UNITED NATIONS: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will speak in the United Nations Security Council in the next two weeks about the US Middle East peace plan, Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour said on Wednesday.
Mansour told reporters he hoped the 15-member Security Council, at the same meeting that Abbas would address, would vote on a draft resolution on the Israeli-Palestinian peace plan unveiled by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday.
However the United States is certain to veto any such resolution, diplomats said. A resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by permanent members United States, China, Russia, Britain or France to be adopted.
"We will try our best with our friends to have the strongest possible draft resolution and to receive the strongest and largest possible voting in favor of that resolution," Mansour said. He did not give details of what might be in the text.
"Of course we would like to see a strong, large opposition to this Trump plan," he said with Tunisian U.N. Ambassador Moncef Baati, currently serving a two-year term on the Security Council, standing beside him.
He said Abbas would use his visit to the United Nations in New York to "put before the entire international community the reaction of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian leadership against this onslaught against the national rights of the Palestinian people by the Trump administration."
Palestinian President Abbas to address UN Security Council on peace plan
https://arab.news/n4m7e
Palestinian President Abbas to address UN Security Council on peace plan
Al-Sharaa meets Arab intellectuals at Damascus book fair
DAMASCUS: Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa met with a group of Arab poets, writers and intellectuals taking part in the Damascus International Book Fair on Monday, the Culture Ministry’s Telegram channel reported.
The meeting was also attended by Culture Minister Mohammad Yassin Al-Saleh and his deputy, Saad Naasan.
Discussions focused on the role of culture in strengthening Arab ties and the importance of books in promoting knowledge and openness.
Participants also addressed the state of the literary movement in the region and prospects for its development.
President Al-Sharaa listened to the visiting writers’ impressions of the fair, which they said was a platform for dialogue among creatives from across the Arab world, and praised the organizers for ensuring the success of the current edition.
He added the exhibition featured broad participation from publishing houses and authors from Syria and abroad.
The Damascus International Book Fair, which opened on Feb. 6 at the capital’s fairgrounds, brings together institutions from 35 countries.
Ali Keda, assistant secretary-general of the Presidency for Cabinet Affairs, accompanied by minister of culture, toured the book fair, visiting several publishing houses.
During the tour, Keda listened to explanations from exhibitors about newly published titles.
