UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (R)
talks with Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz during a brief meeting at
the Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, March 24, 2007.
(Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
JERUSALEM,
March 27 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres said on Tuesday that he
has asked the UN chief Ban Ki-moon to convey a peace message to the Arab states,
Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported on its website.
The report said that Peres made the remarks during
his tour to northern Israel.
Addressing the Saudi peace initiative and Israel's
prospects for peace with the Arab states, Peres was quoted as saying that "In my
meeting with the UN secretary-general I conveyed through him that there is a
partner on this side. We want the other side to move to the driver's seat."
The leader of the Arab states are preparing for a
summit to be held Wednesday and Thursday in Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia.
Ban is also expected to attend the meeting.
During the summit, a Riyadh-proposed Arab peace
initiative sponsored in 2002 will be discussed again as Israel has recently
shown interest to the offer.
Peres also mentioned the newly-formed Palestinian
Unity Government that includes the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), saying
"We're not fighting the Hamas government, we're fighting their position on three
principles that the Europeans and UN also want them to change."
"If they don't change, Hamas will not achieve its
goals," he added.
Since the Palestinian new government was established
on March 17, Israel has ruled out peace talks with the Palestinians until Hamas
recognizes the Jewish state, renounce violence and abide by the past peace
deals.
AMMAN, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Jordan's King Abdullah II on
Monday urged Israel to shoulder its responsibility towards realizing peace in
the region.
In an interview with Al Arabiya satellite TV channel
before his travel to Riyadh for Arab Summit slated for Wednesday and Thursday,
Abdullah said Israel should accept the Arab Initiative and should recognize the
two-state solution. Full story
JERUSALEM, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Visiting UN Secretary
General Ban Ki-Moon said on Saturday that he viewed the Saudi Arabia proposed
Arab peace initiative as a good base for establishing a vision for a diplomatic
solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Ban made the remarks upon his arrival in Israel late on
Saturday on his first official Middle East visit, local media reported, without
giving more details. Full story
Print
