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European Union Mengusahakan Perdamaian Mengikut Cara Tersendiri

(The European Union is fighting for peace the way it can)

Keadaan Timur Tengah tidak membuatkan perwakilan EU bersikap ganjil. Menteri luar negara-negara Kesatuan European Union (EU) sedang berusaha mencari jalan bagaimana mereka dapat membantu menghentikan pertumpahan darah di Palestin. Mereka mula berbincang pada 3 April, di Luxemburg.

Harus dirakamkan di sini bahawa EU memang mengutuk sebarang kegiatan keganasan, yang dilakukan oleh kumpulan militan pertubuhan Palestin, tetapi ini tidak bermakna mereka menyokong tindakan tentera Israel. Perwakilan EU sudah lama meminta Israel mengundurkan tenteranya daripada wilayah yang dijajahnya sejak permulaan tindakan ketenteraan mereka. Sepanyol telah menghantar sepucuk surat kepada Ariel Sharon, mendesak agar dihentikan serta merta operasi ketenteraan dan mematuhi keputusan Majlis Keselamatan PBB. Menteri Luar Sepanyol Joseph Pique telah mendakwa bahawa peperangan anti-keganasan itu tidak bererti kemusnahan terhadap bangunan pentadbiran Palestin.

Situasi Timur Tengah turut dibincangkan dalam satu pertemuan antara Menteri Luar Russia, Igor Ivanov dengan rakan sejawatannya di Eropah pada 2 April. Nampaknya Russia dan EU mempunyai pendapat yang seiras dalam isu ini: kedua pihak mendesak Israel menghentikan operasi ganasnya terhadap Palestin. Perkara ini memang tidak mengejutkan. Para pemimpin jabatan luar memang sudah mengaturkan jadual Sidang Kemuncak Russia-EU yang dijadualkan pada Mei 28, yang akan turut membincangkan masalah bahan tenaga untuk kepentingan bersama. Situasi di Timur Tengah sudah pasti akan menjadi tajuk utama perbincangan itu. Namun demikian, pentadbiran Russia tidak berapa mahu mendengar pendapat EU, kerana memang ada sebabnya. Kerajaan Ariel Sharon tidak akan mempedulikan kritikan EU kecuali AS menghentikan sokongannya terhadap Israel. Tetapi, Menteri-menteri Luar EU memang tidak senang hati dengan AS kerana tidak memainkan peranan utama untuk menyelesaikan masalah itu.

Pentadbiran EU memang belum bersedia untuk menjadi pendamai dalam perbalahan di Timur Tengah. Harapan untuk mencapai kejayaan adalah terlalu tipis, dan kritikan terhadap usaha itu akan bertan-tan banyaknya, seandainya berlaku lagi kegagalan. Kerana itu EU hanya mampu meminta pihak yang berperang menghentikannya, tetapi rayuan itu tidak mampu memaksa sesiapa mematuhinya. Pada masa ini EU tidak mempunyai sebarang pengaruh ke atas orang Palestin, Israel dan EU sudah sedar apa gunanya mengkritik Amerika dalam perkara itu? EU lebih bersifat memihak mana-mana pihak yang bergiat cergas dalam usaha damai itu: AS, Russia ataupun negara Arab. Ini merupakan satu taktik yang betul, tetapi mampukah ia memutikkan hasilnya? Buat masa ini, tidak banyak dalil untuk bersikap optimis.

Oleg Artyukov

Terjemahan: SPAR

Asal:

http://english.pravda.ru/world/2002/04/03/27328.html

2002-04-03

THE EUROPEAN UNION IS FIGHTING FOR PEACE THE WAY IT CAN

The situation in the Middle East does not leave the EU representatives indifferent. The foreign ministers of the European Union members were trying to solve the question of how the European community could assist in stopping the bloodshed in Palestine. The discussion took place on April 3, in Luxembourg.

It should be mentioned that the European Union condemned the acts of terrorism, performed by the militants of the Palestinian organizations, but it did not support the operation of the Israeli army. The EU representatives have been calling upon Israel to withdraw the troops from the occupied territories since the beginning of the army actions. Spain sent a letter to Ariel Sharon, demanding the immediate cessation of the military operation and execution of the adequate UN Security Council. Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique claimed that the anti-terrorist war did not equal the destruction of the Palestinian administrative buildings.

By the way, the situation in the Middle East was discussed at the meeting between the Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and his European colleagues on April 2. It seems that Russia and the EU have a common viewpoint as far as the issue is concerned: both Russia and the EU urge Israel to stop the operation against Palestine. This is not surprising. The leaders of the foreign political departments were also discussing the coming Russia-EU summit, which is to take place May 28, as well as the mutual relations in energy field. But the Mideast situation was surely the key subject of the discussion.

Nevertheless, the Israeli administration is not really willing to listen to the opinion of the European Union, and there are reasons for that. Ariel Sharon's government will hardly pay attention to critics of the EU until the USA supports Israel. By the way, the European foreign ministers set out their discontent with the fact that the USA was not playing a significant role in the process of settling the current bloody conflict.

But the EU administration is hardly ready to become a conciliator in the field of regulation of the Mideast conflict. The hope for success is very little, and there will be tons of criticism, if another peacemaking mission fails. That is why the EU will keep on calling the feuding parties to stop the violence, but these appeals do not oblige anyone with anything. At present moment, the EU does not have any levels to show influence on either the Palestinians, or the Israelis, and the European Union perfectly realizes that - what would be the point to criticize Americans otherwise' The Europeans apparently stake on joining the efforts of all the parties, which interests are touched upon in the conflict either way: the USA, Russia, Arab states. This is a correct tactics, but will it bring any results? At present moment there are few reasons to be optimistic.

Oleg Artyukov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov