CHERSONISSOS,
Crete, May 27 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - European and
Mediterranean ministers urged Israel and the Palestinians on Tuesday,
May 27, to immediately implement the U.S.-backed roadmap to end months
of bloodshed and asserted that "a comprehensive peace (in the
Middle East) must also include Syria and Lebanon".
The
roadmap had to be implemented "without delay," the Greek
presidency of the European Union said in a statement at the conclusion
of the EuroMed forum, the first major European-Arab meeting since the
end of the Iraq war, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The
annual summit gathered ministers from the 15 EU members, representatives
from the 10 prospective states and ministers from Algeria, Egypt,
Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey and the
Palestinian Authority.
"The
ministers called on both parties to take advantage of this window of
opportunity and proceed with the faithful and effective implementation
of the roadmap without delay," the text said.
"The
roadmap... is a great opportunity to bring back substantial peace
negotiations which should not be missed."
The
roadmap, drawn up by the United States, United Nations, Russia and the
European Union aims at ending Israeli-Palestinian violence by ensuring
Israeli security and creating a Palestinian state by 2005.
It
has been approved by the Palestinian cabinet and, less wholeheartedly,
by the Israeli government, paving the way for a summit between U.S.
President George W. Bush and Israeli and Palestinian premiers in Jordan
next month.
EU
foreign policy chief Javier Solana said the quartet would meet early
next month to work out "the next steps forward" in
implementing the peace plan.
The
statement, furthermore, urged Israelis and Palestinians to show
restraint, warning of attempts to derail the peace plan.
"Extremist
groups will target the roadmap, trying to derail it and bring havoc to
the region.
"Both
parties must show ultimate restraint and refrain from actions that can
inflame hatred and play into the hands of the extremists."
Syria
Seeks Inclusion
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"The
roadmap... has to address the Lebanese and Syrian tracks,"
Shara said added.
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Syria,
which had boycotted the last EuroMed conference because of the presence
of Israel, said it was ready to restart peace talks with the Jewish
state, three years after they ground to a halt in acrimony.
Syrian
Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shara called for enlarging the roadmap to find
a comprehensive Middle East settlement that includes Syria and Lebanon.
"The
roadmap... has to address the Lebanese and Syrian tracks," he
added.
"The
two tracks are united and they will be a part of the whole solution in
the Middle East," he told reporters, adding that Syria did not
oppose the roadmap as such, but wanted it to be expanded.
In
a clear reference to Israel, Shara also urged U.S. President George W.
Bush not to act in a "selective" manner by favoring "the
interests of one side rather than the interests of all the parties to
the conflict in the region."
He
left open the possibility that Syria would take part in a U.S.-Arab
meeting mooted to take place as well as the U.S.-Palestinian-Israeli
summit, but added that any Middle East solution had to comprehensive.
Over
the past two weeks, Syria has repeatedly said it is ready to revive
peace negotiations with Israel on the basis of U.N. resolutions, which
notably require Israel to withdraw from the Golan Heights it occupied in
1967.
Peace
talks between the two broke down three years ago.
Israeli
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom earlier said talks could only begin if
Syria "ends terrorism and doesn't allow extremists to have training
camps on its territory."
He
said that Bush's personal commitment to the peace process could make the
difference compared with previous failed efforts to find a settlement
after decades of Arab-Israeli-conflict.
Greek
Foreign Minister George Papandreou said the European Union would
continue to provide financial and political support to the process.
The
EU will finance the Palestinian Authority with more than 130 million
euros in 2003, a source at the European Commission, the EU executive,
said.
"The
European Union is a member of the quartet, so it has a... special
responsibility to follow up (the roadmap's) implementation," Arab
League chief Amr Moussa said.
German
Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer meanwhile said it was Washington which
was "in the driving seat" to ensure the success of the peace
plan.
