Mideast: direct talks, Frattini says
Italian FM will lead mission to Gaza in September
28 July, 14:27
(ANSA) - Rome, July 28 - The international community is
pushing for direct talks between the Israelis and Palestinians,
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said at a press
conference Wednesday with the European Union's foreign-policy
chief, Catherine Ashton."We are all working towards direct talks," said Frattini, lauding Ashton's "important, intelligent and courageous action".
Frattini said that, thanks partly to Ashton's recent visit to the occupied territories and Gaza, "for the first time after many years the EU is a protagonist in the the Middle East".
"This is a demonstration that the EU can make the difference," he said.
Ashton made a three-day trip to Israel and Gaza on July 17-19, her second in four months, largely focusing on improving conditions in Gaza but not including a meeting with the Strip's ruling Islamist group Hamas.
Frattini reiterated that a mission he will lead to Gaza at the start of September would again "not give any legitimisation" to Hamas.
He stressed that the EU wanted to support the Palestinian National Authority government on the West Bank led by Premier Salam Fayyad and President Mahmoud Abbas.
For this reason, he said the mission, expected to take place September 1-2 and including French, Spanish and other foreign ministers, will only have contacts with refugee and aid organisations in Gaza.
"These will be the contacts in the visit, which we are planning in close liaison with the United States and Egypt," the Italian foreign minister said.
