President Drnovsek Treads Cautiously in the Middle East

Israel, 6-9 March

President Janez Drnovsek paid an official visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories between 6 and 9 March, holding talks with senior Israeli officials as well Palestinian leaders. He did not meet officials of Hamas, the radical movement that has won the Palestinian election, but he did say in an interview for TV Slovenija that "Hamas should not be completely neglected as a possible partner in searching for peace."

In meetings with Israeli counterpart Moshe Katsav and acting PM Ehud Olmert, Drnovsek said the door for Middle East dialogue must be kept open regardless of who is in power in the Palestinian territories. If dialogue is ruled out in advance, there would be no other alternative but a continuation of violence. "This is the worst possible option," Drnovsek told TV Slovenija.
According to the president, even the most radical movements can change once in power. "It has often been the case that extremist parties, once they win at elections and are given the responsibility, change their ways and are sometimes receptive to even more concrete agreements than their predecessors," Drnovsek stressed.
Drnovsek and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas meanwhile called for tighter bilateral ties as they met in Ramallah on Wednesday, 8 March, including the mutual opening of diplomatic missions. Considering that Slovenia would pay special attention to the Middle East peace process as the presiding EU country in 2008, the presidents have endorsed the idea that appropriate diplomatic missions be opened in the Palestinian territories as well as Slovenia, Drnovsek's office said.
Some of Drnovsek's statements led to media speculations that Slovenia once again has a two-tier foreign policy, but Prime Minister Janez Jansa did not confirm that. However, he did urge on Thursday, 9 March "all foreign policy actors in Slovenia to somehow respect the EU's coordinated position" on Israel and the Palestinian territories.
According to him, a solution to the Middle East crisis will be reached if all important players, including the EU, act in lockstep, instead of each playing their own cards. Similarly, it is necessary that all Slovenian politicians respect this unified EU position. Yet, the government cannot influence the concrete moves of the president, even though it had done everything it could prior to the visit.

President Drnovsek Treads Cautiously in the Middle East

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