Brussels, 24/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - CFSP High Representative Javier Solana began a visit to the Middle East on Tuesday 24 February. The visit will be supervised by UNRWA and will end on 28 of the month. It will take Mr Solana to Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Israel, as well as the Palestinian territories, notably Gaza. He will also be having meetings with the Palestinian Authority where he will be meeting the US Special Envoy, George Mitchell.
The frequency of the high representative's visits appears, above all, to seek to highlight Europe's presence on the ground and to prepare a comprehensive relaunch of talks, not only between the Israelis and Palestinians but involving all actors in the region. Talks would also be aimed at resolving bilateral disputes (inter-Palestinian dialogue, Syria-Israel, Lebanon-Syria etc). A visit to Israel appears to be justified by a wish to encourage dialogue. Mr Solana will not, however, be meeting leaders from Hamas in Gaza, who are still on the list of terrorist organisations.
The EU is also preparing the Gaza donors conference on 2 March in Sharm-el-Sheikh and is maintaining its offer to reactivate its European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) at the borders of the Gaza Strip, which has been suspended since 2005. With a few days away from the conference, the US announced that it is creating a reserve of $900 million for reconstruction in Gaza. (F.B./transl.rh).