The Committee on Budgets (BUDG) exchange views with Salam FAYYAD, Palestinian Prime Minister, and Alain Lamassoure (PPE, FR), Chair of the Budgets Committee, speaks to the press about EU funding for the Palestinian territories and how it is managed, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Brussels

exchange of views

press point

meeting

EU - Palestine (T)

PÖTTERING, Hans-Gert (EPP, DE)

LAMASSOURE, Alain (EPP, FR)

FAYYAD, Salam (PS)

EU - Palestine: extracts from the exchange of views with Salam FAYYAD, Palestinian Prime Minister, and press point with Alain Lamassoure (PPE, FR), Chair of the Budgets Committee

Arrival of Salam FAYYAD, shaking hands with Alain Lamassoure (EPP, FR), Chair of the EP Budgets Committee, taking the seat.

SOUNDBITE (English), Salam FAYYAD, Palestinian Prime Minister, We are looking forward to be able to get to the point where we are able to meet our needs, particularly in the current expenditure sphere out of our own resources. We are on a convergence path that as a matter of fact would get us to the point to no need for external assistance to support our current expenditures. That's essential.

SOUNDBITE (English), Salam FAYYAD, Palestinian Prime Minister, What we have seen so far is incremental and highly gradual movement in the direction of allowing more imports into Gaza, but of course the objective has to be to get to the point where imports are driven by demand. (...) Economic life cannot be sustained on the strength of openness to imports only, but an economy has to be able to export and that is why it is important for us to begging to hear something said about export outside of Gaza, not only about imports coming into Gaza.

SOUNDBITE (French), Alain LAMASSOURE (EPP, FR), Chair of the EP Budgets Committee, (on EUBAM Rafah mission) On the Parliament side I can tell you that the arrangements are ready to enlarge the mandate in terms of its content and in terms of its geographical control, this in order to open up a new points of passage in between Gaza and Israel or Egypt, once a political agreement has been met.

SOUNDBITE (German), Hans-Gert P&#214;TTERING (EPP, DE), When it comes re-opening the border crossings and I am very sympathetic to that it must be guaranteed that no weapons get into the Gaza that can be used to threaten Israel. I said quite emphatically that we need a two states solution because wee need peace in the Middle East and between Israel and the Arab world, but my question to you is this: How do you intend to restore peace between Hamas and Fatah? because you can only have a two states solution if those two important components of the Palestinian people can be reconciled.

SOUNDBITE (English), Salam FAYYAD, Palestinian Prime Minister, Our failure is not the consequence of political pluralism per se but is the failure of finding a way that enables us to manage that political pluralism in a responsible way, in a way that makes it possible for us to take into account those differences while still being able to deal with the needs of our people and with the need for us to interact effectively with the international community.

SOUNDBITE (English), Salam FAYYAD, Palestinian Prime Minister, So far, as that aspect of governance is concerned, one needs look no further than to our next door Israeli neighbours and the kind of coalition government they have. At the best of my knowledge there is only one party on that coalition whose platform accepts the concept of a two states solution, and that has not stop Israel from being able to interact with the international community.

SOUNDBITE (English), Salam FAYYAD, Palestinian Prime Minister, I think it's really a mistake to say 'I don't want to talk to somebody, or an entity, or a faction...' Bu that I do not believe can or should be confused with issues of representational capacity. The PLO is the political address of the Palestinian people (...) and should not be undermined.

SOUNDBITE (French), Alain LAMASSOURE (EPP, FR), Chair of the EP Budgets Committee, on the fact that accompanying the peace process between Israel and Palestine is the most important EU-aid budget externally. After today's exchanges we have confirmed the need to continue and perhaps raising it.

SOUNDBITE (French), Alain LAMASSOURE (EPP, FR), Chair of the EP Budgets Committee, We definitely believe that the process and prospects for permanent peace in the region would benefit greatly from an enhanced and effective role played by the EU.