EU foreign ministers Sunday urged the Palestinians to remain united to form a consensus government to help facilitate the opening of border crossings that will allow the flow of humanitarian aid desperately needed by the local population in Gaza.
"The reunification of the Palestinian people with a single voice to speak to them, to speak for the West Bank and for Gaza is absolutely essential," British Foreign Secretary David Miliband told reporters.
During extraordinary talks on Sunday night with their counterparts from Egypt, Turkey, Jordan and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), the EU ministers also urged Egypt to do more to prevent weapons smuggling to Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
The talks came four days after the EU ministers met with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in Brussels. Livni promised that Israel would allow more humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, but urged the European Union to do more to help stop the weapons smuggling into the territory.
On Sunday, the EU ministers pledged their support for the PNA.
"Today we have heard very clearly the statement of support unanimously by all the EU members that the PNA is the only legitimate authority, and has representation not only in the West Bank but also in the Gaza Strip," PNA Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki told a press conference after the talks.
"There is only one Palestinian National Authority. It is solely legitimate, chosen by the people and headed by President Mahmoud Abbas, and that authority not only has authority in the West Bank, but also has authority in the Gaza Strip," the minister said. "That has been recognized not only by the Arab countries, but also among the world."
Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, whose country holds the current EU presidency, thanked Egypt for brokering the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
On Sunday, a Hamas delegation met with Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman to discuss ways to achieve a lasting truce with Israel in the Gaza Strip so as to end the Jewish state's blockade of the Gaza Strip by reopening border crossings.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared on Jan. 17 a unilateral ceasefire in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, after a 22-day war which claimed more than 1,300 lives.
Hamas and other Gazan militant groups later agreed that they would stage a one-week ceasefire with Israel, leaving room for further negotiations under the auspices of Egypt.
EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana said Sunday the EU supports all the efforts of the Egyptians, and "waits to see the results" of Egyptian initiatives.
Solana is expected to visit the Middle East starting on Monday on a mission to help bolster the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. His trip includes stops in Israel, the Palestinian territories, Egypt and Jordan.
(Xinhua News Agency January 26, 2009)