Remarks by EU High Representative for CFSP after meeting with PA Foreign Minister – European Union press release/Non-UN document

Brussels, 22, October 2004
S0280/04

Summary of remarks by
Javier SOLANA,
EU High Representative for the CFSP,
after his meeting with Nabeel SHAATH, Foreign Minister of the Palestinian Authority

22 July 2004

• I have to leave again (I just came back from Ottawa and I have to leave for Addis Abeba and Khartoum) but I didn't want to loose the opportunity of being with my good friend Nabeel SHAATH here today. We have been talking for  an hour about the situation and how we can get out of this dramatic situation which we live with, how to move the process forward.

• I want to say once again what is the position of the European Union. The position of the European Union continues to be the defence of the Road Map. The Road Map has to be maintained as the element that contains the final status and the global solution for the Peace Process. Therefore, it has to be maintained. We are going to do our utmost to have the Road Map moving faster, moving at a rhythm that has to be faster than it has been in last pieces of time.

• Second, we are going to support with the five points that you know, the Gaza disengagement. We are going to present also to our friends, the Palestinians, a plan in order to get that disengagement process in the most effective manner. So that is part of a process which is not an end in it self, but a part of the process that should lead to the end of the occupation. We are ready to contribute and to co-operate with our Palestinian friends on all the elements that they need: security, or the administration reform, or whatever is necessary and we will contribute to also on the economic conference, that is going to take place in order to help also from the economic point of view. You can be sure that we will continue working in that direction.

• I am not going to say more today than I said before the European Parliament, a few days ago and the statement that we produced in the last European meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in which we made a clear analysis of the situation of today.

• Mr Nabeel Shaath has the full assurance that we will continue working and working as hard as we can, with the energy that we can in order to get the situation out of the spiral which is the one of the last period of time. Important events are going to take place in the coming weeks. We hope they will affect positively the development of what is the aim that we share: to get the Road Map implemented, to do it rapidly, and to stop the sufferings of so many people, for so much time, so many months and so many years.

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FOR FURTHER DETAILS:
The Spokesperson of the Secretary General, High Representative for CFSP
 +32 (0)2 285 6467 / 8239 / 6217 / 5150 / 5151 +32 (0)2 285 5694
internet: http://ue.eu.int/solana
e-mail: presse.cabinet@consilium.eu.int