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Europe mulls over common response

Paris: European nations have been ominously silent over Isreali raids against Gaza which have entered their fourth day. On Tuesday, however, European Foreign Ministers are to meet in Paris to discuss a common response to the worsening situation in Gaza..

The meeting in Paris has been called by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and will aim to “examine urgently the situation in the Middle East [West Asia], in light of the recent events,” and look into “the European Union’s contribution to solving the current crisis, in liaison with the efforts of the international community,” according to a communiqué issued by the French Foreign Office.

The Europeans have limited options and increasing humanitarian aid to the beleaguered Gaza Strip is being actively considered.

Another option the Ministers will discuss is the renewal of a EU observation mission in Rafah, a town that lies on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, which could ease restrictions on movement of people.

“As we have already said, the EU is ready to resume its monitoring mission at Rafah,” said EU top diplomat Javier Solana over the weekend.

The meeting, which comes 24 hours before the end of the French EU presidency, will be Paris’ last major initiative before it passes the baton over to the Czech Republic on January 1. It is the first time such a meeting is taking place on December 30.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has discussed the situation by phone with both Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas and Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak.

Mr. Sarkozy will also meet Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in Paris in January, the Associated Press reports.

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