LOC22:49
19:49 GMT
CAIRO, March 31 (KUNA) -- Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmad Abul-Gheit on Sunday called on New Zealand to recognize State of Palestine, deeming this the key to a peaceful Middle East settlement, based on the bi-state approach.
Abul-Gheit made the call while welcoming visiting New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters, the Secretary-General's Spokesman Jamal Rushdi said in a press statement.
The decision to recognize State of Palestine with full United Nations (UN) membership would pave the way for Palestinian-Israeli negotiations on equal footing, he added.
The Cairo-based Arab bloc's chief underlined that it is essential to put the recent UN Security Council resolution on Gaza ceasefire in place, to put an end to Israeli military operations and to stem months of bloodshed in the enclave.
He, further, called for delivering humanitarian and relief aid to the population of Gaza in line with a sustainable and reliable mechanism, while speaking highly of Wellington's opposition to the atrocious Israeli aggression on the Palestinian territory. (end)
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