N OTE V ERBALE FROM THE M INISTRY OF EXTERNAL R ELATIONS , EPUBLIC OF CAMEROON ,
DATED 28 JANUARY 2004
[Translation]
The Ministry of External Relations of the Republic of Cameroon presents its compliments to
the Registry of the International Court of Justi ce and, referring to the letter of 19December2003
whereby the Government of the Republic of Cameroon was asked to state its views on the question
referred to the Court by General Assembly resolution A/RES/ES-10/14, has the honour to inform it
of the following:
The Government of the Republic of Cameroon is deeply committed to peace in the Near East
and thinks that peace will become possible on ce a just solution has been achieved for the
Palestinian question and for co-existence in full secur ity of the State of Israel and all neighbouring
Arab countries.
This is the spirit in which the Government of Cameroon has always welcomed and supported
all initiatives taken in favour of a just, lastinge in the Near East. That is true of the most
recent road map accepted by the two disputing part ies, with mediation by the Quartet (the United
Nations, European Union, United States of Amer ica and Russian Federation). Security Council
resolution1515 endorsed that road map, as it appears to be an apt mech anism for resolving the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Moreover, in resolution 1515 the Security Council endorsed the road map as “the appropriate
dispute resolution mechanism”. The Governme nt of Cameroon considers that the General
Assembly’s request for an opinion of the Court does not effectively take account of the mechanism
sponsored by the United Nations and endorsed by th e Security Council and, regrettably, isolates
one aspect of the conflict, i.e., the temporarconstruction of a wall for security reasons, even
though this act is inextricably linked with otheaspects of the same dispute. Accordingly, the
request thus submitted threatens to undermine the bases of an initiative (the road map) which
contemplates an approach encompassing all elements of the Israeli-Palestinian problem. Moreover,
the request by the United Nations General As sembly takes no account of Security Council
resolution 1515, in which the Security Council stated that it remained seized of the matter.
The Government of the Republic of Cameroon remains firmly convinced that the
international community’s efforts in respect of this conflict should centre on promoting dialogue
and negotiation. The international community has r ecognized that the resolution of this conflict,
in all its aspects, requires a negotiated ag reement, as provided in Security Council
resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). The principl e is reiterated by the Secretary-General of the
United Nations in the conclusion to his report pur suant to General Assembly resolution ES-10/13.
After analysing all aspects of the problem, he concludes as follows:
“After so many years of bloodshed, dislocation and suffering, it should be clear
to all of us, as well as to the parties, that only through a just, comprehensive and
lasting peace settlement based on Secur ity Council resolutions242(1967) and
338 (1973) can the security of both Palestinians and Israelis be assured.”
Without calling into question its concerns in r espect of the security wall, the Government of
the Republic of Cameroon expresses its belief that an isolated action seising the Court of the
matter, without the consent of all parties concerne d, cannot help in resolving the conflict in any
way. Consequently, it recommends that the rende ring of an opinion on this question should be
avoided as far as possible, in order to escape the ri sk of politicization of the International Court of
Justice. - 2 -
The Ministry of External Relations of th e Republic of Cameroon avails itself of this
opportunity to renew to the Registry of the Intern ational Court of Justice the assurances of its high
consideration.
___________
Note Verbale dated 28 January 2004 from the Ministry of External Relations of the Republic of Cameroon [translation]