WEST BANK: EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton urges further easing of Gaza blockade

Record ID: 560396

  • Title: WEST BANK: EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton urges further easing of Gaza blockade
  • Date: 18th July 2010
  • Summary: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (JULY 17, 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF PALESTINIAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS CONVOY CARRYING EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS CATHERINE ASHTON ARRIVING FILM CREWS PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER SALAM FAYYAD GREETING ASHTON, BOTH POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS ASHTON AND FAYYAD APPROACHING PODIUM PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS CATHERINE ASHTON, SAYING: "I've stressed the need for full and effective implementation of the Israeli policy to improve the lives of the people of Gaza and meet their needs for humanitarian and commercial goods. Improving the economic situation there is not simply a matter of letting in aid. It's a matter of revitalizing the local economy. For a fundamental change private sector development and commercial activity including exports will be crucial." REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER SALAM FAYYAD, SAYING: "What we all are looking for is to end the suffering of our people in Gaza by lifting the siege and, once again, by having a policy of openness that is clearly defined and one that is implemented in the way that it is announced. What we do not want to see is actually old policy with a new name." ASHTON AND FAYYAD WALKING OUT AFTER NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 2nd August 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA5H5ILNN1AUSZL4JL23CJ1RMM4
  • Story Text: EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton and Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad say Israel must take further steps to ease lives of Palestinians in the blockaded Gaza Strip.
    The European Union's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton met Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Saturday (July 17) on the first leg of a three day visit to the region.
    During a joint news conference with Fayyad in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Ashton called for Israel to take further steps to improve daily the lives of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
    "I've stressed the need for full and effective implementation of the Israeli policy to improve the lives of the people of Gaza and meet their needs for humanitarian and commercial goods. Improving the economic situation there is not simply a matter of letting in aid. It's a matter of revitalizing the local economy. For a fundamental change private sector development and commercial activity including exports will be crucial."
    Fayyad called for Israel to end its blockade entirely on Gaza.
    "What we all are looking for is to end the suffering of our people in Gaza by lifting the siege and, once again, by having a policy of openness that is clearly defined and one that is implemented in the way that it is announced. What we do not want to see is actually old policy with a new name," he said.
    International outcry at Israel's May 31 deadly raid on a Turkish led flotilla carrying aid to Gaza prompted the Jewish state to ease overland trade with Gaza. But it has kept a sea blockade, citing risk of arms shipments to Islamist-Hamas who rule the coastal enclave.
    Ashton is scheduled on Sunday (July 18) to travel to the Gaza Strip and meet with Israeli leadership in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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