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DE RUEHBS #0283/01 0261708
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R 261708Z JAN 07
FM USEU BRUSSELS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC
INFO RUCNMEU/EU INTEREST COLLECTIVE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM

C O N F I D E N T I A L USEU BRUSSELS 000283 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2017 
TAGS: PGOV PREL XF LE SY IS EUN
SUBJECT: (U) READOUT ON EU HIREP SOLANA'S JAN 19-21 MIDDLE 
EAST VISIT 
 
REF: A. TEL AVIV 266 
 
     ¶B. DAMASCUS 79 
 
Classified By: Alyce Tidball, deputy political minister counselor 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C) SUMMARY. According to EU Council Middle East Director 
Christian Jouret, Solana's Middle East visit resulted in 
good, in-depth discussion with both Israeli and Palestinian 
leaders, though there were clear differences on both the pace 
and scope of possible negotiations.  Solana met with Israeli 
PM Olmert, FM Livni, and Deputy MOD Sneh in Tel Aviv and with 
President Abbas and Coordinator for Palestinian Security 
Dahlan in the Palestinian territories. The Palestinians 
pushed for a strong Quartet statement and real progress 
toward a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian 
conflict, while the Israelis insisted that a peace process 
now would mean war and called for a careful "stone-by-stone" 
approach. The EU continues to support Abbas and will work to 
strengthen the Palestinian security forces.  They encouraged 
Abbas' dialogue with Hamas and his trip to Damascus to meet 
with Hamas leader Khalid Mish'al, insisting this would either 
be successful or expose Hamas as unwilling to negotiate. The 
internal Palestinian situation and Iran and Iraq were also 
discussed.  Solana returned to give a generally positive 
briefing to the EU General Affairs and External Relations 
Council (GAERC) on Jan. 22.  Solana was accompanied by EU 
Special Representative Marc Otte as well as Jouret. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (C/NF) MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS (MEPP) 
According to Jouret, Solana met with Israeli PM Olmert, FM 
Livni, and Deputy MOD Sneh in Tel Aviv and with President 
Abbas and Coordinator for Palestinian Security Mohammad 
Dahlan in the Palestinian territories.  Jouret said that were 
clear differences between the two sides on both the pace and 
scope of possible negotiations.  On pace, he noted, the 
Palestinians made clear they wanted a quick process aimed at 
engaging in real political negotiations as soon as possible, 
within 2007, The Israelis, on the other hand, want to build 
the process slowly, stone-by-stone.  Olmert reportedly told 
Solana that this is the time to be smart, patient and 
sensitive.  On substance, Olmert said he would accept the 
proposed tri-lateral meeting with the Palestinians and the 
U.S., but would not discuss the peace process itself, only 
confidence building measures.  He insisted on realistic 
expectations.  The Palestinians, however, tolde the EU that 
they wanted a political process on real issues, and they 
wanted to move quickly before the US electoral process made 
it more difficult for the US to engage. 
 
¶3.  (C/NF) THE NEXT QUARTET 
According to Jouret, the Palestinians observed that the next 
Quartet meeting should put "something serious" on the table. 
They want to see a strong statement with a clear definition 
of the end game.  Some Palestinians told Solana this should 
be a restatement of the President's vision of two states 
living side by side in peace and security, while others said 
it must include a call for an end of occupation, abandonment 
of settlements and checkpoints, and other measures that would 
turn the Palestinian territory completely over to the 
Palestinians.  However, all Palestinians insisted it must not 
be "another empty statement." PM Olmert, on the other hand, 
told HiRep Solana not to expect negotiation on permanent 
issues, saying he just wanted broad, general observations 
about a political horizon.  According to Jouret, Olmert said 
"When I meet Abbas (in the future) I just want to discuss how 
to enhance trade and communication and to create an umbrella 
of encouragement."  Jouret professed to being mystified by 
the latter comment, but surmised that the "umbrella of 
encouragement" was simply another way of saying Olmert only 
wants to talk about confidence building measures. 
 
¶4. (C/NF) INTERNAL PALESTINIAN SITUATION 
Concern about internal Palestinian strife, the importance of 
strengthening the Presidency and Palestinian security forces, 
and the restructuring the Fatah party were on the minds of 
all of Solana's interlocuteurs.  The Palestinians were also 
very focused on the continued discussion of a National Unity 
Government (NUG) with Hamas.  Abbas told Solana that in his 
meeting with Hamas leader Khalid Mish'al (scheduled for the 
following day in Damascus) he would ask Hamas to let the 
Presidency place independent ministers in Interior and 
Finance and the Deputy PM position. If new efforts at an NUG 
failed, Abbas said, he would call for elections in six 
months.  Jouret noted that the EU supports Abbas' dialogue 
with Hamas as a way to expose and pressure Hamas to negotiate 
seriously. 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) BRIEFING THE GAERC 
According to Jouret, Solana gave the GAERC (January 22 
meeting of EU foreign ministers) in Brussels a generally 
positive view of his Middle East meetings.  He said that 
conditions for the MEPP are now "much more mature to give an 
impulse" to "mobilize the energies" and see "if we can move 
the process forward to enter into a conflict resolution."  In 
its conclusions the GAERC reiterated support for the Abbas 
government and the Quartet process. 
GRAY 
.