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Middle East Peace Process

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 June 2013

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Questions (11)

Seán Fleming

Question:

11. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the engagement he has had with his counterparts in Israel and Palestine in order to advance peace in the region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30814/13]

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Written answers

The search for a peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Arab conflict is among my top priorities as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. In January 2012, I visited Israel, the West Bank and Gaza to see the issues on the ground and speak to leaders on all sides. I and my Department continue to avail of every opportunity to meet leaders and officials from the region, as well as EU and other leaders active on the Middle East. I have discussed the Middle East Peace Process on a number of occasions with US Secretary of State Kerry including when I met him in Washington in March, prior to the first of his recent intensive series of visits to the region. The Foreign Affairs Council which I attended on Monday had a valuable discussion on the Arab-Israeli conflict.

The EU’s key priority at this point is to support the efforts of Secretary Kerry to bring the two parties back to substantial negotiations aimed at concluding a comprehensive agreement. Ultimately this is the only way the overall conflict, and the many problems caused by the occupation, will be ended. In advance of any proposals from the US, the Council considered how the EU can best support what may well be the last feasible chance to achieve a two-state solution to the conflict. This could take the form of direct political support and encouragement, and parallel EU actions in support, such as the capacity building in the Palestinian administration which we have engaged in for some years. We noted also that over the past year the viability of the two-state solution has been further eroded.

Recalling in particular the Conclusions which we reached in May and December 2012, we expressed our concerns about developments on the ground which are working to make the two-state solution impossible. This is a theme which I have continually addressed and kept to the fore in EU discussions. I have been a strong advocate of the need for an early review by the Foreign Affairs Council of the issues which we addressed in the May 2012 Conclusions. I am firmly of the view that actions on the ground are threatening the prospects for a peace agreement based on the two-state solution and that the EU must make its position in this regard very clear.

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