By Xinhua
United Nations : The US presented a draft resolution to the UN Security Council, requesting endorsement of the latest agreement at Annapolis by Israel and Palestine.
US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters after closed-door consultations Thursday afternoon that there was enormous support for the draft resolution among Council members.
“Everyone who spoke was very positive,” he said. “Everyone recognises that we collectively and individually have to do what we can to be supportive, to sustain the momentum and help the parties as they make the difficult decisions that they have to make.”
Ambassador Marty Natalegawa of Indonesia, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council for November, said the resolution would be hopefully adopted Friday after the Council holds the monthly debate on the Middle East.
“From the presidency perspective, we see there is a good potential for a common, positive response to Annapolis which we wish to nurture and capture as early as possible so that positive momentum is maintained,” he said.
The draft resolution endorses the programme of action for negotiations and implementation of outstanding obligations pursuant to the roadmap agreed upon by the Israeli and Palestinian leadership at Annapolis, Maryland, Nov 27, 2007.
It calls on all states to lend their diplomatic and political support to Israeli-Palestinian efforts to implement their agreed programme of action, such as encouraging and recognising progress and preventing any support for acts of violence or terrorism intended to disrupt their efforts.
It also calls on those states and international organisations in a position to do so to assist in the development of the Palestinian economy, including at the upcoming donors’ conference in Paris.