Published Friday, 2 September, 2011 - 14:20
Will the European Union back Palestinian bid to get recognised by the United Nations as a state? The answer is no one knows as there is no common EU position. European foreign ministers are meeting in the Polish resort of Sopot in an attempt to come up with a unified position.
The United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Malta, Portugal, Spain and Sweden are expected to back the resolution that would recognise Palestine as a state by the United Nations. However, Italy and Germany have signalled that they would oppose such a move and would seek the stalled peace process to start again.
President Nikolas Sarkozy of France has urged the 27 member bloc to "speak with one voice" on the matter.
When asked about the split in the opinion, Catherine Ashton, the EU Foreign Policy Chief said the bloc remained united "over the most critical issue" which is re-start the peace process.
"We need to find a way to create a two-state solution, a secure, stable Israel living side by side with a secure, stable Palestinian state," she said after meeting Filippo Grandi, head of the U.N. agency aiding 4.7 million Palestinian refugees. However she did reiterate that the EU's position that Israeli settlement building is illegal and must be stopped.
The whole EU position could be mute as the United States has said it would veto any such resolution in the absense of a negotiated peace deal. In the meantime, the Israeli government is lobbyin EU capitals urging them not to back the resolution instead push for the talks to begin again.
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