Secretary General Kurt Waldheim expressed “great concern” today over reports that Premier Menachem Begin’s office and the conference room of the Israeli Cabinet are to be moved to East Jerusalem.
In a statement read on his behalf by a UN spokesman, Waldheim declared “If this decision is confirmed, it will inevitably affect the status of Jerusalem, and, therefore, be in contravention of resolutions and decisions of the General Assembly and Security Council. Any such action will further heighten tension in the area and render more difficult the search for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement in the Middle East.”
Consultations between Security Council members for a debate on East Jerusalem will start tomorrow, the spokesman said, but he could not say when the Council will meet. The debate was requested by Pakistan in the name of the Islamic Conference. The UN spokesman said that Waldheim’s statement was brought to the attention of the Israeli Mission here this morning. The Mission had no immediate comment.
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