国际英语新闻:Ongoing Israeli-Palestinian peace talks "must be given a chance": UNGA President

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- President of the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) John W. Ashe said on Monday that the ongoing peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine "must be given a chance," urging both sides to refrain from undermining the renewed talks.

Ashe made the remarks at the UNGA special meeting on the observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which has been observed annually on Nov. 25 since 1978.

"This year's observation takes place while the renewed round of the Middle East peace negotiations is underway," he told the meeting. "We all hope the ongoing talks will lead to an understanding on all six permanent status issues, and to reaching a just and lasting settlement to the conflict."

The two sides resumed direct negotiations in August following a three-year suspension owing to Israel's refusal to extend its freeze on settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory.

"I call on the governments and people of both Israel and Palestine to avoid actions that would undermine the fragile hope created by this renewed round of negotiations, and to cease and desist from any actions that are in contravention to international law and would pose a major impediment to peace in the Middle East and, more importantly, render the two-state solution impossible," Ashe said.

"Ongoing peace negotiations must be given a chance for peace to take root and flourish," he stressed.

Meanwhile, Ashe noted that peace cannot be "meaningful and durable" without taking fully into account the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, which he said are key to the solution of the Arab-Israeli conflict in the Middle East.

As the UNGA President, Ashe also reiterate that the Assembly remains committed to a peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine resulting in the two-state solution, "with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security within recognized, pre-1967 borders."

"It remains the General Assembly's resolute position that the United Nations has a permanent responsibility with regard to the question of Palestine until the question is resolved in a satisfactory manner in accordance with international law," he said.

Ashe went on to urge UN member states to maintain and enhance their support and publicity for the observance of this day of Solidarity and for the peaceful resolution of the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

He also called upon all governments, intergovernmental and civil society organizations to make 2014 the decisive year for achieving peace between Israel and Palestine.