UN envoy says Middle East peace process needs action

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Ten months after Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed to try to reach a peace settlement this year, the UN's Mideast envoy said Thursday that the peace process requires stepped-up action to reach an agreement in 2008. "While there are some positive developments, there are also several factors that cause concern," Robert Serry told the UN Security Council. "The important period ahead must see decisive advances towards peace." Despite continuing negotiations between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, he said, "it appears so far that no agreement has been reached on the core issues." "However, it also appears that there have been substantive discussions, the potential of which must be built on with a continuation of intensive negotiations," Serry said.