Resolution on the Middle East peace process and the 4 May 1999 deadline
Date: 1999-05-06
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Middle East

C 279/420

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

1.10.1999

Thursday 6 May 1999

25. Middle East peace process

B4-0460, 0479, 0486, 0488, 0495 and 0503/99

Resolution on the Middle East peace process and the 4 May 1999 deadline

The European Parliament,

− 

recalling its previous resolutions on the Middle East peace process,

−  having regard to UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338 and 425,

−  having regard to the statement by the Berlin European Council of 25 March 1999 on the Middle East

peace process,

A.  whereas under the Oslo Agreement the parties concerned agreed on a transitional period up to 4 May

1999 with a view to reaching a final status agreement,

B.  pointing out that, once the Israeli general election has taken place, all the negotiations already started
between  the  Israelis  and  the  Palestinians  will  have  to  be  resumed  and  the  Wye  Plantation
memorandum will have to be applied without delay,

C.  whereas  both  the  European  Union  and  the  United  States  of  America  have  called  for  an  early
resumption of the final status negotiations with the aim of concluding these within one year,

D.  whereas the Palestinian authorities decided to accept an extension of the transitional period beyond

4 May 1999,

E.  noting  with  satisfaction  the  reiteration  by  the  Foreign  Ministers  attending  the  Euro-Mediterranean
Conference  in  Stuttgart  of  their  firm  commitment  to  the  basic  principles  underpinning  the  peace
process,

1. Welcomes the statement issued by the Berlin European Council on the peace process, particularly
the Palestinians’ unconditional right to self-determination, including the right to create a state, which the
EU is prepared to consider recognising in due course, and the undertakings given by the EU concerning
the future settlement of the conflict;

2.
Reiterates its conviction that the final outcome of the current process must be the establishment of an
independent Palestinian state and recognition of the State of Israel’s existence and its right to security;

3. Welcomes  the  Palestinian  authorities’  decision  to  accept  an  extension  of  the  transitional  period
beyond 4 May 1999;

4.
Calls  on  the  parties  concerned  to  resume  the  final  status  negotiations  with  a  view  to  an  early
conclusion  and  to  refrain  from  unilateral  actions  and  declarations  on  issues  that  form  part  of  such
negotiations  (borders,  water,  the  settlements,  refugees  and  the  final  status  of  the  Palestinians  and
Jerusalem);

5.
Calls on the Commission, the Council and the Member States and on the EU Special Envoy to make
every effort to promote the resumption of these negotiations and calls, further, for the resumption of the
negotiations on the Syrian and Lebanese aspects of the peace process;

6.
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the governments
and parliaments of the Member States, the EU Special Envoy, the Government and Parliament of Israel
and the Palestinian National Authority and Legislative Council.