EU hervat langzamerhand de dialoog met de Palestijnen (en)

The EU is slowly resuming contacts with a new Palestinian government of national unity, despite officially resisting calls to lift the embargo on aid to the Palestinians until the new administration renounces violence and recognizes Israel's right to exist.

Marc Otte, the EU's Middle East envoy, on Tuesday (20 March) met with Palestinian foreign minister Ziad Abu Amr, an independent member of the cabinet, while France, Austria and Belgium announced they would also meet non-Hamas government officials.

It is expected that an informal meeting of the EU's foreign ministers in Bremen next week will give another boost to bilateral ties with Palestinians, despite Israel's opposition to such moves.

The Hamas group and the Fatah movement of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas clinched a coalition deal last month in a bid to break the international isolation of the territory which was triggered after the Hamas group - on a terrorist list in both the EU and US - won the elections last January.

Europe cautiously welcomed the agreement but urged the government to fulfil all the conditions required by the international community - the renunciation of violence, the recognition of Israel and the honouring of past peace agreements with the Israelis.

"I have to say that this government does not comply fully with the principles," EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said Monday (19 March), but he added "It's much more important what they do than what they say at this point in time."

The EU is the biggest aid donor to the Palestinian territories. It froze funds to the Hamas-led administration, but instead it set up a temporary financial mechanism which provides aid to public institutions such as hospitals and the poorest inhabitants while circumventing Hamas officials.

Last year, the sum amounted to €700 million, which was €200 million more than before the crisis. Officials expect this system could remain in place before the Hamas group moves more significantly towards reconciliation with Israel.

Meanwhile, the US has also kicked off talks with moderate members of the new Palestinian government although the secretary of state Condoleezza Rice - set to visit the region this weekend - insisted Washington will not recognise the Palestinian cabinet until it recognizes Israel.