|
Statement on the Recent Publication
of the Road Map
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aziz Pahad has
welcomed the publication of the Road Map by the Quartet
and urged both Israel and the Palestinians to embrace
the Road Map for peace, stressing that both sides remain
committed to carrying out all their obligations emanating
from the plan.
In this vein, the South African Government calls upon
the members of the Quartet to actively work towards
the immediate implementation of the Road Map without
preconditions or amendments. The Road Map, which aims
at settling the conflict through parallel steps over
three years by both Israelis and Palestinians, culminating
with the establishment of two sovereign states, living
side-by-side in peace and security, provides the best
mechanism to address the growing deterioration and hopelessness
in the region.
The Deputy Minister stressed that, "we must ensure
that there is clarity on what will constitute a Palestinian
State and that all parties commit to a specific end
point in this regard, in order to ensure a firm basis
for a just and lasting Israeli-Arab peace. Furthermore,
the implementation of the plan should be unconditional.
The setting of preconditions has prevented negotiations
in the past, and would once again only serve to escalate
violence and raise suspicion that such conditions are
designed to avoid difficult choices".
"Deplorable developments such as the two recent
suicide bombings that left dead innocent Israeli civilians
and the subsequent excessive use of force by the Israeli
Defence Force which resulted in large number of Palestinian
deaths do not bode well for a committed approach to
the successful implementation of the Road Map. Violence
and counter violence cannot be allowed to hold the negotiation
process hostage" the Deputy Minister stated.
The South African Government is of the opinion that
real progress will necessitate of both parties compliance
with obligations as outlined in the Road Map. Non-compliance
with the expected obligations only serves to contradict
the international community's efforts to restart the
Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
In this vein the South African Government welcomes
the newly appointed Palestinian Cabinet as it goes a
long way in fulfilling some of the immediate demands
of the Road Map.
For further information contact Ronnie Mamoepa on 082
990 4853.
Issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
9 May 2003
|
