EU-Canada Summit (19 June 2005) – High Representative meeting with Mideast Quartet Special Envoy for Disengagement – EU press release/Non-UN document

Joint Summit Declaration

EU-Canada Summit

Niagara-on-the-Lake, 19 June 2005

We, the leaders of Canada and the European Union (EU), met today in Niagara-on-the-Lake to build on our existing and excellent cooperation and enhance our partnership.

Our partnership is strong. Ours is a long-standing, healthy and dynamic relationship founded on the common values of political pluralism, democracy, rule of law, human rights and gender equality, and shared interests such as encouraging the development of effective multilateral institutions and a free trading, rules-based global economy.

We are also encouraged by the renewed spirit of cooperation that has re-energized transatlantic relations and fostered a positive, pragmatic working climate, enabling all members of the transatlantic community to set aside their differences and consult productively on a number of difficult issues.

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Regional Issues

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Middle East Peace Process

Canada and the EU are committed to helping the parties take advantage of current opportunities to achieve a fair, lasting and negotiated peace leading to a two-state solution. We look forward to a full, complete and coordinated Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the Northern West Bank in a manner consistent with the road map. We urge the parties to respect their commitments and to refrain from unilateral actions that could prejudge final status issues. We welcome and encourage President Abbas' steps to prevent violence and implement security reforms. While remaining concerned by the lack of economic opportunity for Palestinians, we welcome and support the mission of Quartet Special Envoy Wolfensohn. Canada and the EU are working together to help build the capacity of the Palestinian Authority to promote security, good governance and economic development in the West Bank and Gaza, including private sector development and job creation. Canadian participation in the successful EU Election Observation Mission to observe the Palestinian Presidential elections in January is one example.

Lebanon

Canada and the EU note Syria’s recent withdrawal of its troops from Lebanon and the impending return of the United Nations verification team to the country. We fully support the work of the UN Secretary General and urge all parties to fully implement UNSCR 1559. We jointly support the independent commission of inquiry in its efforts to identify those responsible for the murder of former Prime Minister Hariri so that they may be brought to justice. We condemn the continuation of political assassinations in Lebanon and are deeply concerned about their politically destabilizing impact. We deplore actions at the Israeli-Lebanese border which risk escalating the violence in the region. We are supporting the ongoing Lebanese parliamentary elections where Canadian observers have joined the EU Observation Mission.

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