Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-04-26-Speech-3-094"
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"en.20060426.11.3-094"2
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".
Mr President, this debate has shown how complex and difficult the choices are that the Council and the Commission had to take. I repeat – and I stand by this – that there was no choice. I think – and I thank all those who have supported this position – that the European Union is a community of values which stands by principles and cannot deviate from those principles. This is something that is shared unanimously in the Council, and I am sure this position will also prevail in the future – it must prevail.
At the same time many speakers have insisted that we should not forget the Palestinian people, and we do not. Mr Kasoulides, Mr Brok and others have said that we should make it very clear to the Palestinian people that it is the European Union that is helping them. Of course, there is a risk and a danger that the Palestinians will turn to other sources. We must make it clear to them that we are willing to help them. They must understand that there is not only the willingness but the wish and the desire of the European Union to help them. But there must be an understanding that we cannot deviate from principles.
What Mr Watson said about hoping that things that are said when a party is in opposition will change once they are in government is very much the hope of the European Union. Indeed, it will probably take time, but the Union must make it very clear and must work towards that end. That is what we are doing.
Many speakers have referred to the need for even-handedness. I would like to make it very clear that the Council in its resolution and in its conclusions over the years, and especially in the past month, has never left a doubt that we demand from Israel the same compliance with international obligations that we ask from the Hamas government. I would like to quote two sentences from the last Council conclusions to this effect: ‘The Council called on Israel to desist from any action, such as settlement activities and the construction of the separation barrier on Palestinian land, that is contrary to international law and threatens the viability of an agreed two-state solution. The Council urged Israel to take steps to improve the humanitarian and economic situation of the Palestinians including by resuming transfers of the withheld Palestinian tax and customs revenues’.
This is very clear language and we are using the same kind of urgent tone with Israel when it comes to compliance with international law. We will certainly continue to do so.
The Middle East Quartet will meet at Foreign Minister level on 9 May, and of course President Abbas’s recent appeal to hold an international peace conference will be a subject at that meeting. I cannot of course prejudge what the decision will be, but this is certainly going to be a subject which will be discussed.
Mr Kasoulides, I agree with you we are at a crossroads: we must make the right decisions; we must help the Palestinian people, but at the same time we must stick with our principles. This must be the continued basis for our policy, it certainly will be the basis for the policy of the Council."@en1
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