Chairman of the Arab League UN Want Bigger Role

Cairo, Tribune - United Nations (UN) should play a greater role in trying resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the United States should not be the only mediator, said a senior Arab official.

Without directly criticize U.S. policy in the Middle East, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa told Reuters that each arbitrator must be objective.

"There must be a change in the direction of the peace process, with a mediator who understands the needs of two parties, and not one party," he said.

The UN role is marginalized to a certain extent related to the Arab-Israeli conflict should be restored, he added. The UN is part of the quartet of mediators with the United States, European Union and Russia, but the U.S. has taken a prominent role in the peace process.

Envoy of U.S. President Barack Obama to the Middle East George Mitchell is scheduled to visit the region at the beginning of January to encourage longer-Palestinian peace talks Israel is constrained since the war three weeks in the Gaza Strip. War of 1400, killing 13 Palestinians and Israelis.

Months of diplomacy that made Mitchell had not shown signs of concrete progress in 2009. Talks the two sides would resume in 2010.

Moussa said he believed Mr Obama, but added, "We must attach the American role in terms of the roles others, Europe and the United Nations and all countries that have relations and interests with the situation in the Middle East."

Moussa, who became foreign minister of Egypt in 1991 and 2001, won praise from many Egyptians and Arabs because of his criticism of U.S. policy and Israel over the Middle East. (Tb)