Peres to address Oxford students

Shimon Peres is to give a lecture on the globalisation of peace

Israeli President Shimon Peres is due to address students at a lecture theatre in Oxford.

President Peres has been invited by Balliol College to give a lecture entitled the "Globalisation of Peace".

Oxford University's Arab Cultural Society have called for the event to be cancelled and are to stage a protest.

Andrew Graham, master of Balliol College, said it was important the university put issues, such as the Middle East, up for discussion.

"We believe that as a university, you need to have a diverse spread of views on issues of central importance," he said.

"The Middle East is one of these issues. It would be rather extraordinary and somewhat immoral to stand aside from discussing these things.

"If you are going to discuss these things why not here from the people who have been at the centre of it?"