EP/EXTERNAL RELATIONS: Javier Solana is addressing the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee in Brussels
Addressing the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee in Brussels, the EU High Representative for CFSP presented, on 2 October afternoon, his analysis of the different dossiers debated in New York at the United Nations General Assembly.
Reasonably optimistic about the definition of a political horizon to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Javier Solana, proved more worried about developments in the Iranian nuclear affair. He expects progress from Tehran if new UN sanctions are to be avoided. He also approved the proposal from the president of the parliamentary committee, Jacek Saruysz-Wolski (EPP-ED, Poland), in his report on common foreign energy policy and approved the appointment of a High Representative for foreign policy in this area.
Middle East.
In the context of the peace process between Palestinians and Israelis, Javier Solana, said that, “a new feasibility dynamic is ongoing but tangible results are not yet certain”. MEPs were more measured in their appreciation of developments in the conflict and MEPs posed a number of questions about the humanitarian situation in the occupied territories. Mr Solana exclaimed that, “we should repeat that the EU has not abandoned the Palestinians” and pointed out that the EU and member states continued to be the biggest donors of humanitarian aid. Pointing out that the prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, Salam Fayyad, was doing all he could to “manage the situation” regarding the divisions between Gaza and the West Bank, Solana acknowledged that he did not know how the intra-Palestinian dialogue could start up again, even though he was placing his hopes in Mahmoud Abbas.
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Document Sources: European Council, European Parliament
Subject: Peace process
Publication Date: 02/10/2007