Brussels
Palestinian Foreign Minister Ziad Abu Amr, in a meeting with members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, said "We want constructive engagement from the European Union."
The national unity government had fulfilled all requirements demanded by the Quartet and lent support to the Arab peace initiative, Mr. Abu Amr said, underlining that the Palestinian government now urgently needed to have its financial difficulties addressed.
He said further, that the government constitutes a truly national government.
Ms Veronique De Keyser of Belgium said that the European Union should recognise the entire national unity government and not just some of its members.
On the subject of the principles that the international Quartet has demanded of the Palestinian government, Mr. Abu Amr said that his government "honors agreements that the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) has made with Israel, including letters of mutual recognition signed by the two sides and the Oslo agreement which talks of renouncing violence”.
While admitting that the government's commitment was not very explicit, Foreign Minister Abu Amr urged the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee to hold the "entire national unity government accountable, not just parts".
Ms. Caroline Lucas of the Greens on the Committee said the European Parliament delegation to the Palestinian territories said, on its return, that the current government fulfilled the Quartet requirements.
Foreign Minister Ziad Abu Amr also pleaded with members of the European Parliament to restore normal relations with his government and to "lift the political and financial siege" that has been imposed on the Palestinians and to pressure Israel to return withheld tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority.
He argued that a viable Palestinian state needed to be able to administer its own funds and called on Israel to stop its policy of "collective punishment", by which it refused to transfer Palestinian tax revenues to the Palestinian government.
The Foreign Minister was also asked about the national unity government's stance on the Arab Peace Initiative (API) which would exchange Arab recognition of Israel and normalisation of relations for an Israeli withdrawal to its pre-1967 borders.
He expressed his support for the plan, but noted that the "Arab Peace Initiative has no chance of success, if the political and financial siege continues to be imposed on Palestine."
Mr. Abu Amr warned that further deterioration in the political and security situation of the Palestinian territories could only result in mounting tensions and violence which could benefit no one in the region.
Luisa Morgantini, a member of the Committee from Italy, added that any discussion of the peace process needed to include talks of the policies of Israel as well as the "checkpoints closures, incursions and 40 years of occupation".
Israel Rafalovich
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report
Palestinian Foreign Minister Ziad Abu Amr, in a meeting with members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, said "We want constructive engagement from the European Union."
The national unity government had fulfilled all requirements demanded by the Quartet and lent support to the Arab peace initiative, Mr. Abu Amr said, underlining that the Palestinian government now urgently needed to have its financial difficulties addressed.
He said further, that the government constitutes a truly national government.
Ms Veronique De Keyser of Belgium said that the European Union should recognise the entire national unity government and not just some of its members.
On the subject of the principles that the international Quartet has demanded of the Palestinian government, Mr. Abu Amr said that his government "honors agreements that the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) has made with Israel, including letters of mutual recognition signed by the two sides and the Oslo agreement which talks of renouncing violence”.
While admitting that the government's commitment was not very explicit, Foreign Minister Abu Amr urged the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee to hold the "entire national unity government accountable, not just parts".
Ms. Caroline Lucas of the Greens on the Committee said the European Parliament delegation to the Palestinian territories said, on its return, that the current government fulfilled the Quartet requirements.
Foreign Minister Ziad Abu Amr also pleaded with members of the European Parliament to restore normal relations with his government and to "lift the political and financial siege" that has been imposed on the Palestinians and to pressure Israel to return withheld tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority.
He argued that a viable Palestinian state needed to be able to administer its own funds and called on Israel to stop its policy of "collective punishment", by which it refused to transfer Palestinian tax revenues to the Palestinian government.
The Foreign Minister was also asked about the national unity government's stance on the Arab Peace Initiative (API) which would exchange Arab recognition of Israel and normalisation of relations for an Israeli withdrawal to its pre-1967 borders.
He expressed his support for the plan, but noted that the "Arab Peace Initiative has no chance of success, if the political and financial siege continues to be imposed on Palestine."
Mr. Abu Amr warned that further deterioration in the political and security situation of the Palestinian territories could only result in mounting tensions and violence which could benefit no one in the region.
Luisa Morgantini, a member of the Committee from Italy, added that any discussion of the peace process needed to include talks of the policies of Israel as well as the "checkpoints closures, incursions and 40 years of occupation".
Israel Rafalovich
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report