Germany to donate 200 million euros for Mideast peace 16/12/2007 00:00

The pledge will be made on Monday at an international donors conference taking place in Paris, German Economic Assistance Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul said.

The funding will be available for the coming two years, she said in a statement.

The minister said the development plan of the Palestinian Authority could only become a reality if certain conditions were met.

These included moving forward with the peace process, removing obstacles in the way of Palestinian economic development, a halt to the construction of Israeli settlements and overcoming the divisions within Palestinian society.

Wieczorek-Zeul said Germany wanted to contribute to improving the "wretched living conditions" of the Palestinians so that they saw a chance for a better future and would be prepared to forgo violence.

But development aid alone was no substitute for a political solution, said the minister, who is attending the Paris talks together with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Some 90 delegations are expected to attend the conference aimed at providing financial and other aid to the Palestinians.

DPA

Subject: German news