United Nations Radio

The Annual International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East was a 2-day meeting that ended today, Decenber 3rd. Under-Secretary-General of The UN's Department of Public Information, Kiyo Akasaka, spoke to me about the meetings highlights:

AKASAKA: Every year we have been mandated by a resolution of the General Assembly. The members of the United Nations have wanted our department, the Department of Public Information, to organize a conference to promote the awareness of the problems of the Middle East and get people from the region, as well as from the international community, particularly journalists, to take part in the dialogue to help the peace process in the Middle East. And it has been taking place ever since 1991.

NARRATOR: Now I understand that there were at least four panels that discussed the issue. As you know, Palestinians are suffering as result of the closure of the ports. I would like to know, first of all, if the closure of those ports was discussed?

AKASAKA: It was mentioned by Minister Taha and other representatives from Palestine. But at the same time, security problems were raised by the representative of Israel. Mr. Robert Serry, who made the important keynote speech, said that if the year 2009 is to be a breakthrough year for peace, they have to address five issues of importance - settlements, violence, movements and access, Palestinian unity and a comprehensive approach to peace. So closure, blockage of the Gaza Strip as well as the issues of security, the issues of settlement, issues of Palestinian unity and the need to have a comprehensive approach to peace - all those issues were raised during our discussions. At one moment there were very harsh words exchanged between the parties concerned, but on the whole, we believe that this seminar provided a very good forum for candid and honest views to be exchanged so that the dialogue helped promote mutual understanding and helped the search, the common search for peace.

NARRATOR: And regarding security, what was said about security, particularly in Israel?

AKASAKA: Israel mentioned the fear and the suffering of the people who have been victimized by the thousands of rockets launched from Gaza. They emphasized their wishes to search for peace but because of the security problems on their part, they justified the current measures as necessary measures. But in our dialogue, although there was some discussion of this nature, we try not to continue the exchange of the accusations against each other. We tried to find out what then we could do to promote the peace process. And we wanted to look forward rather than to look back, particularly look back to the background and events that took place years ago because when you do that, just one and a half days' conference will not be able to produce anything. Rather, we discussed what Israel, what Palestinian side and what in particular the international community and the UN can do to help promote the peace process.

Narrator: Under-Secretary-General for Public Information, Kiyo Akasaka. The Annual International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East was mandated by a resolution of the General Assembly and has been going on since 1991.

Producer: Gerry Adams
Duration: 4'25"