AMMAN, 3 December 2006 — Foreign ministers of 38 countries, including G-8 powers, ended a meeting at the Dead Sea yesterday by pledging support to “indigenous reforms” in the Middle East countries that should be in tandem with a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, according to a communiqué.
“The participants discussed various issues of the region and came up with the conclusion that their support to reforms in the region should proceed in tandem with their backing of a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict,” the statement said.
Such a settlement should be “based on the Middle East peace references, including the UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 as well as the Pan-Arab initiative that was adopted by the Arab summit in Beirut” in 2001, the statement added.
The participants renewed their support for the road map that provides for the setting up of an “independent and viable Palestinian state that lives in peace, stability and prosperity with Israel.”
“This should be achieved through speedy and direct negotiations between the two sides,” the communique said.
The conference also welcomed the cease-fire concluded recently between Israel and the Palestinians and urged the two sides “to show continued commitment to peace through taking measures that firms up the cease-fire and pave the ground for tangible and effective political negotiations.”
The Forum of the Future meeting took place at the Dead Sea resort with the participation of 38 foreign ministers and representatives of some 20 nongovernmental organizations.
At the Sea Island summit in 2004, the G-8 agreed with the Broader Middle East and North Africa (BMENA) countries to speed up political, economic and social reforms within the framework of a “partnership for progress and a common future with the region.”
The conferees expressed “deep concern over the situation in Iraq and reiterated their commitment to Iraq’s political independence and territorial integrity.”
They also voiced “strong backing to the Iraqi government in its efforts aimed at restoring security and boosting national reconciliation and dialogue.”
They expressed “total commitment to support efforts aimed at consolidating Lebanon’s security, stability, prosperity and independence through dialogue and national concord”.
The participants expressed condemnation of all political assassinations which targeted Lebanese leaders and intellectuals as well as full backing to the efforts of the Lebanese government to bring criminals to trial.
Jordanian Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit opened the forum on Friday by asserting that resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict represented a clue for successful reforms in the Middle East.
