Brussels, 27/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Monday the EU welcomed the cease-fire in force since the weekend in the Gaza Strip. At the end of a meeting with his Israeli counterpart, Tzipi Livni, as part of the Euromed ministerial meeting in Tampere (see article below), the Finnish minister for foreign affairs and current president of the EU Council, Erkki Tuomioja, stated that the recent cease fire had revived hope for a return to the peace process. He added that although, “a ceasefire is always fragile without a political process” signs of new efforts were appearing. He asserted that the EU was ready to make a commitment to political, economic and humanitarian plans with the Palestinian authorities if a new government of national union were formed. (ab)