EU: We'll back PA unity gov't, it will recognize Israel
By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent, and Agencies
European Union foreign ministers agreed Friday to back a Palestinian national unity government being formed by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas with the Hamas movement, despite U.S. misgivings.
"We agreed that we have to support the new Palestinian government. It's a very important turning point for the situation," Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema told Reuters.
"[EU foreign policy chief] Javier Solana told us in the platform there will be recognition by the new government of the treaty signed by the Palestinian Authority in the past - it means recognise Israel as a partner," D'Alema said.
The EU, U.S., Russia and UN together form a body dedicated to peace-making in the Middle East known as the Quartet.
The national unity government will replace the previous Hamas-led one, whose strident anti-Israel views have caused international aid to dry up, triggering financial chaos.
"We have a new Palestinian government. We have a new situation, and we should use it to get back to the peace process," Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, chairing the meeting of 25 EU ministers, told reporters on arrival.
D'Alema did not say whether the EU would resume contacts and financial assistance once the new government was in place.
Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel told reporters: "We are happy about the government of national unity. We are now trying to help it, also financially."
But Britain's Europe Minister Geoff Hoon said: "We haven't reached that position yet. There is still some further clarification [needed] as to precisely what is the underlying agreement involving Hamas."
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