The Role of the European Union in the Peace Process in Middle East

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The Role of the European Union in the Peace Process in Middle East The European Union (EU) has been playing an important role in the Middle East Peace Process (MEPP), as a collective group, and as individual states, they play active roles through diplomacy, politics. Different reasons for this role played by the EU can be Substantive, Political, or just plain Symbolic. The union has been advocating for inclusion of all parties to the peace process. Through numerous joint actions and declarations by member states, EU managed to convince or compel Israel and USA to recognize and include Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) as the Palestinians’ representative in MEPP. The EU believes that urgency is required towards a two state solution to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. They want to see a State of Israel and a sovereign, independent, democratic, contiguous and viable State of Palestine living side by side in peace and security. The EU is also ready to contribute to a negotiated solution on all final status issues within the 12 months set by the Quartet. EU will always work closely with the parties involved and reaffirms its support to the U.S. efforts to bring the parties back to the negotiating table. It stresses the importance of intensified coordination within the Quartet as well as close cooperation with Arab partners, building on the Arab Peace Initiative. EU has underlined the urgency of finding a negotiated solution and urges the parties to refrain from actions that undermine the prospects of peace. The EU still remains fully committed to contribute substantially to post-conflict arrangements. The EU is ready to develop further its bilateral relations with Israel within the specs defined at the Association Council of June 2009 and by its conclusion of December 2009. The framework of the conclusions states the EU’s readiness to
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