EU's Solana seeks international Mideast conference but cautious about date
AFP
Date: 04-28-05
BRUSSELS (AFP) - EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said that he supported an international conference on peace in the Middle East but was cautious about dates put forward by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Solana said that such a conference was explicitly called for in the diplomatic roadmap to peace in the region and the plan's sponsors -- the United Nations, the European Union, Russia and the United States -- had in principle agreed to it.
"The roadmap ... is clear in a second phase that a conference has to take place," Solana said.
But he added: "I cannot say that (it) will be in the fall or what month of the year or what month next year."
Solana was speaking at a news conference following a meeting here with outgoing World Bank president James Wolfensohn, who has been recently appointed special envoy for the so-called diplomatic quartet of the EU, Russia, UN and US to help in the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Putin proposed Wednesday in Cairo that an international conference on peace in the Middle East be held next autumn in Moscow.
The Palestinians have given an enthusiastic reaction to the offer while Israel and the United States are more reticent.
The quartet drafted the peace plan known as the roadmap, which calls for a Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel.
It has made little progress since its launch two years ago.
Wolfensohn said that he was on "a fact finding mission" to learn about the different parties positions.
"The purpose of this trip is to listen and find out what is the perception of the parties and at the end of that time I will have the opportunity of meeting the quartet in Moscow on May 9th."
He said that he would go from Brussels to Paris to meet with donors from Europe, Japan and Australia before heading to the region where "I will have the opportunity in meeting with the Israeli and Palestinian leadership."
Putin said Wednesday that the quartet would hold a ministerial level meeting on May 8. But people close to Solana said that the meeting had been put off until lunchtime Monday May 9th.
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