Monday, May 5, 2003
EU applauds Mideast ‘road map’
Press Trust of India Rhodes, May 3
European Union foreign ministers agreed on Friday the "road map" to peace in the Middle East must be fully implemented and not held hostage by a debate over the fate of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, EU officials said.
They quoted French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin as saying the EU "should not be in a dilemma on whether to support Arafat. The road map should not be held up by the status of Arafat".
The Europeans, however, made it clear they don't want Arafat out. "Arafat is a historical figure and a necessary player" in the Middle East, Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou told the ministers on the Greek resort island of Rhodes.
He added Arafat could still affect the peace process and that any debate over his future should not derail the "road map" to peace, drafted by the EU, the United States, Russia and the United Nations.
Arafat is seen in Washington as a failed leader, and prospects for peace are now considered to lie in the hands of Mahmoud Abbas, the new Palestinian prime minister.
Made public Wednesday, the "road map" foresees a Palestinian state in 2005 provided the Palestinians foreswear terrorism and Israel halts the building of settlements in Palestinian territories.
At an informal session in Greece, which holds the bloc's rotating presidency, the 15 EU nations and 10 countries joining the group next year also agreed to open diplomatic offices in Baghdad by sending charges d'affaires there as soon as possible.
© Hindustan Times Ltd. 2002. Reproduction in any form is prohibited without prior permission