Mideast - AFP
EU offers conditional backing for Israel's pullout from Gaza: French FM
Date: Sun, Jun 20, 2004
CAIRO (AFP) - France's foreign minister, who arrived here, told an Egyptian newspaper that the European Union (news - web sites) was prepared to back Israel's anticipated withdrawal from the Gaza Strip (news - web sites) under certain conditions.
Michel Barnier, who will spend two days in Egypt as part of a Middle East tour, will meet Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher, Egypt's pointman on the Middle East, Omar Suleiman, and Arab League chief Amr Mussa.
Israel's intention to evacuate Gaza and some West Bank settlements, "must be taken into consideration," the official Al-Ahram daily quoted Barnier as saying in an interview published earlier Sunday.
"The European Union has taken note of this commitment. It is prepared to offer support under certain conditions," he said.
Barnier said the withdrawal could be an important step towards implementing the EU-backed roadmap peace plan as long as it moves towards a two-state solution and does not transfer settlers to the West Bank, the newspaper said.
Responsibilities must also be transferred to the Palestinian Authority (news - web sites) and Israel should "facilitate the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Gaza," Barnier said.
Maher told journalists that Barnier's visit "proves that France continues to support a solution," ahead of the French minister's arrival in Cairo late Sunday, said an AFP correspondent at the airport.
"France always supports Egyptian efforts aiming to open the way to relaunch the peace process and see that the (Israeli Gaza) withdrawal constitutes the first step towards the application of the roadmap," Maher added.
Egypt has offered to send up to 200 personnel to the Gaza Strip to train a 30,000-strong force to maintain security in the territory during and after next year's promised Israeli pullout.
Barnier welcomed Egypt's offer to underpin security in the territory and said France was "ready to collaborate in the process as a nation state and as part of Europe".
Asked about Iraq (news - web sites), he said the international community must unite to help rebuild the shattered country, and said France -- a major opponent of the 2003 US-led invasion -- was ready to play a part.
"Countries in the region, particularly Egypt, and the international community, can play a major role in working together to support the Iraqi people and the future sovereign government towards the political and economic reconstruction of the country.
"France and the European Union are ready to play their part in this effort."
After Egypt, Barnier is to travel to Jordan and then Israel, although no date has yet been fixed for talks with Israeli officials.
SOURCE
FAIR USE NOTICE
This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.