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News Releases


No. 08/06
January 26, 2006
PRELIMINARY EU REACTION TO PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS
Following Wednesday’s Palestinian
election,
Benita Ferrero-Waldner (pictured below), EU Commissioner for
External Relations and
Neighborhood Policy has issued a
preliminary reaction.

According to Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner, “the
Palestinian people have turned out in very high numbers
to freely express their popular will. I am satisfied
that the EU Election Observation Mission led by
Véronique de Keyser MEP was able to play an important
role in strengthening the confidence of Palestinians to
exercise their democratic rights. In holding competitive
and credible elections the Palestinians have shown their
commitment to determine their political future via
democratic means. Democracy however brings with it a
responsibility to respect the rule of law, to end
violence and to commit to peace by peaceful means
through negotiations with Israel. I urge the new
Palestinian Government to respect these values and to
commit fully to a democratic and peaceful process in
line with our longstanding principles for cooperation.”
The
EU Election Observation Mission, deployed throughout
the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem and the Gaza
Strip, found that the elections constituted a
“fairly-contested electoral process that was efficiently
administered by a professional and independent
Palestinian Central Elections Commission.”
In terms of working with any new Palestinian government,
Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner said, “we are in principle
ready to work with any government of the Palestinians
that would seek peace by peaceful means.”
This will include a commitment to the principles that
underpin
EU-Palestinian agreements, notably the EU-PA
Neighborhood Policy Joint Action Plan and the Interim
Association Agreement which bind the Palestinian
Authority to the fundamental principles of peace and
democracy, respect for the rule of law and human rights.
Background
EU
Foreign Ministers will address the issue of the
outcome to the Palestinian elections at their meeting in
Brussels on Monday, 30 January. The Quartet will meet in
London later that day.
For background information, on this issue please visit:
http://www.eurunion.org/newsweb/HotTopics.htm#mideast.

Further Contact Information
Press and Public Diplomacy
Delegation of the European Commission
2300 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
http://www.eurunion.org/PressRoom
Tel: 202-862-9552
Fax: 202-429-1766
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