Europe acknowledges UAE's role in peace process

ABU DHABI // Marc Otte, the European Union's (EU) special representative for the Middle East Peace Process, held talks yesterday with senior UAE officials on the country's role in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "One of the reasons for my visit here and other countries in the Gulf is to recognise the important role that the UAE has played and continues to play in creating this favourable environment and to be active participants in peace," said Mr Otte.

He was speaking at the residence of Spain's ambassador to the UAE, Gonzalo de Benito, at the conclusion of a regional tour that included Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. "The UAE is not only participating in terms of political support of idea of negotiations but helping the Palestinian Authority to pursue its path of state building," said Mr Otte, who met with Dr Anwar Gargash, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, during his visit. The current "lack of trust and scepticism" did not facilitate direct talks, he said, so indirect talks would have to suffice in order to instigate trust and create a common ground that would allow parties to see that it was in their interest to negotiate.

The role of the UAE, both political and humanitarian, in bringing peace to the region had already been cemented in its practical operations and projects such as the housing built in Gaza, said Mr Otte."For the EU, there is a sense of urgency in the region because of other strategic concerns," he said. He cited Iran and the impending withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. "We do not want any solution to be pushed backward very far into the future, or even worse, even more impossible, to return to the drawing board and solve this conflict in another manner, so there is sense of urgency felt on all sides."

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