Ashton 'extremely concerned' over new Jewish settlements building
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Berlin, Nov 9, IRNA -- The European Union's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said she was 'extremely concerned' over newly-published plans by the Zionist regime to build over 1,300 homes on Palestinian land, officials in Brussels said Tuesday.
'Catherine Ashton is extremely concerned by the announcement by Tel Aviv of a plan for the construction of 1300 new housing units in East Jerusalem. This plan contradicts the efforts by the international community to resume direct negotiations and the decision should be reversed,' a spokesperson for Ashton quoted her saying in a press release.
'Settlements are illegal under international law, constitute an obstacle to peace and threaten to make a two-state solution impossible. Catherine Ashton recalls that the European Union will not recognise any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties,' the EU official added.
All final status issues must be resolved through negotiations, including the status of 'Jerusalem' as the future capital of two states, Ms. Ashton's spokesperson said.
'Catherine Ashton continues to call on both parties to create an environment conducive to the resumption of direct negotiations,' according to the EU official.
The European bloc has repeatedly insisted that Tel Aviv regime was violating international law by construction of settlements on Palestinian territories which it seized during the Six-Day War of 1967.
Palestinian leaders withdrew from peace talks last month in protest at continued construction of Jewish settlements in Palestinian territories which accounts for breach of Tel Aviv regime's undertaking to stop the illegal action during the peace talks.
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