US President Donald Trump wants to hold a ceremony to sign the charter and mandate of the “Peace Council“ for Gaza at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 22, Bloomberg sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.
Earlier, Associated Press sources reported that the composition of the council is expected to be officially announced at the forum, but did not specify a date.
However, “fine print“ has made those invited to the council consider whether to agree, Bloomberg reported.
French President Emmanuel Macron, for example, has no plans to join the newly created council, according to a source close to the French leader. Macron believes the organization’s goals extend beyond the Gaza Strip and raise serious concerns, “particularly with regard to compliance with the principles and institutional framework of the United Nations, which France considers non-negotiable.”
Bloomberg previously reported that along with Trump’s invitation to the council, heads of state received a charter outlining the organization’s purpose: “promoting stability, restoring sound and legitimate governance, and ensuring sustainable peace in areas affected by or threatened by conflict.” The “Financial Times“ wrote that the charter does not mention Gaza, but emphasizes the need for a “more flexible and effective international peacebuilding body“. This suggests that the scope of the Peace Council's activities will be much broader and that the body can be “used as a competitor to the UN“, notes the “Financial Times“.
In addition, to become permanent members of the council, countries must pay a contribution of $ 1 billion; these funds will be used for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, according to the charter. Without payment, membership in the new body will be temporary – for three years.
Although the exact list of invitees to the Peace Council is unknown, reports about it continue to appear. It has been confirmed that Trump has invited the presidents of Russia and Belarus, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko. Minsk has expressed its readiness to participate in the council's activities. The Kremlin said it was "studying all the details of this proposal." The Financial Times linked Trump's move to a desire to maintain dialogue with the Russian leader.
„Onet“ reported that Polish President Karol Nawrocki had also received an invitation to join the “Peace Council“. Commenting on this, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stressed that Warsaw's accession to international organizations requires approval by the government and ratification by parliament. “The government will be guided solely by the interests and security of the Polish state. And we will not allow anyone to outwit us,“ Tusk wrote in his letter.