BAN URGES UNILATERAL CEASEFIRE IN GAZA CONFLICT; MEETS WITH PALESTINIAN LEADERS

BAN URGES UNILATERAL CEASEFIRE IN GAZA CONFLICT; MEETS WITH PALESTINIAN LEADERS
New York, Jan 16 2009 2:10PM
On the third day of his intensive diplomatic mission to secure a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon conferred today with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in Ramallah and called for a unilateral cessation of hostilities.

"We have no time to lose," he told reporters after his meetings in the West Bank on the 21st day of the offensive Israel launched with the stated aim of halting Hamas rocket attacks against it from Gaza. "A unilateral declaration of a ceasefire would be necessary at this time."

He said he would exert his utmost efforts to realize that goal and underscored his full support for President Abbas's leadership.

Last night, he met in Jerusalem with Israeli President Shimon Peres. He told reporters afterward the Israeli Government would make an important decision on a ceasefire and he hoped that decision will be the right one and that Israel would show to the world that it is a responsible member of the UN, abiding by Security Council resolutions. Lat week the Council called for an immediate ceasefire.

Mr. Ban has since travelled to Ankara where he is to meet with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul, stressing his determination to work with the Turkish Government to help find solutions to the terrible crisis in Gaza.

At the weekend he will go to Lebanon and Syria for talks with Government officials in both countries about the violence in Gaza and southern Israel, before going to Kuwait to attend the Arab Economic Summit there next Monday.

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Jan 16 2009 2:10PM
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