§ 9. Mr. BurdenIf she will make a statement on the Marin memorandum and EU aid to the Palestine National Authority. [34634]
§ Clare ShortThe European Community aid programme for the Palestinians is due to expire in December 1998. It has helped the peace process survive under very difficult circumstances. We fully support the Council conclusions calling for renewal of this assistance, and shall be seeking to ensure that lessons learned about quality and effectiveness in the current programme are fully taken into account in the future.
§ Mr. BurdenWhile the Marin memorandum shows the value of EU aid to the Palestine national authority, does it not also make the clear point that aid without a comprehensive and just political settlement simply cannot work sufficiently? Are not the efforts of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary totally in line with the Marin memorandum in ensuring a leading role for the European Union in promoting such a just settlement? Is he not right to say to all parties in the middle east conflict that none of them is above, or immune to abiding by and respecting, the international agreements to which it is a party?
§ Clare ShortMy hon. Friend is right. Despite large programmes of assistance to the Palestine authority from the European Union and our own bilateral efforts, the people of Palestine are getting poorer because of the political situation, the closing of Gaza and their inability to work. I agree that my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary was right to draw attention to the failure of the Israeli Government to promote the peace process. We should all support my right hon. Friend and the European Union in all their efforts to get the peace process back on track. That is the only way to bring peace and development to the middle east.