WEST BANK: German FM Steinmeier tours occupied West Bank, holds first talks with Palestinian unity government

Record ID: 563226

  • Title: WEST BANK: German FM Steinmeier tours occupied West Bank, holds first talks with Palestinian unity government
  • Date: 5th May 2007
  • Summary: GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER FRANK WALTER STEINMEIER AND PALESTINIAN TOURISM MINISTER KHOLOUD DAIBES ENTERING CHURCH VARIOUS OF STEINMEIER TOURING CHURCH STEINMEIER LOOKING AT GROTTO BELIEVED TO BE THE PLACE OF JESUS' BIRTH STEINMEIER LIGHTING A CANDLE MORE OF STEINMEIER TOURING CHURCH
  • Embargoed: 20th May 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVADZ4361FDT8QBILRY7AOZLDIH6
  • Story Text: German Foreign Minister Walter Steinmeier meets senior Palestinian officials on tour of West Bank.

    German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier met senior Palestinian officials in the West Bank on Saturday (May 5), in a first round of talks with the new Palestinian unity government.
    Steinmeier started his visit to the city of Bethlehem with a tour to the Church of the Nativity, one of Christianity's holiest sites, built over the grotto where tradition says Jesus was born.
    Steinmeier met Palestinian Minister of Finance, Salam Fayyad, who urged European countries to end international sanctions imposed on the Palestinian government last year, since Hamas islamists rose to power.
    The European Union, headed currently by Germany as its presidency, has transferred money to Palestinian government workers through a European aid mechanism, in effort to help them cope with a year-old economic embargo. Government workers have gone without full wages since Hamas Islamists came to power in March 2006.
    "We discussed the mechanisms to which the EU has been extending assistance to us for almost a year now. It was an opportunity for me to say that assistance played an extremely critical role, in helping to prevent a wide spread of humanitarian crises in Palestine," Fayyad said after the meeting.
    The European Union said last week that aid from the bloc would continue to bypass the Palestinian government until it recognises Israel, renounces violence and abides by interim peace deals, as demanded by the Quartet of Middle East mediators and Israel.
    On her visit to the region last month, German Chancellor Angela Merkel refused to meet with members of the Palestinian government, a coalition of Islamic militant Hamas and Abbas's Fatah party. The European Union had decided to approve meetings of European officials with non-Hamas members of the government. Fayyad is an independent minister.
    Steinmeier said he was encouraged by Arab states' support for a new peace initiative and stressed it was important to maintain momentum despite political upheaval in Israel.
    "There is a chance that through our current efforts we can promote peace and stability in the Middle East. Nonetheless, the risk is at least as great, and so we are all under time pressure. I'm pleased that for the first time in the last 20 years we have support from at least some Arab states, which ensured that the Arab peace initiative was renewed at the Arab League summit. This is more than a good sign -- it's a hopeful start," Steinmeier told reporters.
    Steinmeier later visited a German-run school in Bethlehem, and was briefed on Israel's separation barrier and Jewish settlements around Bethlehem.
    Later on Saturday Steinmeier is scheduled to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah. He will hold meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Monday (May 7).
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