MIDDLE EAST: The European Union will play a role in Middle East peacemaking whether the Israeli government "like it or not", the EU's foreign policy chief, Mr Javier Solana, said yesterday. The pledge by Mr Solana followed talks on Thursday in which Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon warned him there would be little chance of EU involvement in the peace process without a drastic change in the European position.
Rocky relations between Israel and the EU have hit a new low since the 25-nation bloc voted for a Palestinian-sponsored General Assembly resolution demanding that the Jewish state heed a World Court ruling calling on it to tear down the barrier.
After failing to resolve the row in meetings with Israeli leaders, Mr Solana wrapped up his visit telling reporters: "Europe ... is a very important international power and is going to play a role, \ you like it or not." He said the EU had a right to participate because of its important interests in the region. "The Palestinians cannot imagine a peace process without the full participation of the EU. Europe has contributed enormously since the beginning," Palestinian cabinet minister Mr Saeb Erekat said.
In Ramallah, meanwhile, the Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, met two dozen members of the diplomatic corps. It is understood he told the diplomats that the resignation of the Prime Minister, Mr Ahmad Qurei, was no longer on the table and that he has gone back to work. On Thursday, Mr Qurei said his resignation had not been withdrawn and Mr Arafat's assertion yesterday could not be confirmed.
Mr Arafat, apparently, takes the view that the impasse caused by his refusal to cede authority over the security services to his premier and interior minister has ceased to be a problem.
Mr Arafat also tells visitors that the Palestinian Authority is dealing with corruption and that there should be no difficulties with implementation of the "roadmap" peace plan that envisages the establishment of a Palestinian state in 2005. However, members of the Quartet - the UN, US, European Union, and Russia - hold that there can be no progress on the roadmap until he hands over responsibility for security and begins reforms.
Meanwhile, Israeli military sources said a militant killed in a missile strike in Gaza overnight on Thursday had been involved in seizing body parts of six soldiers blown apart in a Gaza ambush in mid-May, before the remains were returned in an Egyptian-brokered deal.