legionista1
11.02.02, 01:20
ZLAMAC SZATANSKA OS, ISRAEL - USA
EU Foreign Ministers Call for Palestinian State
Sunday, February 10, 2002
CACERES, Spain — European Union foreign ministers on
Saturday criticized the United States' Mideast policies
and offered a blueprint for reviving peace talks that
envisions the creation of a Palestinian state that would
be recognized by Israel and admitted to the United
Nations.
The United States balked at the broad EU ideas put
forward so far, saying the emphasis should be on moving
toward a cease-fire and pressing the Palestinians to
crack down further on anti-Israeli militants.
There was no immediate reaction from Israel or the
Palestinians to the EU's guidelines. But they appeared
likely to be rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon, who has demanded a period of calm in Mideast
violence before any negotiations resume. Israel and the
United States have long resisted European attempts at
mediation in the Mideast conflict.
But the EU comments showed new divisions with Washington
over the Middle East. Foreign ministers from the
15-member European Union said a new political initiative
was needed because the U.S. and Israeli emphasis on
first reaching a cease-fire had not been successful.
The differences over the Mideast came as European
leaders have increasingly expressed concern over U.S.
foreign policy — particularly what they worry is a
simplistic, go-it-alone approach in the war on
terrorism.
The creation of a Palestinian state must be the
"starting point of a negotiating process," French
Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine said as he presented
outlines of a the French initiative to his colleagues.
Under the blueprint, the Palestinians would hold
elections, then a state would be declared, recognized by
Israel and given membership in the United Nations.
Negotiations for a final Mideast settlement would
follow.
The broad ideas do not address some of the most
fundamental and contentious issues, such as the borders
of the Palestinian state.
Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique, the meeting's
chairman, said it would be developed further in another
foreign ministers meeting on Feb. 18 and a mid-March
European summit in Barcelona.
"We don't want to be different just for the sake of
being different. But we need to relaunch and nourish the
peace process, which today is totally blocked," Vedrine
said.
In recent months, the United States and the European
Union had been taking a relatively unified position on
the Middle East. The Europeans, who are seen as tilting
toward the Palestinians, had taken an increasingly tough
stance with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, calling on
him to rein in militants.
But now EU officials are expressing impatience with
Washington's hands-off attitude toward peace talks and
what many see as its pro-Israel bent and pressure on the
Palestinians.
Javier Solana, the EU's chief foreign and security
chief, said there can be no peace in the Middle East
without putting "politics back at the center of
gravity," rather than cracking down on militants.
The United States has scaled back its involvement in the
region, putting efforts on hold after an envoy failed to
work out a cease-fire late last year. The Bush
administration has strongly criticized Arafat, saying he
has failed to crack down on militants.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said U.S. and
international efforts should continue "to keep the focus
right now on the need for Chairman Arafat to take steps
against the violence."
Asked by reporters Friday about the EU ideas, Boucher
said "introducing other elements that divert the
attention from this focus doesn't really move the
situation forward."
Vedrine outlined the following steps, but gave no
timeline:
— Palestinian elections "to support the Palestinian
Authority's popular legitimacy in its efforts to crack
down" on extremists. These could be general elections or
a vote for a legislative council.
— For the elections, Israeli troops in the West Bank and
Gaza Strip would withdraw to the positions they held
before September 2000, when the violence erupted, and
lift travel restrictions.
— The newly declared Palestinian state and Israel would
sign "a declaration of non-belligerency," open
negotiations and sign a peace accord.
The differences over the Israel-Palestinian conflict
were the latest trans-Atlantic frictions over foreign
policy and the next steps in the war on terrorism.
On Saturday, EU External Relations Commissioner Chris
Patten said President Bush's branding of Iraq, Iran and
North Korea as an "axis of evil" was "deeply unhelpful."
In an interview with Britain's The Guardian newspaper,
he said the administration's approach to the rest of the
world was simplistic.
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer agreed. "We need
to fight against terrorism with determination," he told
reporters here. "But we must also look at the social and
economic roots of that problem."
On Friday, French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin expressed
concern that proposed increases in U.S. defense spending
suggest an increasing emphasis on military means.
"We can't reduce all the world's problems to the ...
fight against terrorism," Jospin said.
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