ELDR Party President Dr Werner Hoyer today urged the UN Security Council to initiate a Conference For Security and Co-operation in the Middle East (CSCME). The Conference would be aimed at achieving a solid peace settlement for the whole region and should take place on the basis of the relevant UNSC resolutions and also taking account of the Saudi proposal.

Following a meeting of the European Liberal Democrat (ELDR) Party Council Hoyer condemned the ever-increasing violence in the Middle East and expressed solidarity with the suffering Israeli and Palestinian peoples. Calling for the cessation of violence, he strongly welcomed President Bush's decision to send Secretary of State Colin Powell on a peace mission to the Middle East region and demanded that the US act forcefully in order to bring the Israelis and the Palestinians to the negotiating table.

The ELDR Party stresses the rights of both Palestinians and Israelis to live peacefully side by side within secure and internationally recognised states and believes that a settlement must be based on the universal principles of international law, non-violence, self-determination, fundamental human rights, tolerance and the fight against terrorism.

Hoyer asked the conflicting parties to focus on the future and emphasises the role that could be played by the European Union and its member states, with its current pre-eminent economic and humanitarian status and ability to build confidence in the region, in convincing the conflicting parties of the need to arrive at an open and forward looking attitude and negotiate a comprehensive and just peace settlement.

In working to negotiate a security framework and promote confidence and stability building measures, as well as economic co-operation in the region, European Liberals felt it imperative that the EU act decisively and with a single united voice.