European Union (EU) foreign ministers welcomed on Friday the announcement by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on an agreement with Hamas to form a government of national unity.

They also expressed the hope that the political platform of the national unity government will reflect the Middle East Quartet principles and allow for early engagement.

The Quartet -- the EU, the United States, Russia and the United Nations -- have demanded the Hamas-led government recognize Israel, respect the existing international accords, including the Roadmap,and renounce violence.

As Hamas refused to yield to its demands, the Quartet had to ask the EU to draw up a Temporary International Mechanism to bypass the Hamas government in the provision of humanitarian aid.

Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by the EU, the United States and Israel.

The formation of a national unity government offers hopes that the EU can have direct contacts with it as long as it makes de facto recognition of Israel, said an EU diplomat on Friday.

The EU foreign ministers on Friday welcomed the prospect of a meeting between Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in the near future with a view to re-launching negotiations.

They called for an immediate end to violence by Palestinian factions as well as to Israeli military activity in the Palestinian territories.

They also called for the immediate release of the abducted Israeli soldier and for the immediate release of Palestinian ministers and legislators in Israeli custody.

The ministers renewed their call on the Israeli government to freeze all settlement activity, including natural growth of settlements. They reiterated the EU's position that it will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders other than those agreed by both parties.

(Xinhua News Agecny September 16, 2006)