EP President Jerzy Buzek on the resumption of direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians

“We welcome the resumption of direct negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians to resolve the final status issues,” said President Buzek. “The European Parliament stands ready to give all its support, at every step of the way, to the direct negotiations which begin today, and to the final settlement that will lead to an emergence of an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian state living side by side, in peace and security, with Israel”
European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek made the following statement on the resumption of direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians in Washington DC today.

“We welcome the resumption of direct negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians to resolve the final status issues. While we condemn to the utmost the deadly attack that killed four Israelis in the West Bank, we are encouraged by the declared determination of the parties not to allow any acts of violence to derail the hope of a negotiated peace between the two peoples.

The European Parliament stands ready to give all its support, at every step of the way, to the direct negotiations which begin today, and to the final settlement that will lead to an emergence of an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian state living side by side, in peace and security, with Israel, and which should allow for a just, lasting and comprehensive regional peace, on the basis of the relevant UN resolutions and taking into account valuable contributions like the Arab Peace Initiative. The agreement, which should be reached within a defined period of time, will be a fulfilment not only of our hopes for a stable, democratic, peaceful and prosperous Middle East, but most of all, of legitimate expectations of both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.

By working closely with the EU High Representative and Commission Vice-President, Catherine Ashton, as well as through the work of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean, which bring together parliamentarians from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, the European Parliament will remain actively engaged in supporting the ongoing negotiations, through continuous dialogue between the democratically elected representatives of the peoples of the region. We strongly believe that by building mutual understanding and confidence, we will thus be able to contribute to the successful conclusion of the negotiation process which begins today.”