MIDDLE EAST: The Palestinian President has thanked Ireland for its efforts in promoting the Road Map, writes Deaglán de Bréadún in Ramallah.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, said after visiting Mr Yasser Arafat in the West Bank town of Ramallah yesterday he was "appalled" by the living conditions of the Palestinian Authority President, whose building came under sustained attack by Israeli forces last year.
At a joint press conference outside the president's ruined headquarters, Mr Cowen told Mr Arafat: "I am appalled at the conditions in which you are having to live and I believe that the dignity of your office demands that this situation change without delay."
The two men met in the president's office for an hour where they discussed current efforts to revive the Middle East peace process, based on the Road Map drawn up by the members of the "Quartet" - the United Nations, United States, European Union and Russian Federation - for the establishment of a separate Palestinian state by 2005.
Israeli government leaders have refused to meet Mr Cowen because of his insistence on meeting Mr Arafat. This is in line with EU policy, although the Minister was given full practical co-operation and security protection by the Israeli authorities during his visit.
Welcoming the Minister as "a friend of our people", the Palestinian president said: "We are sure that our Irish friends are doing their best to push forward the honest and faithful and exact implementation of the Road Map."
Mr Arafat added he had explained to the Minister's delegation that Israel was engaged in what he called a "mad attempt at destruction and escalation everywhere in our towns and villages and in our camps". Highlighting Europe's role in the area, he said he wanted to thank the EU "for all the help it is giving us, the support it is rendering on all levels at this particular time".
Responding, Mr Cowen said he had come to Ramallah to meet Mr Arafat "as the elected president of the Palestinian people". He continued: "I come here as a person involved in a peace process at home as well and I want to say that what is absolutely necessary for peace with justice is a cessation of all violence." He said that if such a cessation was secured, "there is a responsibility on the international community to see the full and faithful implementation of the Road Map, which provides the means by which the two-state solution can be brought about within the time lines envisaged".
He added: "I commend the efforts by the Palestinians to see in what circumstances this can be brought about as quickly as possible.
"I commend the reforms that have been pursued by the Palestinian Authority and also, of course, the appointment of Prime Minister (Mahmoud) Abbas." Stressing the need to give the prime minister wholehearted backing, he told Mr Arafat: "Your continuing and unambiguous support for him is critical to the success of bringing about the situation that we all want to see, which is an end to violence and a real political perspective."
The time had come to seize the opportunity for peace, he said: "I encourage everybody who is working for a cessation of violence to continue and intensify their efforts." He hoped there could be an end to hostilities, "so that a political space can be created".
Mr Cowen told Mr Arafat: "We encourage you to continue with your outstanding work. We commend you for your tenacity and persistence and we hope that in the days ahead we can see the sort of progress needed to stop the spiral of violence which is diminishing everybody and causing hardship to all people in this region, Palestinian and Israeli alike.
"We come here to promote the idea of peace and we believe that the Palestinian Authority under your leadership and that of Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) will in the right circumstances provide the prospect of a real and just and durable solution on the basis of an agreed way forward, as set out in the Road Map."
The Minister later met the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mr Abbas, who briefed him on the efforts to secure a ceasefire from the Palestinian militant groups. Mr Cowen is on a working visit to the Middle East in preparation for Irish membership of the EU foreign policy "troika" next month and the European presidency in the first half of next year.