Gaza: "Efforts to end current impasse imperative" UN Under-Secretary-General

Gaza: "Efforts to end current impasse imperative" (Lynn Pascoe):

"United Nations, 25 March 2009 - B. Lynn Pascoe, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, said that two months since the declaration of unilateral ceasefires in Gaza, a worrying situation of impasse and uncertainty existed. Despite international engagement and support, very little concrete progress had been made on key issues outlined in Council resolution 1860 (2009), including the establishment of a proper ceasefire regime in Gaza, unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance, opening of the crossings, prevention of illicit trafficking in arms and ammunitions, and intra-Palestinian reconciliation.

Turning to Lebanon, he said that on 23 March, the prevailing relative calm had been interrupted when Kamal Medhat, Deputy PLO representative in Lebanon, had been killed by a roadside bomb. The Secretary-General had condemned that terrorist attack and expressed his hope that the perpetrators would be brought to justice promptly. In other developments, the Lebanese embassy in Damascus had been inaugurated on 16 March, the overall situation in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) area of operations had remained generally quiet during the past month, progress was continuing on visibly marking the Blue Line and Israeli air violations continued on an almost daily basis."



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