Israeli envoy rues EU relations failure

Date: 17/10/02

By David Cronin

ISRAEL'S outgoing EU envoy has voiced regret over his failure to develop better ties between his country and the Union.

Harry Knel-Tal will have spent slightly more than five years in Brussels when he returns to Jerusalem next month - to work as a senior strategist in the Israeli foreign ministry. Speaking to European Voice, he underscored his disappointment at friction between the EU and Ariel Sharon's government over its violent suppression of the Palestinian uprising or intifada.

'It's a sign of immaturity [in our relations] that we are not yet able to develop a viable political dialogue,' he said. 'I tried my very best but wasn't able to do it.

'I've a distinct feeling that our relations are too formal. They did not acquire an additional depth.

'We've never developed a cultural, intellectual and strategic dialogue.'

Kney-Tal contrasted the poor political links with the improved economic ones that have developed since the EU-Israel association accord was signed in 1995. 'The economic and trade relations are quite intact and have been able to withstand the test of time,' he said.

However, there has been one major irritant on trade links, centred on EU complaints that goods from the occupied territories are being exported with a misleading 'Made in Israel' label.

This 'rules of origin' dispute is due to be one of the primary topics of discussion when the EU-Israel association council meets in Luxembourg on Monday (21 October).

The ambassador urged the EU not to take swift punitive measures against Israel if this issue cannot be resolved.

Instead he is asking for three or four months to be set aside for technical experts from Israel, the Union and the Palestinian Authority to work intensively on breaking the impasse.

'The problem is too complicated to be resolved with a quick fix,' he added.

He also took issue with Chris Patten, the external relations commissioner, who last week condemned Israeli forces for stopping a series of EU humanitarian missions from reaching Palestinians in need of medical supplies.

'I'm very disappointed with some of Mr Patten's statements,' he countered. 'The criticisms would be much more effective if aired privately in diplomatic channels. You don't have to go out with a megaphone.

'Israeli policy is not to prevent UN or EU experts from going to the territories. However, we have a problem of security.

'We are forced to undertake certain measures, which might explain some of the instances listed by Commissioner Patten.'

Israel's outgoing EU envoy, Harry Knel-Tal, has voiced regret over his failure to develop better ties between his country and the European Union.