CONT
FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF EUROPEAN COUNCIL DECLARATION ON THE
MIDDLE EAST
1. The Heads of State and Government and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs held a comprehensive exchange of views on all aspects of the present situation in the Middle East, including the state of negotiations resulting from the agreements signed between Egypt and Israel in March 1979. They agreed that growing tensions affecting this region constitute a serious danger and render a comprehensive solution to the Israeli-Arab conflict more necessary
and pressing than ever.
2. The Nine Member States of the European Community consider that the traditional ties and common interests which link Europe. to the Middle East oblige them to play a special role and now require them to work in a more concrete way towards peace.
3.
In this regard, the Nine countries of the Community base themselves on Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 and the positions which they have expressed on several occasions, notably in their declarations on 29 June 1977, 19 September 1978, 26 March and 18 June 1979, as well as in the speech made on their behalf on 25 September 1979 by the Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs at
the 34th United Nations General Assembly.
4. On the bases thus set out, the time has come to promote the recognition and implementation of the two principles universally accepted by the international community: the right to existence and to security of all the states in the region, including Israel, and justice for all the peoples, which implies the recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
5. All of the countries in the area are entitled to live in peace
within secure, recognised and guaranteed borders. The necessary guarantees for a peace settlement should be provided by the UN by a decision of the Security Council and, if necessary, on the basis of
other mutually agreed procedures. The Nine declare that they are
prepared to participate within the framework of a comprehensive
settlement in a system of concrete and binding international guarantees, including on the ground.
(65)
/6.