Curt Here...
Last night in a speech in London, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana called for the UN to recognize Palestine as a state. He said "After a fixed deadline, a U.N. Security Council resolution should proclaim the adoption of the two-state solution." He went on to say "It would accept the Palestinian state as a full member of the U.N., and set a calendar for implementation. It would mandate the resolution of other remaining territorial disputes and legitimize the end of claims."
It is very clear from his comments that a fixed deadline should be set for Israel and the Palestinians to come to a two state solution on their own, and then after that deadline passes they should be forced into a two state solution by the UN and the international community. He said "If the parties are not able to stick to it (the timetable), then a solution backed by the international community should be put on the table."
This would include implementing border parameters and control over Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. All of this would be enforced with some kind of security arrangement. If Solana's idea gets backing from the UN and international community, then this could be hugely prophetic. I for one am very interested in the date of the deadline, as this could be very telling if this is related to the timeline we have been watching.
Who says Javier Solana is going to retire.
Stay Tuned.
Curt
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EU's Solana calls for UN to recognise Palestinian state
BRUSSELS, July 12 (Reuters) -- The European Union's foreign policy chief called for the U.N. Security Council to recognise a Palestinian state by a certain deadline even if Israelis and Palestinians have not reached agreement among themselves.
The EU's Javier Solana made his comments on Saturday at a lecture in London while Palestinian and Israeli peace talks remain stalled.
The Palestinians have said they will not revive peace talks unless there is a halt to Israel's settlement activities in the West Bank.
"After a fixed deadline, a U.N. Security Council resolution should proclaim the adoption of the two-state solution," Solana said, adding this should include border parameters, refugees, control over the city of Jerusalem and security arrangements.
"It would accept the Palestinian state as a full member of the U.N., and set a calendar for implementation. It would mandate the resolution of other remaining territorial disputes and legitimise the end of claims," Solana went on.
Advocating a return to Israel's borders before the 1967 war with Egypt, Syria and Jordan in which it took the West Bank, Solana said mediators should set a timetable for a peace agreement.
"If the parties are not able to stick to it (the timetable), then a solution backed by the international community should be put on the table," he said.
The EU, along with the United States, Russia and the United Nations, is part of the Quartet of Middle East Negotiators. (Reporting by Anne Jolis; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSLC616115
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2 comments:
Thanks to nonymouse over at FP for posting this insert of part of Javier Solana's speech. Check it out as I believe it is very telling of where we are heading. Pay special attention to his words at the very end of this post and the beginning of my second post. Again very telling.
The rest of the speech can be viewed at the link below.
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/
uedoc...urs/109193.pdf
Dear friends,
A state is not only a set of well functioning institutions providing security and services to its citizens. The Palestinian Authority is working hard in that direction.
President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad have to be praised even if much remains to be done. A state is essentially a geographical space over which a legitimate government has control over population and natural resources.
So we must first define the space. This means borders. And if we insist so forcefully on the need to freeze Israeli settlements, it is precisely because their continuing expansion is an obstacle to the design of this physical space.
Settlements not only cast doubts on the viability of any Palestinian State. They add, in their day-to-day lives, to the frustration of the Palestinian people.
Let me give you some figures. In 1993, when the Oslo agreement was reached, there were 75.000 settlers in the West Bank. In 2008, there were 290.000 of them. In 2008, the Israeli population inside the Green Line grew 1,6%. The number of settlers increased by 4,9%.
In addition, the situation in Gaza is unacceptable. Changing the realities there is a pre-requisite for re-uniting the land and the people that will form the future Palestinian state.
Whether we like it or not, Hamas will have to be part of the solution. I want to thank Egypt for their work on that.
Defining the borders would solve the issue of territory, control over water resources and a good part of the equation for Jerusalem. And it will help tackle the question of settlements. Because it will establish on which side each various population centres will be.
The point of departure are the 1967borders. Territorial exchanges can be negotiated between the parties, on the basis of the 1967 line. The various territorial offers fluctuate between 6 and 2%.
It should not be impossible to find a figure. The parties can negotiate within this margin, not outside.
Nobody rejects the 1967 borders as a basis for negotiation. The Arab League accepts them. The EU has said the same. The United States have also made clear its attachment to them.
I have spelt out the broad coalition which is behind this effort. There will be no solution without an active Arab contribution. The Arab Peace Initiative is key. Maybe it has to be made more operative.
Its binary character - all or nothing - has to be nuanced. But having the Arab countries reacting in a positive way, with concrete actions, to every step will contribute immensely to success.
The next ingredient for success is a real mediation. The parameters are defined. The mediator has to set the timetable too. If the parties are not able to stick to it, then a solution backed by the International community should will be put on the table.
After a fixed deadline, a UN Security Council resolution should proclaim the adoption of the two state solution. This should include all the parameters of borders, refugees, Jerusalem and security arrangements.
It would accept the Palestinian state as a full member of the UN, and set a calendar for implementation. It would mandate the resolution of other remaining territorial disputes and legitimise the end of claims.
Continued...
Continued...
International monitoring will then be crucial. As will be guarantees and contributions offered by the international parties regarding security, economic aid and refugees. We all will have to make deposits to that end. Arab states would immediately establish full diplomatic relations with Israel.
I strongly believe the time has come to, finally, bring this conflict to an end. The international consensus is there. But time is of the essence. The second half of this year is crucial if we want to offer a real choice to the Palestinian people when they vote in January 2010. Something radically different from a choice between violence and desperation.
"Reaching an agreement over a peace process in the Middle East will eliminate several groups' justifications for existence. It will save lives." These are not my words. They are General Petraeus'.
I would add that if the Palestinian question is resolved many groups will turn to democratic struggle to find their justification for existence. And we will be able to deal with Iran from a much stronger position. Never before had we have such a common line. We cannot afford wasting this opportunity. It is time to act.
Curt
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