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EU reaffirms concern over stalled Mideast peace talks

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Berlin, July 18, IRNA -- The European Union on Monday reaffirmed concern over the stalled Middle East peace talks.

'The EU reiterates its concern at the continued stalemate in the Peace Process and calls on the parties to show the highest sense of responsibility and to resume direct and substantive talks,' EU foreign ministers said in a statement after meeting in Brussels.

Last week, the so-called Mideast Quartet - comprised of the EU, US, Russia and UN - failed to immediately agree on conditions for jump-starting peace talks.

'The EU continues to believe that urgent progress is needed towards a two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,' the ministers added.

Mideast peace negotiations have been bogged down over Israeli refusal to end its settlement activities, leading to extreme frustration on the part of the EU which has branded the settlements 'illegal under international law' and a 'threat to a two-state solution.'

The EU's repeated calls for resuming Israeli-Palestinian peace talks come amid plans by the Palestinian side to seek UN diplomatic recognition in September.

The EU remains divided on the issue of Palestinian statehood with EU powerhouse Germany openly threatening to sabotage Palestinian independence plans.

There is however a growing international momentum for Palestinian statehood as some 119 countries have expressed readiness to grant diplomatic recognition to Palestine in the UN this fall.