MacLennan: EU to advance on all peace tracks

The British ambassador to Lebanon, David Ross MacLennan, said his country which will chair the forthcoming session of the European Union by January 1 1998 will, together with the European Union, "attach great importance to finding a solution to the present stalemate in Middle East negotiations."

This was expressed in a meeting held between the British ambassador and Lebanon's foreign minister, Fares Boueiz. MacLennan added that Britain and the EU intend to be in close contact with all players in the region and "to advance not only on the Palestinian track but on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks, as well."

Replying a question on what sort of policy Britain will pursue during its presidency of the EU, MacLennan said the EU policy concerning the Middle East peace process was manifested clearly in the final statement of the recent Luxembourg summit in that the EU pins great hope on working together with European partners to find a solution for the problem in the Middle East. He continued that the "EU fully supports the activities carried out by its special envoy to the region, Miguel Angel Moratinos."