EU Countries Close to Agreement on Palestinian Militants
May 19, 2002
After three days of negotiations, EU officials have reached partial agreement on the fate of 13 Palestinian gunmen freed after the siege at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.
Diplomats say the men are likely to be granted 'exceptional permission to stay' in the EU under national law. Spain, Italy, Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Belgium have all agreed to accept some of the men.
But diplomats said late on Friday that the crucial question of which state would take how many of the militants was still unresolved.
Spain and Italy were the only countries willing to take more than one militant so far, but they also pressed for a fairer share of the burden among the receiving countries.
The 13 Palestinians will not be granted refugee status in their host countries. According to the EU diplomats, the militants will be monitored by the host nations. Their stay will initially be limited to one year and they will not be allowed to leave their host countries.
An Israeli spokesman said Israel had provided EU governments with detailed files on each of the 13 Palestinians whom it considers terrorists.
Several EU countries, including Germany, said they were unable to take in any of the militants.
13 Palestinian gunmen
The 13 Palestinians were brought to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus last week as part of the EU-brokered deal that ended the five-week Israeli siege of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity (photo).
They were taken to the 'Flamingo' hotel in the town of Larnaca on Cyprus, where they have been kept under close guard. They live on one floor of the resort hotel, which they are not allowed to leave.
The EU envoy to the Middle East, Miguel Moratinos, said the men were not under arrest. "They are not prisoners, they are not detainees," Moratinos said. He added they had all signed a statement declaring their willingness to be transferred to a third country.
The Spanish ambassador to Cyprus met the 13 Palestinians on Wednesday. After the meeting he told journalists the men are in good mental and physical health.