Lavrov says Palestinian-Israeli settlement under threat of failure

30 December 2020

 

The process of finding a political settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict faces real risks of failure, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference on Wednesday.


"The risks of failure of political solutions are more real than ever," he said. - "The situation is very serious. As in other cases, a responsible leading role of the UN is required here, in order to resume direct negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis, supported by the Quartet of international mediators and the Arab states".


The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry drew attention to the fact that Moscow expects "active and responsible steps and initiatives from the new UN Special Envoy for the Middle East Peace Process and of course, from the Secretary-General himself".


At the same time, the Minister continued, one cannot say that there is a failure of political solutions to other conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa region. "In Yemen, Syria, and Libya, of course, difficulties remain, but there is a tendency to a greater understanding of the importance of political solutions," he pointed out. - "In all three of these conflict situations, everyone recognizes the leading, coordinating role of the UN."


"We see progress on the Yemen issue," Lavrov noted. - "Contacts between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis persist, and there is progress in contacts with the Southern Transitional Council. In Syria, with the active support of Russia, Turkey and Iran, as guarantors of the Astana process, the UN has managed to establish a stable political process that will continue next month".


Touching upon the root causes of the explosive situation in the Middle East and North Africa, the Russian Foreign Minister said, above all, "the considerable conflict potential that remains there as a result of geopolitical experiments of the West, which is trying to use the so-called Arab Spring processes in its own interests". "The region has been set back for decades in its development, has generated a terrorist threat that has spread widely beyond its borders, there has been a migration crisis and the economic foundations of many countries have been undermined," Lavrov summarized.

 

GSV "Russia - Islamic World"

Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry

Based on materials from TASS