Chirac: Middle East peace process must be revived
The war in Lebanon flared partly because of deadlock in the Middle East peace process, French President Jacques Chirac said on Monday, urging world powers to revive talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
Chirac said a month of fighting between Israel and Hizbullah guerrillas had undone 15 years of hard work aimed at reviving the Lebanese economy and had destabilised the whole region.
"Given the situation, we need an immediate revival of the diplomatic process," he added, calling for a "rapid meeting" of the quartet of Middle East peace brokers -- the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia. "To resign oneself to the status quo is to risk being trapped in a cycle of violence which will get out of control. Israel legitimately aspires for security, but security does not go without justice," he said. (Reuters)
