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Global Economic Forum closes with appeal for Mideast peace
Southern Shuneh (Jordan), June 23: World leaders pressed Israel and the Palestinians to work harder for peace as the deal-makers at a global business forum switched focus today to trade and development in the volatile Mideast.
Southern Shuneh (Jordan), June 23: World leaders pressed Israel and the Palestinians to work harder for peace as the deal-makers at a global business forum switched focus today to trade and development in the volatile Mideast.
On the closing day of a ``reconciliation summit'' that drew some 1,100 business, political and civic figures from around the world, US Secretary of State Colin Powell and others stressed the importance of sticking to the US-backed Mideast peace plan known as the road map.
The plan's authors - the US, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations - urged an end to the "cycle of violence" which continued even during the three-day conference .
Four Palestinian militants were killed last night when a bomb they were planting went off in northern Gaza.
“There are those ... Who do not want to see progress toward peace,'' Powell said. “they will try to frustrate those efforts and blow up the road map. We cannot let a few individuals, and these really are just a few individuals, keep us from moving forward. ''
EU trade commissioner Pascal Lamy called the road map “absolutely crucial'' for peace, without which there would be little chance for prosperity.
“No point in pushing forward with the road building if we have to stop and puzzle over the map,'' he said.
Powell's final news conference before departing was to push the Bush administration's plan for a Mideast free trade zone in 10 years.
Along with the Israeli-Arab conflict, the problems of Iraq following the us-led war dominated the extraordinary session of the World Economic Forum, which was being held in the Mideast for the first time.
Bureau Report
The plan's authors - the US, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations - urged an end to the "cycle of violence" which continued even during the three-day conference .
Four Palestinian militants were killed last night when a bomb they were planting went off in northern Gaza.
“There are those ... Who do not want to see progress toward peace,'' Powell said. “they will try to frustrate those efforts and blow up the road map. We cannot let a few individuals, and these really are just a few individuals, keep us from moving forward. ''
EU trade commissioner Pascal Lamy called the road map “absolutely crucial'' for peace, without which there would be little chance for prosperity.
“No point in pushing forward with the road building if we have to stop and puzzle over the map,'' he said.
Powell's final news conference before departing was to push the Bush administration's plan for a Mideast free trade zone in 10 years.
Along with the Israeli-Arab conflict, the problems of Iraq following the us-led war dominated the extraordinary session of the World Economic Forum, which was being held in the Mideast for the first time.
Bureau Report