EU Presidency Statement - UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

Mr. Chairman,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Candidate Countries Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Croatia, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, and the EFTA countries Iceland and Liechtenstein, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration.

At the outset, I would like to stress that the European Union appreciates the commitment by UNRWA staff and management in fulfilling their duties under especially difficult, often very dangerous circumstances.

The EU also wishes to express gratitude to the Governments of Jordan, Lebanon and Syria whose countries for more than five decades have been providing assistance to Palestinian refugees.

Mr. Chairman,

Since the beginning of its mandate, UNRWA has carried out relief and work programs for the Palestinian refugees pending a political solution.

The European Union recently expressed its grave concern at the unprecedented cycle of retaliatory violence in Israel and the Occupied Territories. The EU condemns all forms of terrorism, including rocket attacks into Israel and calls upon the Palestinian Authority to take firm action against such terrorist acts. Though the EU recognizes that Israel has the right to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks, the EU stresses that the exercise of this right must take place within the boundaries of international law. The EU has made repeated calls for strict compliance with obligations under International Humanitarian Law.

The EU has also condemned the disproportionate nature of the Israeli military actions in the Gaza strip. These actions claimed the lives of many civilians, including children, and left many injured.

Mr. Chairman,

The EU takes note with concern of the UNRWA Commissioner-General's annual report describing how refugees, being the most vulnerable component of the Palestinian society, have been increasingly affected by the severe deterioration of the humanitarian conditions in the West Bank and Gaza. We are particularly worried by the increasing malnutrition and destruction of shelters in refugee camps, conditions that most severely affect women and children.

The EU is particularly concerned about the situation of Palestinian refugee children and we call for every possible effort by the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority to give children special protection and to fully respect the rights of children and to implement applicable obligations.

At the same time, we appeal to the Israeli Government to show restraint and to take no action that aggravates the humanitarian and economic plight of the Palestinian people and to take without delay measures in accordance with the obligations of the Roadmap to improve the security and humanitarian and economic conditions of the Palestinian people.

The situation on the ground has seriously hampered the capability of all humanitarian operators including UNRWA and other UN Agencies to provide essential services. Reports about limitations to the freedom of movement of UNRWA staff are of particular concern. We regret that during recent weeks UNRWA has been forced to suspend many of its normal operations, including the resumption of much needed emergency food aid in the Gaza Strip. In this respect, the EU urges once more the Government of Israel to allow full and secure access of diplomatic and humanitarian personnel and goods as required by principles and practices of International Humanitarian Law, and by the Road Map.

In view of the recent serious allegations against UNRWA, which proved to be without foundation, we are concerned at the risk that an unjustified impression may spread among Israeli security personnel that UNRWA is not an impartial aid agency. Such an impression would have serious negative repercussions for the safety of UNRWA staff and for the ability of the agency to carry out its tasks. We call on the Israeli authorities to avoid action or prejudicial statements which might contribute to a climate of distrust against the UN Agency.

The EU underlines its strong support for and commitment to the essential work which UNRWA carries out. Moreover, in light of recent events, the EU would like to reiterate its full confidence in the integrity and impartiality of Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Mr. Peter Hansen.

Mr. Chairman,

The EU welcomes the Agency's current commitment to reform and increased efficiency in the coming years through the preparation of a Medium Term Plan for 2005-2009, following the Geneva conference last June. These reforms were reaffirmed at the Major Donor Meeting in Amman last 14 and 15 October. The European Union looks forward to the completion of the Medium Term Plan early 2005.

The EU is aware of the extra costs the Medium Term Plan may entail. Moreover, the EU is concerned about the wide financing gap that still exists in UNRWA's emergency programs, risking to further diminish the level of security and services provided, when expectations and needs are rising. We support the Commissioner-General in his effort to enlarge the donor community, particularly by including higher contributions from the Gulf Countries and other Arab and Islamic countries as well as from Islamic Financial Institutions. In this context the EU stresses the importance of the forthcoming AHLC meeting as a unique opportunity to assess Palestinian needs and solicit larger donor contributions.

The European Union is the largest contributor to UNRWA. With contributions from the European Commission and Member States of over 200 million Euro in 2003, the EU contributes to more than half of the revenues of UNRWA. Our policy is to increase our support to Palestinian refugees throughout the region.

Mr. Chairman,

The European Union particularly welcomes UNRWA's review of registration procedures and criteria, with a view to enabling the registration of descendants of female refugees married to non-refugees.

Mr. Chairman,

The EU expresses deep concern at the continuing humanitarian crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and calls on the Israeli Government, in line with international law and UN Security Council Resolution 1544, to cease demolitions and to take urgent action to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians.

The European Union also urges Israel to reverse its settlement policy and to freeze all settlement activity, to dismantle outposts erected since March 2001 and to end land confiscations and the construction of the so-called security fence on Palestinian land, all of which threaten to render the two-State solution physically impossible to implement.

The European reaffirms its readiness to continue providing assistance to the Palestinian Authority in its reform process. It urges the Palestinian Authority to implement in full and without further delay the reform package agreed upon with the international community in the framework of the Task Force on Palestinian Reform.

The European Union reaffirms its commitment to a negotiated two-State solution agreed between the parties which would result in a viable, contiguous, sovereign and independent Palestinian State existing side by side in peace with an Israel living within recognized and secure borders. It recalls the established EU position that the Union will not recognize any change to the pre-1967 borders other than those arrived at by agreement between the parties. The European Union unequivocally reaffirms that the Roadmap, as endorsed by Security Council resolution 1515, is the fundamental framework for a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and calls upon both parties to take steps to fulfil their Roadmap obligations and commitments.

The EU sincerely hopes that positive developments will soon be produced, leading to an acceleration without delay to a fair, stable and equitable solution to the Palestinian Refugees issue in the framework of a final and comprehensive permanent status agreement, in line with relevant UN resolutions. Until then, the services provided by UNRWA remain essential to ensure a decent life to Palestinian Refugees in the Middle East.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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