By KUNA,
BRUSSELS : The European Union reiterated here Tuesday its support for the two-state solution to the Palestine question and said it expects from the new Israeli regime to do the same.
“There are two expectations of the European Union towards the future Israeli government, which is the recognition of the two-state solution and a commitment to the Middle East Peace Process,” European Commission spokesperson for external relations, Christiane Hohmann, told a press conference.
Her comments came as a new hard-line Israeli regime was in the making with Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of Israel’s right-wing Likud party to be sworn in as prime minister.
His cabinet includes extremist Avigdor Lieberman as foreign minister. Both have publicly expressed their opposition to a two-state solution.
Asked if the current EU Czech Presidency has cancelled an EU-Israel summit, Hohmann replied that the decision over the summit depends on the EU Presidency.
Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg was reported saying at an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in the Czech Republic at the weekend that that the lack of commitment to a two-state solution would make the European-Israeli relations very difficult.
“At one of our next ministerial meetings we would have to discuss what consequences the EU would draw from that,” he said.
The EU Czech Presidency had planned to hold a first EU-Israel summit in May as a sign of growing ties between Tel Aviv and Brussels.
The EU, however, has suspended talks on upgrading ties with Israel after the Israeli army onslaught on Gaza Strip which killed about 1300 Palestinians, including many children. (end) nk.ema KUNA 311521 Mar 09NNNN