Jordan Times
Sunday, July 16, 2006
King urges immediate UN intervention, ceasefire
AMMAN (Petra) — King Abdullah on Saturday called for an immediate UN intervention to stop the crisis in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
The King told UN Secretary General Kofi Annan over the telephone that “the deteriorating situation in the region will lead to more bloodshed, destruction and suffering of Palestinians and Lebanese”.
On the eve of the G-8 summit in St. Petersburg, the King, who ordered the dispatch of 650 tonnes of aid to both Palestinians and Lebanese, telephoned German Chancellor Angela Merkel and called for “taking a stand demanding an end to the Israeli aggressions on Lebanon and the Gaza Strip as well as a ceasefire between Israel and Hizbollah.” He stressed the importance of G-8 support for efforts to end the crisis.
Also yesterday, the King and Bahraini Monarch Hamad Ben Isa Al Khalifa agreed that “dialogue and diplomacy were the most feasible means to solve conflicts.”
At a meeting in Manama, the two leaders warned of grave repercussions in the entire region if fighting and violence continue.
In Cairo, King Abdullah and Egyptian President Hosni Mubark on Friday warned against “adventures that do not serve Arab interests”. Both sides also reiterated their support for Lebanese government efforts to preserve its country’s sovereignty and independence.
On the same day, the King spoke with US President George W. Bush and urged “action” to end Israel's military operations.