European Parliament President Martin Schulz heralded the renewal of Mideast peace talks, as he complimented “the commitment which the two sides have shown in the build-up” to the US-brokered resumption.
Hailing more specifically the efforts of US Secretary of State John Kerry, who has made six visits to the region since entering office in February, as part of President Barack Obama’s attempts to propel the stalled peace process in his second and final administration, he stressed that the increased engagement allowed “for cautious, but well-founded optimism”.
Acknowledging the “urgent need” for Israeli-Palestinian peace as instability threatens to sidetrack ongoing democratic transition in neighbouring Egypt and the Syrian crisis continues to escalate he added: “The European Parliament will continue to support all efforts aimed at reaching an agreement on all final status issues, ending all claims, and fulfilling the legitimate aspirations of both parties with the state of Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous, sovereign and viable State of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security and mutual recognition.”
“I wish strength, courage and determination to the negotiators and urge all Palestinian and Israeli political forces to show restraint, responsibility and foresightedness,” concluded his official comment.
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said he “looked forward” to the resumption of talks after a three-year impasse in a statement Sunday. The habitual Israel critic continued to “hail this potentially major breakthrough that comes after three years of suspension and it is my hope that these negotiations could lead to an agreement”, in an echo of Schulz’s cautious response to Washington’s announcement of the imminent arrival of Israeli and Palestinian negotiators.
“It is in everyone's interest to end the conflict and ensure the creation of a viable and sovereign Palestinian state living in peace and security alongside Israel. France will spare no effort to facilitate negotiations and, when appropriate, participate in the implementation of a peace agreement,” he added.
There was no immediate comment on the start of talks from EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, currently in Egypt addressing the escalating crisis there, where she has held meetings with the interim government as well as speaking with the imprisoned ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
Direct peace talks were set to begin in earnest Tuesday morning in Washington, following the arrival of Palestinian and Israeli delegations Monday when they participated in an Iftar dinner to mark Ramadan at the State Department.
Kerry was due to hold a trilateral meeting with Israeli Justice Minister and chief negotiator Tzipi Livni and chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat at the State Department before all three ministers attended a joint press conference to provide an update on the status of negotiations, as part of what State Department spokesman Jen Psaki characterised Monday as “the beginning of direct, final status negotiations on a nine month – at least a nine-month timetable. They’ve agreed to work together through the course of that time, and the Secretary absolutely feels that time is of the essence”.