Brussels, 21/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - The General Affairs/External Relations Council meeting under the chairmanship of Jack Straw gave its political agreement on Monday to launching the EU's civilian monitoring mission at the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Although all the practical and legal provisions will not have been taken by 25 November - the date when the Rafah crossing is to be opened - it is now certain that the EU's presence on the spot will be sufficient to allow the border control point to be opened on 25 November, diplomatic sources said on Monday. The ESDP civilian mission, which has been planned and set up in record time, is possible thanks to the “historic” agreement between Israelis and Palestinians on the terms of the EU's commitment, Straw told the press. “Just one year ago, the European Union only had four missions in the Balkans and in Central Europe. By the end of this year, there will be ten”, he was pleased to point out, stressing the EU's growing international role and saying: “Such a level of activity and ambition would have been unthinkable twelve months ago”. It is important for the Palestinians to benefit from an open border in order to develop their economic and social role and “this border is open thanks to the presence of the European Union”, the EU's High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, said for his part. The European Commission also has a role to play in Rafah, not within the ESDP mission, which has to monitor border controls, but at the level of capacity building for Palestinian customs authorities, Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner explained.
The Council also welcomed in its conclusions the fact that multi-party elections are scheduled to be held in Palestinian territories on 25 January 2006. Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner announced that the EU will be sending an election observer mission headed by MEP Véronique de Keyser (Belgian Socialist). The Council has also said it is willing to provide the Palestinian Authority with financial, technical and political assistance for preparing the elections.