Brussels, 12/04/2010 (Agence Europe) - Spain, which currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU, is working with the two co-presidencies - France and Egypt - of the UfM (Union for the Mediterranean) to prepare a resumption of peace talks, in order to avoid a breakdown of the Euro-Mediterranean Summit scheduled to be held in Barcelona on 7 June. The Spanish foreign minister, who met his French counterpart in Paris on Saturday 10 April, told an interview that same day with the French television channel TV5 that "the two co-presidencies, with the assistance of the rotating Presidency of the EU, are putting together a joint initiative". It is their "responsibility to do all necessary to ensure that the 43 heads of state and government are able to take initiatives in Barcelona. We cannot end up in a situation (at the "Summit") of admitting defeat when there is an urgent need to find solution for two states living together in peace and security and to be able to look at the Mediterranean Sea with only a spirit of cooperation in technical projects. We want peace in the Middle East", said Miguel Angel Moratinos (our translation throughout). He is not ruling out the possibility that at the end of the 22 months granted in March by the Quartet (UN, US, EU and Russia) to the warring parties to find an acceptable outcome to the conflict, the international community will take a unilateral initiative, but in the framework of international law: "if, at the end of the next two years, the observation is that nothing has been done, the EU must then ask itself: why wait any longer? But we must wait, negotiate and we intend to encourage the parties and, then, everybody must take their responsibilities".
"When will there be a Palestinian state?", asked a journalist, who pointed out that Moratinos had asked the same question himself in a joint open letter, written together with Kouchner and published in the French press. It is, he replied, "necessary and urgent (to make real) a commitment for the two-state solution. Israel (exists and) everybody recognizes it, with the exception of a few Arab countries, but we all also recognize that there will, one day, be a Palestinian state: why wait if we all already know the parameters of this state?" The EU will then recognize a Palestinian state: "it is possible", he replied.
Moratinos went on to say that before the end, we must "demand a freeze on colonisation. If it continues, there will be no further point to negotiating, because by the time we can recognise a Palestinian state, it will no longer be viable. This is why we must stop the construction of colonies at all costs and, at the same time, start negotiations. We support American efforts, but 'extra' is needed. The EU has a clear and firm position and political will. It is true that, sometimes, we expect more of it, steps and decisions more in line with what the international community expects, but this should not make us depart from our responsibilities".
On this subject, the French press published the reaction of Henri Guaino, an adviser to the president and initiator of the UfM, who is reported to have "been more reserved about the chances of breakthrough at the Summit". It is also reported in the media that he stated that "in order for it to work, everybody needs to come and they must want it to work. We need the 43 heads of state and government to be there. If they do not come, nothing will be decided upon", he said.
"Never has the situation in the Middle East been at such deadlock, never has dialogue been such a dialogue of the deaf", he added: "it has been months since France made its proposals, since we have been working on them. We will see...". He agreed with the analysis of Moratinos and Kouchner, which is that the UfM will not make progress "unless we manage to take a strong political initiative". He described it as "almost miraculous" that the organisation had survived the Gaza conflict of just over a year ago and a global financial crisis. (F.B./transl.fl)