Spring and EU ministers defy Peres by calling to Palestinian headquarters

THE EU's Troika of Foreign Ministers, including the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, yesterday defied the wishes of the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Shimon Peres, by visiting Orient House, the Palestinian headquarters in East Jerusalem.

Mr Peres, at a joint press conference with the Troika, had earlier said that Israel would be obliged to "close down" Orient House if foreign envoys continued their visits.

Mr Spring said: "The EU position in relation to Orient House remains the same. This is obviously evidenced by our presence there this morning and we have no intention of changing that policy at the present time."

Because of its claim to the whole of Jerusalem, Israel objects to foreign dignitaries visiting Orient House and calling on the minister without portfolio in the outgoing Palestinian Authority, Mr Faisal Husseini. Israel refuses to permit any official or semi official Palestinian presence in the eastern sector of the city, which it annexed in 1967.

Following an hour long meeting with the EU ministers at Orient House, Mr Husseini expressed his appreciation of their stance. Israel had compelled him to drop his candidacy for the Palestinian Council by threatening to shut down Orient House if he stood for election.

Commenting on the Jerusalem question, Mr Spring said: "It is a very difficult and very complex issue for the Israelis and the Palestinians and I think what is important is that we allow them to go into the negotiations (due to begin on May 4th) to look at all the possibilities and all the options. I think the most [important] aspect of the negotiations is to go in without any preconditions.

A solution would have to be "acceptable to both the Israelis and the Palestinians", he said in a statement that may reassure Palestinians fearful that Israel will try to stall over Jerusalem.

Mr Spring and his colleagues, the Italian Foreign Minister, Mrs Susanna Agnelli, and the Spanish Foreign Minister, Mr Carlos Westendorp, were the first foreign leaders to call on Mr Yasser Arafat on Sunday to congratulate him on his overwhelming election victory.

Mr Arafat praised the EU for its conduct of Saturday's general election, including the training of the 7,000 Palestinians who ran the poll. He said that without EU help "there would have been no election".

He also listed the difficult issues due to be settled in the "permanent status" negotiations beginning in May the accommodation of the Palestinians who were driven from their country in 1948 and 1967; the question of the Israeli settlers; the need for permanent borders; and the question of the division or sharing of Jerusalem.

He also requested EU assistance in rebuilding the infrastructure of the Palestinian self rule areas. Mrs Agnelli replied that the EU would do all it could for the reconstruction of Palestine.

Mr Arafat echoed the words of the Palestinian Election Commissioner, Mr Mahmud Abbas, stating that he hoped soon to see the creation of an independent Palestinian state.