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Tony Blair joins Salam Fayyad in Paris to review progress two years after $7.7bn aid conference

Quartet Representative Tony Blair joined Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad at a meeting of the Paris Donors Group on Tuesday to review progress since the record-breaking pledging conference of December 2007.

The group endorsed Tony Blair’s efforts to support Prime Minister Fayyad’s two-year state building program, ensuring its robust implementation in support of political negotiations, and to secure measures to improve the situation in Gaza.

Hosted by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, they were also joined by the Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, who were co-chairs of the event two years ago which saw an unprecedented US$7.7 billion in aid pledged to the Palestinian Authority.

In a joint statement the Paris Donors Group repeated their support for the “Ending the Occupation, Establishing the State” program that Prime Minister Salam Fayyad put forward last summer. They called on the international community to intensify support to that plan’s implementation, both financially and politically.

Foreign Minster Kouchner, speaking to reporters after the meeting on behalf of the group, said that they “welcomed the reforms that the Palestinian Authority has carried out, particularly in the areas of public finance, governance and security.”

“These reforms, financed by international aid and in past months complemented by commendable measures taken by the Israeli government to reduce obstacles to movement in the West Bank, helped obtain an encouraging economic growth rate again last year. Yet more measures need to be taken immediately to improve the movement of persons and goods, not only in the West Bank.”

They discussed the deplorable situation for the Palestinian people living under blockade in Gaza. Recalling the many appeals calling for the opening of border crossings, they agreed to intensify their efforts to provide more assistance and necessary support for reconstruction.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit was also present as discussions also focused on progress since the International Conference for Gaza's Reconstruction, hosted by Egypt, in March 2009. The group also welcomed Egypt’s efforts to achieve reconciliation among Palestinians.

The chair and co-chairs noted that some measures, especially settlement activity in East Jerusalem, are illegal and prejudice the final realisation of the two-state solution. The co-chairs welcomed the Palestinian Authority’s will to continue the reforms, especially those concerning budgetary and judicial matters. They noted their expectation that the Palestinian Authority will continue in 2010 sound management of public expenditure.

The meeting also underscored the fact that financial efforts will be all the more effective if political negotiations are swiftly resumed in pursuit of a viable, contiguous, independent and democratic Palestinian State, living side by side with Israel in peace and security within secure and recognized borders, established on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

Foreign Minster Kouchner said: “In this regard, the chair and co-chairs endorsed the Quartet Representative’s efforts to support Prime Minister Fayyad’s state building program, ensuring its robust implementation in support of political negotiations, and to secure measures to improve the situation in Gaza.”

The meeting concluded by expressing their “full support” for “the steps undertaken by the Quartet and by the US to resume negotiations between the parties as soon as possible.”