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with Christine M. Hobson
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2010: Council of Europe approves resolution supporting the Geneva Initiative source
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Keeping Watch....
MED UNION: STATUTE APPROVED, FOCUS SHIFTS TO JUNE SUMMIT
(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS - The statute of the Mediterranean Union secretariat has been approved. According to European sources, the decision was made at the meeting of high level officials from the 43 countries which was held yesterday in Barcelona, where the Jordanian Ahmad Masadeh will be installed as the first secretary general of the Union today. The attention has now shifted to the summit scheduled for June in the Catalan city and the setting in motion of projects which over the past few months have been received by the French-Egyptian co-presidency.
By AP AND JPOST.COM STAFF
A source from the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday afternoon reportedly denied a news report quoting the Turkish prime minister as saying Israel has accepted that Turkey will again mediate talks with Syria.
Turkey's NTV television quoted Recep Tayyip Erdogan as telling reporters in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday that the stalled talks may resume soon.
The PMO source added that if these remarks reflect Turkey's interest to strengthen its ties with Israel and contribute to promoting peace in the region, then Ankara's aspirations were praise-worthy.
Clause 43: "The Geneva Initiative of December 2003 is promoted by key figures of Israeli and Palestinian society and makes a very important contribution, supplying precious details for negotiations related to the final status"
"12. The Assembly stresses that the resolutions adopted by the United Nations, the Oslo Accords, the Washington Declaration and the Taba negotiations, the 2001 Moratinos document, the Road Map proposed by the United Nations–European Union–United States–Russia Quartet and the final declarations of the Annapolis Conference all point in the direction of a peace founded on the principle of land for peace in order to guarantee the existence of a Palestinian state next to the state of Israel."
"17. The Assembly appreciates the fact that on 25 November 2009 the Israeli Government agreed on a ten-month suspension of new settlements and building in the West Bank, but notes that this suspension does not include new buildings already begun or approved, public works, or construction in East Jerusalem."
"30. The Assembly underlines the essential role which the European Union needs to play in supporting the action of the Quartet, helping the parties concerned to resume negotiations and expanding bilateral relations with the countries in the region, as well as in making the newly established Union for the Mediterranean the instrument for a policy of co-operation, progress and security."
"32. The Assembly warmly welcomes the renewed commitment of the Arab League and its member countries to peace and regards the Arab initiative adopted in Beirut and Riyadh, recently confirmed again in Doha, as an essential contribution to a peaceful mutual arrangement."
"34. The Assembly underlines the contribution which the Kingdom of Jordan makes to stability in the region and to efforts to achieve a shared arrangement conducive to peace."
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today he hopes the upcoming meeting in the Russian capital of the diplomatic group supporting the Middle East peace process will lead to direct negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Members of the so-called Quartet, comprising the UN, the European Union, the United States and Russia, are slated to meet in Moscow on 19 March.
The Roadmap peace plan championed by the Quartet calls for two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.
Introducing Rashad Hussain
During his speech in Cairo on June 4, 2009, the President articulated a vision for a New Beginning with Muslims around the world — one based on mutual respect and the pursuit of partnerships in areas of mutual interest. Around the world, from Rabat to Jakarta, the United States is engaging Muslim communities around the world and building mutually beneficial partnerships that expand opportunity. As part of our commitment to dialogue, our embassies have held roundtables with thousands of students, civil society leaders and entrepreneurs, among others, and senior officials like Secretary Clinton have held televised townhalls.
Over the past nine months, the Administration has been delivering on the specific commitments the President made in his speech – from appointing science envoys, creating a Technology and Innovation Fund, and expanding exchanges to hosting a Summit on Entrepreneurship in April. But, the U.S. Government has done far more than deliver the specific commitments from President Obama’s speech. For example, while we have partnered with the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to eradicate polio, we also worked with Saudi Arabia to prevent the spread of H1N1 influenza during hajj.
The speech in Cairo expressed an overarching vision for our engagement. To help pursue that vision, the President recently appointed Rashad Hussain to be his Special Envoy to the OIC. Rashad has played an important role in developing the New Beginning we seek with Muslim communities around the world. In his new position, he will continue to play a key role in expanding our engagement with Muslims around the world. Get to know Rashad in this video:
