EU must put momentum into foreign ministers agreement on reviving Middle East peace process

5 September 2006

The President of the Party of European Socialists, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, today called on the European Union to put a major effort into reviving the Israeli-Palestinian peace, and praised Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja for reopening the discussion on political contacts with the Palestinian people.

"There can be no stability in the middle east unless the peace process between Israel and Palestine gets going again" said Poul Nyrup Rasmussen. "The EU has to encourage movement towards dialogue between the Palestinian people, the EU and Israel. The European Union must now put some real momentum behind the agreement yesterday by Foreign Ministers to take a lead in encouraging the peace process."

"The formation of a national unity government with Hamas and Fatah would create a fresh situation that the EU should welcome as a new start. The EU should make it plain that this would clear the way for talks." 

"It is very positive that Erkki Tuomioja has opened a debate on how the EU can bring to an end the current political stand-off by making dialogue happen."

"Political progress is essential, especially in view of the disastrous situation in Gaza. The consequences of pursuing only a military and security solution are too terrible to contemplate." 

For more information: Julian Scola, PES Press Officer, tel 02 548 9085, mobile 0486 117 394