Sharon's ignorance with EU envoys requires decisive reaction

Vice Prime Minister and foreign Affairs Minister Louis Michel said the EU would not tolerate Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon's ignorant treatment of the EU diplomatic delegation last week.

Speaking to MENA following a 90-minute meeting between Michel and Arab ambassadors in Brussels, a Belgian diplomatic source asserted that Israel's refusal to allow Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique and European security chief Javier Solana to meet Palestinian President Yasser Arafat was a very serious act that requires a decisive European reaction.

There must be a decisive EU reaction to the Israeli refusal that must not go unattended; the source quoted Michel as saying.

Michel believes that the upcoming EU foreign ministerial meeting, due in Luxemburg, would be the right occasion to take such a reaction added the source.

Michel informed the Arab ambassadors them that Belgium has already suspended arms export to Israel several months ago, according to the source.