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18:01 GMT
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UNITED NATIONS, Jan 9 (KUNA) -- Syria on Friday urged the UN to order its
staff not to accept Israeli holiday gifts of wine made from grapes harvested
and bottled in the occupied Syrian Golan.
"I strongly condemn this provocative and irresponsible behaviour by the
Permanent Mission of Israel. The action demonstrates contempt for
international legitimacy at UN Headquarters," Syrian UN Ambassador Bashar
Al-Ja'afari said in a letter to the UN Secretary-General and President of the
General Assembly.
He recalled a Security Council resolution which called upon Israel to
protect private and public land, property, and water resources and that any
action taken to the contrary has "no legal validity."
He urged the international community to prevent the Israseli violations on
the ground and the Secretary-General to request his staff to refrain from
accepting these "Israeli gifts produced illegally" in occupied Syrian
territory in violation of UN resolutions.
In a related matter, Iran said in a letter to the General Assembly
President that it joined the consensus in the Assembly late last month on the
Credentials Committee report which examined the credentials of representatives
to the 63rd session, but "our joining the consensus should not be in any way
contrued as a recognition of the Israeli regime." (end)
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