EU envoy stressed unity of Lebanese-Syrian tracks in the peace process
Regional, Politics, 8/9/1999

The European Union's Middle East special envoy to the peace process, Miguel Moratinos, has stressed the EU's backing for the unity of the Syrian and Lebanese tracks as a basic element "for the establishment of a comprehensive peace in the region."

In a statement to reporters in Damascus, the EU Middle East special envoy hoped that the Middle East peace prospects, especially following the election of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, are on the rise. Moratinos also underlined the Finnish EU presidency's determined efforts to push the peace talks forward on all tracks.

Moratinos arrived in Damascus last week in the company of Finnish Foreign Minister Tarja Halonen, whose country is presiding over the current rotating presidency of the European Union as of last month.

Replying to a question on the prospects for peace after Barak assumed office in Israel, Moratinos said: "I think that the prospects of the Middle East peace process after the election of the Israeli Prime Minister Barak are much more optimistic. We are all hopeful that since the results of Israeli elections and his message to his society and leaders that he wants to have real advances and progress on the Middle East peace process, I think we have to be more optimistic than in the past. It is not going to be easy. It is going to be difficult, but I think all parties are committed to achieve a final and lasting peace."

Replying to another question on how the EU views the unity of the Syrian - Lebanese track, Moratinos said: "It is very clear that the EU has been from the beginning and even during the difficult period of the previous Israeli government careful about the need to collaborate the comprehensive approach that was launched in 1991."

He continued, "This comprehensive approach means that you have to tackle at the same time the Lebanese and Syrian track. Whenever you try to separate them and whenever you try to make some unilateral approach to this track, I think the result will not be hopeful and there will be no positive outcome of such an approach."

Previous Stories:
  Lebanese president meets with Finnish FM   (8/6/1999)
  Al-Assad meets with Finnish foreign minister   (8/6/1999)
  Moussa confirms European peace role   (7/31/1999)

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