EU rejects Sharon criticism

The European Union today rejected comments by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that it has a pro-Palestinian bias.

“We do not regard our contribution” to the search for Mideast peace “as unbalanced,” said EU spokeswoman Emma Udwin in Brussels.

The “road map” to peace drafted by the United States, the EU, the United Nations and Russia remained “a very useful tool” to end the “fruitless killing that continues” between Israel and the Palestinians, she added.

The “road map” envisions a resumption of peace negotiations and a Palestinian state in 2005.

Sharon has said that while he sees “eye-to-eye” with the United States on the way forward in the Middle East, he described the European attitude as biased in favour of the Arabs.

And in an interview with Newsweek magazine, Sharon was quoted as saying the “road map” to peace was not serious.

He said if Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was removed from power and Palestinian militants crushed, Israel would recognise a provisional, demilitarised Palestinian state with temporary borders, and after prolonged calm, enter negotiations on a final peace deal.