Solana Unveils Middle East Plan

EU High Representative Javier Solana on Tuesday unveiled a series of concrete measures to push forward the establishment of a Palestinian state. During a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels, Solana presented a seven-page plan, outlining the steps the EU can make to ensure a Palestinian state can be established. The paper outlines how the EU could help build an effective Palestinian security force, hold elections and continue reforms in the Palestinian Authority. "The window for the two-state solution is closing fast", says the paper, recommending that the EU present a series of measures to the US administration soon after the elections. The paper represents a bid to inject some momentum into the Middle East Peace Process, which has been moribund since the launch of the EU-backed Roadmap. Speaking to the press on Tuesday, Solana said he hoped the paper would help the Roadmap -- drafted by the EU, the US, Russia and the UN -- be implemented in "a less incremental manner." (EUobserver.com)