UN chief arrives today in Syria, Friday in Lebanon
Regional, Politics, 6/14/2001

The secretary general of the UN Kofi Annan started on Tuesday a tour on the Middle East region covering Syria and Lebanon by visiting Cairo where he had met with the secretary general of the Arab League Amr Moussa and considered that there is " a possible chance" for peace between the Palestinians and Israel.

On Wednesday Annan met with the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his foreign minister Ahmad Maher who welcomed him at the airport.

After Egypt, Annan will today visit Jordan and Syria and Lebanon on Friday. He will end his tour by visiting Israel on Saturday and Gaza on Sunday.

At the beginning of his tour which will last for one week, Annan announced upon arriving in cairo that there " is a sort of passing by moment for peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis that should be used very soon." He described " the encouraging news which talked about the consent of the two sides on Mitchell's plan and the cease fire as an important step."

Annan said " in order to have the cease- fire enforced for the long run, it is very necessary to list it in the peace process."

He continued that the Americans, the Europeans, the Russians and the Arabs have all agreed that we have to make pressure to fully implement the Mitchell plan." Earlier Maher said:" we will listen to Annan. The UN is an important partner in searching for peace and the matter is connected to the implementation of UN resolutions."

Maher expressed his hope over the success of Michael plan. If it will be implemented fully.

On Monday the UN office in Cairo said that Annan's visit falls in the course of the efforts made to finding out a political solution to the Israeli- Palestinian crises."

A spokesman for the UN in new York said on Monday that Annan was obliged at the last moment to meet with the Saudi crown prince Abdullah in Europe on Tuesday because of each of the two men obligations."

On Tuesday, the Egyptian president met with the Russian special envoy to the Middle east Andrea Vadovin who stressed his country's determination to " play an effective role in the region," adding that the Egyptian President is " encouraged " by the Russian role in seeking to maintain a settlement in the region.

Vadovin noted that the " report of the Mitchell committee is considered a solid base to move from the security matters which have been in focus at the meantime, to the political part and the negotiations which permit self- determination for the Palestinian people and ensuring the security of the Israeli people." Replying to a question on warnings made by the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to the European Union in not giving any aids for the Palestinians, the Russian delegate said "I do not want to comment on what he ( Sharon) has said and I think he speaks himself." On whether the Russians will make pressures on Sharon during his coming visit to Moscow, Vadovin said " we do concentrate on our contacts with the Israeli side on the report of Mitchell committee and the Egyptian- Jordanian initiative and I do think that there is a greater understanding for the Russian view point in this regard."

Previous Stories:
  Moussa meets Annan   (6/13/2001)
  Mubarak receives Annan   (6/13/2001)
  Mediterranean home ministers' conference   (6/13/2001)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search