Brussels, 22/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - During dinner on Wednesday 21 January, EU foreign affairs ministers appealed to their Israeli counterpart, Tzipi Livni, to open the passage points and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Addressing the press, Karel Schwarzenberg, the Czech diplomatic negotiator-in-chief, declared that he had obtained “assurances” from Tzipi Livni that “everything will be done from the Israeli side to have effective humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip”. Schwarzenberg added that a European mission had obtained permission to enter the Gaza Strip but it was unclear what aid could be given. Ms Livni indicated: “We are working with the international community and international organisations in order to help in answering the needs in the Gaza Strip…We are willing to cooperate on this as far as needed”. She stressed that a lasting cease-fire also involves arms smuggling and the rearmament of Hamas and indicated that “this is something that we're working on with different member states of the EU”. Benita Fererro-Waldner said that she hoped there would be a humanitarian conference organised “very soon” to work out the essential needs of the population and added: “Later on we will see for the reconstruction”. Although Egypt resumed talks with Israel on Thursday, in view of obtaining a lasting truce in Gaza and the end of the blockade, the Europeans are pursuing a cautious diplomatic approach. On Sunday evening they will meet the Egyptian, Jordanian, Turkish and Palestinian Authority foreign ministers for dinner. To prepare the conclusions of the following day's External Relations Council on Monday 26 January, the Political and Security Committee (COPS) will meet on Friday 23 January and COREPER on the Monday morning. (A.B./transl.rh)