Livni asks for EU to keep pressure on Hamas

On the question of the EU re-starting its cooperation with new Palestinian national unity government once established, Israel's foreign minister Tzipi Livni said Monday that our expectations from the international community is to stick to their own demands, "to keep the pressure on the extremists while working with the moderates."

German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President-in-office of the European Council who met Livni said the three criteria - recognition of Israel, renunciation of armed struggle and acceptance of past agreements - are part of the Roadmap, and been repeated by the Quartet.

"If the future Palestinian government gives a clear commitment to these criteria, there will be no obstacle to the preparation of cooperation with such government," said Steinmeier.

EU Commissioner for external relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said first a national unity government has to be formed and then we have to see what actions it will take. "We have already started thinking about preliminary ideas of cooperation," she added.

Turning to relations with the EU, Livni said the last years we have seen a good change in relations between the EU and Israel especially in the economic sector. "We have some differences when it comes to the situation of the region," she noted.