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EU, OIC See Palestinian State As Only solution
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The forum
called for tackling problems of Mieast conflict, terrorism and peace in
Afghanistan
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ISTANBUL, Feb. 12 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - The European Union's Foreign Policy chief, Javier Solana, said on Tuesday that the coexistence of an Israeli and a Palestinian state was the only way to solve the bloody conflict in the Middle East, news agencies reported.
"A two states solution is the only solution that can bring peace. It's the only possible way to move ahead and we are determined to work in this direction," Solana told a meeting of foreign ministers from the EU and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), reported AFP.
Solana said ending to the Arab-Israeli conflict should be one of the "three immediate priorities" for the EU and OIC, along with eliminating terrorism and restoring peace to Afghanistan.
He said the two international organizations needed to show "determination" in tackling these three complex issues. He added that they had already shown their willingness to work together to resolve the conflicts in Bosnia and Afghanistan.
Solana was speaking at the start of a two-day EU-OIC conference designed to draw Christian and Muslim states closer together in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and the subsequent military strikes on Afghanistan.
Many Arabs and Muslims feel that since the deadly attacks in the U.S. they have been prey to Western prejudice that equates their religion with terrorism.
Islamic commentators have also accused the United States of launching a crusade against Islam.
"One of the first temptations that developed after 11 September was to identify terrorism on cultural and religious lines. This meant pitting one part of humanity against the other," Turkish Foreign Minister, Ismael Cem said.
Turkey, which is the only country involved in both the EU and OIC, sees itself as a bridge between Europe and Asia.
It hopes that the gathering will help eradicate the idea that Islam and terrorism are linked and ensure cultural divides are not a source of conflict, BBC’s online news service reported.
"It's now much better understood that terrorism does not have a religion," Cem added.
French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine said that Europe was "unanimous" in its aim to find a political solution to the crisis in the Middle East.
"Each of the European ideas can be discussed, each has its advantages and inconveniences, but all have in common the necessity to return to the political terrain," he told journalists Tuesday.
There existed a real "European unanimity, even if there are nuances within the specific proposals," he said.
Vedrine hailed the upcoming visits this week to the Middle East by British and German foreign ministers, Jack Straw and Joschka Fischer, as part of the goal to find a political solution.
He urged the conference not to be afraid to openly address Christian and Islamic cultural differences, such as the role of women or the application of the death penalty in certain Muslim countries.
The joint EU-OIC meeting, called and hosted by Turkey, is being held in Istanbul's historic Ciragan palace.
It takes place amid growing fears that the U.S. will extend its "war on terrorism" to Iraq, Iran and North Korea, which U.S. President George Bush has branded "an axis of evil".
Although predominantly Muslim, Turkey has a strongly secular regime. It is both an OIC member and a candidate to join the EU.
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