SECRETARY-GENERAL WARMLY WELCOMES MIDDLE EAST SUMMIT IN AQABA; PLEDGES PERSONAL EFFORTS TO ASSIST PARTIES IN ACHIEVING JUST PEACE

SECRETARY-GENERAL WARMLY WELCOMES MIDDLE EAST SUMMIT IN AQABA; PLEDGES PERSONAL EFFORTS TO ASSIST PARTIES IN ACHIEVING JUST PEACE

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General warmly welcomes the impetus given to the renewed Middle East peace process by today’s summit meeting in Aqaba initiated by President George W. Bush and hosted by King Abdullah of Jordan.  He believes that the statements by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas open the way for both parties to implement the Quartet’s “Road Map”.  He calls on them to take immediate steps as outlined in the Road Map to maintain the momentum generated by President Bush’s important initiative.  For his part, the Secretary-General pledges through his personal efforts and together with the Quartet partners, to continue to assist the parties in arriving at a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East based on Security Council resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973) and 1397 (2002).

* *** *