European Council Conclusions on Middle East Peace Process

Middle East Peace Process

The European Council remains firmly committed to the clear objective of two States, Israel and a viable and democratic Palestinian State, living side by side in peace and security, in the framework of a comprehensive peace in the Middle East, as laid out in the Road Map drawn up by the Quartet. The European Council welcomes the international support for the Road Map, as expressed by the unanimous adoption of UNSCR 1515. The European Council therefore calls again on both parties, Israel and the Palestinian Authority, to immediately and simultaneously fulfil their obligations and responsibilities under the Road Map. The European Council stresses the importance of establishing a credible and effective monitoring mechanism including all members of the Quartet. The European Council also welcomes initiatives from civil societies on both sides, including the Geneva Peace Initiative, and is ready to further assist in the efforts to promote rapprochement, confidence building and the search for a lasting peace.

The European Council stresses the importance of partnership and mutual understanding, as demonstrated at the Euromed Conference of Foreign Ministers in Naples on 2 and 3 December 2003, and it welcomes the results of the donors' meeting (Ad Hoc Liaison Committee) that took place in Rome on 10 December 2003, followed by a meeting of the Quartet Reform Task Force.

The European Council urges the Palestinian Authority to concretely demonstrate its determination in the fight against terrorism and extremist violence. The EU welcomes the Palestinian Government's efforts to achieve a lasting cease-fire, and the support given by the Egyptian Government in this respect. It strongly urges all Palestinian movements to effectively support this approach. It calls on the Palestinian Government under Prime Minister Qorei to reorganise all security services, and to restore effective control in areas under its responsibility. The reform of the Palestinian Authority must continue. These efforts deserve to be supported by all.

The EU also urges the Israeli Government to reverse its settlement policy and to dismantle settlements built after March 2001. This policy, together with the departure of the so-called security fence in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem from the Green Line, could prejudge future negotiations and make the two-State solution physically impossible to implement. In this context, the EU is alarmed by the creation of a closed zone between this "fence" and the Green Line. The European Council recalls the importance of open and unhindered channels of communication for all EU interlocutors.

The European Council urges again all sides in the region to immediately implement policies conducive to dialogue and negotiations and actively to combat any incitement to racial or religious hatred. It reiterates that the relationship with those who take steps to the contrary will be inevitably affected by such behaviour.

The European Council reiterates that the fight against terrorism in all its forms remains one of the priorities of the entire international community and that it is the duty of all countries, in particular of those in the region, to actively cooperate in the fight against terrorism and to abstain from all support, direct or indirect, to terrorist organisations.

The European Council recalls that a comprehensive peace must also include Syria and Lebanon and the relevance of the Arab Peace Initiative adopted by the Beirut Arab League Summit of 28 March 2002.

Arab world

The European Council welcomes the report on relations with the Arab world formulated by the Secretary-General/High Representative and the Commission as a contribution to the development of an overall approach. It invites the GAERC, in consultation with the SG/HR and the Commission, to pursue its work on the basis of a joint report, within the implementation of the European Security Strategy and taking into account existing policies and programmes, notably the Barcelona Process and the New Neighbours Initiative. A report is envisaged at the GAERC in March 2004.

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• EU and Middle East (16/9/2002)