Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-06-18-Speech-3-045"
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"en.20030618.6.3-045"2
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"Mr President, the acceptance by the different parties of the Roadmap has followed a tremendous wave of violence in the region and unfortunately this is a relatively normal and well-known pattern. At times of hope there are always people whose extremism and radicalism lead them to commit acts aimed at undermining peace efforts. However, the international community is now closely involved: the United Nations, the European Union – we must not underestimate the role of the European Union – the United States and Russia.
There is one fact which I believe to be irrefutable and that is that, since the beginning of the second Intifada, there have been more than 2 700 victims on the Palestinian side and almost 800 on the Israeli side. In other words, everybody loses here: the Israelis lose their security and the Palestinians lose the possibility of economic and political development, in other words the possibility of well-being for its people.
The European Union is placing particular emphasis on increasing its diplomatic efforts, in order to ensure that – as Mr Solana has said – peace is based on the idea of two states, Israel and Palestine, living together in peace and security.
I believe it appropriate to state here, when we are on the point of voting on an important resolution on transatlantic relations, that we should be pleased to note that the United States are prepared, together with us, to make an effort to move the Roadmap forward; and I believe that the comments of the President of that country, following the latest acts of violence and terrorism in the region, are a guarantee of this.
It is time to move forward and to consolidate the achievements made, and to continue working on the basis of the application of the Roadmap. It is urgent that the verification mechanism be established and made operational as soon as possible. I believe that not only the United States but also the European Union and the United Nations have sufficient resources on the ground to begin this essential task and I believe that we Europeans must work with total pragmatism and realism in this area.
We must therefore celebrate the fact that the peace process now includes the very active participation of the international community, which is now accepted by everyone to be indispensable. I believe that we Europeans are furthermore faced with two inescapable tasks: on the one hand, to give our full support to the Prime Minister, Abu Mazen, helping him to achieve the necessary trust of his people, of Israel and of the international community. And therefore, Mr President, I believe it is very important for Parliament's Bureau to invite him here so that he can give us his impressions and share his views with this House. The results of the meeting he held the day before yesterday with 13 organisations demonstrate the urgency of this task.
We must help him to convince the Palestinian population that the government he leads, under the presidency – we must not forget – of President Arafat, is in an historic position. By the way, I would like to express my disapproval of the isolation which President Arafat is being subjected to, an isolation which I believe is of no use to anybody.
The second job I believe falls to us, and this was noted by this Parliament’s delegation for relations with Israel, is the need to make an effort to restore the confidence of an Israeli society which lives in constant fear of terrorist attack. On the issue of terrorism I believe this Parliament has been clear and firm, and we must continue to be so. No type of terrorist act is justified; we cannot distinguish either between terrorists or between their victims.
I must not end, Mr President, without greeting and welcoming our colleagues from the Iranian Parliament and expressing my agreement with the words of the High Representative in relation to that country and, in particular, his request to the Iranian authorities. Iran is indeed a great country with which this Parliament – as we all hope and wish – must strengthen its friendly relations."@en1
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