Strasbourg, 13/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday in Strasbourg, after the meeting of the Conference of EP Presidents with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, the president of the European Parliament, Nicole Fontaine, described to the press what she said was an "intensive and very open exchange of views". After recalling the Parliament's consternation about the worsening situation in the Middle East, she welcomed the restraint of the Israeli government after the Tel Aviv attack and the very firm declaration from the president of the Palestinian Authority against terrorism. Mr Peres reaffirmed, as he had done the day before in Luxembourg, Israel's commitment regarding the whole of the Mitchell report (see also EUROPE of 11 and 12 June, p.7). Stressing that Israel had also, that same morning, accepted the whole of the document by George Tenet, CIA Chief, Mr Peres said he hoped there would be a positive response from the Palestinian side. He also confirmed Israel's interest for the proposal by Italian radicals concerning Israel's possible accession to the European Union.
During Tuesday night, President Arafat also announced that he would accept the Tenet document.