VN lauds advances in Gaza Strip and West Africa
VGP – The UN Security Council (UNSC) yesterday listened to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s report on his working tour to the Middle East to find a solution for the conflict here. The UNSC issued a press statement hailing the cease fire in Gaza Strip, asking the related parties to facilitate humanitarian activities, and praising the initiative to open an international conference on the Middle East in Moscow within 2009.
At the meeting, Ambassador Bùi Thế Giang, Việt Nam’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UNSC, called upon the related parties to strictly observe the cease fire and avoid all actions or words which can ignite the reoccurrence of conflict. He also advised them to come back to negotiations for peaceful solutions in line with the UNSC’s resolutions.
The diplomat emphasized that Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, opening of border-gates and complete removal of embargo and blockade are necessary preconditions to lessen difficulties for the Palestinian people. He urged the international community to promote humanitarian aid to Palestine and their reconstruction in the Gaza Strip, asking the related sides to ensure safety and facilitate relief activities conducted by the UN, the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for the Palestine Refugees in the Near East, and other international humanitarian organizations.
Mr. Giang asserted that Việt Nam advocates efforts made by the the UN, countries in the region and the international community to obtain the long-term cease fire and end the Israel–Palestine conflict and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
On the same day, at the UNSC consultation on the operation of the UN Office in West Africa (UNOWA), Ambassador Giang hailed initial positive results in the process of consolidating peace, security, national reconciliation and socio-economic reconstruction in the sub-region, especially in such countries as Sierra Leon, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau and Liberia.
The Ambassador expressed his sympathy to West African countries which are facing such challenges as poverty, food insecurity, unemployment, organized crimes, weapon smuggling and coup d’etat. He supported the coordination of the UN, Peace Building Committee, African League, West Africa Economic Community and UNOWA in assisting West African countries’ post-conflict reconstruction and socio-economic priorities. He also asked UNOWA to play the major role in coordinating the UN’s activities in West Africa.
By Hoàng Nguyên
