78750 (2024). Ricardo Menéndez March to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Written Question

Published date: 19 Dec 2024

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	78750 (2024)
Question asked:	04 Dec 2024
Member asking:	Ricardo Menéndez March
Portfolio:	Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister replying:	Rt Hon Winston Peters
Answer received:	12 Dec 2024
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_78750_2024
Document guid:	5f143fad-c787-4a9e-8adf-442dd18ae250

78750 (2024). Ricardo Menéndez March to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Why did New Zealand abstain on UN General Assembly Resolution A/79/L.19 relating to the Syrian Golan in December 2024?

Rt Hon Winston Peters: New Zealand maintained our long-standing voting position to abstain on this resolution. While the resolution's intent aligns with New Zealand's policy, the resolution places the burden on Israel to restart talks with Lebanon and Syria, and does not deal substantively with the civil war in Syria or the human rights abuses that have taken place there. Considering the unwillingness of all three parties (Israel, Lebanon and Syria) to enter into dialogue, New Zealand considers the responsibility for negotiations should be more equally shared among the three parties.