Brussels, 14/01/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Sunday 13 January, European sources denied reports, quoting diplomatic sources in Jerusalem, in Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot of the same day, that the EU is working on a new detailed plan to relaunch the peace process. European sources told Europe that “there is no secret initiative on the Middle East peace process”. This same European source pointed out that, during the most recent Foreign Affairs Council on 10 December, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs had been given responsibility for pushing forward discussions on the Middle East peace process. Our source also underlined that the Middle East peace process is one of the priorities on the EU agenda and is also supported by the Irish presidency of the EU.
According to Yediot Aharonot, the plan being prepared by the EU is being spearheaded by France and the United Kingdom, with support from Germany, and Ashton is looking at the possibility of basing an EU proposal on the plan. French sources said that they were not aware of this development and added that this kind of rumour is common. The Israeli newspaper also claimed that this plan contained “a clear timetable for completing negotiations on all the key issues in 2013” and was expected to be presented in March, following the general elections in Israel on 22 January. (CG/transl.fl)