European Commission president to visit Palestine

European Commission (EC) President Jose Manuel Barroso is expected to visit Palestine on Sunday where he will meet President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, according to an EC press release. He will also inaugurate the Palestine College for Police Sciences in Jericho, funded by the European Union and the governments of Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada, the press release was quoted as saying by Palestine News and Information Agency "WAFA". Fayyad and Barroso will also sign a new €20 million financing agreement between the EU and the Palestinian Authority (PA) in support of the PA efforts to promote the rule of law and democracy. Barroso's visit will be “an opportunity to express the EU's longstanding commitment to a negotiated solution for the Middle East Peace Process that guarantees a just and lasting settlement of the conflict,” said the press release. The EU and its member states, the largest donor to the Palestinian Authority contributing with over half of total international financial assistance, have been firmly supporting the Palestinian state-building process. Meanwhile, Abbas met on Friday in Paris EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton where they discussed the current status of Israeli-Palestinian relations, Palestinian institution-building, the difficult economic situation and the outlook for the negotiations with Israel, according to an EU press release issued after the meeting. “The High Representative reiterated the EU’s determination to help bring an end to the conflict and the EU’s commitment to the creation of a future State of Palestine living side by side in peace and security with Israel,” said the statement. “She underlined that it is essential that the international community redouble its efforts to support financially the PA’s state building efforts,” it added.