U.N. Middle East envoy Terje Roed Larsen called Friday for taking advantage of current opportunities to achieve peace, warning of a dark future otherwise.
"There is a real chance at present to reactivate the peace process and, at the same time, we find strong momentum to lay the pillars of peace," Larsen told a news conference in Beirut.
He called on Israel and Arab countries to "take advantage of this passing opportunity" warning otherwise the "future of the region will be even darker."
"There are bumps in the way of the peace process and the various parties should shoulder their responsibilities," he said.
Larsen welcomed Israel's plan for unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, saying such a move should be fully coordinated with the Palestinians.
He said the United Nations is committed to helping achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, noting he will convey to Israel Syria's readiness to resume peace negotiations without preconditions.
He also called for implementing U.N. Security Council resolution 1559, which calls on Syria, without naming it, to disband its estimated 16,000 troops in Lebanon and to disarm local and foreign militias such as Hezbollah and armed Palestinian factions.
© Copyright 2004 by United Press International
