EU DIVIDED OVER HAMAS

EU foreign ministers divided over contact with Hamas
By Yossi Lempkowicz Updated: 03/Sep/2006 18:20

Erkki Tuomioja, Finnish EU council chairman with Javier Solana, EU's foreign policy chief

BRUSSELS (EJP)--- EU foreign ministers, who met this weekend in Finland, have agreed on the need for the European Union to concentrate on reviving the Mideast peace process. But they appeared divided over suggestions to hold contacts with Hamas. Just before the informal meeting of EU ministers in the resort of Lappeeranta, near the Russian border, Finnish EU council chairman Erkki Tuomioja suggested a major EU policy change by saying the EU should open contact with Hamas which is on the EU list of terror organisations. In an interview published last Tursday in the German daily Financial Times Deutschland, the Finnish foreign
minister said : Hamas is not the same party it was before the elections.

Hamas is leading the Palestinian government since it won a large victory in parliamentary elections last January. On Friday Tuomioja appeared to backtrack by saying that we have not changed our policy,adding that the EU would stick to its line that it will only talk with Hamas if it recognises Israel, renounces violence and respects past agreements. We have to put pressure on Hamas to change,he added.Since the Hamas victory and the forming of a Hamas-led Palestinian government, the EU has repeatedly stated that it would only establish political contacts with Hamas if it meets the three conditions set out by the Quartet (US, EU, UN and Russia): honour past agreements with Israel, cease violence and recognise Israel.

Dutch foreign minister Ben Bot, generally considered pro-Israel among EU ministers, said that the line towards Hamas is under discussion, telling reporters: I see a shift towards the idea that we should include them (Hamas) in the game. But here I am tough.

As far as the Netherlands is concerned they should recognise Israel first,he added. He noted however that an Abbas-brokered national unity government could change Hamas policy. According to diplomatic sources, the possible formation of a Palestinian government of national unity, composed of both Hamas and the moderate Fatah movement of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, could open the door for contacts with Hamas.

Step-by-step process

Javier Solana, the EU’s foreign policy chief, outlined a step-by-step process which would allow Hamas to indirectly meet the EU’s demand that the movement recognizes Israel, renounce violence and accepts past peace agreements in order to be de-listed as a terrorist organisation. Solana said the first step would have to be the creation of a Palestinian government of national unity. Of course in that government will be members of Hamas,Solana told reporters. Solana said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had set conditions for such a government which were the same as those set by the EU for direct talks with Hamas. The EU initiatives follow calls by the EU that the ceasefire brokered in Lebanon after a month long war between Israel and Hezbollah should be followed by efforts to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.