Press Release No. 142-03
3 April 2003
MIDDLE EAST
PEACE PROCESS ROADMAP BRINGS US STEP CLOSER TO RESOLVING ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN
CONFLICT
Even though the attention of the world is riveted on the war in Iraq, the
Philippines welcomes and supports the efforts being taken by the Quadripartite
Group to adopt a road map to achieve lasting peace between Israel and Palestine,
according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople.
“We have a very important stake in this peace process. Aside from the
long-term stability of the Middle East, we now have over 25,000 Filipinos
working in Israel and Palestine, and clearly the violence that has plagued
these two nations does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants,
Israelis or Palestinians,” the Secretary said.
There is a plan to achieve peace based on a vision of two independent states,
Israel and Palestine, living side by side. The idea has been laid out by
"the Quartet": the US, Russia, the European Union, and the UN.
“Any peace plan will only succeed if both sides will put an end to the use
of violence. I call on both sides to give this road map a clear chance,”
the Secretary added.
END.