Risk of Mideast peace process' 'regression', say Italy, Palestine

Rome, Nov 9 (IANS/AKI) The stalled Middle East peace process risks "regression" amid "worrying" developments, Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano and his Palestinian Authority counterpart Riad Malki said on Thursday.

"We have both underlined the risk of regression in respect of the peace process and the worrying developments on the ground," said Alfano in a media briefing at the Foreign Ministry here on his talks there with Malki during the Third Joint Italy-Palestine Ministerial Committee.

"We spoke of the weariness that the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is enduring at present and of the attempts at reconciliation among Palestinian factions," he added.

He also said that Italy is a "priority partner" in Palestinian development.

Maliki said that the Palestinian Authority and Italy believe lasting Middle East peace requires the creation of a separate Palestinian state and are striving for this goal.

"Politically, the two-state solution is the right one for sustainable peace in the region," he told reporters after the meeting with Alfano, adding that Italy and the Palestinian Authority are working towards the creation of two separate states.

"This joint effort will hopefully be crowned with success and result in negotiations for a lasting peace accord," he said.

"We share unwavering hope that this will happen sooner or later and it gives us the strength to go forward."

--IANS/AKI

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