Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I have detected a shift in European thinking in the aftermath of Gaza, although certain countries clearly have different perspectives from ours. Strong presentations were made by the Egyptian, Turkish and Norwegian Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Affairs Minister of the Palestinian Authority at our session on the Sunday night prior to our meeting. They outlined what may emerge from the Egyptian brokered talks. In terms of a mechanism to deliver humanitarian and reconstruction aid, they advised Europe against closing a door by imposing preconditions.

Flexibility is needed in facilitating the emergence of a proper peace process. We have some experience in that regard in that events were sequenced or choreographed and people were not put in impossible positions. In other words, we were more interested in outcomes than initial inputs. I sense an awakening to that among some EU Foreign Ministers. The President of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, and others have pointed out to us that whatever emerges in the context of Palestinian unity, we should not close the door in a knee-jerk manner. That is something for which I am pushing strongly.

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