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EU envoy calls for Palestinian state, cessation of bombings
Beirut, Sept 20: The European Union`s Mideast envoy today said that Palestinians should renounce suicide bombings against Israel and urged the establishment of a Palestinian state `as soon as possible.`
Beirut, Sept 20: The European Union's Mideast envoy today said that Palestinians should renounce suicide bombings against Israel and urged the establishment of a Palestinian state "as soon as possible."
Miguel Angel Moratinos said that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict was in "a very dramatic situation" after Israeli troops besieged Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat at his West Bank headquarters yesterday in response to a Tel Aviv suicide bombing that killed six people and the Palestinian bomber. "We condemn strongly the suicide bomb that took place yesterday in Tel Aviv. We really have been telling the Palestinians, what ever class, whatever age, that they need to work for the future to create a Palestinian state and not to blow themselves up," Moratinos told reporters after meeting Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Moratinos called for a quick creation of a Palestinian state and for Palestinians to begin promoting a new Constitution, elections and "new hope."
The EU envoy said that he briefed Hariri on the talks of the so-called quartet - the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations - held in New York this week in a bid to end the conflict.
The quartet discussed an EU plan to form a Palestinian state within three years. America reportedly has reservations about it, while Israel opposes it.
Following Palestinian elections, the EU plan says that the Palestinians should draft a Constitution and establish a state with provisional borders. Permanent frontiers are among issues to be negotiated later.
Bureau Report
Miguel Angel Moratinos said that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict was in "a very dramatic situation" after Israeli troops besieged Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat at his West Bank headquarters yesterday in response to a Tel Aviv suicide bombing that killed six people and the Palestinian bomber. "We condemn strongly the suicide bomb that took place yesterday in Tel Aviv. We really have been telling the Palestinians, what ever class, whatever age, that they need to work for the future to create a Palestinian state and not to blow themselves up," Moratinos told reporters after meeting Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Moratinos called for a quick creation of a Palestinian state and for Palestinians to begin promoting a new Constitution, elections and "new hope."
The EU envoy said that he briefed Hariri on the talks of the so-called quartet - the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations - held in New York this week in a bid to end the conflict.
The quartet discussed an EU plan to form a Palestinian state within three years. America reportedly has reservations about it, while Israel opposes it.
Following Palestinian elections, the EU plan says that the Palestinians should draft a Constitution and establish a state with provisional borders. Permanent frontiers are among issues to be negotiated later.
Bureau Report