EU calls on Hamas to clarify political intentions
EU foreign ministers today called on the militant group Hamas to clarify its political intentions in an eventual Palestinian government, urging it to embrace peace efforts with Israel.
The 25-member bloc is also questioning whether it can continue its multi-million euro aid to a government that looks likely to be led by Hamas, a group that remains on an EU blacklist of terrorist groups. Hamas, meanwhile, called on the international community today not to cut aid to the Palestinian Authority.
A meeting of EU foreign ministers will focus on how the EU will proceed after Hamas’ electoral win last week, said Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency.
“It is about reaffirming the principles of the EU, such as absence of violence, and a two-state solution,” Plassnik told reporters at the start of the talks.
The EU “cannot do business with a party that partakes in terrorism… that intends to eliminate another country,” Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot said.
Bot said the EU was likely to wait and see whether Hamas will form a government or seek to forge a coalition with the defeated, more moderate Fatah party.
“Once people are in power, maybe they change their position and as long as we have no clarity … we stick to our position,” he said.
Hamas refuses to disarm or recognise Israel, though it has hinted that it could reach a long-term truce or other accommodation with the Jewish state. Since a ceasefire declaration last February, Hamas has not claimed involvement in any suicide attacks.
On a short visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said it was “unthinkable” for Germany and the EU to give financial support to the Palestinian Authority if it does not recognise Israel or renounce violence.
The EU is mindful that cutting off aid to the Palestinian government could lead to more chaos.
Diplomats said EU foreign ministers today were unlikely to drop the militant group from the EU’s list of terrorist groups, a status that bans any official contact with Hamas.
This year, aid to the Palestinians from the European Commission alone will total around €250m, but will mostly be channelled through UN relief agencies and independent aid groups. Individual EU member states also make separate aid contributions.
Today’s talks were to start just before a separate meeting the same day of the so-called Quartet of Mideast peace negotiators – the US, Russia, the United Nations and the EU. Top officials at that meeting, to be held in London, will discuss whether Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts can be salvaged after Hamas’ election victory.
The Quartet – which developed the “road map” plan designed to steer Israel and the Palestinians into peace talks – is also to review the financial aid its members give to the Palestinians.
US President George Bush said on Friday that Washington would cut off aid to the Palestinian Authority unless Hamas abolishes its party’s militant arm and stops demanding the destruction of Israel.
Officials said the EU gave €280m in aid to the Palestinians last year, €70m of which was given to the multi-donor fund set up by the World Bank for the Palestinian Authority.
Only half of that €70m was released however, as the Palestinians failed to meet certain reform “benchmarks”, officials said.
| Related Stories: |
|
