KUWAIT CITY
The ongoing crisis in Syria threatens the entire region, Lakhdar Ibrahimi, the U.N.-Arab League special envoy to Syria, asserted at Tuesday's opening session of this year's Arab summit in Kuwait.
"The influx of arms into the hands of all parties to the Syrian conflict must be stopped," Ibrahimi said in a speech delivered on behalf of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.
"A military solution will not resolve the crisis," he added.
"The entire region is threatened by the Syrian conflict, especially [neighboring] Lebanon," Ibrahimi said.
"Hundreds of thousands of Syrians are losing their lives while over 2.5 million have become refugees," he said, reiterating calls for a political solution to end the ongoing "tragedy."
Ibrahimi had served as mediator in the internationally-sponsored Geneva II talks, which began earlier this year but which failed – after two negotiation rounds – to achieve their stated aim of establishing a transitional government in Damascus.
"Arab efforts should focus on encouraging the Syrian regime to return to the negotiating table," Ibrahimi asserted.
The U.N. envoy also mentioned ongoing U.S.-backed Palestinian-Israeli peace talks, accusing Israel of hindering negotiations with its continued construction of Jewish-only settlements on Palestinian land.
"Israel's continued settlement activity threatens the prospects of a peaceful solution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict," Ibrahimi said.
"The Palestinians have a legitimate right to an independent state and Israel has a legitimate right to live peacefully within recognized borders," he added.
The envoy went on to call for "decisive action aimed at reaching a two-state solution that would end the Israeli occupation."
Washington-brokered peace talks between the perennial enemies resumed last July after a three-year hiatus, although little tangible progress has been announced thus far.
By Hamza Takeen
englishnews@aa.com.tr
