Wadephul calls for concerted effort on Middle East peace plan
After visits to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul says he senses a willingness for renewed cooperation in the Middle East. He also sends a message to Israel.
Bahrain (dpa) – German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has called on Israelis, Palestinians, Arabs and Europeans to make a concerted effort to implement the Middle East peace plan. “The task now is to give people in the Middle East hope – by ensuring that political action follows the extensive agreements and declarations of intent,” Wadephul said at the security conference IISS Manama Dialogue in the Bahraini capital. The challenges facing the region could only be addressed in cooperation with Europe, he added,
saying that he wanted to support this process. “As a country whose balanced policies have given it access to many in the Middle East, Germany is valued as a dialogue partner,” Wadephul said.
He described the ceasefire between Israel and the Islamist Hamas as fragile and said it required sustained commitment from all sides. The Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, like Hamas in Gaza, needed to be disarmed, he said, adding that strong Lebanese armed forces were essential.
Wadephul stressed that the issues between Israel and its neighbours had to be resolved through cooperation and reconciliation. “Everyone is ready to reach out to Israel and work towards a new kind of coexistence,” he said. “That’s a great opportunity – but now there must also be concrete steps towards understanding.”
