Brussels, 16/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - The EU is still keen, as was agreed by member states, to “upgrade” bilateral relations with Israel, but this will have to take place “in the context of our common interests” including support for the “two-state solution” to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Middle East, said Czech Foreign Minister and President in office of the Council of the EU Jan Kohout, following the EU-Israel Association Council meeting in Luxembourg on Monday evening. “We restated our desire to further develop relations with Israel. The decision of the Association Council of December 2008 is still valid”, but the timing of the launch and speed of the process will depend on how far the Israeli government commits itself to the peace process, Kohout told press. Thus, the recent speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which he said that Israel would consider the creation of a Palestinian state on condition that it was demilitarised and that it recognised Israel as a Jewish state, was a positive “first step”, Kohout said, repeating the position taken by the External relations Council a few hours previously with its adoption of conclusions on the Middle East (see EUROPE 9921).
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who attended the Association Council on Monday evening was conciliatory at the press conference, opining that this was the right time to negotiate with the Palestinians and stressing, on a number of occasions, the need for “comprehensive peace” in the Middle East. He also stated that Israel was ready, immediately and without pre-conditions, to begin direct talks with the Palestinians and the Arab countries of the region, including Syria. “Yesterday's speech of Prime Minister Netanyahu was very positive, very peaceful. We think that we can move to negotiations with the Palestinians without any preconditions. We also expect the EU to encourage the dialogue between us and the Palestinians, and to support the opening of talks without any preconditions. It is in our interest, and also the interest of the Palestinians and the EU to reach a comprehensive solution in our region,” Lieberman told journalists. He also welcomed the recent United States initiative to relaunch the peace process. “We support President Obama's view” that the search for peace requires there to be bilateral relations and contacts between all the countries of the region, he said.
Iran. Without wishing to “become involved” in the electoral process or the domestic affairs of Iran, Lieberman restated Israel's fear of Iran's developing nuclear weapons. “Iran is the biggest threat in the region, the biggest factor of instability,” he told press in Luxembourg. “The international community must stop Iran's nuclear programme with tougher sanctions” because “Iran is more dangerous than North Korea,” he stated. (H.B./transl.rt)