EU Presidency Statement - Bethlehem 2000

Mr. Chairman,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European Union (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia) as well as the associated countries Cyprus and Malta align themselves with this statement.

This year, the debate on the draft resolution submitted by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People is taking place in tragic circumstances. I therefore wish above all to reiterate the deep concern and the emotion of the European Union in the face of the very heavy toll of violence in the Palestinian territories as well as in Israel, amongst every communities living on the Holy Land. Calm must come back, negotiations on the final settlement must be resumed. The European Union welcomes all the efforts aimed at reaching that goal and wishes in particular to show its support to the diplomatic action undertaken by the Secretary General of the United Nations, in the spirit of Security Council resolution 1322. The European Union strongly welcomes the convening of the summit of Sharm-en-Sheik, the understandings reached on that occasion between the two parties and the recent agreement between Mr. Arafat et Mr. Peres.

Those results go along with the appeal expressed by the Heads of State and Government of the European Union on October 13th during the European Council of Biarritz. The European leaders, given the real danger of a general flare-up, had addressed a solemn appeal to the Israeli and Palestinian leaders and peoples to stop the escalation and bring an immediate end to all violence. They had also stressed that there is no other choice than the peace process.

In that context, the threefold message which this resolution carries (consensus of the United Nations, unity of the region in the celebration of the onset of the third millennium in Bethlehem, without any obstacle or restriction, aid for economic development of the Palestinian territories), is still more welcome. The European Union is thus happy to be able to take part in that message. The members of the European Union, in order to underline the importance that they grant to that event, have this year decided to unanimously co-sponsor this resolution.

The European Union fully supports the Bethlehem 2000 project promoted by the Palestinian Authority, the municipality of Bethlehem and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and cultural Organization with a view to preparing the city of Bethlehem to the third millennium. The project is aimed at restoring historical, archaeological and religious sites of unique significance. It is also directed at improving tourism facilities, so that Bethlehem becomes a major destination beyond the celebration period of the millennium. Those development projects as well as many actions undertaken by NGOs are having part in the economic growth of the whole region of Bethlehem.

The European Union has made the rise of the Bethlehem region one of its key priorities in the Palestinian territories. The Union has been strongly involved in the preparation of the Bethlehem 2000 Project during the conferences convened in May 1998 in Brussels and in February 1999 in Rome. The Union has moreover financed particular projects as the modernization of Hospital Beit Jala and the renovation of Manger Square in the Old Town. Many Member States have also got involved on an individual basis : building of a "Peace center", renovation of "Dar Mansour" mansion aimed at accommodating a pilot unit for safeguard and protection of heritage in the Bethlehem district, rehabilitation of Salesian Street... The European Union wishes today to confirm its commitment to promoting a better tourism adequacy of the site and to extending beyond the symbolic date of year 2000 the efforts accomplished by the international community as a whole.

The European Union is pleased to welcome the spectacular success of the project, which has deeply transformed the city towards increased tourism development, thanks to the commitment of the Palestinian Authority and to the support of the international community. The European Union wishes that the success of Bethlehem 2000 will serve, in the Palestinian territories as well as in the region, as a model of international cooperation and as a symbol of a contribution of tourism to peace.

The European Union hopes that the drama striking the Palestinian territories will exert no negative influence on the development of the site. Free access to the sites is in particular required, without any restriction for all those, tourists, believers or residents wishing to travel to Bethlehem, whatever their nationality or religion. The European Union calls upon all parties to preserve Bethlehem from confrontations involving populations or visitors.

Before concluding, I would like to take this opportunity for expressing the thanks of the European Union to Ambassador Ibra Deguene Ka, Permanent Representative of Senegal, President of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, for his steadfast efforts in promoting the Bethlehem 2000 Project.

Finally, the European Union wishes to reaffirm here its firm commitment to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in Middle East, based on Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 and in the spirit of the progress made within the framework of the peace process. Emphasizing the importance of a robust economy for ensuring social and political stability, the European Union will maintain its considerable economic and technical support to the Palestinians with a view to contributing to a more secure and more prosperous future for them in the new millennium.

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• EU Presidency Statement - Security Council on the Middle East and the Palestinian Question (26/2/2002)