Brussels, 19/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - The Association Council, initially scheduled to take place in Brussels on 23 March, has been postponed until “April or May” because High Representative Catherine Ashton has “recently met the Israeli authorities” (during her visit to Israel on Thursday) and another meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman would just be “duplication”, a European diplomat said on Friday. This diplomat, one of Ashton's close associates, denied, however, that postponement had anything to do with the strong criticism expressed by the EU of Israel's plans to build in East Jerusalem (see EUROPE 10100). The delay in holding the meeting “is not a diplomatic reaction” to the increasing Israeli settlement, he said. (H.B./transl.rt)