Spain will urge the European Union to "face up to its responsibilities" and take a more active role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said on Friday. "What we do want to show and express very firmly is that the European Union, from Spain's point of view, cannot just sit back and do nothing while the Israeli-Palestinian conflict keeps killing people," Moratinos, a former EU Middle East peace envoy, told a news conference. "I think the time has come for the European Union to face up to its responsibilities, and of course the Spanish government will seek any kind of proposal, initiative or action because what we can't do is allow this lack of hope for peace to continue." Moratinos, speaking at a joint news conference with Palestinian Negotiations Minister Saeb Erekat, also said he planned to visit the region in the autumn. Erekat asked Spain for help. "What we need is capable Spanish diplomats to bring both Palestinians and Israelis to the negotiating table." --More 2214 Local Time 1914 GMT
