Summary: March 27, 2002: Address by the President of the European Council José María Aznar to the Arab League Summit (Beirut)
Beirut (Lebanon), 27 March 2002
"(...) The situation we are facing, and have been facing now for almost 18 months, cannot and must not be allowed to continue. You, and all of us, have a great responsibility ahead of us. Today, the eyes of the world are upon Beirut. Eyes which are tired of seeing so much death, so much destruction, so much pointless suffering, so much accumulated hatred; eyes tired of seeing initiatives succeed each other while succeeding in nothing. We cannot and should not continue to disappoint all those
who are today hoping to see some light at this meeting.
Beirut, a city in which palpable reconstruction efforts are being made, which is palpably backing peace and co-existence, needs to be associated indelibly with that geography of peace which includes such names as Madrid, Oslo, Camp David, Taba and Sharm el Sheikh, whose legacy we must not squander.
All the initiatives are on the table and all the proposals have been put forward, yet this will all be to no avail if we lack the fundamental element of will. The firm will to create peace amid violence, against violence and despite violence.
We must not give the enemies of peace a permanent right of veto over our efforts. We all face solemn responsibilities. Months and years of violence should have taught us that we cannot conceive of a military solution to this conflict. They should also have taught us that peace cannot be achieved by ignoring one's opponent or simply hoping to destroy him. We need to bury the idea once and for all that peace can be achieved without taking account of the legitimate aspirations and rights of the
other side.
Mr Chairman,
Israel needs recognition of its right to live in peace within secure frontiers, guaranteed by the commitment of the international community and, in particular, by the Arab Nations. This right needs to be stated clearly, and with this same clarity we need to state that peace and security go absolutely hand in hand, that there can be no security without peace and that there can be no peace without genuine justice.
By the same token, the Palestinian people need recognition of their right to live in peace on their land, within their own democratic, viable and independent state, with an end to the occupation of 1967. Moreover, peace in the Middle East will only be comprehensive if Syria and Lebanon are also included on the basis of these principles.
Mr Chairman,
I have said that the eyes of the world are upon Beirut today. So let us give the world hope. The Saudi peace initiative, based on the concept of full normalisation and complete withdrawal in accordance with UN Resolutions, is a unique opportunity. Let us seize that opportunity with courage and formulate it with responsibility. Many opportunities have already been wasted; we must not waste another.
The international community is prepared, I am in no doubt, to do whatever is necessary to help you in this task. The United Nations has said so clearly in the latest Resolution, No 1397, of the Security Council, as has the European Union in the Declaration approved recently in Barcelona, in which it reminded you that all the EU partners are firmly committed to the peace effort and that we will back it politically and economically for as long as it takes and to whatever extent is
necessary.
Mr Chairman, Your Majesties, Messrs President and dear Friends,
Let us not add Beirut to the long list of failures. Do not renounce what rightly is yours, but do not close your minds to what should rightly go to others; do not lend arguments to those who do not want peace, nor despair to those already in despair. As I speak to you now, I see clearly the scenes of horror we have witnessed in recent months, the fruit of the cruellest and most unacceptable terrorism, and of the most irrational and unjustifiable use of force. We have seen many innocent people
die, but what matters now is not pointing the finger at who has taken the absurdity furthest; what matters is now is putting an end to absurdity.
I know that there are sincere people on both sides, people who want peace, who long for peace. Let us help those people regain the pride of working for peace, and let us help them in that work.
Mr Chairman, Your Majesties, Messrs President and dear Friends,
It is in your hands, far more than in mine, that this Summit can undoubtedly achieve something of supreme importance or be relegated to oblivion. Today in Beirut I believe that the peace of the courageous is once again knocking at the door. May we have the strength to open that door, may we find that strength.
Thank you very much, Mr Chairman."
| Top |
European Union Member States
Alerts by email
Email this page
Print this page