Sopot, 02/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 2 September in Sopot (during the Gymnich meeting there), several European foreign ministers underlined the need to adopt a common position with regard to the question of UN recognition of the Palestinian State. In the context of the impasse in which the peace process has now found itself, the Palestinians announced that they would make a request for recognition of a Palestinian State to the UN General Assembly that is to open in New York on 13 September. According to a source cited by the Associated Press, Belgium, Cyprus, Ireland, Malta, Portugal, Spain and Sweden are ready to support the Palestinian demand.
Belgian Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere said that, for those who truly want a solution for the Middle East, it is clear that a unified EU position is crucial. Alain Juppé of France feared there would be “sterile and dangerous” diplomatic confrontation at the UN. He also called on the 27 to define a common position on the issue.
As yet, nothing has been won. “We are totally against unilateral approaches, whatever they may be”, warned Uri Rosenthal of the Netherlands, saying that any approach should be made on the basis of an agreement between all the parties concerned. Germany and Italy are said to be along the same lines.
Jean Asselborn of Luxembourg took the view that it was impossible to give nothing to the Palestinians. He called for a middle of the road solution that would “correspond to the dignity that we would like to give the Palestinian people”. With a Palestinian state that has observer status like the Vatican, “the Palestinians would thus have various possibilities for being better integrated into the UN's organisations”, Asselborn said. (V.W./transl.jl)