Brussels, 15/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 14 May, on the sidelines of the Council, EU foreign ministers met their Arab League counterparts for a meeting to support the relaunch of the Middle East peace initiative, endorsed at the Riyadh summit on 28-29 March. Opinions differ, however, on the attitude to adopt with regard to the government of national unity and on the resumption of direct funding of the Palestinian Authority.
Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al Faisal told press after the meeting that the EU ministers “support the Arab countries' peace plan and are ready to cooperate” in implementing and monitoring it. “We showed that the Arab countries are determined in their efforts to find peace,” he said, and he wanted to “make up for lost time”. There was “a window of opportunity which we must use and turn into political impetus,” said his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Rapid progress was also necessary, said Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, calling for “concrete measures” in 2007. “We are ready to move if others (Israel) also move,” he said. He went on to criticise Israel's blocking of funds that were due to the Palestinians. Europe's refusal to deal with those members of government who belonged to Hams was unjustified, according to Mr al Faisal, and “really unfair,” according to Mr Moussa, who felt that “it's now time to stop the restrictions that have been taken with no justification from the point of view of logic and fair policy”. He went on to say that the most important funding that the Palestinians could receive was their own money that was being held by Israel.
“We cannot ignore this government, but things would be much simpler if the Palestinian Authority's language was unambiguous,” responded Mr Steinmeier, holding to the EU line on this issue. Benita Ferrero-Waldner said she hoped to raise the issue of a resumption of direct aid at the next General Affairs-External Relations Council meeting in Luxembourg on 18-19 June. Some “technical issues”, however, remained to be resolved before it was possible to transfer funds to a special bank account, which Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayyad is currently setting up, she told press. Earlier, following her meeting with Palestinian Foreign Minister Ziad Abu Amr, she spoke of “encouraging” signs from the Palestinians. On Tuesday, High Representative for the CFSP Javier Solana, who also met Mr Abu Amr, expressed his concern at the current level of insecurity in Gaza, where the rival Fatah and Hamas factions were engaged in violent clashes. “It is difficult to move forward politically if security is not guaranteed,” he said at a press conference. (ab)