Brussels, 23/02/2007 (Agence Europe) - In Brussels on Friday, President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas confirmed his commitment to the three demands set by the Quartet (which included the EU) before direct contact and international aid for the Palestinian government can be resumed. “We remain committed to a two state solution, renouncing violence and accepting and respecting the agreements signed in the past,” Mr Abbas said at a press conference with Javier Solana. “We have not changed our position,” he added, but the main question remains whether Hamas and Fatah will be able to form a government of national unity which will subscribe to these three principles, as provided for in the Mecca Agreement of 8 February. Mr Solana stressed that European aid to the government could only be resumed once the government of national unity was in place, and its political programme known. In the meantime, European aid to the government would remain suspended, “but the EU is not boycotting the Palestinian people. It will never let them down,” Mr Solana said. In fact, the EU has never provided as much direct aid to the Palestinian people as in 2006, and was looking to increase this amount in 2007, he added. Earlier in the day, after a meeting in Berlin with Angela Merkel, Mr Abbas called on the international community to end the “unjust” boycott of the government. (hb)