World Jewish News

EU's Mogherini: 'We will not move our EU delegation in Tel Aviv'

‘’We will not move our European Union Delegation that is in Tel Aviv and we hope that there can be a reflection on consequences of any move that is taken,’’ EU foreign policy chief declared Monday at a press conference following a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels.

Asked about a possible move of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem under the new Trump administration, she replied : ‘’We still do not have a new US administration – we have an administration in the US, not a new one yet. And I believe that it is very important for us to refrain from unilateral actions, especially those that can have serious consequences in large of public opinions in large parts of the world.’’

“It is very important for us all to refrain from unilateral actions, especially those that can have serious consequences in large sectors of public opinion in large parts of the world,” the EU foreign policy chief told reporters after chairing their talks in Brussels.

“We hope that there can be reflection on consequences of any move that is taken,” she said.

Mogherini said that the EU would continue to respect the international consensus that embassies should not be based in Jerusalem as laid out in U.N. Security Council Resolution 478, dating from 1980.

‘’I am worried that large parts, as I say, of not only institutions but public opinion in parts of the world that are quite significant - the Arab world but also Africa, Asia, parts of Europe could have in reaction to a move that for sure would not be in line with, as I said, the international consensus embodied in the UN Security Council Resolutions, especially 478.’’

Mogherini acknowledged that no formal conclusions were adopted by the Foreign Affairs Council. but she stated that declaration issued after the Paris Mideast conference on Sunday and the United Nations Security Council 2334 “reflect fully the EU consolidated position”

‘’The Foreign Ministers strongly reconfirmed our consolidated position on the two states, and on the trends that are endangering this perspective,” namely “the settlement expansion, the violence and the incitement to violence, and the situation in Gaza,” Moherini said.

The EU foreign affairs chief denied that British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson prevented the EU to adopt a formal statement on the Mideast East at Monday’s meeting. Britain already expressed reservations during the Paris conference and didn’t sign the final communiqué.

‘’There were some exchanges around the table on whether it would have been useful or not to have short Council Conclusions. They were some different views, not on the content, but on the opportunity to have them on not, and in which form. And normally, as you know, Council conclusions are prepared in advance and normally we do not decide them over an informal session on the spot. I do not exclude that we can have Council conclusions on the Middle East, and on the way forward of our work especially on the Quartet and our work with the Arab partners in relation to the MEPP in the future.’’

EJP