Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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156. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the specific proposals he has put forward at the European Union Foreign Affairs Council, in relation to the need for the European Union to initiate a new round of peace talks, concerning the Israeli-Palestine conflict; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8472/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The most recent round of negotiations between the parties was suspended last April, having effectively come to a halt some weeks earlier. It is clearly important to bring about a return to serious negotiations, and I encouraged this in my political meetings during my visit to the region last week. However, there is a widespread view among EU Ministers, which I share, that neither party is at this moment ready for such engagement. This is particularly true in advance of the election in Israel next month. In addition, the existence of multiple parallel crises across the Middle East region has clearly demanded much of the attention of the international community.

It is also very clear that it is not enough to focus specifically on the opening of negotiations, unless both parties also come to the table ready to seek an agreement. This has been a major weakness in some previous efforts.

I believe that, for our part, the EU needs to reconsider carefully its approach to the Middle East Peace Process, and what it can do to help create conditions conducive to the resumption of purposeful negotiations. I have discussed this with High Representative Federica Mogherini, and she is of the same mind. I look forward to participating in that discussion at EU level.