Sumario: 27 July 2009, New York - Statement on behalf of the European Union by H.E. Mr. Anders Lidén, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sweden, on the "The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question" at the Security Council, United Nations
Mr. President,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.
The Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia, member of the European Economic Area Iceland, as well as Ukraine, align themselves with this statement.
Mr. President,
Developments over the past year have made it abundantly clear that we must move swiftly towards a renewal of the peace process in the Middle East.
The EU remains committed to a comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict, on the basis of international law, the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, the terms of reference of the Madrid conference, including land for peace, the Roadmap, the agreements previously reached by the parties, the Annapolis process, as well as the Arab Peace Initiative. We remain equally committed to the two-state solution with an independent, democratic, contiguous and viable Palestinian state,
comprising the West Bank and Gaza, living side by side in peace and security with the State of Israel.
We welcome the US Administration's commitment to pursue vigorously a two-state solution and a comprehensive peace in the Middle East. The EU is ready to work with the parties to the conflict as well as the United States, other Quartet members and Arab partners to achieve this goal.
Mr. President,
Both parties must now take concrete measures to resume peace negotiations, respecting previous agreements and understandings.
The continued settlement activities, house demolitions and evictions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including in East Jerusalem remain a serious concern for the EU. We urge the government of Israel to end immediately these settlement activities, including so called natural growth, and to dismantle all outposts erected since March 2001. The EU reiterates that the settlements are illegal under international law and constitute an obstacle to peace. If there is to be genuine peace, a way
must be found to share Jerusalem as the capital of two states. The EU will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders other than those agreed by both parties.
A durable solution to the Gaza crisis has to be achieved through the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1860. The EU remains gravely concerned at the humanitarian situation in Gaza and calls for the immediate and unconditional opening of crossings for the flow of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and persons to and from Gaza. Reconstruction and economic recovery has to be allowed and the current humanitarian crisis must be solved.
All violence must stop, including rocket attacks at Israel. An effective mechanism to prevent smuggling of arms and ammunition into the Gaza strip should be put in place. We call on those holding the abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit to release him without delay.
We call upon the government of Israel to work unequivocally towards the two-state solution. The EU welcomes the initial step announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of commitment to a peace that would include a Palestinian state.
We call upon the Palestinian Authority to continue to make every effort to improve law and order in territories under its control and welcome steps taken so far. All parties must stop incitement and violence against civilians and respect for international humanitarian law and human rights must be ensured. The EU will continue to follow closely investigations into alleged violations of international humanitarian law and human rights.
Mr. President,
The EU calls upon the Palestinians to step up the inter-Palestinian reconciliation efforts behind President Mahmoud Abbas. We support the mediation by Egypt and the Arab League. Palestinians should quickly overcome their divisions and find common ground, based on non-violence, with the view to preserving the chances for the creation of a future state. Reconciliation will facilitate the reconstruction in Gaza and the organisation of elections.
The EU will promote Palestinian state-building and intensify work in partnership with the Palestinian Authority on reforms. The efforts of the Palestinian Authority to develop an effective and reformed security sector is positive. We will cooperate towards additional improvement. Civilian police and the judicial sector will continue to be a focus of EU support.
The declared readiness of the government of Israel to promote Palestinian economic development is a positive sign. This should be carried out within the framework of the broader perspective of the two-state solution. The EU welcomes the positive steps recently taken by the Israeli authorities regarding the easing of restrictions on the West Bank. We look forward to further and sustained improvements of movement and access in all of the occupied Palestinian territories. The Agreement on Movement
and Access of 2005 must be fully implemented. The EU is ready to work closely with Israel, the Palestinian Authority and international donors in order to achieve sustainable development of the Palestinian economy.
Mr. President
The EU will contribute substantially to post-conflict arrangements aimed at ensuring the sustainability of peace agreements, addressing also the regional economic and security dimensions. We call on all partners in the international community to contribute actively to the achievement of a comprehensive settlement.
Arab countries and other partners should be forthcoming, both politically and financially, in assisting the Palestinian Authority. In line with the spirit of the Arab Peace Initiative, the EU invites Israel and all Arab countries to take confidence building measures in order to stimulate mutual trust and to create an atmosphere conducive to conflict resolution.
A lasting settlement of the conflicts between Israel and Syria and between Israel and Lebanon should be pursued in parallel, creating mutually reinforcing processes. In this regard the EU expects Syria and Israel to resume peace negotiations. The EU congratulates the people of Lebanon on the successful holding of parliamentary elections, which is an important step in the democratic development of the country. At the same time and in light of some worrying recent developments in southern
Lebanon, also affecting UNIFIL, the EU reiterates its call to all the parties to fully abide by and implement the provisions of the security council resolution 1701.
Mr. President
In light of further developments at the political level and on the ground, the EU stands ready to support concrete and early results on the path to a comprehensive settlement of the conflict.
Thank you, Mr President.
* Croatia and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
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