France urges world to back Palestinian accord

BRUSSELS, Feb 9 (Reuters) France today urged the international community to back a new national unity government formed by rival Palestinian factions and other EU countries were cautiously positive on the accord.

EU diplomats said it was too early to expect any decision on lifting a freeze on direct aid to the Palestinian government when the 27-nation bloc's foreign ministers meet on monday but they were likely to issue a positive statement on the agreement.

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said he supported the deal between the moderate Fatah party and the militant Islamist Hamas movement signed in Mecca yesterday, and called for international backing.

''The inclusion in this government's programme of respecting international resolutions and agreements signed by the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organisation) constitutes a step in the right direction towards full adherence to the international community's demands,'' Douste-Blazy said in a statement.

''Creation of the new government on the basis of this programme should be encouraged and supported,'' he added.

The United States and the European Union suspended aid to and contact with the Palestinian government last year after Hamas took office rejecting international demands to recognise Israel, renounce violence or accept past peace agreements.

They have channelled some assistance through international agencies and non-government organisations and sought to buttress Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a Fatah moderate.

EU president germany said it welcomed the deal among Palestinian factions on forming a unity government. ''The agreement and the guidelines for a government are first steps in the right direction,'' government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said.

''The Palestinian government remains obliged to acknowledge Israel's right to exist, to avoid violence and stick to (past) agreements.'' POSITIVE BUT CAUTIOUS A spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said the bloc would study the agreement carefully and foreign ministers would discuss it at a monthly meeting on Monday.

''We are going to look at all the details with the best will, in a positive but cautious manner,'' Cristina Gallach said.

In an initial reaction late yesterday, British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett called the unity government agreement ''an interesting and important development''.

But she too said details would have to be studied carefully.

The chairman of the British parliament's development committee, Malcome Bruce, called the accord an opportunity to relax restrictions on assistance to the Palestinian Authority.

An EU official said it was too early to talk about unfreezing aid, but External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner planned to outline proposals on Monday to expand an aid mechanism set up last year to bypass Hamas.

The Quartet last month opened up the possibility of expanding this mechanism, which channelled nearly 200 million euros to Palestinians last year, to assist governance programmes, institution building and economic development.

Gallach said the Quartet of West Asia mediators -- the United States, the EU, Russia and the United Nations -- were discussing whether the unity accord reflected their conditions.

''A window of opportunity is ajar again,'' an EU diplomat said. ''One can say confidently that it's better that they have made an agreement rather than shooting at each other. But perhaps that's all you can say.'' REUTERS SY VC2015