Rafah Terminal – Summary of remarks by EU High Representative Solana – EU press release

Brussels, 15 November 2005
S365/05

Summary of remarks by

Javier SOLANA,

EU High Representative for the CFSP

on the agreement on Rafah

In comments made today in Jerusalem at a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Quartet Special Envoy Jim Wolfensohn, Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy welcomed the agreement reached earlier in the day between the parties on movement and access to and from Gaza, including the agreed principles for Rafah crossing, and stressed the EU's future role in the framework of that agreement.

"I think this is a very, very important agreement. It has taken a long time to finalise but it will give the Gaza disengagement its full content in particular because the border between the Gaza and Egypt will now be opened.

And as you know from the document that you are going to read in a moment, the European Union will assume the "third-party role" on that very important and complicated border. We are ready.

We have the plans ready and prepared and by the end of the month we will be in a position to take full responsibility and have the border function.

It’s not an easy task, but I'm sure it will be successful and it will contribute for the first time to the Palestinians having a border that is open and controlled by them with a third party present so that they can go to Egypt and the outside world.

As you know, the Philadelphia Road will be controlled by the Egyptians but at the border crossing the European Union will act as third party. We assume that responsibility as a very important contribution to the finalisation of the Gaza disengagement.

I want to say that Jim Wolfensohn, the Quartet envoy for the disengagement, has played a fundamental role, and I want to thank him very, very warmly, as much as I want to say thank you to Condoleezza Rice for the long hours that we have had to put in over the past few days.

This is the first time that a border is opened and given to the Palestinians to control themselves with the help of a third party. This is a very important step.

We will be about 50 – 70 people, policemen, border experts, from different countries. They will be headed by a general from the Italian Carabinieri, who will be appointed shortly."¹

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¹ EU Member States today agreed in principle to appoint Major-General Pietro Pistolese as Head of the future EU border control monitoring Mission in Rafah. A CV of Major-General Pistolese is attached.

Curriculum Vitae of Pietro Pistolese

Head of Mission

European Union Border Control Assistance Mission in Rafah

Name: Major-General Pietro Pistolese

Date of birth: 10 January 1941

Nationality: Italian

Place of birth: Parma

Languages: English and French

Professional experience:

Sept 2004 to Nov 2005: Director, Centre of Excellence for Stability Police Units (COESPU), Vicenca, tasked to organise, train and prepare the infrastructures and cadres and to train the trainers of Stability Police Units at the UN's disposal following the G8 countries' decision in 2004 for police PSO missions

2004: Commander, North-West Italy Carabinieri, tasked to maintain order and public security, dealing with investigations and information;

2001 to 2004: Commander, Liguria Region Carabinieri, tasked to maintain order and public security, dealing with investigations and information;

1999 to 2004: Overall Commander, Head of WEU mission, Tirana, Albania, tasked to re-establish Albanian police

July to December 2003: President, European Union Collective Evaluation Group under Italian Presidency of EU

Experience of Middle-Eastern affairs

1998: Jerusalem ISR, Stockholm, Member of Evaluation Group

1997: Temporary International Presence in the City of Hebron (TIPH) Hebron, West Bank, in 1997; TIPH – Hebron, West Bank, Deputy Head of Mission

1995 to 1996: EU Electoral Unit, Bethlehem District, West Bank, Security Adviser

1994: TIPH 1 – Hebron, West Bank, Deputy Head of Mission

Education and training

2003: Obtained a masters' degree from Turin University in strategic science

2000: Obtained a degree from Turin University in strategic science

1965: Obtained the rank of carabinieri lieutenant at the Officers' School

1963: Obtained the rank of army lieutenant at the Military Academy