Arab nations urging UN against endorsing quartet reportJuly 13, 2016 - 13:37 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Arab nations are calling on the UN Security Council not to endorse a report aimed at reviving the Middle East peace process that the Palestinians see as biased in favor of Israel, the Palestinian envoy said Tuesday, July 12, AFP reports. The report by the Middle East quartet -- the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States -- calls on Israel to halt settlement expansion and the Palestinians to stop inciting violence. Arab diplomats agreed during a recent meeting to try to block any move by the council to adopt a U.S.-drafted statement backing the long-awaited report's recommendations, Riyad Mansour told reporters. Egypt, which represents the Arab group on the council, was told "not to allow a statement to be adopted welcoming and endorsing the recommendations," Mansour said as the council met to discuss the report. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the council to throw its weight behind the quartet's findings despite strong resistance from Israel and the Palestinians. Israel has rejected the quartet's criticism of settlement construction while the Palestinians argue that the report failed to single out Israeli policies as the leading cause of the violence. The report's findings and recommendations are supposed to serve as the basis for reviving the Israeli-Palestinian peace process that has been comatose since a U.S. initiative collapsed in April 2014. The Palestinian envoy suggested that recommendations concerning Israeli settlements were watered down in the final draft of the report by a "very powerful" member of the quartet, in a reference to the United States. Mansour said this was done to undermine a French initiative to hold an international peace conference later this year and to ensure that "the end result would be Israel is gaining and nothing will happen." Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |