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South African Communiqué on Palestinian-Israeli Meeting

South African Presidential Peace Initiative

Spier Three Party Communiqué

Cape Town,  9 – 11 January 2002

Palestinian and Israeli delegations met in Cape Town, January 9–11, 2002 at the invitation of President Mbeki of South Africa, in order to have a frank exchange of views and to discuss the South African experience.

For over a year, the ongoing violence and the resulting human suffering in our region have eroded support for peace to alarming low levels. This makes dialogue and understanding the other’s perspective more urgent than ever.

The South African Experience

Certain important points were raised from the South African experience that the parties thought were relevant for the Middle East including:

The conflict cannot be resolved through violence and military means and that the only guarantee for stability and security is peace.

The maintenance of effective channels of communications at all times and under all circumstances is a vital requirement.

The legitimate representative of each side is a partner, and the peace camps need to strengthen and mutually empower each other.

There is a need to take into consideration the fears and concerns of the other side and to engage seriously with them.

Negotiations should not be approached from the perspective of a winner or loser. It is in each party’s self-interest that its interlocutor is satisfied by any agreement reached.

The process should at no point be held hostage to extremists or their actions.

Principles of Peace

The delegations discussed the situation in the region and reiterated the need to immediately end all forms of violence between the two peoples and resume negotiations. They emphasized that the return to negotiations should be unconditional and that the setting of prior conditions has prevented negotiations for a year, which has only served to escalate violence and raises suspicion that such conditions are designed to avoid negotiations. They stressed the way forward can only be through the implementation of the Mitchell Recommendations and Tenet plan, in particular, a complete freeze of settlement activities. The sides remain committed to carrying out all their obligations emanating from the Mitchell report and the Tenet Plan.

As a morale imperative, occupation corrupts the occupier and oppresses the occupied. Accordingly, an end to the conflict can only be realized through permanent status negotiations that will lead to a two-state solution based on June 4th 1967 borders, through the implementation of USCR 242 and 338, with their respective capitals in Jerusalem, and a just solution to the refugee problem.

We envisage a new era of relations between Israel and Palestine based on mutual interests, respect recognition, security and good neighborly relations.

Our Objectives:

The delegations are committed to:

Building a shared vision for peace and the future relations between the two people in time of peace.

Preserving and developing prior achievements in particular those made in Camp-David, subsequent negotiations, the Clinton plan and Taba.

Conducting joint action to strengthen the peace constituencies in both communities.

Strengthening consultation, coordination, and cooperation in response to unfolding events.

Continue to study the lessons of the South African experience and ways in which it may help advance the peace process.

The three parties are committed to continuing their efforts and will announce in the near future steps to be taken to enhance this process.

The participants of the Spier meeting, welcome the initiative taken by President Mbeki and would appreciate continued South African efforts in seeking ways to help the parties in their quest for peace in the Middle East.

 

Source: “[South African] Parliamentary Monitoring Group. “Report to the Joint Sitting of Parliament: Debate on the President’s State of the Nation Address. June 8, 2005.” https://static.pmg.org.za/docs/2005/050608presidential.htm