Kazakhstan addresses UNSC Consultations on Middle East

At the meeting, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process Nikolay Mladenov presented his briefing.

Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, Kairat Umarov, speaking at the onset of the briefing, called on the parties to return to the negotiating table in order to achieve a peaceful, just and lasting settlement in accordance with international law.

The leaders of Israel and Palestine must take concrete steps that will preserve the possibility of peaceful coexistence between the two states and strengthen the prospects for peace based on the inalienable right of Palestinians to statehood and Israel's right to security, the statement said.

Kazakhstan urged the sides to demonstrate the political will to achieve a historical peace agreement on the principle of "two states for two peoples" by strengthening the relations of peace, security, and development. Including, and through the promotion of confidence-building measures in the sphere of development, which is the "second pillar" of the UN.

The Kazakh delegation proposed to revitalize the Middle East Quartet (the U.S., Russia, the UN and the EU) and also drew the attention of the international community to the unstable and tense situation in the Gaza Strip. Kazakhstan welcomed the recent diplomatic efforts of the United States, Russia, and Egypt to resolve this issue.