Vietnam has affirmed that it will continue to support the Road Map, the Madrid terms of reference, the Arab Peace Initiative and call for strict implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions in order to achieve peace in the Middle East region.

Vietnamese permanent representative to the United Nations Security Council Ambassador Le Luong Minh made the statement at the council’s open debate on the Mid-East situation in New York on July 27.

The Vietnamese diplomat took the occasion to “welcome the intensified diplomatic efforts and the broad consensus among the Quartet and Arab League members, regional countries and the international community at large on the pressing need for early resumption of a fully-fledged peace process on all tracks.

“We also welcome the undertakings of the Palestinian Government to consolidate progress in revitalizing the socio-economic infrastructure, developing an effective security structure and establishing functional institutions for a future State,” the ambassador added.

He stressed that violence and counter-violence will not help contribute to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the region. “Peaceful settlement of disputes, constructive dialogue and good-faith negotiations could and should be the only option to help bridge the rift and cultivate the confidence between the parties,” Minh said.

He urged the new Israeli Government to stay the course of settling the crisis on the basis of the two-State solution, freeze illegal settlement activity, dismantle outposts erected since March 2001, allow unhindered access of humanitarian assistance, open all border crossings and resolve the fate of all Palestinian prisoners.

Minh also called on Palestinian factions to promote national reconciliation, rally behind the Palestinian National Authority in preparation for the establishment of a national unity Government and future statehood.

On the Lebanon issue, Ambassador Minh welcomed the successful conduct of the parliamentary elections in Lebanon in early June and support the investigation process jointly carried out by the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the Lebanese Armed Forces about the recent security incidents in south Lebanon .

He underlined the importance of maximum restraint among the parties and the assurance of safety and security for UN peacekeepers, humanitarian workers and the local population.

The Vietnamese diplomat also urged Israel to cease flights over Lebanese territory and withdraw from the northern part of Ghajar village and an adjacent area north of the Blue Line.

“We continue to support collective efforts aimed at ensuring full implementation of Resolution 1701 (2006),” the diplomat stressed./.