“We do not regard Iran as the main issue. Actually, the Arab world does not have any problem with Iran… the main problem and major threat to the region and Arabs is Israel’s nuclear activity,” he said during a meeting on the Middle East peace process in Shuneh, Jordan.
Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, Jordanian Prime Minister Nader al-Dahabi, and Russian special envoy to the Middle East Alexander Sultanov also attended the meeting.
Moussa said all parties must agree on a Palestinian government that will act responsibly in order to establish lasting peace.
Israel should not only halt building settlements but should also dismantle all of them because they have been built illegally; otherwise dialogue will lead nowhere, he added.
If the Arab countries start a new round of talks with Israel without setting preconditions, specifically that Israel halt construction of new settlements and dismantle the old settlements, they are in fact acting against themselves, he noted.
“If Jewish settlements are not evacuated soon, we should halt all political efforts for reaching a compromise, and come to realize that we have no option but resistance. Well, if the two-state solution is not possible, we can focus on one state that is established based on votes cast by all real residents of the Palestinian land territory. This is the international community’s responsibility.”
The Arab League secretary general also said, “I take Obama’s remarks about change and his interest in peace and dialogue seriously.”
However, if there is no significant progress in 2009 with U.S. support, all hopes will fade, he stated.
Moussa also defended Iran’s right to have a civilian nuclear energy program.
As long as the International Atomic Energy Agency has not reported any deviation in Iran’s nuclear program, no one is allowed to say Iran should halt its nuclear activities, he asserted.
“Nuclear disarmament is a global issue, and it is not possible to forget Israel and talk about the Iran ‘threat’ all the time. This is a mistake,” he added.
He went on to say that the community of nations must address the issue of Israel’s nuclear arsenal, pointing out that it is not possible to be an advocate of nuclear disarmament and at the same time ignore this issue.
The Palestinian Authority prime minister also said Israel must withdraw from the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967.
“Settlement building must be halted according to the Annapolis agreement, and based on the 2005 agreement, the Palestinians’ right of free movement must be respected,” Fayyad added.
The Iraqi vice president said Iran is a major player in the Middle East and all regional countries should be involved in resolving the Palestine issue.
Efforts should be made to eradicate all weapons of mass destruction in the region and the Middle East should be declared a WMD-free zone, Abdul-Mahdi added.
SL/PA
END
MNA