Abbas wins EU backing for Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem

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Europe

The EU's foreign policy chief assured President Mahmoud Abbas at a meeting in Brussels on Monday that the EU supported his ambition to have East Jerusalem as capital of a Palestinian state.

Abbas in return repeated his call for East Jerusalem as capital as he urged the EU member nations to recognize a state of Palestine immediately, arguing that this would not disrupt negotiations with Israel on a peace settlement for the region.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini called on those involved in the process to speak and act "wisely," with a sense of responsibility.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini shakes hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Brussels, Belgium, Jan. 22, 2018. /Reuters Photo

EU diplomats say the 28-nation bloc is mulling several ways to support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with a negotiated settlement on the status of Jerusalem, which both Israel and the Palestinians see as their capital.

Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem broke with international consensus on the best way forward in Middle East peace moves, and his freeze on some funding to the Palestinians has angered many in the region and sparked financial uncertainty at the UN agency working in the territories.

Mogherini, who was chairing Monday's meeting in Brussels, said the 28-nation bloc is working "to support an international framework to accompany direct negotiations."

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini /EEAS Photo

Mogherini told reporters that "clearly there is a problem with Jerusalem. I would say that this is a very diplomatic euphemism."

She said "the only pragmatic, realistic solution for Jerusalem has to come through direct negotiations."

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Monday that France wants the EU to start work on an agreement on closer ties with the Palestinian territories.

The EU already has an agreement governing relations with the Palestinians, but Le Drian signaled that France wants to launch negotiations on an Association Agreement enshrining trade, political and other ties. Such accords are usually only agreed with recognized states. The EU already has one with Israel.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian /AFP Photo

"Concerning relations between the European Union and Palestine, we want to move from an interim agreement to an Association Agreement and immediately engage a process in that direction," Le Drian said ahead of talks in Brussels with EU foreign ministers and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

"What would be ideal would be to undertake a peace initiative together with the Americans," said Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders. "President Trump announced an initiative some time ago. We're waiting for it, and the European Union is ready to work on an initiative that would go in the direction of two states."

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Source(s): AP ,Reuters