European Union foreign ministers agreed Friday to back a Palestinian national unity government being formed by Palestinian president 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.
"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 told reporters.
On his patr, 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."
