Israel and the State of Palestine have expressed, via their Ambassadors to Cyprus, deep appreciation for Cyprus President Nicos Anastiades` initiative to have the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas invited to address, on separate occasions, the European Council.
The two Ambassador`s were invited by CNA to comment on Anastasiades` initiative, in view of the fact that this issue is on the agenda of the talks President Anastasiades will have on Friday in Nicosia with the President of the European Council Donald Tusk. Welcoming Anastasiades` initiative, the Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Cyprus Walid Hasan told CNA that discussion on it is expected to continue on the sidelines of the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York.
The new Ambassador of Israel to Cyprus Yael Ravia-Zadok told CNA that “as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated during his recent visit to Cyprus, he welcomes the opportunity to present Israel`s position to the EU, and highly appreciates the initiative taken by President Anastassiades, as part of Cyprus` significant role played in the region.”
On his part, the Ambassador of the State of Palestine noted that the Palestinian political leadership “always welcomes any initiatives to revive the peace process and push the negotiation between the Palestinian and the Israeli side forward. This is a matter of principle that the Palestinian leadership always adheres to.”
“The Republic of Cyprus and the State of Palestine are strongly bound historically. Based on this traditional relation, and we think also based on Cyprus’ good relations with Israel, President Anastasiades took this initiative. The Palestinian side is always open to such initiatives, as it has always been on several occasions in the past, to resume the peace negotiations,” he added.
Hasan went on to say that “what always hinders such initiatives towards the peace process, are two main obstacles raised by the Israeli side.” As he noted, “the first is the lack of commitment of the Israeli government to the references of the UN Security Council resolutions concerning the Palestinian conflict. The second is the insistence of Israel on their settlement policy in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which undermines the two-state solution, embraced by the international community”.
Noting that the President of the European Council visited Israel and Palestine, before his visit to Cyprus, “with the target of resuscitating the stagnant peace process, which suffers under the Israeli government of settlers and religious parties,” Hasan said that “the initiative of President Anastasiades to have the President of the State of Palestine and the Israeli Prime Minister address the European Council on separate occasions, will be on the agenda of his meeting with Tusk, during his visit in Cyprus.”
He noted that “there will be more consultation in order to determine the next steps, so as to put this initiative in perspective. The discussion is expected to continue on the sidelines of the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York.”
CNA/MK/MM/2015
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY