Brussels, 09/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Greek Presidency and the Special EU Representative to the Middle East, Miguel Angel Moratinos, have requested the Israeli authorities to allow a Palestinian delegation to leave the territories for London where discussions regarding reform of the Palestinian Authority are planned or 14 January. In an EU declaration, the Greek Presidency asserted that the Israeli decision to prevent Palestinian officials going to London, as well as the free circulation of senior Palestinians in general, was not contributing to efforts made by the international community to push the reform process forward and end the violence. On the contrary, this decision perpetrates hatred and extremism, the declaration stated. The Presidency is therefore requesting that Israel immediately lift the banning order.
Following a meeting with Yasser Arafat, Mr Moratinos also indicated that the Union had requested the Palestinian Authority, after the attack on 5 January, which left 22 dead, "to decree a total and unconditional cease-fire in order to put an end to the insane cycle of violence".