Annan Called on Israeli, Palestinian Leaders to Exercise Responsible Leadership

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan Friday called on leaders of both sides of the Middle East conflict to "exercise responsible leadership."

Addressing an open debate of the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, the UN chief urged both parties in the region to make every effort to take advantage of the outcome of the Arab League Summit in Beirut earlier this week, which outlined a widely welcomed vision for full peace in the region.

"Both sides need to adopt policies that reenforce the prospects for a political process leading to a peaceful settlement, and eschew actions that make a peaceful settlement through negotiations more difficult," Annan noted.

He called on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to accept a ceasefire proposal put forward by US Special Envoy Anthony Zinni, and urged Israel to halt its assault on the Palestinian Authority, saying "destroying the Palestinian Authority will not bring Israel closer to peace."

The council met Friday night on a emergency session, which was called hours after Israeli troops smashed their way into Arafat's presidential compound and arrested there some 70 Palestinians after a bloody combat.

( March 30, 2002)