A Palestinian delegation, headed by Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, met Wednesday night, April 5th 2000, with EC Commissioner for External Relations, Mr. Christopher Patten, at the premises of "Dar Al-Tifel" in East Jerusalem.

The meeting, which was attended by several officials and representatives of the EU, as well as various Palestinian figures from Jerusalem, mainly tackled issues concerning the Middle East Peace Process and Palestinian-EU relations. Dr. Ashrawi delivered a summary of the continuing Israeli violations against the Palestinians, particularly in Jerusalem. She stressed on the illegal Israeli settlement activities, the demolition of Palestinian homes, and the confiscation of Jerusalem ID's from residents of the city.

Furthermore, Dr. Ashrawi stressed on the Israeli government's policy of postponement and non-compliance in its conduct of the current peace negotiations, and affirmed that such policies pose major obstacles in the road to peace and reconciliation.

Dr. Ashrawi also talked about the unquestionable Palestinian will to build a free state in accordance with the rule of law and the principles of pluralism and democracy.

The Palestinian delegation expressed clearly to the commissioner the need for the EU to assist Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem. They affirmed that the question of Jerusalem in the context of the permanent status negotiations is of great importance and that any final deal on Jerusalem should take into serious consideration the provisions of International Law and United Nations Resolutions.

Mr. Patten expressed interest in the issues raised by the Palestinian delegation and confirmed the EU's commitment to the Middle East Peace Process. The Commissioner also confirmed that EU development assistance to the Palestinians is a pressing issue. Moreover, he assured the Palestinian side that any delay in the implementation of EU assistance to the Palestinians is purely based on bureaucratic factors, and that he will ensure the rapid acceleration of this process.