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EU Calls on Israel to Lift Siege on Palestinian Areas
Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh Tuesday urged Israel to lift siege on Palestinian territories, Egypt's Middle East News Agency reported.
Lindh made the remarks after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, during which she updated Mubarak on the outcomes of her visits to the Palestinian self-rule areas and Israel earlier in the day, the news agency said.
Israel should take measures to improve the economic conditions of the Palestinians before the two sides resume peace talks, she said.
"This issue is of major importance," said Lindh, who led a delegation of the European Union (EU) on a regional trip starting on Monday.
Sweden is currently holding EU's rotating presidency for the first half of this year.
"Our impression during the visits to Gaza and Israel is that there is a determination to resume the peace talks and put the peace process back on track," Lindh said.
But she stressed that obstacles to the resumption of the negotiations still remained.
The EU is keen on playing a more active role in the Middle East peace process, she said, adding that this depends on the willingness of both the Palestinians and Israelis.
Chris Patten, EU commissioner for external affairs, said that Israel's closure policy would not help improve the security situation in the region, especially when the unemployment situation is worsening in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
As ordered by Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer, the Israeli army began lifting closure on the West Bank cities of Tulkarm, Hebron, Bethlehem and Qalqilya Monday.
But the Palestinians said that the Israeli army has done nothing around the four cities and most of the barricades were still in place.
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