S/PV.5313 Security Council

The President (spoke in Russian): The Security Council will now continue its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. After consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council. "The Security Council welcomes the Agreement on Movement and Access and the Agreed Principles for the Rafah Crossing reached between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority on 15 November 2005. The successful opening of the Rafah crossing on 25 November 2005 represents an important step forward. "The Security Council commends the efforts of the Quartet, its Special Envoy and his team, as well as the positive contributions of the Government of Egypt, and expresses its strong the appreciation to the European Union for assuming the role of third-party monitor. "The Security Council calls on the parties to take immediate action to implement the terms of both agreements according to the time lines established therein. "The Security Council calls for renewed action in parallel by the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority on their obligations in accordance with the Roadmap, to ensure continued progress towards the creation of a viable, democratic, sovereign and contiguous Palestine living side-by-side with Israel in peace and security. The Security Council stresses the importance of, and the need to achieve, a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East, based on all its relevant resolutions including its resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 1397 (2002) and 1515 (2003), the Madrid terms of reference and the principle of land for peace." This statement will be issued as a document of Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2005/57. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The meeting rose at 1.25 p.m. 05-622 14