EU-PLO-PA Ministerial Troika Political Dialogue Meeting (Luxembourg) – EU press release/Non-UN document (excerpts)

Political Dialogue at Ministerial level EU-PLO-PA

A Ministerial Troika Political Dialogue meeting was held between the EU and Representatives of the Palestinian Authority today in Luxembourg. The EU was represented by the President of the Council Mr. Papandreou, the SG/HR Mr. Solana, Commissioner Patten and the Italian FM Mr. Frattini. The Palestinian delegation was headed by the Minister responsible for External Affairs in the Palestinian Authority, Mr. Nabil Shaath.

Political dialogue meetings with Palestinian representatives are foreseen by the Joint Declaration, which was signed by both sides in 1997 together with the signature of the EC-PLO Interim Association Agreement. Today’s meeting, which was the first meeting between the two sides since the convening of the EC-PLO Joint Committee three years ago, gave the opportunity for a fruitful exchange of views on recent developments in the Middle East. Both sides reiterated the commitment to the Peace Process and to the rapid and faithful implementation of the Quartet Road Map. The contribution of the EU was assessed in that respect. The EU and Palestinian Representatives also discussed the prospects and potential of their existing contractual relations.

Ref:  CL03-219EN

EU source:  Council