Israel Must Accept Arab Initiative for Peace
Israel is to blame for an impasse in the Middle East peace process and should be seen as the root cause of regional conflicts, President Michel Suleiman said Wednesday in a joint conference with visiting Romanian counterpart Traian Basescu.
Suleiman reiterated his support to the 2002 Arab peace initiative and insisted on the Palestinians right to return to their homeland.
"Israel has repeatedly refused to respond to a solution in the Middle East even though it is the reason for conflicts in the region," Suleiman said.
"Israel must move to implement the Arab peace initiative because time is not in its favor. It must abide by a just and comprehensive peace," he added.
Suleiman said Romania can use its Arab connections to play a role "to resolve the Palestinian refugees file, either directly or via the European Union."
"Lebanon has always demanded a just and comprehensive peace in the region and to a solution to the plight of Palestinian refugees," Suleiman insisted.
"The Palestinians have a right to their own state and a right to return, which is a matter of principle. Israel has repeatedly rejected (these rights)," he added.
The European country can also "work to prevent any solution to the Middle East conflict that might harm Lebanon”s vital interests," Suleiman said.
For his part, Basescu called for the implementation of international resolutions as "a pivotal factor to maintaining stability in the region."
While he underlined the EU”s "significant" diplomatic role in the region, Basescu admitted that a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict "needed a partnership with the United States."
On Lebanon, Basescu praised the national dialogue as a "manifestation of an essential political in the Lebanese reconciliation process." He expressed his country”s support for Lebanon”s "unity, independence and security."
Lebanon and Romania have also agreed to boost bilateral cooperation to combat organized crime, he said, expressing support to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
Basescu, accompanied by his wife, arrived in Beirut Wednesday afternoon aboard a private jet and was greeted at the airport by Foreign Minister Faqwzi Salloukh, State Minister Nassib Lahoud and Romanian Ambassador Daniel Tanase.