US, EU see great scope for cooperation in Greater Middle East – USDOS press release/Non-UN document

U.S., EU See Great Scope for Cooperation in Greater Middle East

Mar. 1: Colin Powell, Brian Cowen, Javier Solana, Christopher Patten

The United States and the European Union "see great opportunity and scope for cooperation on a Greater Middle East Initiative in the run-up to the G-8, US-EU and NATO summits" in June 2004, said Secretary of State Colin Powell after meeting with top EU officials March 1 at the State Department.

"We had a useful discussion today on how we can best work together to support indigenous voices for reform in the Greater Middle East," Powell said. "All of us seek to expand political, economic and educational opportunities there."

Meeting with Powell and sharing the podium at a press briefing were Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen, representing Ireland's EU Presidency, EU External Affairs Commissioner Christopher Patten, and Javier Solana, EU Secretary General and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy.

Cowen, saying "the stalled Middle East peace process remains of deep concern to all of us," added that "an early meeting between [Israeli] Prime Minister Sharon and [the Palestinian Authority's] Abu Alaa would be very helpful in that process."

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Following is the State Department transcript:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Office of the Spokesman

March 1, 2004

PRESS AVAILABILITY

Secretary of State Colin Powell, Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen, EU High Representative Javier Solana, EU External Affairs Commissioner Christopher Patten

March 1, 2004 Dean Acheson Auditorium Washington, D.C.

(2:00 p.m. EST)

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. It's always a great pleasure to welcome my European Union colleagues to the Department of State — Foreign Minister Cowen, High Representative Solana, and External Affairs Commissioner Patten and I have had a wide-ranging set of productive discussions and it reflects our rich agenda, a rich agenda that, in turn, reflects the dynamism of the US-EU partnership and our commitment to work together to meet regional and global challenges.

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We had a useful discussion today on how we can best work together to support indigenous voices for reform in the Greater Middle East. All of us seek to expand political, economic and educational opportunities there. President Bush spoke in November of the urgent need for a forward strategy for freedom in the Middle East, and the European Union has an extensive program of its own with Mediterranean countries.

We see great opportunity and scope for cooperation on a Greater Middle East Initiative in the run-up to the G-8, US-EU and NATO summits this June.

We also remain committed to the Quartet's work with the parties to achieve progress on President Bush's two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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FOREIGN MINISTER COWEN: Thank you very much, Colin.

I want to thank the Secretary of State and his team for the very full and constructive discussions today, which the EU troika composed of myself, High Representative Secretary General Solana and Commissioner Patten had today with our U.S. counterparts.

On the evidence of today's discussions, European Union-U.S. relations are in good shape, and we are determined to further improve them going forward.

The European Union and the United States are deeply engaged in addressing most of the key issues on the international agenda, and with a very good dialogue on many of those issues today.

The stalled Middle East peace process remains of deep concern to all of us. We had a very frank exchange of views. We need to make early progress on the implementation of the Quartet roadmap. I emphasized the importance of helping the parties to take small, concrete and visible steps to begin implementation of the roadmap, and we agreed that an early meeting between Prime Minister Sharon and Abu Alaa would be very helpful in that process.

We also discussed the wider Middle East. The European Union already has an extensive partnership with the countries in this neighboring region of ours, and the European Union is already working on proposals to enhance this partnership throughout the region. We see consultation with the countries in the region as being of central importance in further developing our relations with them. Progress on the Middle East peace process remains essential for regional stability.

The European Union is ready to work with the United States in assisting the countries of the region in their efforts to make the region a zone of peace, prosperity and progress. We want the countries of the region to come forward with ideas for addressing the desire of their people for economic development, and political and social reform, and we are ready to help them in whatever way we can.

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SECRETARY POWELL: Christopher or Javier, would you like to add anything?

Questions?

QUESTION: Mr. Cowen, your reference to Abu Alaa, I want you to — you know what I mean, you called for meetings — does that mean the Europeans have now accepted the reality that Israel will not deal with Yasser Arafat, who the Europeans have been insisting is the real leader of the Palestinian people?

The Americans have long past that point and are not dealing with Arafat. Or is it — does it — or does not have any special import, your reference to wanting Sharon to meet with Abu Alaa?

FOREIGN MINISTER COWEN: Well, I think the point is that, obviously, we don't have a completely agreed position between the United States and the European Union, in respect to that particular aspect of the matter.

But there has been a call since the reformed Palestinian Authority has nominated Abu Alaa as Prime Minister. And there is a need for a meeting to take place between he and Minister Sharon, as there was in the past between Prime Minister Sharon and Abu Mazen, who is the predecessor of Abu Alaa.

We think it's important, in the context of creating momentum, in creating a renewed dialogue between these parties, and that such a meeting should take place. We think they should have prospects for an outcome to that meeting and the Quartet group is working to see, to facilitate a meeting as early as possible in that respect.

QUESTION: So the Europeans have not changed their position on Yasser Arafat?

FOREIGN MINISTER COWEN: No, we haven't.

QUESTION: Okay.

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