2ND EU lines up behind Hamas recognition plan By Shada Islam and Leon Mangasarian

Deutsche Presse Agentur
Published: Friday September 1, 2006

By Shada Islam and Leon Mangasarian, Lappeenranta, Finland- European Union foreign ministers on Friday lined up behind a diplomatic formula aimed at clinching long-sought recognition of Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Ministers, meeting in the Finnish city of Lappeenranta, also backed EU chief diplomat Javier Solana's nuclear talks next week with senior Iranian officials.

The Hamas blueprint, unveiled for the first time, would also allow the 25-nation bloc to forge direct links with Hamas, which is currently on the bloc's terrorist list - this means all EU contacts with the group are banned.

Solana outlined a step-by-step process which would allow Hamas to indirectly meet demands that it recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept past peace agreements.

The EU foreign policy chief said the first step would have to be the creation of a Palestinian government of national unity which would include members of Hamas.

Solana explained that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose Fatah group recognizes Israel, had set conditions for such a government which were the same as those set by the EU for direct talks with Hamas.

Under the EU formula, merely joining a national unity government sanctioned by Abbas would "mean that Hamas has accepted conditions set by the international community," said Solana.

The EU plan would effectively give Hamas a face-saving way out of its current isolation by not demanding the group make a humiliating, formal climbdown from its hardline stance.

Asked if the United States would also deal with a partially Hamas government, Solana said: "In that case, the US will accept it also."

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, whose country holds the EU presidency, said creation of a Palestinian national unity government "whom nobody could refuse to talk to" would be a "critical development."

Ministers from EU heavyweights Germany and France firmly backed the Hamas formula.

"Everybody sees we have to include the difficult parties in the region," said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

France's Philippe Douste-Blazy said the EU must encourage "a progressive process that leads Hamas to transform into a political party."

EU diplomats said if all parts of the plan were implemented, it would suffice to get Hamas off the bloc's terrorist list.

Such a move would also allow millions of euros worth of EU aid to start flowing again directly to the Palestinian government.

Ministers also called for a swift meeting of the international Quartet which is working for Middle East peace and includes the EU, the US, Russia and the United Nations.

Finland's Tuomioja said the EU was determined to ratchet up its involvement in the Middle East in the aftermath of the 34-day confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Turning to the nuclear crisis with Iran, EU ministers put the focus on diplomacy rather than sanctions.

Solana said he would meet top Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani early next week. He said the exact date and venue had yet to be decided, but that the talks would take place in Europe.

The EU's chief diplomat warned Tehran not to think it could drag out the talks for an extended period as it has in the past.

"The time that is left is not infinite at all," he underlined.

Asked about possible UN sanctions on Iran, Solana said: "I prefer not to talk about (that) at this point ... my obligation is to talk about the possibility of a solution."

Tuomioja also said the bloc continued to believe the nuclear standoff with Iran could be resolved through diplomacy.

"We are still, all of us, wanting to engage Iran seriously," Tuomioja said, adding: "For the EU, diplomacy remains the number one way forward."

EU talks on Iran will continue on Saturday before ministers discuss relations with Russia at their meeting in the 17th Century Lappeenranta fortress just a few miles from the Russian border.

© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agenteur