MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS (MEPP)
Letter from the Chairman to Rt Hon Geoff
Hoon MP, Minister for Europe, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Thank you for your explanatory memorandum dated
4 October 2006 which Sub-Committee C considered at its meeting
on 12 October. The Sub-Committee agreed to clear the document
from scrutiny.
We would like to stress the continuing need
for EU engagement in the Middle East Peace Process. We would appreciate
your analysis of progress made on the Peace Process and of the
role that has been played by the EU to date, as well as your views
on what else the EU might do to achieve lasting peace in the region.
12 October 2006
Letter from Rt Hon Geoff Hoon MP to the
Chairman
Thank you for you letter of 12 October asking
for our analysis of the progress made on the Middle East Peace
Process (MEPP) to date, of the role that has been played by the
EU, and our views on what more the EU might do to achieve lasting
peace in the region.
As a member of the Quartet, the EU is at the
centre of the international community's efforts to achieve peace
in the Middle East. High Representative Solana, the Commission
and the Council are fully engaged. Mr Solana visited the region
25 -30 October, accompanied by the EU Special Representative for
the MEPP Marc Otte. His focus will be to encourage the parties
back to the Roadmap and to promote dialogue between them. The
situation is regularly reviewed by the Council. The MEPP has been
discussed at every General Affairs and External Relations Council
so far this year.
The EU is also playing an important practical
role on the ground. Following ideas put forward by the UK, the
European Commission has set up a Temporary International Mechanism
(TIM) to deliver support directly to the Palestinian people. The
TIM has so far provided allowances for 98,000 of the poorest Palestinians,
as well as supplying fuel to Palestinian hospitals, and essential
goods and services to schools and hospitals. The European Community
has so far provided €107 million through the TIM, in addition
to bilateral contributions from Member States. This is out of
a total European Community contribution to the Palestinians of
€329 million so far in 2006, already more than in any previous
year.
Further practical roles include the EU Border
Assistance Mission (EUBAM) at Rafah, set up under the UK Presidency,
which is working with all parties to ensure that the border crossing
between the Gaza strip and Israel is open regularly. The EU also
has a mission monitoring and assessing the Palestinian Civil Police
(EUPOL COPPS) in preparation for a full training programme when
there is a Palestinian government we can work with. Troops from
EU countries are also playing lead roles in the UNIFIL force in
Lebanon.
The EU's future engagement should continue on
this basis: working to bring all parties back to the Roadmap;
and undertaking important roles on the ground which can build
confidence and improve the situation for the people of the region.
We are currently working with the EU to identify areas where the
EU can look to build Palestinian institutional capacity. We hope
that this initiative will be endorsed by the GAERC in November.
30 October 2006
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