Strasbourg, 15/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - Before the European Parliament, the EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, returned to the difficulties that had to be overcome to lift the siege on the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and to gain the free movement of Yasser Arafat. We are in the process of working everyday on the ground and in the capitals, he said while raising the co-operation within the Quartet. Continuing: it now concerns helping the Palestinian Authority rebound to reform itself in-depth. The time has come to create a democratic Palestinian State, he said when once more underling the need to organise a conference with the participation of the parties, the Quartet members, but also the Arab countries. We must first create a consensus for this conference to be based on the elements of the Madrid conference and the initiative taken by the Arab countries in Beirut on the basis of the Saudi proposals, he felt, when noting that this will in some way constitute two baskets, which will enable to move from a debate over security to a debate over policy. Security is not guaranteed, admitted Mr Solana, adding that it is necessary to show patience and strong will. More than 65% of Israelis believe that the only possible solution is that which we propose, with the international community: the creation of two viable States, he said. Moreover, raising his contacts with President Arafat, he noted: I believe that the Palestinian leadership knows that the security elements cannot be dispersed and that it is necessary to have a greater concentration of powers in the framework of a democratic structure with a government and clear responsibilities (…). President Arafat said in public and private that this is what needs to be done (…). He told me that he wants to establish a double electoral process for the legislative Council and the local councils.
Commissioner Chris Patten recalled that the EU demands that the Palestinian leadership dismantle the terrorist networks and, he too, insisted over the need to create two States and to reform the Palestinian Authority. It is possible if the Palestinians are certain that the reward for this reform is a State, he added. Continuing: We have been the only donors to set conditions for our aid to bring about a reform of the Palestinian Authority. We want to see a reform of the legal system and we will bring our help if the independence of the judiciary is recognised, he stated. A team is presently assessing the damage and needs in terms of infrastructure, he indicated, feeling that it is necessary to act quickly to re-establish a backbone for the Palestinian Authority. We do not have any guarantees that the reconstruction, which will not be cheap, will not be followed by a new destruction, admitted Mr Patten. In recent weeks, the Palestinian Authority has been accused of usurping funds from the EU to finance terrorist activities, but we have not found any proof, he explained, asserting that these accusations, as with those concerning school books, are part of a campaign aimed at discrediting the Palestinian Authority.
Gerardo Galeote (EPP, Spain) deplored the recent resolution adopted by the Likud and he feels that it will be necessary to verify, in a very scrupulous manner, whether the accusations over the abusive use of Community aid is unfounded. The President of the Socialist Group, Enrique Baron said that it is necessary to accelerate the creation of a Palestinian State. Furthermore, he deplored, as did Mr Solana and Patten, the anti-Semitic accusations that are levelled against the Europeans, notably in the United States and in Israel, he stated: the Semite people' are Arabs and Israelis and myself, as a Spaniard, I have Arab and Jewish blood. The Swedish Liberal Cecilia Malmstrom criticised the Israeli government for having prevented the international investigation into Jenine. The co-President of the Greens/ALE group, Daniel Cohn-Bendit noted that the arms paid for by the American taxpayer for the Israeli army have destroyed the Palestinian infrastructures paid for by the European taxpayer, and feels that the Likud declaration is a good thing because it finally forces both sides to take responsibility. The key is with the UN, through a solemn declaration on the creation of a Palestinian State, he added. The President of the GUE/NGL group, Francis Wurtz favoured the sending of a very high-level EP delegation to Israel and Palestine.
Answering the MEPs, Mr Solana insisted over the need to work at the same time on three fronts: security, restructuring of the Palestinian Authority and the political process. He explained that this work must take place in a short, fast process without prior requirements, and that it is necessary to avoid setting conditions, such a seven day period of calm, which the Israeli government imposed in the past.