Kerry urges EU to defer guidelines introduction

The US Secretary of State John Kerry is urging the EU to postpone the introduction of its new Settlement Guidelines, according to a US diplomat.

It’s understood that Kerry made the request during a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Vilnius, Lithuania, the current seat of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The Secretary of State also called on Brussels to support Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.

In comments carried by Reuters, a senior official at the US Department of State, said: “it’s important for those parties who have an interest in a successful outcome (to Israeli-Palestinian negotiations) that they be supportive of this effort and that they find a way to embrace the negotiators and encourage them to move forward, rather than, as it were metaphorically, bang them over the head.”

The new Settlement Guidelines will restrict any EU funds going to organisations operating in Gaza Strip, West Bank or Golan Heights from January 2014. The move is expected to have a significant impact on Israel’s participation in Horizon 2020.

Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has said the guidelines are simply “putting down on paper what is currently the EU position”. She has announced that a delegation from Brussels will be sent to Israel to start talks to help ensure the sensitive implementation of the new guidelines.

Palestinians have said they support the new guidelines as a major move against the construction of settlements, which they fear would otherwise deny them a viable state.

Talks between the EU and the Israel began talks on Horizon 2020 last month.