WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1108/98 by Spalato BELLERE' , Cristiana MUSCARDINI to the Council. Foreign Secretary Cook's visit to Israel
Date: 1998-04-15
Institutions: BELLERE, European Parliament, MUSCARDINI
Subjects: EU relations, Palestine question, United Kingdom, diplomatic relations, minister, official visit, peacekeeping

C 323/114

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

21. 10. 98

(98/C 323/174)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1108/98

by Spalato Bellere· (NI) and Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Council

(15 April 1998)

Subject: Foreign Secretary Cook(cid:146)s visit to Israel

At the end of the recent visit by British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, a diplomatic incident was sparked off by a
meeting, which was not part of the official schedule, between the EU representative and representatives of the
Palestinian Authority at the Har Homa‘ settlement.

The Israeli authorities objected to the meeting, complaining that it did not form part of official negotiations on a
resumption of the peace process and in fact constituted a blatant case of interference in relations between the
Israeli Government and the Palestinian authorities.

As  the  United  Kingdom  currently  holds  the  Presidency,  British  Foreign  Secretary  Cook  was  acting  as
representative of the fifteen EU Member States.

Certain  political  stances  taken  by  Mr  Cook  were  not  agreed  by  the  Member  States,  nor  do  they  in  any  way
represent the unanimous view of EU countries on the Middle East crisis.

The European Union intends to play a leading role in the resumption of the Middle East peace process.

Does  the  Council  agree  that  Foreign  Secretary  Cook(cid:146)s  behaviour  was  inopportune,  inappropriate  and
counterproductive in terms of the role which Europe wishes to play as an intermediary in the peace process?

Answer

(6 July 1998)

During  his  trip  to  the  Middle  East  on  15-18  March  1998  the  President  of  the  Council  inter  alia  visited
Har Homa/Jabal Abu Ghneim, the site of a projected new Israeli settlement in the Occupied Territories. The visit
was included on the Council President(cid:146)s official schedule by common agreement.

The  visit  was  quite  in  keeping  with  the  European  Union(cid:146)s  clearly  stated  opposition  to  the  establishment  of
settlements in the Occupied Territories. When the building plans for Har Homa were announced in March 1997,
the Presidency-in-Office spelt out the Council position, stating: (cid:145)The EU disapproves of this move. It clearly
prejudges  the  outcome  of  the  Permanent  Status  negotiations.  The  EU  reiterates  its  policy  that  all  settlement
activities in the Occupied Territories contravene international law and are a major obstacle to peace.(cid:146)

Plans  for  the  visit  by  the  President  of  the  Council  were  approved  by  the  Foreign  Affairs  Ministers  at  their
informal meeting in Edinburgh on 13 and 14 March 1998. Following the visit, the Council endorsed the approach
adopted  by  the  President  of  the  Council  during  his  visit  to  the  region,  and  in  particular  his  visit  to
Har Homa/Jabal Abu Ghneim, and adopted conclusions to that effect.

(98/C 323/175)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1110/98

by Otto von Habsburg (PPE) to the Council

(31 March 1998)

Subject: Cancellation of the troika(cid:146)s visit to Zagreb

The planned visit by the President of the Council, Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, to Zagreb on 5 March 1998 was
cancelled suddenly. The visit of a second rank team, described as a substitute, was also cancelled as President
Tudjman, for his part, was not prepared to receive the people proposed, following the unexpected cancellation by
the President of the Council, although he delegated a group of members of the Croatian government of similar
rank, including its Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to do so.