Fayyad calls to adopt EU declaration on peace process

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad stressed the need to activate the European role in the Mideast peace process, and urged realization of the principles EU declaration on the peace process, adopted by the EU foreign ministers in 2009 and reconfirmed in 2010. The declaration supports a negotiated settlement based on the land-for-peace principle, the relevant UN resolutions and the 1967 border line, in order ensure the security both collective and individual of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples. Fayyad met with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Friday. The two sides also discussed latest political developments and the Palestinian efforts establish an independent Palestinian statehood. Following the meeting, Fayyad told reporters that he asked Ashton to convince the Diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East Peace of adopting the declaration, thus helping to achieve a just, permanent and comprehensive pace in the region. Ashton is currently on a tour of the region aiming at breaking the impasse in peace talks. She kicked off the trip in Jordan on Thursday before meeting Israeli and Palestinian officials on Friday. She is due in Egypt on Saturday to discuss events in Libya. Ashton will head back to Israel on Sunday to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then brief the EU's foreign ministers on the mission at a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday.