SC/7188/Rev.1*

                                                            25 October 2001

PRESS STATEMENT BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ON MIDDLE EAST

Following is the text of a statement on 25 October by the President of the Security Council, Richard Ryan (Ireland), on the situation in the Middle East:

Members of the Security Council met today to discuss the situation in the Middle East.  Members were deeply concerned by the escalation in violence and deplored the loss of life on both sides.

Members supported statements in capitals calling for immediate withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Area A.

Members fully supported the important diplomatic initiatives to de-escalate the situation on the ground.

Members strongly supported all the elements contained in the statement issued this evening by representatives in the region of the European Union, the United States, the Russian Federation, and the Special Coordinator of the United Nations Secretary-General (see below).

Members welcomed the resumption tomorrow of tripartite security meetings.

Members agreed that the Security Council should speak with one voice on this matter.  It was agreed to keep the situation under close review in light of further developments, and to revert to it once again in the coming days.

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Statement

We (EU Special Envoy Miguel Moratinos, US Consul-General Ron Schlicher, Russian Special Envoy Andrey Vdovin and United Nations Special Coordinator Terje Roed-Larsen) met with Chairman Arafat, together with the diplomatic corps, to review the current, dangerous situation.

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*     Reissued to include attached statement.

- 2 - Press Release

We acknowledged that prior to 17 October 2001 the Palestinian Authority had begun to take steps to ensure the strict implementation of the ceasefire.  These

steps had been undermined by the assassination of Israeli Cabinet Minister Rehavam

Zeevi, an act for which the PFLP took credit, and after which they threatened further actions, and for which they must be held accountable.

We note Chairman Arafat's statement to the diplomatic corps in which he detailed the steps he has taken to control violence and combat terrorism, even under extremely difficult circumstances, including the high loss of civilian life in the multiple incursions into Area A.  We welcomed the commitment made by Chairman Arafat to take additional specific and concrete steps to control violence and to ensure full implementation of the Palestinian Authority's cease-fire orders.  We urged him to make a concerted effort to ensure full and strict compliance with the Palestinian Authority's cease-fire orders, including through arresting those who defy his orders and taking further steps against terrorist organizations.  We stressed that the international community recognizes the Palestinian Authority as the only entity responsible for security in the Palestinian Territory.

We told Chairman Arafat of our determination to continue working closely with him to ensure that the cease-fire was fully respected as we would do with the Government of Israel.

We have called on Israel to: (1) immediately withdraw from Area A; (2) halt extra-judicial killings; (3) ensure greater restraint by the IDF; (4) fully respect the ceasefire; (5) move swiftly to ease the closures, according to the September 26th Peres- Arafat Understanding; (6) to take steps for the immediate implementation of the Mitchell Report and Tenet plan which will lead to a resumption of the political process in order to address the fundamental issues between the two parties. 

We stressed the importance of bringing a rapid end to the current crisis so that hope could be restored to the Palestinian and Israeli people.

We stressed that the international community stood ready to undertake vigorous efforts to restore the Palestinian economy following the devastating losses caused by the crisis and the closures.