Posted on 04/07/2002 3:59:16 PM PDT by knighthawk
Belgian foreign minister Louis Michel said Sunday the European Union (EU) should reconsider its trade relations with Israel after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon barred an EU delegation from meeting with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
"Naturally this was an affront. The EU should give a diplomatic and political answer," Michel told the VRT network on Sunday, according to AP.
He said the 15 EU foreign ministers should review at their next meeting on April 15th the possibility of suspending the association council, which regulates economic relations between the EU and Israel or recalling their ambassadors for consultations.
Last Thursday, an EU delegation headed by foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique went to Israel to try and meet with Palestinian leader Arafat, however were denied the chance to talk to him.
The EU delegation did meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, but not with Prime Minister Sharon. Israel, however, allowed US envoy Anthony Zinni to see Arafat on Friday.
"Europe should not let this affront pass," said Michel.
The Belgian foreign minister has been one of the most outspoken critics of the Israeli government over the past weeks and he will currently try to rally support amongst his colleagues.
The EU on Saturday called on the Israeli government to end the forced isolation of Yasser Arafat and allow the Palestinian leader to confer with his aides about the worsening crisis.
Solana said in a statement that he urged "the Israeli Government to allow and facilitate immediately contacts between Chairman Arafat and his closest aides."
"Chairman Arafat, as legitimate leader of the Palestinian people and interlocutor of the international community, should not be isolated, especially at a time when all efforts are needed in order to achieve a cease-fire," Solana said.
Awel, zijn die dan helemaal zot geworden?
(Well now, have they gone completly mad?
No more chocolate bon-bons for Israel!
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