Cowen vows to seek implementation of Mid-East road-map

Foreign Affairs Minister Brian Cowen has vowed to use Ireland’s presidency of the European Union to try to secure implementation of the so-called “road-map” to peace in the Middle East.

Speaking in Jerusalem today, Mr Cowen said the EU would work with the Israelis and Palestinians to try to achieve progress.

“You have two sides who have different requirements, neither trusting each other, neither sure of the other’s intent or motives,” he said.

“We have to work to deal with that situation and to try and have the Prime Ministers meet on the basis of an agreed agenda with some prospect of even a modest outcome to those discussions so as to give both the respective peoples the prospect that politics can work and that and extremism has no place here.”