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EU Wants Palestinian State in Near Future, But Via Talks with Israel
The European Union (EU) November 16 called for the establishment of a Palestinian state in near future, but expressed its preference that it be declared through negotiations with Israel.
A declaration, issued by EU presidency state France at the end of the EU-Mediterranean ministerial conference in Marseille, said that the foreign ministers of 15 EU countries "have affirmed their strong wish to see the establishment, in near future, and with the preference of negotiations (with Israel), of a democratic, livable and peaceful sovereign Palestinian state."
But the Arab countries which attended the meeting rejected the declaration, saying that it is "a harmfully neutral doctrine," according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The Palestinian Minister of International Cooperation Nabil Shaath said that the declaration does not reflect the requests of Arab countries and EU was forced to leave out several key questions in fear of "an Israeli veto."
"We need a Europe which declares it more clearly," AFP quoted him as saying.
In the declaration, EU also called on the Palestinian authority to "continue with determination the building of institutions representative of a state of law."
Ten countries in the Mediterranean region, including Israel and several Arab countries, attended the meeting in Marseille, during which EU agreed to send 5 billion US dollars in aid to the southern and eastern Mediterranean countries from now till 2006.
Syria and Lebanon boycotted the meeting because of the presence of Israel and EU's refusal to condemn Israeli suppression of Palestinians.
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