Brussels, 15/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - The EU remains resolved to bring the Middle East peace process out of deadlock, European leaders said on Friday, in the hope that the ceasefire in Gaza would be respected and extended to the West Bank. In its declaration, the European Council welcomes the readiness of Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, to meet in the near future to resume political dialogue. If President Abbas' efforts to form a government of national unity are successful, the EU will resume partnership with the Palestinian government, continue providing financial support, and establish a long-term plan on capacity-building, border management and unified and effective security forces. There have been worrying developments in recent hours regarding relations between the Fatah, Mr Abbas' party, and the current government. On Thursday evening, the convoy in which Palestinian Prime Minister ISmaïl Haniyeh was travelling on his way to join the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing point, was fired upon. After remaining blocked for several hours by Israeli authorities, who refused to allow him to enter Palestine with a large sum of money collected during a tour in Muslim countries, Mr Haniyeh was, according to Hamas, the target of an assassination attempt. Hamas accuses Fatah officials of being at the origin of the attempt. On Thursday evening, EU High Representative for CFSP Javier Solana deplored these incidents. On Friday, during the final press conference, he was informed that the Rafah border crossing had been reopened.
The EU stands ready to work with a legitimate Palestinian government that adopts a platform reflecting the Quartet's principles, the European Council conclusions state. Noting the fundamental role of the Temporary International Mechanism in favour of the Palestinian population, the Council welcomes increased EU assistance and endorses the three-month extension of the mechanism until March 2007. It also calls for full and speedy implementation of the Roadmap, according to a timetable agreed between the parties and monitored by the Quartet. Though important, these are only initial steps that must lead to meaningful negotiations on the final status and the creation of a Palestinian State, the European leaders stress, inviting the Quartet to work in favour of an overall settlement to the Israeli-Arab conflict and to convene an international conference to this end, when the time comes. (ab)