UNITED NATIONS: Strong support has been voiced by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, for the latest Middle East peace initiative at the United Nations.
A draft resolution was circulated at the world body's headquarters in New York by the Palestinian Observer Mission and the Arab Group at the UN. The text was distributed in advance of a Security Council debate on the Middle East.
The Minister said last night that the draft resolution was "moderate in tone and includes some new and interesting elements".
He noted that, "For the first time, a draft tabled by the Arab group recognises that an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian State, which Ireland strongly supports, will have to live side by side with Israel".
He said that the draft recognised that an Israeli withdrawal from the territories it occupied in 1967 must be followed by the establishment of normal relations among all states of the region, based on mutual recognition and respect.
"It is clear that the draft resolution draws on the ideas advanced recently by Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia for the establishment of normal relations between all states in the region to follow an Israeli withdrawal and the establishment of a Palestinian State."
Welcoming the initiative by the Crown Prince, the Minister said it might allow the "Gordian Knot" of the Middle East conflict to be severed. The move was also welcomed by President Bush in conversation with the Crown Prince yesterday. The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, has offered to meet Saudi representatives to discuss the proposal.
Speaking ahead of yesterday's debate on the Security Council, Mr Cowen said Ireland would "almost certainly" support the resolution. Ireland "very much hoped" the Council would be able to reach consensus, the Minister concluded.
In what appeared to be a significant shift in strategy, the draft resolution dropped provisions calling for outside monitoring, a demand certain to draw a US veto. The US Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell, called the proposal "an important step" that he hoped would be fleshed out in the weeks ahead.