“The Palestinian people have voted democratically and in peace. And we welcome this first result”. Javier Solana, High Representative of the EU foreign policy comments the result of the Palestinian vote, which marked the victory of the Islamic movement Hamas with respect to the Government party, Al-Fatah. Waiting for the final data, Solana says that the elections “can put Europe before a totally new situation”. This subject will be debated in Brussels next Monday, during the Council of the Foreign Ministers. On the other hand, the High Representative confirms the position of the 25, “upholding both the acknowledgement of Israel and the peacefully negotiated solution, which might lead to the coexistence of the two States”, Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Various comments come from the components of the Commission and from the political forces represented at the European Parliament. The person in charge of the external relations of the Executive, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, says: “We shall work with all the people wishing to encourage the peace process through peaceful instruments”. On the other hand, the vice president of the Commission, Franco Frattini, expresses “trust in the Palestinian President, Abu Mazen”, and in his moderate line, while he considers the Hamas party unreliable. From Davos, where he is taking part to the World Economic Forum, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, reminds us that “all the groups intending to take part to the democratic political life must cast weapons down”.
