MIDEAST QUARTET (EU, US, UN & RUSSIA) MEETING

BRIEFING BY BENITA FERRERO-WALDNER, EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS

INTRODUCTION BY ANGELOS PANGRATIS, DEPUTY HEAD OF WASHINGTON DELEGATION

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2007
2:30 PM

Transcript by:
Federal News Service
Washington, DC

MR. PANGRATIS: Welcome to the Delegation. You know very well our Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner. I don't need to present her.

As we are in a small group and we did not have time to brief the Commissioner, can we start--can you please identify yourself? And then the Commissioner would say a few words, and then you'll ask your questions.

We start with a lady.

Q: My name is--(off mike)--I'm from ANSA, Italian news agency.

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: Okay.

MR. PANGRATIS: Welcome.

Q: George Gedda, Associated Press.

Q: Brian Beary, Europolitics--(off mike).

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: That's it.

MR. PANGRATIS: That's it.

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: Yeah, okay.

Pictured, Left to Right: EU German Presidency's German Foreign Minister Steinmeier, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, US Secretary of State Rice, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, EU Foreign Policy Chief Solana & EU External Relations Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner.

Well, first of all, let me say I'm highly pleased that you have come. There was a big press conference, but still there are always things that one maybe can add.

I think it was really crucial that the Quartet met today and that indeed we went a step further than normally. It's not only about confidence-building. It's not only about those first steps. It is for the first time, I would say, the question of a process initiating a process for political perspective for the settlement. And I think that is highly important for sides. It's important for the Palestinians because they always have had this desire, because all the small steps are necessary. But in order to have confidence that things go on and that there is real commitment on the Palestinian side, it is important that they really start talking about it. But it's also important for the Israelis, because it's a matter also of their security, and their security is only to be guaranteed or can only be guaranteed if there is a real political perspective.

Now, what is being planned? It's planned that Condi Rice [US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice] goes back to the region. I think we all go to the region. [EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier] Solana goes after her. I will go end of February, according to our actual time schedules. And rather soon after this first trilateral meeting that the Americans may facilitate, that she would facilitate with [Israeli] Prime Minister Olmert and [Palestinian] President Abbas, then we will have a next Quartet meeting in Berlin.

So that means what we said. We want to meet regularly on the level, on the one hand, of principles, us, and also on the level of our envoys in order to get this process really to work and to go on. And we still are very much in support of a national unity government that would reflect, indeed, the three principles that we always have quoted. One being, of course, the recognition of the state of Israel; then, of course, the non-violence, that means renouncing violence; and finally, of course, even recognizing future agreements or former agreements, I want to say, like, for instance, the Road Map and also the important Oslo process.

So here we are. Now we have said at the same time, What can we do to alleviate also the suffering of the Palestinian population? One, of course, we want go to on with the TIM, with the Temporary International Mechanism, that can be expanded. We have to see how we can do that. Again, this will be done, of course, in accordance with our Quartet partners, but also, of course, looking again to the European Union, but not only.

And second, in order for a Palestinian state to be viable, as we always said, it's necessary to have some institutions, and institution-building, therefore, is also highly important. We have been sharing the so-called governance group, and we'll again call a meeting of this governance group and then see what can be done.

Indeed, you know there are quite a number of institutions that are independent or under the authority of the President, and we can start working there.

And finally, I would say, highly important is the question of access and movement; that means the crossing points--Rafah, Karnei and others--and here, General Dayton has given a picture that is much more optimistic than the last developments. There is movement, even if it could be certainly ameliorated, improved--but there is movement. And there we are also ready to look into the question, What can we do more in order to support both sides? Because if exports can really go out, if Palestinians get their economy back on track, that will certainly also very, very strongly enhance the confidence. And that is necessary in order, then, to get the whole process going.

So I think this is so to say the action that is there, it's immediate, and then it's also a follow-up process. And then certainly the two parties will also see themselves and will start this informal process of talking also about the political perspective. They have to do it themselves, and we will, of course, support that.

Thank you.

MR. PANGRATIS: Thank you. You have questions?

Q: So is anything possible in the absence of a unity government, then? Does that not have to be the first step?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: Well, we think that government-building, expanding the TIM, going on with our negotiations on the access and movement--all that has been happening, and we can improve and ameliorate, as I said. And there are interim steps that are quite positive.

But at the same side, we are also looking, of course, to the efforts that are there on a national unity government, and hopefully there is a real chance. We do hope it, and we think we have to encourage Hamas to change. I think it was important what the Russian Foreign  Minister [Lavrov] said here. They also encourage Hamas to change. You know there are also offers from other partners to engage--for the region to mediate; for instance, the Saudi Initiative is an important one. So we do hope that, finally, this national unity government can be brought about.

But the idea of having the trilateral talks is independent of the national unity government. It is really this idea--President Abbas is the legitimate, democratically-elected leader. He wants to go ahead. He thinks it is the right moment. And also Prime Minister Olmert is ready to meet with Mahmoud Abbas. So...

Q: Okay. So how could a solution look like if we don't get a unity government?

MR. PANGRATIS: Can you identify yourself, please?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: Yes.

First of all, I think we still have to think in concrete terms. And, of course, this national unity government is still at the horizon, so we do hope that this can be brought about.

And otherwise--I mean, Mahmoud Abbas himself has said there are only two solutions: either this or in the future elections. But we do hope, and as I said, this would certainly be the best solution to have such a national unity government. Hopefully, it can be brought about.

Q: Could you expand on the TIM please?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: Yes. Absolutely.

The TIM, the so-called Temporary International Mechanism, is a financial mechanism that we have set up--we, as European Union--in order to be able to deliver support to the Palestinian people without going to or through the Hamas government. Now we have been working on that since summer, as you know. And I think we were very successful with this financial international mechanism. As UN said, and as the other day, when I met Mr. [Jakob] Kellenberger [President] from the ICRC [International Committee of the Red Cross] also, he said, this was really the most important measure.

Let me give you a few details on that. More or less, with disbursements at around 30 to 40 million euros or dollars per month in the second half of 2006, this Temporary International Mechanism has delivered more help to the poor families in two months--that's really important, in two months--than Hamas does in a whole year through the Hamas social security network. And I think we haven't been clear enough about this message in the past, so I think it has to be very clear. We have done here a very important job.

That means we have not abandoned the Palestinians following the outcome of last year's elections. We have had to step in because in this, Hamas hasn't delivered to his people. And of course, what could we do?

You know, we have three windows there, and we work under the three windows for questions like water and sanitation; for healthcare: particularly for hospitals--we have tried to have the hospitals really work; for fuel, which was necessary for the different pumps for the water and so on. And I would say the most important part was really to give social allowances to the poorest of the Palestinian people. And thus, we have reached out to 150,000 families, and you can think that more than one million people. Thus, we really were benefiting off the TIM. And as I said, we are ready to expand the TIM. We have to now see how we do that, in which way, in order to really give even more support to the Palestinians.

Q: A lot has changed in the last few weeks, in terms of the international environment. Do you think--in particular, [German] Chancellor Merkel's intervention was important? Do you accept that the process was a bit dead in the previous months, and that something is now moving, or is that how you read this?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: I think Angela Merkel was certainly one of those who really wanted to re-energize the process, and that this is very welcome. But there were a lot of other signs, too. I think it was important that the ceasefire, more or less, held; in Gaza, that Mahmoud Abbas and Olmert met on the 23rd of December, so already there was this readiness to meet; that the efforts for a national unity government are being maintained; and that a lot initiatives were there, everywhere in the Middle East.

If you think of three initiatives only among the Israeli government--no Tzipi Livni, Olmert, and, I think Peres--the three of them have mentioned different ideas. And we in the European Union, we, of course, always have been very forthcoming to go for the next step. There was the conference in Spain, Madrid, fifteen years after, that also wanted to reactivate the system. And I think the United States of America, they also have seen that it is highly important to tackle this question. It can also defuse, then, difficulties and tensions in the region. So I think there are quite a number of elements there that I think facilitate such a process.

Q: Do you not think that the US has been so focused on Iraq and Afghanistan that it served to take its eye off the ball on the Palestine and Middle East situation?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: Of course, we have talked to Condi Rice very often on that. I think it's always important also that the conditions on both sides--I mean between the parties--are somehow there. Certainly the United States of America has been very strongly emphasizing on Iraq, but as I say, Condi Rice, our counterpart, she always knew also how important this Israeli-Palestinian conflict was and how much it was important to go on.

Indeed, this agreement on freedom of movement and access that has been done, I think, in 2005, you know, where Jim Wolfensohn had been an important broker at the time. And she then was there for the final negotiations and she could then make this agreement. I'm sure that there was interest, but the interest was all about the small steps. The new element is indeed that now we are going for political process, initiation of a political process between the parties. That's it.

Q: So what are the big steps, then? What do you mean by the big steps?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: Well, the big steps, I just mean the big picture is, so to say, the final settlement. But the question is that the two parties themselves in informal talks have to set themselves the agenda. They have to discuss things. This will take time. Therefore, I said, I mean, we all have great expectations, but I think we also have to know that this will take time. But it's for the first time that now this process starts where indeed the horizon for the establishment of a Palestinian state is there.

Q: Looking back over the years, you sound like you're at a more hopeful point now than you have been in some time, perhaps since 2000. Would that be safe to say?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: I think indeed, as I said, there are some elements united at this very moment where we do hope that the two parties really take it on to go forward, and both of them have accepted this process. And therefore I think it's highly important to accompany it, to support it. This is together with the Quartet and with Condi Rice also going there, with all of us going there and trying to do whatever we can do on both sides.

Q: Is there any way that the division within the Palestinians can be healed as a result of outside pressure?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: I think it's very important that also a security force is being undertaken. This has to be done, of course, by the Palestinians, but, of course, also with the help of the US, and also with the help of the European Union. That may be a police force will be created and supported, because I mean every democratic country has to have a strong police in order to then go for rule and order. So this is capacity-building, this is institution-building. This is what each and every state needs. So this could go in parallel.

Q: Commissioner, it's Arshad Mahmud from Reuters. My apologies for running late.

MS. FERRARO-WALDNER: It's okay.

Q: Two questions. Do you regard the Quartet statement as an explicit reaffirmation of the January 30, 2006 statement, which made--or which suggested that aid to the Palestinians would be--to the Hamas-led government would be contingent on its accepting those three conditions? Is it your view that you have stuck exactly to what was decided?

MS. FERRARO-WALDNER: First of all, I mean, I just said before, the most part or point of today's meeting was that we are not only speaking of the small steps, but that this time we say a new political vision, a new political horizon has to start. And we are ready to say to accompany this process that we'll start with a trilateral meeting with Condi Rice and the two parties, Israel and Palestine. And we, as Quartet, want to accompany this process. This will be a long process; it will certainly not be very quick. So I don't want to overestimate it. But I think it's highly important that now something that has been asked for by the Palestinians for a long time will start.

But at the same time, I said it's also beneficial for the Israelis because real security in Israel will not be able to be brought about without the commitment also of the other side, and the more they see now the horizon to be there. So informal talks between the two parties, then, should start.

Now, to your question. I think it's a reiteration of what we already said. That means that we are in favor of a national unity government, but such a government should, indeed, embrace--should reflect the three principles that we always have outlined: recognition of Israel; non-violence, of course; and then also at least to accept some former agreements like Oslo and the Road Map, which I think is natural if they want to go along the Road Map because the Road Map is still the important document that is there. Now it's the idea to go for the talks, starting to talk about the third phase of the Road Map, which indeed is going for such a process.

So I think there is support for such a national unity government, if these three principles are being respected. And we do hope that something can happen on the ground to really have a positive result. We say it's important that the Russians also try to make Hamas change; that Saudis, for instance, are ready to mediate. There will be a meeting, most probably, in Saudi Arabia. And all of that could, then, hopefully finally give a solution of a national unity government.

Q: And it is still your view that donors should not give money to the Hamas-led government or to any government that does--any Palestinian government that does not respect those three principles?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: Well, I clearly said it. I said if such a government is there, we--with the recognition of these three principles or the reflection, then we are ready to engage with such a government.

Q: Are the Russians key here? You mentioned them as being a force for reform among Hamas.

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: Yes, well, I don't think they are key; I think we are all key in this process. But I think on Hamas they have a special role, and they mentioned it, because they are talking to Hamas in this sense, in this direction. And whoever can influence Hamas in this direction I think plays an important role.

Q: So the EU isn't engaging in any--has no contacts or links with Hamas?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: No, because Hamas for us is, as you know, on the terrorist list.

Q: And they won't get off that terrorist list until they...

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: At this very moment, they are on the terrorist list. At this very moment.

Q: They don't have sort of--(off mike)?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: We want to see movement. I mean, we all hope to see movement, and I think there were some encouraging steps, developments, but they are not yet fully resulting in the result that we all want to see, and this is a national unity government that we think would still be the best solution.

Q: Do you by chance wish that the Bush administration had tried harder earlier to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace, perhaps at a time when the Palestinians were not engaged in violent clashes and when the Israeli government was perhaps less politically elite?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: I think the European Union was always in favor of trying in each and every moment to get the two parties together. But at the same time, I also said in the end it's the parties that have to act, and we can only accompany, facilitate, push, you know, give an impulse to the parties. And I think there are some elements now that are being united where we hope that there is a good moment.

Q: What kind of political engagement will the EU...

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: Pardon?

Q: What kind of political engagement will the European Union have when the bigger steps (take off ?)?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: Well, for the moment, the European Union is engaged everywhere already. I mean, we are engaged in Rafah. We are doing things with the EU Corps. We are working on the TIM. We are working with the Palestinian government--I mean, with the Palestinian President--with the President on, for instance, governance, institution-building. We do hope that maybe we can do more in the future now. So I think we have been everywhere. And then in the future, we are ready to go further. But first, we have to see the parameters.

As I said before, I don't think now this is a process where you can immediately expect big, big jumps. But the thing is that these informal talks now need take place, and we will give them the support. And we also hope that the Arabs will give more support to that. That's another issue, because also in the Arab world, you know, with the Beirut Peace Initiative, with the Saudi Initiative, that then led to the Beirut Initiative--this is highly important. I mean, this could be another new factor that is there that could be used.

Q: When you go back to Brussels--I mean with what kind of message? And will you further discuss the (disbursements ?) of the TIM Program?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: Yes, of course. This will be the next for us. I mean we will call in a meeting with other donors--of course, first the EU Member States but then also other international donors to see what can be done together, absolutely. And then we will certainly discuss it in the Council [of the EU] but also at the next Quartet meeting.

Q: You emphasized water sanitation and fuel as part of the TIM Program. Are you going to expand it? Do you hope to have more than $30 (million) to $40 million for the next stage?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: We do hope that other international donors also can come in, and we also very much hope that the Israelis finally also can release the withheld taxes.

You know that $100 million already announced to be released; this is a very positive movement. But of course I think another $600 million or something like that are still being withheld, and this is a huge amount of money that we cannot match.

Q: Donors, is the US a donor?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: The US is not yet a donor of the TIM, but we hope that in the future the US will work, for instance, on the crossings, will do more there.

Q: Are you hoping that the US will contribute to the TIM?

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: We will see. It depends. But I think each and every player should have a role. That would be important in order, as I say, to really work wherever is necessary on all the different elements, and this is what we certainly all will do.

MR. PANGRATIS: That's obviously a very interesting discussion, but time is running out. Maybe we can take one or two more questions if you...

MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: Yes. Okay. And then we go to the airport. Yeah.

Q: (Laughs.)

MR. PANGRATIS: And then we finish there.

Are there any more questions?

Please.

Q: Do you see any particular danger to the Bush Administration policy of seeking to equip and train President Abbas's forces, do you see any risk that that might aggravate rather than diminish violence?

MS. FERRARO-WALDNER: I think it is highly important, if something is being done, that it is done in such a way that the political authority of President Abbas is being strengthened because he is the democratically-elected president. But at the same time, as I said, we all are working for national unity and we do hope that a national unity government can be brought about. I mean, the clashes that were last night again, they, of course are a sign how difficult the situation is.

I think police have to be strengthened, because indeed, I mean the police are really working with the ordinary people--normal police, I mean. And also the Palestinian--the guard of the President, the presidential guard also should be strengthened, because also security has to be there. I mean, in every functioning democracy security is there. But at the same time, we think it should not go in such a way that, of course, it would enhance the tensions that are there between the two factions, the different factions.

MR. PANGRATIS: Okay...

Q: Thank you very much.

MS. FERRARO-WALDNER: Thank you also. Thank you for coming.

MR. PANGRATIS: Thank you.

(END)