Oman sees positive signs on Middle East peace, official tells UN

There are positive signs pointing to a common understanding on the need for a comprehensive and just settlement to the Middle East conflict, a senior official from Oman today told the General Assembly today, urging the international community to advance the cause.

“We sense that there are positive indicators, reflected by a new conviction at the level of political leadership and society in Israel, on the necessity to reach a peaceful solution, based on the resolutions of the United Nations, in order to end decades of conflict in the Middle East region,” said Sayyid Badr Bin Hamad AlBusaidi, the Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry of the Sultanate of Oman, as the Assembly continued its annual high-level debate.

He emphasized the longstanding position of Arab countries that peace with Israel requires the withdrawal of Israel to the 1967 borders.

“We call upon the international community, especially the superpowers, to support and advanced such positive convictions within Israel and the Arab countries for the sake of achieving peace.”

He said Israeli withdrawal, the establishment of a Palestinian State, and the withdrawal of Israel from Syrian Golan Heights and Shabaa farms “will extend security and stability in the Middle East region and will encourage cooperation between the countries and people of the region.”

Abubakr Al-Qirbi, Foreign Minister of Yemen, decried the violence being suffered by the Palestinian people. While in the past, the Arabs have been criticized for not providing a vision, they have since presented a peace initiative which has been “totally ignored” by Israel and the international community, he said, even though it contains all elements needed for a comprehensive solution.

Looking to an international conference, he voiced hope that the United States would keep to its promise regarding the establishment of a Palestinian State, which must have Jerusalem as its capital. He stressed that all parties should participate in the international conference being proposed.

He called on the Palestinians to return to dialogue, unite their positions, abide by the Arab peace initiative, and “reorganize the Palestinian house” bringing together different factions in the interests of unity.

Concerning Iraq, he called for the international community to stand with the elected Iraqi Government as it works to end sectarian violence, control the militias and end the spread of anarchy by terrorists. “Each and all” must stop interfering into the internal affairs of Iraq and put an end to the occupation and reject any plans to divide Iraq, he said.