European Union calls for deploying neutral observers in the occupied territories

The foreign ministers of the European Union EU on Monday expressed their deep concern over the situation in the occupied Arab territories.

In a statement released in conclusion of their meeting in Brussels, the ministers called for the deployment of neutral observers to reinforce immediate implementation of the Mitchell committee fact- finding recommendations, especially ceasing fire and the return back of the higher representative for the EU foreign policy Javier Solana to the ME region to follow up his efforts to calm down the situation.

The ministers urged the Israeli government and the Palestinian authority to abstain from provoking each other and said that any act that will weaken and destabilize the other side should not be taken.

The statement stressed the commitment of the European Union to play its due role in maintaining close cooperation with the US and the UN in the attempt to reach an agreement between the Palestinian and Israeli sides.

Meantime, the French foreign minister Hubert Vedrine welcomed the statement and described it as positive, and as stressing the grave condition and urging the two sides to strong obligations to stop the confrontations.