NAPLES, Dec 3: The European Union delivered a stern warning to Israel on Wednesday, declaring that its fence “must not invade” Palestinian territory.

The bloc delivered the warning at the conclusion of a two-day EU-Mediterranean summit, which was dominated by the stalled Middle East peace process.

While Israel’s “fundamental security needs” were deemed obvious, “the route of the wall must not invade Palestinian territory”, Foreign Minister Franco Frattini of EU president Italy said at a news conference.

“We have repeated that frankly and many times to our Israeli friends,” added Mr Frattini, whose country is regarded by Israel as its closest friend within the EU.

The warning was a measure of the frustration caused by Israel’s building of the barrier, to members of the quartet sponsoring the roadmap, particularly at a time when the EU is striving for greater Syrian involvement in the process.

At the end of the two-day summit, dominated by the Middle East, Mr Frattini expressed optimism that the EU would soon conclude an elusive association agreement with Damascus. Syria is the only member of the EU’s 12-member Mediterranean club not to have signed.

“We have clearly encouraged Syria to involve itself even more in common action to fight terrorism and make a contribution to isolating the extremists who are damaging peace,” said Mr Frattini.

The association agreement would help bring Syria, a key player in the Middle East peace process and accused by Washington of developing weapons of mass destruction and backing extremists, into the international fold.

The EU’s External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten said the agreement could be signed within “the next few weeks”.

Mr Frattini said the signals coming from Damascus “are very encouraging”, adding that Syria’s declared willingness to revive peace talks with Israel is “very much appreciated” by the summit.

Israel has expressed scepticism, calling for Syria’s words to be backed by action in withdrawing its support for extremists.

The deadlocked peace process dominated the two days of discussions in the southern Italian port city, which drew together the 25 current and future EU members and the 12 states in the Mediterranean Partnership. Libya participated as an observer.

A document outlining the summit conclusions circulated by the Italian presidency said ministers were “deeply concerned” by the situation in the Middle East and noted the “insufficient progress” made by the parties, urging them to “seize the opportunity” offered by the roadmap.

“Ministers recognized that there is no alternative to a swift and full implementation, in good faith by the two sides, of the roadmap.”

The document called on all countries, particularly those in the region, “to actively cooperate in the fight against terrorism and to abstain from all support, direct or indirect, to terrorist organizations”.

It said the new Palestinian government of Ahmed Qorei “must concretely demonstrate its determination in the fight against extremist violence”.

Ministers gathered in Naples also said decisive steps should be taken to reverse “the sharply deteriorating humanitarian situation in the West Bank and Gaza”.

The conclusions expressed “strong concerns” about the route marked out by Israel for its fence.

The barrier’s envisaged departure from the Green Line which is expected to delineate the border between the Palestinian territory and Israel “could prejudge future negotiations and make the two-state solution physically impossible to implement”.

—AFP