UN / ARAB LEAGUE

STORY: UN / ARAB LEAGUE
TRT: 2:12
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: JANUARY 2021, NEW YORK CITY

SHOTLIST:

FILE - NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, UN headquarters exterior

18 JANUARY 2021, NEW YORK CITY

2. Multiple screens, participants
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rosemary Anne DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, United Nations:
“The two-state solution that realizes the legitimate national aspirations of Palestinians and Israelis in line with UN resolutions is the only way to lead to sustainable peace between the two peoples.”
4. Multiple screens, participants
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rosemary Anne DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, United Nations:
“Despite our efforts, heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf region persist. The Secretary-General continues to call for restraint by all sides and stresses the need to avoid acts or rhetoric that may escalate tensions. We urge all concerned in the region and beyond to opt for dialogue to address their respective security concerns."
6. Multiple screens, participants
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General, League of Arab States:
"We look forward to the new American administration rectifying useless procedures and policies and to work, with the support of influential regional and international parties, to return the political process to a fruitful path, which would give hope to the Palestinian people that the international community will do justice to their noble efforts for freedom and independence."
8. Multiple screens, participants
9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General, League of Arab States:
"The solution also requires reducing the influence of regional actors which still view the Syrian arena as spoils or a land to settle accounts. Syria is a primary Arab nation in history, geography, culture, and language. I am convinced that the powers trying to strip it from its region will not succeed in anything but creating more suffering for the Syrian people."
10. Multiple screens, participants

STORYLINE:

UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo said, despite UN efforts, “heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf region persist,” and urged “all concerned in the region and beyond to opt for dialogue to address their respective security concerns."

At a virtual meeting of the Security Council to discuss cooperation with the League of Arab States (LAS), DiCarlo said conflicts in Libya, Syria and Yemen, as well as a stalled Middle East peace process and fissures among Arab states exacerbated regional stability and hampered economic and social development. She said cooperation between the UN and the League remained crucial to address these situations and noted that the two organizations worked to uphold regional and international consensus on the two-state solution and intra-Palestinian reconciliation.

DiCarlo said, “The two-state solution that realizes the legitimate national aspirations of Palestinians and Israelis in line with UN resolutions is the only way to lead to sustainable peace between the two peoples.”

The UN political chief stressed that heightened tensions persist in the Persian Gulf region. She said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “continues to call for restraint by all sides and stresses the need to avoid acts or rhetoric that may escalate tensions.” She added, “We urge all concerned in the region and beyond to opt for dialogue to address their respective security concerns."

DiCarlo welcomed the recent al-Ula declaration recognizing the importance of unity among the Gulf Cooperation Council states and hope it will strengthen regional security, stability and prosperity.

In his first address to the Council since June 2019, LAS Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the region was witnessing a very sensitive and dangerous period. He said the COVID-19 pandemic created a pressing economic and social situation and also had implications on already complicated situations including 10 years of civil war in Syria, seven years of war in Yemen, a strong divide in Libya.

Aboul Gheit said there was no horizon to the Question of Palestine. He added, "We look forward to the new American administration rectifying useless procedures and policies and to work, with the support of influential regional and international parties, to return the political process to a fruitful path, which would give hope to the Palestinian people that the international community will do justice to their noble efforts for freedom and independence."

The LAS Secretary-General said the Arab region was still facing regional interferences in its internal affairs which are causing instability including with regards to international maritime routes while also exacerbating existing conflicts.

He said five countries have an active military presence in Syria and the economy is under extreme strain due to the conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the US sanctions, impacting humanitarian efforts.

Aboul Gheit said the solution in Syria requires “reducing the influence of regional actors which still view the Syrian arena as spoils or a land to settle accounts.” He added, “Syria is a primary Arab nation in history, geography, culture, and language. I am convinced that the powers trying to strip it from its region will not succeed in anything but creating more suffering for the Syrian people."

Aboul Gheit stressed that the LAS was seeking to establish good neighbourly relations with regional countries based on the UN Charter including respecting states' sovereignty and non-interference in their internal affairs, as well as building trust among states with consideration to the security concerns of all sides to establish a healthy balanced relationship.