Excerpts from Press Conference by Prime Minister Ehud Barak
following his meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair
London, July 5, 2000
PM BARAK: I have just ended an hour-long conversation with Prime
Minister Blair and Foreign Secretary Cook. We covered the
Palestinian track and developments in the Middle East region, and
the situation of the peace process which enters into its decisive
phases in the next few weeks. I believe very strongly that it is
important for us Israelis that world leaders - especially Prime
Minister Blair who is a leading man in Europe, as well as
President Chirac, who we are going to see this afternoon - will
know and be aware and be acquainted with the nuances of our
positions and our perception of the process as a whole.
Q: Did you discuss with Mr. Blair the possibility that the
Palestinians may unilaterally declare a state, and also did you
discuss with him the situation facing the Iranian Jews who have
just been sentenced?
PM BARAK: I hope, of course, that everything will be decided in
negotiation. I believe that it is the only way which is congruent
with the spirit and letter of the agreements and this is our
position. Everything should be decided around the negotiating
table. But of course I made it clear - I repeated what I have
said in Israel more than once - that if unilateral steps will be
taken by one, we will have to respond with our own unilateral
steps.
Q: And on the Iranian Jews?
PM BARAK: I believe that all free world governments are joining
us in condemning the results of this trial, and I believe that
all world leaders will do their utmost to bring about the release
of these prisoners.
(...)
Q: Do you expect any compromises from Syria?
PM BARAK: We talked, of course, also about the Syrian track and
our shared impressions of what is going on there. There is, of
course, a change of power in Syria, it is a Syrian internal
affair. We are in no position to express our opinion, but it
seems to have developed in a stable way, and we would be open -
we have said repeatedly: we did not close the door, we are not
going to close it. We are open to make a peace agreement with
Syria based on the legitimate interests and needs of both sides.
(...)