Letter dated 19 January 1983 from the Vice-Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs addressed to the President of the Security Council
I have the honour to draw your attention to the seriousness of the repeated hostile declarations made recently by the Israeli authorities, because of their direct threats of force to be used against anti-aircraft defense facilities installed in the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic.
I wish particularly to draw your attention to the fact that, as is shown by the documents of the Security Council, Israel has always, before perpetrating its acts of aggression against neighboring States, made declarations and invoked pretexts of this kind.
Such was the case before the invasion and occupation of part of the Lebanese territory and the attack on the Iraqi reactor devoted to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
These declarations show that Israel intends to launch attacks on the Syrian Arab Republic.
It is therefore the duty of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic already to issue a warning about the seriousness of the situation which Israel has created by its declarations and its threats, in violation of the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, the principles of international law and the relevant resolutions and decisions of the United Nations.
These declarations and these threats by Israel not only may exacerbate tension and jeopardize security in the region; they even directly endanger international peace and security.
If Israel persists in its threats of aggression, the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic reserves the right to refer this question to the Security Council.
I should be grateful if you would arrange for this letter to be circulated as an official document of the Security Council.
accept, Sir, etc.
Damascus, 19 January 1983
(Signed) Abdul Halim KHADDAM
Vice-Chairman of the Council of Ministers
and Minister for Foreign Affairs
