Brussels, 22/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 22 July, European foreign affairs ministers warmly welcomed the announcement by US Secretary of State John Kerry of the resumption of Middle East peace negotiations. The ministers were quick to describe this as a crucial step towards the accomplishment of a lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They were speaking by videoconference with Kerry.
The Foreign Affairs Council hailed Kerry's involvement and that of President Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu, and also the efforts of the League of Arab States. In its conclusions adopted the same day, the Foreign Affairs Council said that, in the light of the difficult negotiations to come and the difficult decisions to take, continued bold leadership by Abbas and Netanyahu, and their resolve to engage in good faith, would be essential for success. The Council conclusions added that, once the negotiations were resumed, they should conclude with quick and concrete progress. The Council urged all parties to refrain from any action that could undermine the negotiating process and the outlook for peace.
The ministers promised to give active and concrete support to help ensure that the negotiations between the parties were successful. The EU will remain fully engaged with both parties and its partners, with a view to a negotiated solution on all the issues on the final status - including Jerusalem, the borders, security, water and refugees - they added, reiterating the EU's position favouring a two-state solution.
This announcement was welcomed over the weekend by High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, and many foreign affairs ministers. In Ashton's view, “Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas have demonstrated courage” in reaching the point of a resumption of negotiations. “Their demonstration of leadership gives me great hope that we may finally see progress towards the objectives which they share along with their friends and allies around the world: peace, security and dignity for their peoples”, she added.
France's Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius said that this was a “considerable first step”, even if a solution is far from in the bag. In Fabius' view, it is “in everyone's interest to put an end to the conflict through the creation of a viable and sovereign Palestinian state, living in peace and security alongside Israel” (our translation). His British counterpart, William Hague, reiterated that the resumption of negotiations was, of course, a beginning not an end. Germany's Foreign Affairs Minister Guido Westerwelle described the resumption of the negotiations as a great step and hoped that this new momentum would create the conditions for a historic breakthrough.
On Saturday 20 July, Kerry announced an agreement for the resumption of peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis. A meeting will, this week, bring together the negotiators from the two parties in Washington. Negotiations have been at a halt for three years. (CG/transl.fl)