New York (UNA/WAS) – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the Middle East is sliding further and further into crisis, stressing that the repercussions of the escalation are not limited to the region, but extend to the whole world through political tensions, displacement, insecurity, disruption of trade routes, and rising food and fuel prices.
This came during a high-level meeting held by the UN Security Council entitled: “Reaching political solutions in the Middle East: Mediation and dialogue for lasting peace,” as one of the most prominent events of Colombia’s presidency of the Council for the month of June, chaired by Colombian President Gustavo Petro Arrego, and with the participation of more than 70 officials.
“Recent developments raise deep concern about the possibility of a full-scale resumption of the conflict,” Guterres said in his speech, beginning by referring to the escalation in Lebanon since last March, calling for a diplomatic settlement that respects Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and is based on the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701, stressing that the political process must begin with a comprehensive ceasefire to which everyone adheres.
Regarding Palestine, Guterres described the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory as rapidly deteriorating, noting that Gaza continues to face profound uncertainty and immense human suffering, despite the ceasefire declared eight months ago, with civilian casualties continuing daily, humanitarian operations being restricted, and basic needs not being met.
He called for the full implementation of the comprehensive plan facilitated by the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, stressing that the provision of humanitarian aid should never be used as a bargaining chip, and that Gaza is and will remain an integral part of the Palestinian state.
Regarding the Gulf region, the Secretary-General said: “The ceasefire appears to be more of a fragile lull or a temporary reduction in the intensity of the bombing,” warning of the risks of this lull turning into a full-blown confrontation, calling on all parties to respect the ceasefire and redouble efforts to reach a permanent agreement, demanding the restoration of freedom of navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz, and serious negotiations on nuclear issues.
Guterres addressed the situation in Syria and Yemen, calling for continued support for the transitional phase in Syria after 13 years of violence and for maintaining the progress made. On the Yemeni file, he welcomed a UN-backed agreement that led to the release of 1600 detainees related to the conflict, and called for the immediate and unconditional release of all arbitrarily detained UN staff and other humanitarian and diplomatic personnel.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro said: “Global peace requires urgent action on two main fronts: combating climate change and rapidly decarbonizing, and establishing a democratic global regulatory framework for artificial intelligence,” warning of the dangers of disinformation, anti-immigrant rhetoric, racism, wars, and inequality.
During the meeting, representatives of several countries stressed the importance of prioritizing political and diplomatic solutions in the Middle East, noting the mediation efforts in which they participated with a number of partners, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Qatar and China, which contributed to a ceasefire and de-escalation.
They pointed out that lasting peace cannot be achieved by force, and that military victory is no substitute for a political settlement, calling on all parties to exercise restraint, de-escalate and continue working towards a lasting diplomatic solution.
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