UN council votes to back roadmap to Mideast peace

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, November 20, 2003

UN council votes to back roadmap to Mideast peace

The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Wednesday a resolution expressing its support for the faltering roadmap peace plan for the Middle East.

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The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Wednesday a resolution expressing its support for the faltering roadmap peace plan for the Middle East.

The Russian-introduced resolution was co-sponsored by China, France, Germany, Bulgaria, Mexico, Chile, Guinea, Spain and Britain.

It "endorses the Quartet performance-based roadmap to a permanent two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict" and "calls on the parties to fulfill their obligations under the roadmap in cooperation with the Quartet."

The roadmap was drawn up by the diplomatic Quartet -- the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia. The Middle East peace process, initiated after the presentation of the roadmap in April, is currently in a deadlock due to renewed Israeli-Palestinian violence.

The United States, which initially expressed its opposition to the Russian proposal, also voted for it during the open council session, at which UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan was present.

After the vote, US Ambassador to the United Nations John Negroponte told reporters that the conditions for adopting such a resolution became "somewhat more propitious" as a new Palestinian government had been formed.

Russian Ambassador Sergei Lavrov said it is important for the Security Council to express explicit support for the roadmap at a time of continuous violence in the Middle East. "It (the resolution) is part of international law for the parties to be implemented," he stressed.

Palestinian permanent observer to the UN Nasser al-Kidwa hailed the resolution as a "breakthrough." "Now we have to play by the text (of the roadmap)," he said.

But Israel's Deputy Ambassador to the world body Arye Mekel denounced the council's backing for the roadmap. "Our position is further involvement of the Security Council in the roadmap is not a good idea," he said.

The roadmap envisages an independent Palestinian state in 2005.Israelis and Palestinians have broken off peace talks on implementing the plan for months.

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