Middle East conflict – Solana report on Arab League summit/MEP debate – European Parliament press release/Non-UN document

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MEPs debated the outlook for the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy with High Representative Javier Solana. Issues from the captured British navy personnel, Darfur, the situation in the Middle East, the final status of Kosovo and the possible US anti-missile shield to be installed in Europe were all raised in the extensive debate.

Javier Solana, High Representative for the CFSP

 

Javier SOLANA began his statement by informing MEPs that he had just returned from the Arab League summit in Riyadh, where he said the EU had played a role of some importance.

 

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Middle East

 

Mr Solana said that the current Arab League summit in Riyadh could be one of most significant in the League's 60 year history. A new feature was that clear leadership has been exercised throughout by the King of Saudi Arabia. The kingdom, he said, had not in past been active in foreign policy, but: "King Abdullah has started action of some importance to solve problems of Arab world as a whole. Arab League is important and was talking about important subjects.  The most important one is the  revival of Arab League initiative on peace process." This had originated in the 2002 Beirut offer to recognise Israel in exchange for withdrawal to 1967 border. It was now back on the table "with energy and determination. We got that initiative into the famous road map as element of a comprehensive peace process," between Palestine and Israel but also including Lebanon and Syria.  

 

On the Middle East, Mr Solana said, "the EU is convinced the Arab Israeli conflict is at heart of region's problems, which is why we supported the Mecca agreement as a contribution to ending conflicts between Palestinians and as a way of achieving the end of the occupation which began in 1967.  We support the indefatigable efforts of President Abbas, who is trying to achieve objectives of Palestinian people. There are three principles he has invoked: mutual recognition, renunciation of violence and achievement of peace through negotiations. EU has not abandoned Palestinian people and it won't. We have new opportunity to solve the conflict."

 

Regarding the new Palestinian Authority government, said the CFSP High Representative, "we will have to decide how to deal with that government and how to finance it. My position […] is that there are some people in government we know well, and some we don't know, since they are from Hamas, which is on the list of terrorist organisations, so we don't talk to them." He said the new Finance Minister and Foreign Minister were both people the EU had been talking to for years. "It would be a mistake to cut off all contact with the people in this government with whom we have worked for many years. On financing, we should not change policy from one day to next, but if you listen to the new Finance Minister, that would be a good start in learning how to make our aid as effective as possible," both in humanitarian terms and in helping the  peace process. "Deeds are more important than words: we need to see how new Palestinian government behaves and react on that basis. We could be able to move from crisis management to conflict solution." The Quartet, he said, had met several times this year, and he hoped before the summer to get Quartet together with  countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Jordan with the parties to the conflict. This would, he said, by Israel's first meeting with the Quartet as such.

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