EU-Israel Association Agreement (Hansard, 19 July 2004)

§ Dr. Tonge
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of a suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement on(a) the Israeli and (b) the Palestinian economy. [184057]

§ Mr. MacShane
The Government do not believe that suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement would help bring Israel and the Palestinians nearer to a just and lasting negotiated settlement. The Government have therefore made no detailed assessment of the implications of a suspension of the Agreement.

§ Dr. Tonge
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the EU concerning suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. [184058]

§ Mr. MacShane
The Government do not believe that suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement would help bring Israel and the Palestinians nearer to a just and lasting negotiated settlement. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has therefore had no recent discussions with his EU counterparts concerning the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

§ Dr. Tonge
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the value in euros of the EU-Israel Association Agreement to the economies of(a) the EU, (b) UK, (c) Israel and (d) Palestine in the last year for which figures are available. [184059]

§ Mr. MacShane
The Government do not have estimates of the monetary value of the EU/Israel Association Agreement to any of its parties. A large part of the Agreement's benefit to Israel lies in the confidence and sense of normality it provides to domestic business and foreign workers. In other circumstances the economic benefit the Agreement brings to Israel would also benefit the Palestinian economy. At present, the effects of the conflict more than nullify that benefit.

§ Dr. Tonge
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with members of the Quartet concerning the effects of suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. [184061]

§ Mr. MacShane
The Government supports the work of the Quartet (UN, US, Russia, EU) in supporting Israel and the Palestinians to return to a political process in order to reach a just and lasting negotiated settlement. We do not believe that suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement would help in this regard. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has therefore not discussed the effects of suspension of the EU/Israel Association Agreement with other Quartet members.