Peres asks EU to 'exercise restraint' and allow peace process to develop

In visit to Latvia, president thanks counterpart for helping list Hezbollah as terror organization; criticizes EU directives.

Israeli President Peres with Latvia President Riga (photo credit: GPO)
Israeli President Peres with Latvia President Riga
(photo credit: GPO)
President Shimon Peres found a diplomatic way to ask the Europeans to mind their own business for the time being and to stay out of the Israeli-Palestinian backyard.

At the welcome reception hosted in his honor by Latvian President Andris Berzins, Peres, in thanking Latvia for its contribution in having the European Union list Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, also criticized the EU for limiting financial aid to Israel to enterprises within the green line, saying that this was harmful to the peace process.Peres underscored that the negotiations should be left to the parties concerned and the talks should be allowed to develop without interference. The best thing that the Europeans can do at this time, he said, was to exercise restraint, because this was the most positive way in which to demonstrate support for the peace process.The negotiations are complex he said, but if fruitful will result in an end to the Israeli Palestinian conflict.