European Union states agreed today they were ready to upgrade ties with Israel while urging it to make progress on Middle East peace, officials said.
EU foreign ministers insisted the process of deepening ties should take place in a context "which notably includes the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the implementation of the two-state solution," according to a text obtained by Reuters.
The EU was due to meet later today with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni of Israel, which has sought a significant upgrading of relations opposed by Arab states and the Palestinian Authority especially because of Israel's settlement building.
