The European Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana denied on Thursday having had direct contact with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, hours after he said just that in a radio interview.
Solana’s office issued a statement saying “at no time Dr. Solana wished to imply that direct contacts between himself and Hamas had taken place” since the group was put on the EU’s list of banned terrorist organizations.
The EU foreign policy chief earlier told British Broadcasting Corp. Radio: “I have had direct contact with Hamas but not in the last few days. Those meetings were not long. They were just to pass a clear message of where the international community was.”
He said the contact had occurred "months" ago.
That prompted Israel to accuse the EU of double standards and drew veiled criticism from Britain, triggering a statement from Solana’s office it said was meant to clarify his remarks.
“Any mention of contacts or meetings with Hamas referred to soundings and impressions conveyed to him but gathered by governments and other parties on the ground,” his spokeswoman, Cristina Gallach, said in the statement.
“At no time did the High Representative nor his office hold direct contacts with Hamas or any other organization appearing on the EU terrorist list.”
Hamas on banned list
The 25-nation bloc put Hamas on its list of banned organizations last year after the militant group rejected repeated calls by the EU to end suicide bombings in Israel and declare a cease-fire to permit peace negotiations.
Hams is also on the U.S. State Department's banned list.
“We see an inconsistency in the European Union having formally declared Hamas a terrorist organization and then going ahead and holding a meeting with representatives of that group,” Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev told Reuters.
He said he expected Israel to take the issue up with the EU.
Solana’s indication of timing made clear whatever contacts took place occurred before Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died this month and was not part of efforts to ensure the peaceful election of a successor and revive peace talks.
An EU official said Solana had received reports from the Egyptian government of talks among Palestinian factions in Cairo to try to arrange a truce.
Britain reiterates stance
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, speaking to the BBC from Jerusalem, said Britain’s policy was not to talk to Hamas, which is committed to Israel’s destruction.
“Our position is very clear. We do not have contact with Hamas,” Straw said.
“We do not believe in contacts with Hamas or other proscribed organizations. What these organizations have to do if they want to take part in discussions is to renounce violence.”
A senior Israeli government official, speaking to reporters accompanying Straw, said the Jewish state was counting on London to rein in Solana.
“Britain will have to inject a dose of realism into the zeal of European special envoy Javier Solana,” the official said.
Hamas has spearheaded many attacks on Israel, including suicide bombings, during a 4-year-old Palestinian uprising. The Israelis have killed several of its leaders.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman said Islamic militants posed a threat to Europe as well as to Israel, and contacts with Hamas leaders did not strengthen Palestinian moderates.
“We would hope that European leaders would stand united in a policy that denies any political legitimacy to groups that organize and carry out deadly suicide bombings against innocent civilians,” he said.
