Addressing the 63rd UN General Assembly in New York, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidy, Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry, called for an immediate settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict, particularly the suffering of the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation.
“It is well known to all that the Palestinians are suffering the repercussions of tragic human circumstances that have deprived them of their right to have a decent life,” he said, adding: “The harsh Israeli policies represented by the closure of crossing points, erection of checkpoints, and perpetuation of settlements, make the daily living of Palestinians difficult. Such practices, moreover, are destroying the efforts and initiatives being offered towards peace and stability. Indeed this puts in doubt the credibility of Israel in seeking to reach a real solution that ends the conflict.”
He urged the world community to intensify its efforts to make Israel shoulder its responsibilities “in view of the importance and the ultimate inevitability of a peace settlement, as the only option for joint and peaceful coexistence between all peoples of the region.”
Sayyid Badr stressed the need to help efforts to maintain peace in Sudan and Somalia, and welcomed the establishment of diplomatic ties between Syria and Lebanon. He called for further negotiations between Iran and other states towards the settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue.
He urged large industrial countries to ease trade barriers on exports of developing nations and help implement effective marketing mechanisms and transfer modern technologies.
The World Trade Organisation, he said, should play a more active role towards the removal of trade barriers and apply appropriate policies in order to develop a freer trade environment.
Sayyid Badr emphasised the significance of international cooperation to face challenges posed by the effects of climate change in a constructive and practical way. “We must provide direct support to scientific research, aimed at finding creative means, policies, and plans capable of guaranteeing a suitable and sustainable environment, taking into account the physical evidence related to climate cycles and the environment across the ages,” he added. He said Oman hoped the Summit Conference on Environment and Development, to be held in Copenhagen next year, would “produce practical and applicable recommendations that meet our hopes and aspirations.”
