Brussels, 16/12/2010 (Agence Europe) - The EU and the United States are “firmly committed to working in concert” to make progress towards Israeli-Palestinian peace and the establishment “of a contiguous, viable, sovereign state of Palestine alongside a secure state of Israel,” said EU High Representative Catherine Ashton following a meeting with US Middle East Envoy Senator George Mitchell in Brussels on Thursday 16 December. Mitchell was on his way back from visiting the region. Both the EU and the US believe that “urgent progress” has to be made towards a two-state solution to bring an end to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians and “the occupation that began in 1967”, Ashton said in a statement to press. Negotiations must take into consideration Israel's legitimate security concerns and the Palestinians legitimate national aspirations, she said. The EU and the US share a common concern over the precarious situation in Gaza, she went on to say. (H.B./transl.rt)