ASEAN WANTS LASTING PEACE FOR PALESTINEANS

By D. Arul Rajoo

HUA HIN, March 2 (Bernama) -- Renewed efforts must be carried out by all
parties to achieve comprehensive peace where Israel and Palestine could
co-exist, Asean Leaders said Sunday.

They said Israel and Palestine should live side by side in peace with secure
and recognised borders, as envisaged in United Nations Security Council
resolution 1850 (2008), and the Arab Peace Initiative.

"Towards this end, talks between the Israeli and Palestinian sides should be
held as soon as possible," the Asean Leaders said in the Chairman's Statement
issued at the end of the 14th Asean Summit which ended Sunday.

The situation in Gaza was discussed during the Summit where the Leaders
emphasised that the welfare and well-being of the Palestinian people in Gaza was
of paramount importance.

It is learnt that the issue was brought up by the Malaysian delegation led
by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

"We called for the unimpeded access of humanitarian assistance to the
Palestinian people throughout Gaza, in order to help alleviate their plight.

"We supported all efforts, regional and international, aimed at achieving a
durable ceasefire on the ground," they said.

In this connection, Asean urged active participation by all countries
concerned in an International Conference on Gaza Reconstruction organised by
Egypt in Sharm El-Sheikh on Monday.

The Leaders also welcomed efforts to achieve reconciliation amongst the
Palestinian people, and in particular, the latest agreement between Palestinian
factions to establish committees to address the formation of a unity government.

Last week, several Palestinian groups started dialogues to lay out plans to
address various issues in a bid to reunite Palestinians after 18 months of
fighting between Gaza and the West Bank.

-- BERNAMA