Palestinians must unite - UN
2009-08-28 20:05
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Ban KI-Moon
As a child in South Korea, Ban Ki-moon wrote a letter to the UN secretary-general regarding the...
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Vienna - Palestinians must show a united front if the Middle East peace process is to move forward, UN Secretary General Ban-Ki moon said on Friday.
"It will be crucially important that the Palestinians are united among themselves," Ban said at a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the UN's headquarters in Vienna.
The UN chief called on Israelis and Palestinians to relaunch the Middle East peace process now that US President Barack Obama was "taking the lead in this process."
Ban urged both sides to stick to their commitments under a roadmap for peace.
"The partners should keep the commitments regarding the map," he said.
About 15 UN agencies are based in the Austrian capital and its role for the UN was "more central than ever before," particularly in view of the work of the nuclear watchdog the IAEA, the nuclear test ban organisation CTBT and the drugs and crime body UNODC, Ban said.
Austria invests about €400m in its UN headquarters every year and will "continue along that path" in the future, said Austrian President Heinz Fischer, who also attended the ceremony.
- SAPA
