Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-01-19-Speech-3-065"
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"en.20000119.3.3-065"2
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".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, let me be brief. I have just returned, together with the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Mr Javier Solana, with the EU Special Envoy, Mr Miguel Moratinos, and with a representative of one of the Commissioners, from a visit to the Middle East, where, on behalf of the Union, we were able arrange meetings at a very high level in Syria, Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon. A meeting had also been arranged with the Secretary-General of the Arab League.
The Middle East peace process is generally making good progress, but there are two immediate bottlenecks. The first, on the Israeli-Palestinian track, relates to certain delays which have occurred in implementing timetables, and also to postponement of the date for the start of the final status talks. The second relates to the Syrian track, where there are delays resulting from Syria’s temporary refusal to continue negotiations in Washington.
This delay in the Syrian track is very important in that it is impeding and imposing conditions on the opening of negotiations on the Lebanese track. The European Union has achieved gradual and very consistent involvement over the years through its Special Envoy, Mr Miguel Moratinos, and I would like to pay tribute to his work. I must also mention the continuing activity on the part of the Commission and now of the High Representative. This visit will be followed up by President Arafat’s presence at the General Affairs Council next Monday, after his trip to Washington, and just as we have already met with the Foreign Minister, Israel Levi, we expect that a meeting will shortly take place with the Syrian Foreign Minister as part of the negotiating process.
We – the presidency, Commissioner Patten and the High Representative – will also be taking part in a multilateral meeting to be held in Moscow on 1 February, at which we will represent the position of the European Union. Although the Union has not been a party to the negotiations, it has continuously supported the peace process, it has been a vigorous presence in the multilateral process, and now, in February, it will have an opportunity to relaunch the work of the working group on economic and regional development chaired by the Union. And, of course, through the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, the Union has been involved both in preparing a set of association agreements for the countries of that area and in preparing financial aid programmes, also through the European Investment Bank.
There is an awareness in all the countries concerned – and this was discernible during our tour – that although we are not party to the negotiating process, as we are the key trading partner of virtually every country in the area and the main provider of aid to the Palestinian territories, the Union has a unique role to play in the medium and long term in supporting peace in the Middle East. In view of this, appropriate forums are being developed to address the true nature of this cooperation, be it assistance to refugees, preparation of integrated cooperation programmes, particularly for water, or for integrated water management, or, yet again, in relation to specific regional development programmes.
It has also been possible to ensure that our participation in this process has not involved any conflict with the United States’ position. It has, in fact, been achieved by virtue of regular exchanges of views, and our mission, which finished yesterday, has enabled us to demonstrate the need to strengthen the Union’s already positive involvement in the whole Middle East issue. This is another point on which it is absolutely vital to maintain ongoing cooperation between the Council and the Commission, together with continuing cooperation between these two institutions and Parliament.
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