UN-Truth

Akiva Eldar has reported in Haaretz that the new European Union High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Affairs, Baroness Catherine Ashton of Upholland (who has replaced Javier Solana), said in an address to members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg that “she had spoken with Israelis, Palestinians and the U.S. Secretary of State about the role the Quartet of international mediators, and that of its special envoy to the region, Tony Blair. Ashton said she had told Blair personally that, ‘The Quartet [a special group set up by the U.S., EU, UN and Russia] must demonstrate that it is worth the money, that it is capable of being reinvigorated’.” Akiva Eldar’s report can be read in full here.

One of Ashton’s predecessors in her new EU role, Chris Patten, wrote in the FT this week [as we reported earlier here] that “Sensible Europeans accept that the US, the precise terms of whose engagement have become increasingly unclear in the months since President Barack Obama’s pellucid Cairo address, has the lead role in trying to mobilise activity leading to a settlement. But that does not mean Europeans should fail to tell the US where they stand. Baroness Ashton, the new high representative for Europe’s common foreign and security policy, should encourage Washington to support the EU statement or make clear where there are differences of opinion. In particular, the importance of setting a time frame for progress should be underlined. Lady Ashton will presumably now be the EU’s sole representative in the ‘quartet’ (which used to have three EU members) – the organisation joining the US, UN, Russia and the EU in support of a peace process”.

Filed under: Ambassadors and other diplomats, Israel, Middle East Peace Process, Palestine & Palestinians, Quartet