Brussels, 21/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peres called on the European Union to support the idea of setting up a Palestinian state to halt the escalation of violence when he met the Spanish foreign minister and President of the EU Council of Minister, Josep Pique, in Madrid on Thursday morning. Mr Peres told journalists that the situation was very difficult and they could see no other alternative than to return to the negotiating table. Mr Pique said that one day, a Palestinian state would be a reality and this was the idea he was trying to develop. Apart from extremists and the enemies of peace on both sides, he said they were all convinced that a just and sustainable peace had to be based on the peaceful coexistence of two states - a viable, democratic and peaceful Palestinian state and a state of Israel with internationally recognised borders that felt secure.
The Israeli foreign minister said that he would soon be meeting the German foreign minister Joschka Fischer in order to strengthen support for his plan, according to one diplomat. At the last General Affairs Council, Joschka Fischer and his British counterpart Jack Straw distanced themselves somewhat from the EU consensus position in terms of offering political perspectives to the Palestinians in order to halt the escalation of violence (see EUROPE of 18/19 February, p.5).
Simon Peres hailed the recent commitment by Saudi Arabia to the Middle East saying that the remarks by Prince Abdullah that the were published in the New York Times on Sunday were "interesting". The Prince said he would be urging relations between Israel and Arab states to return to normal in exchange for the withdrawal by Israel from the territories it has occupied since 1967. This is the first time that Saudi Arabia has openly expressed views, said Mr Peres. The March Arab League Summit in Beirut will be an opportunity to test the extent to which Arab countries rally around Saudi Arabia, noted Mr Pique.
Following heightened violence in recent days, the Spanish Presidency issued a declaration on behalf of the EU in which it expressed "its deep dismay and strong condemnation of the latest outbreak of terrorism and violence in the region". "The Presidency of the EU calls upon the political leadership on both sides to offer to both societies, with the help of the international community, a different perspective to that of the perpetuation of violence and suffering". Speaking from Madrid, Josep Pique said that the situation in the Middle East warranted the calling of an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, thereby supporting the calls made by Palestinians in New York on Tuesday evening.
Josep Pique will be travelling to Washington at the weekend where he will discuss the situation in the Middle East, according to Spanish diplomats. The EU's High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, will be travelling to the Middle East at the end of the week or the beginning of next week.