Solana wants UN to establish 'Palestine'

The Jerusalem Post (Link) (July 12, 2009)

The European Union's top diplomat has called for the United Nations Security Council to push forward and recognize a Palestinian state even without a final-status agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

According to a Reuters report, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana made the remarks Saturday during a lecture in London, saying that if agreement between the two sides could not be reached, the UN should proffer its own solution to the conflict.

"After a fixed deadline, a UN Security Council resolution should proclaim the adoption of the two-state solution," Solana was quoted as saying, adding that such a move should include resolutions regarding borders, the refugee problem, the issue of Jerusalem and security arrangements.

"It would accept the Palestinian state as a full member of the UN, and set a calendar for implementation. It would mandate the resolution of other remaining territorial disputes and legitimize the end of claims," Solana was quoted by Reuters as saying.

"If the parties are not able to stick to [the timetable], then a solution backed by the international community should be put on the table," he said.

Last month, Solana drew harsh condemnation from Israeli officials after he met with a Hizbullah legislator in Beirut.

The meeting with parliamentarian Hussein Hajj Hassan marked the first time a senior EU diplomat met with the Iranian-backed terror organization.