Britain, Displeased with Paris Meeting, Refuses to Endorse Final Statement

Britain, expressing displeasure with the Middle East peace conference held on Sunday in Paris, has refused to sign the final statement that emphasizes the implementation of the two-state solution to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict. AFP reported on Sunday evening, January 26, citing a spokesperson for the British Foreign Office, that the country has 'specific dissatisfaction' regarding the Paris meeting, which was held 'just a few days before the inauguration of the new U.S. president' without the presence of representatives from Israel or Palestine. Just hours before this announcement, international news agencies reported that more than 70 countries present at the Middle East peace conference in Paris had called on Israel and the Palestinians in the final statement to adhere to their commitments regarding the peace agreement and to refrain from unilateral actions. The Associated Press noted in its report that the final statement from the Paris meeting sends a 'powerful message' to the Israeli government as well as to Donald Trump's administration to keep hopes alive for the implementation of the two-state solution. The news agency reminded that Mr. Trump's electoral program made no mention of Palestinian independence—a topic of interest to the international community. The final statement of the Paris meeting urged both parties in the Middle East conflict, namely Israel and the Palestinians, to 'officially reaffirm their commitments to the two-state solution' and to distance themselves from views that reject this solution. The statement also called for refraining from unilateral actions that could prejudice the negotiations. Most major European Union countries participated in the Paris meeting by sending their foreign ministers, and current U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who will soon be replaced by Rex Tillerson, was also present at the conference. Nevertheless, Boris Johnson, the British Foreign Secretary, did not attend the Paris meeting, and according to the spokesperson for the British Foreign Office, the country 'only participated as an observer' at the Paris conference. AFP writes that Britain's refusal to send a high-level delegation to the Paris meeting indicates London's determination to remain close to the Trump administration, which will soon take power in the U.S. In this context, the spokesperson for the British Foreign Office also stated that the country looks forward to cooperating with all parties, the new U.S. government, and the countries present at the Paris meeting to achieve satisfactory progress this year and beyond. Although neither Israel nor the Palestinians had representatives at the Paris meeting, the Palestinians welcomed the meeting, while Israel had previously labeled it as 'deceptive.'