Brussels, 16/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 16 December, the foreign affairs ministers of the EU underlined the EU's readiness to contribute substantially to the post Israeli-Palestinian conflict arrangements in order to ensure the viability of a peace agreement. They thus reiterated their conclusions from June and December 2009. In these conclusions, they underline that it is in the interest of the EU to develop political, economic and trade relations with the two parties. The Council states that it “will work on concrete proposals, including by building on previous work undertaken on EU contributions to Palestinian state-building, regional issues, refugees, security and Jerusalem”. “The EU will provide an unprecedented package of European political, economic and security support to both parties in the context of a final status agreement” the ministers state, saying that the EU “will offer Israel and the future state of Palestine a special privileged partnership including increased access to the European markets, closer cultural and scientific links, facilitation of trade and investments as well as promotion of business to business relations”. Enhanced political dialogue and security cooperation will also be offered to both states, the EU foreign affairs ministers say.
However, before this, a peace agreement is needed. The ministers therefore reiterate that the “current talks represent a unique opportunity which must be seized for both parties to implement a two-state solution”. They state that the EU fully supports the parties' efforts and those of the US for settlement of the conflict. The Council warns against actions that undermine the negotiations, criticising the expansion of the settlements, and expressing its concern about the incitement, the violence in the occupied territories, the demolition of houses, the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and also the actions that undermine the status quo of the holy sites, including in Jerusalem. (CG/transl.fl)