By NNN-BNA
New York : The UAE was among the first countries to lend its strong support to the alliance of civilizations, an initiative launched by the UN Secretary-General in 2005, based on its belief in the importance of mobilising an international concerted effort towards creating a new global environment where all states can live peacefully, USE’s charge-de afaires to the UN said Saturday.
The UAE which believes in the principle of respect for human dignity, rights and beliefs of all human beings without axceptions to the teachings of Islam, has enacted the appropriate legislation and regulations needed to protect the fundemental rights and freedom of its inhabitants including all residents and foreigners working in the country, regardless of their nationality, origin, language or religion, said al-Barout.
He said the UAE’s interest in promoting intercultural dialogue extended beyond its national level to include direct contributions towards the protection of the comon heritage of mankind.
He called upon the General Assembly to follow the recommendations of the high-level panel which demand for Israel to accept and facilitate the process of establisshing an independent and viable Palestinian state, which can live side by side in peace, in accordance to the international law and relevant legitimate resolutions so that the state of hostility and conflict can be ended.
He also said the need to compel Israel to halt all measures aimed at erasing the Arab and Palestinina cultural identity in the occupied territories including its ongoing attempts to ravage religious, educational and cultural sites, among the foremost of which are the city of al-Quds al Sharif and al-Aqsa mosque, which constitute a flagrant violation of the provision of international law, human rights and the principle of cultural diversity.