Brussels, 01/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - During a visit to Israel this weekend, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy, Javier Solana, insisted that the EU would continue to refuse to isolate Yasser Arafat, in spite of Israeli pressure. "We have not changed our policy, which is to maintain relations with the Palestinians, especially with President Arafat", he told a press conference. The High Representative for CFSP had no plans to meet Yasser Arafat during this visit, and nor would he be meeting any other Palestinian leaders. Javier Solana stressed that the EU "respects" the position of the Israeli government, and that it expects the same of the Israeli authorities, who are putting much pressure on the EU to force them to isolate the President of the Palestinian Authority in favour of its Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.
The Israeli Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sylvan Shalom, has also tried to insist that the EU add Hamas to its list of terrorist organisations. This subject will be on the agenda of the informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers to take place this weekend in Rive del Garda; the Israelis hope that unwilling countries such as France will lift their reservations on including Hamas on this list (see EUROPE of 28 August, p.3).
Javier Solana also criticised the "closures" set up by Israel around Palestinian territory. Although a moderate tone was adopted in his indication that the EU could understand that these closures may help to reinforce security, he added that the EU "cannot understand how a closure can become political and change borders".
During Javier Solana's meeting on Monday evening with the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, was to stress the importance of sticking to the road map established by the West. "I sincerely believe that there is no other way", he told the press on Sunday evening.