
court results
not shown
Here
is
Iran's letter:
In
the
name of God,
the
Compassionate,
the Merciful
No.
1312
15 November
2011
Excellency,
We
are
surprised to
learn that a
draft
resolution
contained in
document
A/66/L.8
entitled
"Terrorist
attacks on
Internationally
Protected
Persons" is
proposed by
the United
States under
Agenda
item 118 of
the General
Assembly,
which refers
to the alleged
plot
against the
Ambassador of
the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia
in Washington.
This is an
unprecedented
attempt with
all its
ramifications
for the
credibility of
the United
Nations. In
this regard, I
would like to
state the
following:
By
submitting
this draft the
sponsor is
inviting the
General
Assembly to
consider an
unsubstantiated
allegation,
and as such it
would amount
to an
unprecedented,
thus
unacceptable
move. While
under Article
10
of the UN
Charter any
matter could
be considered
by the General
Assembly,
however, it is
evident that
placing
hypothetical,
circumstantial
and
unsubstantiated
matters on the
agenda of this
august body
would be a
gross
disservice
thereto. The
case at hand
is
a clear
example in
this respect.
If the General
Assembly
allows the
submission and
consideration
of such draft
resolution,
this principal
organ of the
United Nations
would run the
risk of
turning into a
venue for
settling
political
scores through
introducing
countless
draft
resolutions on
contentious
issues, which
should be
seriously
avoided.
Consequently,
such an
action, if
pressed on,
would
significantly
undermine the
role,
authority,
integrity, and
credibility of
the General
Assembly as
the highest
and universal
political body
of the United
Nations.
Furthermore,
by
proposing this
draft
resolution
under agenda
item "the
United
Nations
Counter-Terrorism
Strategy", the
United States
tends to
exploit such
an important
document which
is the symbol
of global
consensus
against
terrorism.
Such a
politically
motivated move
would
indeed
undermine the
relevance and
credibility of
this major
consensus
document.
The
United
States
attitude with
regard to the
alleged plot,
which began
with an
explosive
media campaign
against Iran,
and its
long-standing
hostile
policies, is
unconstructive
and reveals
once again the
latter's
ill-intentions.
It is worth
mentioning
that this
Government
has supported
acts of
terrorism
against the
Islamic
Republic of
Iran
in which many
Iranians,
including its
diplomats were
victims of
such
acts according
to existing
hard
evidences,
some of which
were
presented to
the
Secretary-General
of the United
Nations.
As
I
explained in
my letters
dated 11
October 2011
(document
A/66/513–S/2011/633)
and 4 November
2011 (document
A/66/546–S/2011/696),
my Government
categorically
rejects the
involvement of
any of its
officials or
organs in the
alleged plot
against the
Ambassador of
the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia
in Washington
as it has been
claimed.
The
Islamic
Republic of
Iran reaffirms
its full
commitment to
its
obligations
under the
relevant
international
legal
instruments,
including the
1973
"Convention on
the Prevention
of Punishment
of Crimes
against
Internationally
Protected
Persons,
including
Diplomatic
Agents".
Member
States
should be
cautious about
the adverse
consequences
of such a
move, which is
in
contradiction
to the spirit
and letter of
the
Charter of the
United Nations
and 1970
"Declaration
on
Principles of
International
Law Concerning
Friendly
Relations and
Co-operation
among States
in accordance
with the
Charter of the
United
Nations."
It
would
be appreciated
if this letter
could be
circulated as
a document
of the General
Assembly under
the agenda
item 83.
Please accept,
Excellency,
the assurances
of my highest
consideration.
Mohammad
Khazaee
Ambassador,
Permanent
Representative
H.E.
Mr.
Nasser
President of
the General
Assembly
cc:
H.E.
Mr. Ban
Ki-moon
Secretary
General
, 
