New York, October 13 (QNA) – The State of Qatar affirmed that it attaches great importance to promoting the values of equality, peaceful coexistence, and respect for cultural diversity, which are deeply rooted in Qatari and Islamic culture. It also reaffirmed its commitment to the highest international standards in promoting and protecting human rights for all segments of society, as well as its unwavering support for the right of peoples to self-determination.

This came in two statements delivered by Third Secretary at the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Amna Abdullah Salat before the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly during its 81st session, under agenda item 68 on the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and agenda item 69 on the right of peoples to self-determination, held at UN Headquarters in New York.

She noted that the Permanent Constitution of the State of Qatar enshrines the fundamental principles guiding state policy and establishing the foundations of society. Article 18 stipulates that Qatari society shall be based on the pillars of justice, benevolence, freedom, equality and high moral values, while Article 35 states that all persons are equal before the law and there shall be no discrimination whatsoever on grounds of sex, race, language or religion.

She noted that the State of Qatar joined the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in 1976 and has since continued to fulfill its international obligations in this area. The country also remains committed to cooperating with the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), which last reviewed its periodic report in 2024.

She pointed out that Qatar National Vision 2030 emphasizes sponsoring and supporting dialogue among civilizations and coexistence between different religions and cultures.

She noted that the National Human Rights Committee plays an important role in protecting human rights, upholding the values of social justice and tolerance, and promoting equality and non-discrimination. She added that the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue also plays a significant role in consolidating the values of understanding and tolerance and building bridges between religions and cultures.

The Third Secretary at Qatar’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations explained that the Secretary-General’s report on the right of peoples to self-determination (A/81/315), submitted under the relevant agenda item, reaffirms the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them their right to self-determination and their right to establish an independent state.

Regarding the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, she drew attention to the report’s observation that depriving any people of their essential means of subsistence threatens the fundamental conditions necessary for exercising their right to self-determination. The report also reaffirms the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to their natural resources, including land, water and energy resources.

She reiterated Qatar’s position that peace and stability constitute the fundamental pillars of comprehensive development, stressing the country’s unwavering stance based on resolutions of international legitimacy, which guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and an end to the occupation, settlement activities and unlawful practices in the occupied territory.

The Third Secretary at Qatar’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations also renewed Qatar’s commitment to combating all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and intolerance, and to promoting the values of tolerance, peaceful coexistence and respect for diversity.

She reaffirmed Qatar’s steadfast support for the right of peoples to self-determination, foremost among them the brotherly Palestinian people, in a manner that guarantees their legitimate rights in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and international law. (QNA)