ISLAMABAD, Feb 4: Saudi Arabian Ambassador Ali Awadh Asseri on Tuesday made an impassioned appeal for global peace, equity and justice, urging the world’s powerful nations to take the lead in giving peace a chance.

The Saudi ambassador made this appeal at a news briefing a day before the United States is to present to the United Nations the evidence collected against the Iraqi government.

Speaking to the members of the local and foreign media at his residence, Mr Asseri stressed the need for initiating a “meaningful, sincere and genuine” dialogue amongst all nations of the world to bridge the gap for a better world.

The Sept 11 tragedy, he said, had raised many disturbing questions about the state of world affairs, adding that the world was faced with the critical and legitimate question of where it went wrong.

“While every one is committed to the objective of peace in the world, there appears to be serious differences among the states with regard to the path to its attainment,” Mr Asseri cautioned.

“The world must understand that terrorism is a phenomenon that can be unleashed by renegades belonging to any religion or any sect as, truly, it has happened in the past,” he said emphatically.

Mr Asseri called upon the international community to address terrorism as a phenomenon in its entirety without further loss of time.

“It is time for countries to collaborate to rid the world of terrorism, they must sit together and deliberate its causes. They must use power of logic and reason,” said Mr Asseri. He held that the world was now over-reacting to the tragedy of Sept 11.

Condemning the “irresponsible talk” in the past one-year about the looming ‘clash of civilizations’ he regretted that the consistent and dominant theme of this “propaganda” had been the hostile sentiments expressed against the Muslims of the world. He emphasised that terrorism was not religion specific. “Let’s not forget that terrorism knows no religion, no friends. Terrorists are terrorists,” he asserted.

Addressing the causes of terrorism, removing disparities and bringing justice to all people of the world irrespective of their sects, colour or creed were the key to global peace, the Saudi ambassador stressed. Reckoning that the “project of peace in the world” was an ambitious one, he said it could mean the difference between war and peace, the difference between survival and destruction.

Mr Asseri said his government was committed to making the world a safe place for all people of the world and it had initiated far-reaching reforms for attainment of “the dream” of peace. He underlined that it is imperative for the dream of global peace to be realized that the issue of equity and justice for all countries and all people of the world is addressed.

Mr Asseri also drew attention to the issues of poverty, unemployment and illiteracy, saying these were serious issues that have hampered the dream of peace in the world. “All these issues have to be addressed in earnest with all the commitment, resources and the resolve of the world,” the ambassador stressed.

He said: “The objective here is not to find fault with others but to beseech the world to look inwards and address all outstanding issues in a fair, equitable and just manner.”

In a reference to the long-standing problem of the Middle East Mr Asseri regretted that the peace proposal by the Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz to end the conflict was shot down by Ariel Sharon.

KASHMIR ISSUE: The ambassador also emphasised the need to address the long-standing issue of Kashmir. He said: “A dialogue is badly needed between India and Pakistan...when there is a dialogue there is peace.”