generalspeaking

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird will meet as soon as early next week with the Canadian diplomats the federal government is recalling from Israel, the West Bank and the UN.

In an interview with the National Post, Mr. Baird said he will meet with those representatives in Ottawa for a frank discussion on Canada’s next move after Thursday’s UN vote that implicitly recognized a Palestinian state.

Despite widespread speculation, Mr. Baird said Canada is not considering breaking off relations with the Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority and deferred questions about Canadian aid to International Cooperation Minister Julian Fantino.

“We want to get the advice and counsel of the representatives closest to the file,” Mr. Baird said in a telephone interview from New York, where he joined the United States and Israel in vehemently opposing the Palestinian bid Thursday. “We’re not looking at breaking off relations with the Palestinian Authority, but we do want to look at what we do going forward.”
He would not speculate on how Canada might express its displeasure, saying only, “We’re going to consult first. I’m not going to speculate … We’re going to be responsible and deliberate.”

Canada has given some $300-million in aid to the Palestinian Authority since December 2007 — a five-year commitment that will soon be up for reconsideration. “The projects we’re funding are coming to an end, and my colleague, Julian Fantino would have to look at what he plans or intends to do going forward,” he said. “I’ll leave that issue with him.”

When asked about the future of Canada’s financial support to the UN itself, Mr. Baird said Ottawa is “not making any threats in that regard.” He pointed out, though, that when UNESCO approved a Palestinian bid for full membership, the U.S. cut millions in funding to the UN.

“I was clear then that the UN better not pass the hat around and expect that Canada make up for those types of reductions,” Mr. Baird said.

Echoing the Obama administration, Mr. Baird said his “key” concern is the prospect of the Palestinian Authority seeking access to the International Criminal Court, where it could move to try Israel for war crimes.
“That’s why I want to sit down and consult with our representative to Ramallah and our UN ambassadors to get a sense of what the road ahead could look like,” he said.

The Palestinians have said privately they will not head to the International Criminal court, but they rejected American and British requests to make an explicit promise in their bid language.

“They had an opportunity to assuage fears on that, and they declined to do so,” he said.
Mr. Baird said he also wants to speak with Ottawa’s representative in Ramallah about recently reported threats by the Palestinian Liberation Organization that Canada will suffer consequences for its vote against the UN bid.

The Harper government has long said the path to peace lies not in unilateral moves — Mr. Baird equated the UN bid with “end-running” negotiations — but rather in bilateral talks with Israel itself. Mr. Baird said Canada will do anything it can to support the peace process, but added: “There isn’t much to support.”

“We have to be realistic. This process has to be led by the two parties,” he said. “They’re the ones that have to step up to the plate and make difficult decisions and concessions. That can’t be imposed by anyone else — not the UN, not Canada, not anyone.”
He also said that upcoming Israeli elections only reduce the chances of negotiations any time soon. While Mr. Baird said he is “disappointed” by the Palestinian leader’s tone yesterday at the UN, he said, “let’s use this as an opportunity to get back to the negotiating table and find a lasting peace.”
When asked whether that was imminent or highly plausible: “We’ll see. That’s why I want to talk to our folks from the UN and in Ramallah.”