Solana aims to build bridges in Middle East

Date: 05/06/03

JAVIER Solana, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, is working on a new initiative for peace between Syria, Lebanon and Israel.

On Monday (3 June), French President Jacques Chirac stated that Solana is preparing a road-map on building cordial relations between Jerusalem, Damascus and Beirut, similar to the one aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Although no formal decision has been taken to devise a fresh blueprint by the Middle East 'quartet' - the EU, US, Russia and the UN - a source close to Solana confirmed he has indicated to top-level Syrian and Lebanese politicians his willingness to work on one.

The source said he believes there is a new "diplomatic opening" for addressing the wider questions of the Middle East conflict.

This follows the decision by Syria and Lebanon to participate in the Euro-Mediterranean (EuroMed) ministerial meeting in Crete on 27 May.

The two states had boycotted the EuroMed forum for the past two years due to the involvement of Israel.

Solana is also hoping that remarks made to him during a recent meeting with Faruq al-Shar'a, Syria's foreign minister, can be capitalized on.

According to EU insiders, the minister told Solana he wished to see bilateral Syria-Israel talks taking place and that the quartet should play a similar role in the question of relations between his country, Lebanon and Israel as it has played in the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Last month Ariel Sharon, the Israeli premier, indicated that he was willing to restart talks with Damascus for the first time since they broke down three years ago due to differences over the Golan Heights - a part of Syria occupied by Israel in 1967.

EU diplomats consider that a new plan for settling the wider Middle East question would have to incorporate elements of the 'Beirut declaration' made by the Arab League last year.

Also known as the Arab initiative, it proposes that Arab states would establish normal relations with Israel in return for its withdrawal from the Golan Heights and south Lebanon, the foundation of a Palestinian state and a "just solution" to the issue of Palestinian refugees.

The latter question is of particular concern to Lebanon, where up to 400,000 Palestinian refugees are based.

Javier Solana is preparing an initiative for peace between Syria, Lebanon and Israel.