WEST BANK: Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini meets with the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah

Record ID: 565329

  • Title: WEST BANK: Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini meets with the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah
  • Date: 1st November 2005
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) GIANFRANCO FINI, ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SAYING: "Regarding having a third party at the Rafah border, I believe that the European Union will take into consideration the ability to participate as a third party monitoring the Rafah crossing but with the condition that both parties would want this. so far we can see that the Palestinian side wants this but there is some doubts from the Israeli side until now"
  • Embargoed: 16th November 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVABLULB0U8D335YZ5AYT9VNUQUD
  • Story Text: Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini met with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday (October 31) at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah.
    The two discussed the latest developments in light of Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and Israel's expected agreement allowing a third party, most likely European to man the Rafah border crossing which is located in the southern Gaza Strip on the border with Egypt.
    "Europe is willing if Israel agrees and we agree, of course there would be freedom of movement for individuals at the Rafah crossing and for it to take place amidst Palestinian/ Egyptian overseeing and to have a European third party present," deputy Prime Minister Nabil Sha'ath said in a press conference held with the Italian Foreign Minister.
    Fini expressed interest of Europe in playing a third party role, only if both sides would be interested in Europe playing such a role.
    "Regarding having a third party at the Rafah border, I believe that the European Union will take into consideration the ability to participate as a third party monitoring the Rafah crossing but with the condition that both parties would want this. so far we can see that the Palestinian side wants this but there is some doubts from the Israeli side until now," Fini said.
    The Italian Foreign Minister is due to meet with the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, at his office in Jerusalem, were he is expected to continue the discussion of the Europe role after the Gaza disengagement and specifically regarding the Rafah crossing connecting Gaza to Egypt.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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