FRANCE / WEST BANK: Israel, Estonia, Slovenia join the OCED, the "'rich countries' club"
Record ID:
560191
FRANCE / WEST BANK: Israel, Estonia, Slovenia join the OCED, the "'rich countries' club"
- Title: FRANCE / WEST BANK: Israel, Estonia, Slovenia join the OCED, the "'rich countries' club"
- Date: 28th May 2010
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 27, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, SLOVENIA'S PRIME MINISTER BORUT PAHOR, ESTONIAN PRIME MINISTER ANDRUS ANSIP, ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI AND OTHER LEADERS POSING FOR FAMILY PHOTO AT OECD VARIOUS OF COUNCIL NETANYAHU ADDRESSING COUNCIL VARIOUS OF BERLUSCONI ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE NETANYAHU, BERLUSCONI, OECD SECRETARY-GENERAL ANGEL GURRIA STANDING AT NEWS CONFERENCE VARIOUS OF NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER, SILVIO BERLUSCONI, SAYING: "I think that through this process of joining the OECD, the various parts of Palestine will be able to have a boost so that a start to negotiations or pre-negotiations take place soon." VARIOUS JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, SAYING: "First of all it was very critical for us during this time. Especially during this time that we have a continued growth in our own country, in our own region because I think it's an important bulwark to peace. I think the economic peace that we're seeking to fashion with our Palestinian neighbours can help sustain the political peace and can actually facilitate in many ways and also keep it once it's formally achieved." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (MAY 27, 2010) (REUTERS) PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER, SALAM FAYYAD, TALKING TO REPORTERS CLOSE OF MAN'S T-SHIRT (SOUNDBITE) (English) PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER, SALAM FAYYAD, SAYING: "As you know, we have the position that was deeply principled in international law: the settlements are illegal under international law. Value creation in settlements should not be included in the data submitted by Israel for membership of the OECD, or any organisation for that matter. REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER, SALAM FAYYAD, SAYING: "Because doing so would implicitly accept... It's as if it's accepting of value creation that was produced outside of Israel as if it were part of Israel. And that's contrary to international law." FAYYAD WITH JOURNALISTS
- Embargoed: 12th June 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA3VDP98Q1UPFWUR66QZKR7LZCS
- Story Text: Israel, Estonia and Slovenia joined the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on Thursday (May 27) swelling the ranks of the elite club of free-market democracies.
Membership of the Paris-based group will boost the standing of all three newcomers, with attention especially focused on Israel which is keen to burnish its international image.
The decision to embrace the trio of countries, which follows the recent accession of Chile, also shows how the OECD is looking to take on smaller more developing economies alongside mature ones such as the United States, Germany and Japan.
Israel's accession to membership generated more interest and controversy than that of the other candidates. Some critics and human rights activists made a last-minute bid urging OECD member states to delay the process earlier this month.
Italian Prime Minister welcomed the move, saying it was a boost for peace and that he hoped it would encourage face-to-face negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians soon.
His Israeli counterpart added: "I think it's an important bulwark to peace. I think the economic peace that we're seeking to fashion with our Palestinian neighbours can help sustain the political peace and can actually facilitate in many ways and also keep it once it's formally achieved."
In Ramallah, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said that economic value created in Israeli settlements that were beyond the Green Line should not have been included in Israel's submissions on its economic worthiness submitted to the OECD. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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