Shimon Peres Calls 2006 'Year for Peace', Meets European Parliament Members at European Jewish Congress Dinner12/15/2005 2:46:00 PM
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Shimon Peres Calls 2006 'Year for Peace', Meets European Parliament Members at European Jewish Congress Dinner
To: National Desk
Contact: Avner Tavori of the World Jewish Congress, 212-755-5770 or 646-678-2954 (cell)
PARIS, Dec. 15 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Meeting with 130 members of the European Parliament at the annual European Jewish Congress dinner on Israeli-European relations last evening, former Israeli Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres called on the European Union to play a larger role in the Middle East peace process in the upcoming year, which the Noble Laureate considers will be a "Year of Peace"
European Union Commissioner for External Relations and Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner joined former Vice Prime Minister Peres and EJC president Pierre Besnainou in expressing their hopes that the European Union will continue to contribute positively to a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinian Authority by promoting economic and political partnerships in the region.
European Parliamentarians from all the mainstream political parties of all 25 EU member countries were represented at the dinner.
President Besnainou called on the members of European Parliament to help normalize relations between Israel and Arab and Muslim states, as he done so previously in meetings with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, currently President of the European Council of the European Union, (EU) and Javier Solana, the High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy and Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union and declared that the evening's events demonstrated the "importance of explaining Israel to our fellow Europeans and helping Israel to understand Europe"
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The World Jewish Congress is the international federation of Jewish communities representing Jewish communities around the world. The WJC serves as the diplomatic arm of the Jewish people to world governments and international organizations.