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Annan Urges Halt of Violence in Mideast
Deploring the latest round of violence in the Middle East, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan November 21 appealed to the parties to prevent a further escalation.
Annan condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the violence which took place November 20 in the Gaza Strip, his spokesman Fred Eckhard said.
The UN chief called on the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority to "cease all escalatory actions and to do their utmost to stop the violence, which has cost so many lives and caused so much tragedy," Eckhard said in a statement released in New York.
Israeli air attacks November 20 "can only further complicate the prospects for dialogue, which is the only way forward to a just and peaceful solution," the spokesman said.
Asked about Annan's contacts November 20 with diplomatic representatives from the two parties, Eckhard said the process of dealing with a proposed international presence in the conflict area had only just begun in initial meetings with the two sides.
"I can't give you any dates for the next meetings but he is talking quite widely with other players and we'll just have to see whether he can make progress," Eckhard said.
Israeli helicopter gunships and warships fired at least 40 missiles November 20 evening at the Palestinian targets in what it called a "measured response" to a bomb attack on a Jewish settlers ' school bus, which left two people dead and nine others wounded.
Bloody clashes between the two parties have claimed over 240 lives, mostly Palestinians, and left thousand of others wounded since late September.
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