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27 January 2000
The EU Ministers for Foreign Affairs and the Middle East Peace Process
At its meeting in Brussels on 24 January, the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union adopted, among others, the following conclusions on the Middle East Peace Process:
The Council, reaffirming the EU's continuing commitment to the Palestinian Track of the Middle East Peace Process in the spirit of the 25 March 1999 Berlin Declaration, welcomed President Arafat as its guest for an informal exchange of views on the Peace Process and especially its Palestinian Track.
It expressed its concern over the recent postponements in that Track. It reiterated its support to the Palestinian Authority and welcomed the recent decree signed by President Arafat on the consolidation of public accounts, an important step towards transparency and good governance.
The EU stands ready to give further assistance to this process and looks forward to early adoption of a draft law on the independence of the judiciary. In this context the EU would welcome the announcement by the Palestinian Authority of a moratorium on the death penalty.
The Council had an exchange of views on the Middle East Peace Process more generally on the basis of an oral report by the President of the Council and the Secretary General/High Representative on their recent visit to the region.
The Council regretted the hiatus in the Israeli-Syrian negotiations and urged their early resumption. It agreed on the importance also of resuming the Lebanese Track.
The Council welcomed the decision of the US and Russia as co-sponsors to convene a meeting in Moscow on 31 January/1 February of the Steering Group of the multilateral track of the Middle East Peace Process with a view to the full resumption of work in that track.
It looked to the Steering Group to set work in hand to prepare the multilateral track for the future and identify the most effective ways for it to harness the efforts of the countries in the region and of the international community to promote stability and prosperity in the region.
The Council favoured continued close contacts with the parties in all the tracks. Representatives of the Presidency, the SG/HR and the Commission, and the Special Envoy should continue consultations with the USA on ways in which the EU can contribute constructively to the Syrian, Palestinian and Lebanese tracks in the current, decisive phase of the Process.
The Council invited the SG/HR, assisted by the Special Envoy, and the Commission to step up examination of issues in which the EU is particularly suited to play a full role, such as security, water and refugees, with a view to consideration by the Council at a later stage.
Finally the Council requested the SG/HR, together with the Commission and with the help of the EU Special Envoy, to submit to it for discussion a vision paper on the future of the region so that the EU is well prepared to play its full role once peace has been achieved.
Source: Euromed Report N. 27 January 2000
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