Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini on Tuesday welcomed as "encouraging" a deal between Israelis and Palestinians aimed at ending nearly three weeks of violent clashes in the Middle East.
The outcome of a summit in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, after some 20 hours of frantic diplomatic activity, was probably "the maximum that could be achieved in such an explosive situation," Dini said.
Dini also welcomed the European Union's involvement in the negotiations, saying that "for the first time the EU was present at peace talks."
EU foreign and security policy chief Javier Solana's attendance of the negotiations was "important news which means that Europe's presence is wanted by both parties; this had not been considered necessary so far." – ROME (AFP)
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