Chinese official: Middle East peace needs UN

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, December 18, 2003

Chinese official: Middle East peace needs UN

Long-term peace and stability in the Middle East is unattainable without the United Nations (UN), a Chinese Foreign Ministry official said here Wednesday.

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Long-term peace and stability in the Middle East is unattainable without the United Nations (UN), a Chinese Foreign Ministry official said in Beijing Wednesday.

Chen Weixiong, counselor in charge of the ministry's international affairs, was speaking at the UN Meeting for Asia and the Pacific Region on the Question of Palestine held in Beijing.

As the world's most representative and universal inter-governmental organization, the United Nations had accumulated a great deal of experience in dealing with international and regional hot spots in the last 58 years, Chen said.

UN resolutions were the basis of a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The principles and relevant resolutions approved by the UN Security Council must be implemented to uphold UN authority and guarantee a lasting solution, he said.

He said the central role of the Security Council in maintaining peace in the Middle East should be given full play.

UN work in humanitarian and development fields should be strengthened, he said, in particular by enhancing the role of the secretary-general's special coordinator, mobilizing the resources of the international community, and making full use of the potential of civil society in promoting peace and development.

Chen said resolving the Middle East question and achieving a lasting peace would be a difficult and great endeavor for the international community, which must find appropriate mechanisms and ways to mediate, facilitate and push the process forward.

More int'l support

Chen has called for greater international support for a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He said the international community must find an appropriate mechanism and ways to mediate, facilitate and push the reconciliation process forward.

Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, vice-chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestine People, said a determined effort by the world community was needed now more than ever if peace was to prevail in the Middle East.

He called on the United Nations to continue its efforts to resolve the dispute, and urged the international community to give assistance to programs benefiting Palestinians.

Oleg Ozerov, head of the Middle East Peace Process Division of the Department of the Middle East and North Africa of Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said all parties should strengthen cooperation with international mediators who proposed Road Map settlement.

Ozerov said the Road Map was the best solution, though it was not ideal. The adoption of the plan by the UN Security Council gave greater political weight to the peace plan.

Zehava Galon, a member of Israel's Knesset, said the Geneva Initiative, launched on Dec. 1 by groups in Palestine and Israel, had the best chance of success, and the international community should make joint efforts to promote it.

Oleg Ozerov said the peace initiatives that were being put forward in Israel and the Palestinian National Authority addressed a number of points not referred to in the Road Map.

Such public initiatives proved the strengthening of positions of forces that favored a political settlement of the conflict, said Ozerov.

The Chinese government also expressed its support for the Palestinian people in their struggle to restore their legitimate national rights.

China and most Asian countries would continue to support the just struggle of the Palestinian people, said Li Huaxin, Deputy Director-General of the Department of West Asia and North Africa Affairs of Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The question of Palestine had reached a critical juncture, said Li, adding that the international community, particularly the United Nations, had a responsibility to intensify mediation efforts, and to bring the Middle East peace process back on track as soon as possible.

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