Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit called for a ceasefire in the Middle East along with addressing the root causes of the current tension. In a statement at the international conference on Lebanon held in Rome Wednesday 26/7/2006, the top diplomat said all parties agree that it is unacceptable for the current situation in the Middle East to continue as it poses threats to regional security and stability.

 

 He called for an immediate ceasefire, warning of a humanitarian crisis. Egypt agreed with the United Nations Secretary General and Finland, which overtook the current EU presidency, on immediately halting military operations and ceasing fire.

 

A durable ceasefire could not be achieved without handling the causes of such tension, Abul Gheit said, noting, however, that it would be impossible to do that under the Israeli shelling.

Under the Israeli attack, the Lebanese army could not exercise power, international forces could not be reinforced and the 1989 Taif Agreement and UNSC Resolution 1559 could not be put into effect, he highlighted.

 

He called on the conferees to agree on a ceasefire as well as means of dealing with the causes behind such crisis.

 

Until participants in the gathering agree on procedures to be taken in this respect, they could at least call on the United Nations' Security Council to immediately reach a ceasefire or even halt the Israeli hostilities against the Lebanese people for a considerable period.

 

Such procedures would guarantee reinforcing the Lebanese army with United Nations forces to control southern Lebanon, all parties' respect to the Blue Line along with resolving the Shebaa Farms problem and border issues.

 

Also, the captives of the two sides will be released under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross, said Abul Gheit.

 

The Egyptian top diplomat called for international and Arab
assistance to the Lebanese government to implement the Taif Agreement and Resolution 1995, reconstruct southern Lebanon and rebuild the country's economy.

 

A political agreement should be reached ahead of' deploying international forces so that such troops could successfully carry out their mission is the keynote for the troops' success.

He highlighted the importance of maintaining the Lebanese national unity, rather than putting pressures that would lead to domestic tension.


The Egyptian top diplomat said the Taif Agreement and
Resolution 1995 should be implemented mainly by Lebanon with some regional and international support.

 

Abul-Gheit warned if the situation remained as it was, terrorism and extremism would increase as the region was suffering a state of unprecedented depression.

 

Settlement in Lebanon should be away from interference of foreign parties to avert negotiating impact on efforts in this regard, he added.