Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-02-05-Speech-2-152"
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"en.20020205.8.2-152"2
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"Thank you, Mr President, talking about the conflict in the Middle East means being faced with the substantial dilemma of striking a balance between Israel’s right to safe borders and a viable Palestinian state. We are further from this goal than ever before, or so it seems. Nobody feels safe anymore, either in Israel or in the Palestinian state. Nobody appears to be able to play an objective role in getting the peace process back on track. The extremists set the agenda, and the Americans seem to tolerate the tough stance adopted by Prime Minister Sharon. Whichever way one defines the position of President Arafat, it seems to me that, without him, chaos would descend on the Palestinian Regions.
What can the European Union do? In my view, we should mainly keep the channels of communication open. I back those fellow MEPs who say that we must continue talks with both parties and exert pressure on Israel to accept the Palestinian Authority as the only significant interlocutor, and so find the way back to consultation. However, we must also continue to ask Mr Arafat to tackle the terrorists on his own home turf.
The European Union should be prepared to postpone a certain form of cooperation with Israel in this context, but not to rule such postponement out in respect of the Palestinian Authority either, should it transpire that the fight against terrorism is not being taken seriously.
This brings me to yet another point which I should like to put to Mr Solana. The conflict in the Middle East is also tied in with the relationship between the EU and the United States, and this issue is also important in the fight against terrorism. In addition, I should like to find out his reaction to the statements by President Bush who talks about the axis of evil and the three countries he refers to by this. What is the EU’s reaction to this? Is he driving a new wedge between the European Union and the United States? I would particularly like to know what implications these statements by President Bush have for the policy of the European Union, particularly with regard to Iran. I am interested to know how the Council assesses Iran, but also the other countries which are being accused by the Americans of state support for terrorism. In my opinion, this will be an important issue in the time to come, also in connection with the fresh debate on the military superiority of the United States and the military weakness of the European Union."@en1
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