Brussels, 18/04/2007 (Agence Europe) - Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, expressed his wish, on Tuesday at the end of the meeting with president Jacques Chirac in Paris, that he wanted a “change in the position” of the EU with regard to releasing aid to the Palestinians. Recent declarations from Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner calling for a cautious resumption of aid (EUROPE 9404) have not been enthusiastically received by the Palestinians. Mr Abbas affirmed: “We are not discouraged, but we are working to obtain a change in the European positions on this subject”. A spokesperson from the Elysée Palace stated that Mr Chirac had described the formation of a government of national unity as a “positive development”, which could open the way to a decision being taken on resuming aid during the General Affairs/External Relations Council next Monday (23 April). Abbas highlighted the need to urgently tackle the economic and social frustration in the Palestinian territories and declared that the continued international embargo was having “extremely serious and negative repercussions on the Palestinian people…We are worried about the rise in extremism and the risks of no longer being able to control the situation”. (fb)