De Israelische Terreur 845

Last update - 19:51 15/06/2009

EU postpones upgrading ties with Israel

By Reuters

Tags: Barack Obama


European Union foreign ministers welcomed on Monday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's conditional endorsement of a future Palestinian state, but said it was not enough to raise EU-Israel ties to a higher level.

The ministers, who were due to meet Israel's foreign minister later on Monday, questioned conditions cited by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for backing a Palestinian state and also his defence of Jewish settlements on occupied land.

Netanyahu has refused to back a state for Palestinians since taking office in March, but said on Sunday he would endorse it if Israel received guarantees the new nation would have no army and Palestinians recognised Israel as a Jewish state.

"That's good but it's only a first step," Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, whose country take over the EU presidency in July, said before the talks in Luxembourg.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said it was "not sufficient."

"Nothing was said on the settlements ... but this stopping of the settlements is essential," said Kouchner, who in an earlier statement rejected any pre-conditions to peace negotiations.

The EU and Israel have agreed in principle to upgrade an "association agreement" defining their ties, a move that would bring trade benefits for both sides.
Lees verder: http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1093086.html