EU Middle East envoy: 425 is clear, needs no amendment
Lebanon-European Union, Politics, 5/1/1998

Lebanese President Elias Hrawi on Thursday received the European Union Middle East peace process envoy Miguel Moratinos.

The two sides discussed developments in the Middle East, the European efforts exerted to resume the Middle East peace process and the conditional Israeli proposals to implement UN resolution 425.

Hrawi stressed Lebanon's commitment to the implementation of UN resolution 425, which calls for an unconditional Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon, and told Moratinos that this very Lebanese stand has been previously reiterated in the messages Lebanon sent through Foreign Minister Fares Boueiz to the countries concerned.

Moratinos also conferred with the Lebanese Parliament's Speaker Nabih Berri and told reporters following the meeting that the EU is eager to advance the Middle East peace process, especially on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks. He also stressed the need for cohesion between the Syrian and Lebanese tracks in the peace process.

Moratinos said: "My visit to Lebanon after Damascus and Tel Aviv was to evaluate the results of the new Israeli proposal on UN resolution 425."

He indicated that 425 should be fully implemented without additional amendments. He added that his task is to eliminate the current stalemate in the peace process and to revive it rather than explaining Israel's intentions and stand.

Previous Stories:
  Israel sends Syria a message directly and through EU envoy   (4/29/1998)
  Syria vs. Israel on Lebanon   (4/9/1998)
  Europe' Moratinos: Withdrawal to be from Syria and Lebanon   (4/9/1998)

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