Brussels, 03/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - In its first declaration issued under CFSP, the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council expressed, on 2 July, its concerns for the situation in the Middle East, by announcing that it would prepare a repsonse from the Union to the recent events in the region. Below is the full text of the declaration".
"The Presidency of the European Union condemns the acts of violence, which occurred these past few days in the Middle East. Any act of violence, whatever it may be, is unjustifiable. The Presidency calls for restraint from the parties involved and appeals to their sense of responsibility in order not to be drawn into a cycle of violence which would seriously hamper the on-going efforts aimed at the renewal of the dialogue. The Presidency is consulting with its partners in order to prepare an appropriate response of the 15 to the recent events in the Middle East".