BEIJING, Jan.6 -- Latest developments in the Middle East situation are still the focus of global attention, as the internal Palestinian strife, the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement and the visit of new US Middle East envoy to the region almost happened simultaneously in the same brief period. For this, People's Daily desk editor Wang Nan has had a wide-ranging discussion with the newspaper's overseas resident reporters on the situation in the region.
Desk Editor: Could you give us an account of the relevant events that have occurred in the region?
Li Xiao (PD resident reporter in Egypt): The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) is seeking to set up "a new, national authority" to replace the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and its appeals are "totally unacceptable", said President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestinian Authorty (PA) in Paris on Monday, February 2.
On the same day, Hamas said it had offered a one-year ceasefire if Israel opens border crossing into the Gaza strip. Since early last week, there has been sporadic gun fire, which resulted in some casualties in the Gaza strip. To date, a Hamas delegation has conducted its talks with Egyptian intelligence officials, and Hamas is expected to give Egypt its response to proposals for a truce with Israel on Saturday, February 7. Hamas and Israel have been holding separate talks with Egyptian mediators on terms for a long-term truce after three weeks of Israeli attacks in the Gaza.
On the part of the United States, President Barack Obama's new Middle East envoy George Michael will revisit or return to the region before the end of February after completing his first trip to the region from January 27 to February 1. Media commentaries noted that the US envoy's trip implies that the U.S.' Middle East policies begin to change.
Li Xuejiang (PD top resident reporter in U.S.): As known to all, President Obama on January 17 chose an Arabic satellite TV network for his first formal television interview as president. America is not the enemy of the Muslim world, Obama said in an interview the Al-Arabiya, the Dubai-based satellite TV network, and the U.S. is "ready to talk to" the Muslim world, and the "language we use has to be a language of respect". His remarks have drawn favorable response from Muslim nations and referred to as an olive branch to the Muslims worldwide.
Obama put the Middle East issue top priority on his agenda after assuming his presidency. On his very first working day, he named former senator George J, Michel (D-Maine) as his new Middle East envoy. Although Michel's first mission was to "heed the views of the countries in the region," and his trip, as he disclosed, had three hopes to accomplish, that was, to bring about long-term ceasefire, to open crossings into Gaza and prevent any arms smuggling. Nevertheless, none of these goals were not attained.
As compared to the Middle East policies pursued by his processor President George W. Bush, Obama's have both similarities and disparities. Obama still firmly supports Israel's right to self-defense. But he has also said "the U.S. must be willing to engage in diplomacy"… adding that "all parties in the region must play a role in the (peace) process." This seems to reserve space for his contact or engagement with Hamas.
Moreover, the new US government could admonish Israel or impose restrictions on its unilateral action, instead of taking a laissez-faire attitude by "watching the fire from the other side of the Atlantic" as the Bush government did before.
Desk Editor: Both the United Nations and the European Union are two of the four parties involving the Middle East Peace Process, and what are their stances towards the situation in Gaza and in the Middle East as a whole?
Xi Lanwang (PD resident reporter to UN): UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on January 21 described the situation in the Gaza region as "very delicate"and said there is much to be done in both humanitarian and diplomatic spheres, though the unilateral ceasefire and withdrawal of Israel troops constitute important progress. On January 29, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for an immediate, urgent solution to two problems: One is to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and the other is to turn the "very delicate" ceasefire into the permanent ceasefire that is to deserve respect from all parties, for which, the U.N. is currently coordinating and consulting with numerous vital stakeholders.
Meanwhile, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon launched an appeal for emergency aid worth 613 million US dollars to help residents in the Gaza strip. This emergency aid package is expected to provide for, among other daily needs, food and non-food items, drinking water and sanitation activities for the Gaza residents and to improve learning environment at schools, mainly in classroom.
Li Yongqun (PD resident reporter in Belgium): Consensuses were reached the meeting of EU Foreign Ministers Council in Brussels in late January, to gear EU actions to the provision of humanitarian aid to the Gaza region, the prevention of weaponry and arms trade and the restarting of the Middle East peace process.
Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, has completed his tour of the Middle East region. He acknowledged that the enhancement of EU-US cooperation on the Middle East issue was a pressing issue of the moment. "I hope that around 4 or 5 February this is the objective ceasefire can be," Solana said. "… 24 or 25 February to get an agreement of a more political nature." He also said that the EU would deal with a Palestinian unity government. If these two things can be achieved as the EU wishes, border crossings between Gaza and Egypt will open. Furthermore, EU also voiced its support the Egyptian maneuvers.
Desk Editor: Russia is the sole non-Western nation involved in the Middle East issue. Then, how does Russia look at the present Middle East situation, and does it have any particular considerations in this regard?
Yu Hongjian (PD resident reporter in Russia): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently attributed the ceasefire in Gaza to international efforts. The Russian side has urged the parties concerned to take prompt, effective measures in a bid to bring about the lasting peace and stability in the region, he said. At the same time, he told reporters that Russia is actively preparing for an international conference on the Middle East issue to be held in Moscow.
Not long ago, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said his country is working hard to normalize the Middle East situation along with the international community inside the UN Security Council and within the four-party framework on the Middle East issue.
It is of vital immediate importance to convening the international conference on the Middle East issue in Moscow in the first half of 2009, according to Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly I. Churkin on Monday. Churkin further disclosed that Russia is now consulting with the relevant parties through diplomatic channels, and that the four parties involved in the Middle-East issue and all Arab countries have voiced support for the Russian proposal.
(Source: People's Daily Online)
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