Assistance to the Palestinians – Plassnik at EU Luxembourg meeting – EU Presidency press release/Non-UN document (excerpts)

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Plassnik: No taxpayers’ money to finance violence or terrorism'

Plassnik at the General Affairs and External Relations Council in Luxembourg

The main topics of the discussion at today’s meeting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council of the European Union chaired by Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik were the latest developments in the Middle East and the situation following the elections in Belarus. The Foreign Ministers also discussed the situation in Iran and Ukraine. Another issue discussed was the external aspects of the EU sustainable development strategy, with a view to the revision and planned adoption of the revised strategy by the European Council in June 2006.

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With regard to the situation in the Middle East, the Council noted with regret the absence of any sign of a significant change of attitude on the part of Hamas. The Foreign Ministers therefore supported the Commission’s decision to suspend direct payments and technical assistance to the Palestinian Authority as a precautionary measure, whereby Plassnik stressed that the individual Member States will take the same approach. “Our policy is not to threaten or blackmail, nor is it about some kind of collective punishment. However, we owe it to our voters and the taxpayers to see to it that tax revenue is not used to finance violence or terror", Plassnik said. The EU will nevertheless continue to support the Palestinian people and to provide basic humanitarian assistance. “Our aim is not to bring about the failure of the Hamas government, but to persuade it to accept our criteria. Our aim is to see all parties contribute to a positive development in the Middle East by peaceful means", she declared. Plassnik also said that the EU Foreign Ministers have agreed to refrain from any contacts at a political level with the Palestinian Authority.

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