EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton...

She said that close cooperation between the Mideast Quartet members and the Arab League was key to bringing peace to the Middle East through their public support of bringing Israel and Palestine to the table to renew bilateral talks.

"We urge regional governments publicly support the resumption of bilateral (Palestinian-Israeli) negotiations," Ashton told journalists after a ministerial meeting of the 27 countries in the European Union in Brussels.

The Quartet condemned Israel"s illegal settlement plans and gave the sides 24 months to renew talks and the same time to form an independent Palestinian state. The Palestinians welcomed the Quartet"s announcement, whereas the Israelis criticized it.

"We are strongly supporting your efforts to establish an independent and viable Palestinian state," Ban Ki-moon said after meeting Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Saturday.

Ashton said the 27 EU foreign ministers supported

Pages: [1] 2 3