MUSCAT, 17 September — Oman’s foreign minister has called on the United Nations Security Council to put an end to the sufferings of the Iraqi people, Omani media reported yesterday.
Addressing the 57th session of the UN General Assembly on Saturday, Yousef ibn Alawi ibn Abdullah, Oman’s minister responsible for foreign affairs, said the general humanitarian situation in Iraq remains tragic because of the economic sanctions in force since August 1990.
"We reiterate our call on the Security Council to put an end to the human sufferings in Iraq," he said.
Speaking on the situation in the Middle East, the Omani minister said Israel has deviated from the spirit and provisions of the "land-for-peace" formula, aggravating tension in the region.
"The Middle East is passing through a perturbed stage of tension due to the serious regression of the peace process in all tracks, particularly the Israeli-Palestinian track. The primary cause of this is the deviation of the Israeli government from the fair principles and foundations on which the peace process was built upon during the 1991 Madrid Conference, as well as the desires of successive Israeli governments since 1996, to impose peace through the use of excessive force.
"The implementation of a policy of procrastination, intimidation, and bypassing international charters and conventions signed by the parties concerned, has resulted in a further escalation of Palestinian resistance in the face of the Israeli occupation....
"Events have proved that the use of force against the Palestinian people will not allow a fair solution in order to end the violence and establish security as the Israeli government alleges, nor will this terminate the legal Palestinian resistance against the Israeli occupation."
Yousef ibn Alawi said all the Arab countries constantly affirm that the achievement of peace based on the principles of international law and justice is a strategic choice, and they have exerted great efforts in this regard, the latest being the Arab peace initiative adopted unanimously during the Beirut summit last March.
He said the tragic events of Sept. 11 have left serious impacts on the world.
"That urges us, more than ever, as a responsible international community to review and promote many conventional policies and mechanisms in addressing international crises in a constructive spirit and with more tolerance, based on justice and transparency, and paved by positive cooperation, co-existence and understanding between nations and civilizations," the Omani minister said.
